E3Studio

E3Studio is an open-source CAM workbench for CNC workflows: import geometry, prepare stock and tools, create machining operations, preview toolpaths, simulate motion, and export G-Code.

The repository currently contains two clients around the same product idea:

• a Windows WPF desktop application in C# with the most complete UI and CAM workflow
• a cross-platform C++20 backend plus React/Three.js web UI that is being built out as the portable runtime

The project is early-stage. Some modules are production-shaped, while others are scaffolding or partial implementations. Treat generated G-Code as untrusted until it has been verified in your controller/simulator.

What is implemented

Current repository capabilities include:

• WPF desktop CAM UI for Windows

  • project creation, stock setup, save/load, recent projects, autosave
  • 2D canvas workflow with layers, selection, transform tools, copy/cut/paste, undo/redo
  • 3D stock/STL visualization through HelixToolkit
  • dialogs for stock, materials, tools, settings, post processors, export, and imports

• Import/export services

  • SVG, DXF, STL, STEP/IGES, 3MF, PDF, Gerber, and G-Code importer service classes
  • E3Studio project serialization through .e3p JSON files

• CAM and simulation services

  • profile, pocket, drilling, V-carve, tab generation, lead-in/out, nesting, toolpath optimization, collision and stock-removal simulation classes
  • realtime simulator/controller classes for G-Code playback

• G-Code generation

  • C# generator with model-aware safety heights, operation ordering, tool changes, spindle/coolant controls, and manual/canned drill cycle support
  • C# post processors for GRBL, Generic/Fanuc style, Fanuc, Haas, Mazak, LinuxCNC, Mach3, and Mach4; the post-processor dialog also lists Klipper, Heidenhain, and Siemens Sinumerik presets
  • C++ generator with Fanuc, Haas, Heidenhain, and generic ISO configurations

• C++ backend prototype

  • module layout for core project management, geometry, toolpath, simulation, machine, postprocessor, AI, and WebSocket API
  • WebSocket server on ws://localhost:9001
  • JSON project state and operation management
  • physics-based feed/speed fallback in the AI module; ONNX is intentionally disabled for now

• React/Three.js web UI prototype

  • Vite + React + TypeScript frontend
  • Three.js viewport, operation panel, toolbar, notifications, Zustand store
  • WebSocket client with reconnect handling
  • English/Turkish i18n toggle

Repository layout

E3Studio/
├── App.xaml, MainWindow.xaml(.cs)     Windows WPF desktop app
├── CAM/                               C# CAM engines and simulation helpers
├── Controls/, Dialogs/, Models/       WPF UI and domain models
├── Services/                          Importers, G-Code, settings, post processors
├── src/                               C++20 backend modules
│   ├── core/                          Application, logger, events, projects, threads
│   ├── geometry/                      OpenCASCADE geometry and mesh processing
│   ├── toolpath/                      Toolpath engine and operations
│   ├── simulation/                    C++ simulation engine
│   ├── postprocessor/                 C++ G-Code generation
│   ├── ai/                            feed/speed prediction fallback
│   └── api/                           WebSocket API server
├── ui/                                React/Three.js web UI
├── docs/                              architecture, API, post-processor docs
├── build.sh, build.ps1                local build scripts
├── launch.sh, launch.ps1              local launch scripts
├── CMakeLists.txt, vcpkg.json         C++ build and dependencies
└── E3Studio.csproj, E3Studio.sln      WPF/.NET build files

Tech stack

• C++20, CMake 3.25+, vcpkg
• OpenCASCADE, Boost, nlohmann/json, ixwebsocket, spdlog
• .NET 10 WPF, HelixToolkit.Wpf, AvalonDock, System.IO.Ports
• React 18, TypeScript, Vite, Three.js, React Three Fiber, Zustand, Immer, Tailwind CSS, i18next
• Docker for Linux container builds

Quick start: web UI and C++ backend

Requirements:

• CMake 3.25+
• Ninja or a supported CMake generator
• a C++20 compiler
• Node.js 20+ and npm
• Git
• vcpkg is bootstrapped by the build scripts if missing

On macOS:

brew install cmake ninja node
./build.sh
./launch.sh --dev

On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y build-essential cmake git ninja-build nodejs npm \
  libx11-dev libxrandr-dev libxinerama-dev libxcursor-dev libxi-dev \
  libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev mesa-common-dev libfontconfig1-dev libssl-dev
./build.sh
./launch.sh --dev

Common script options:

./build.sh --release          # Release build
./build.sh --no-ui            # C++ backend only
./build.sh --clean            # remove build/<type> first
./build.sh --parallel 8       # choose build parallelism

./launch.sh --dev             # backend + Vite dev server
./launch.sh --backend-only    # backend only
./launch.sh --ui-only --dev   # Vite UI only

The backend listens on ws://localhost:9001. The web UI runs at http://localhost:3000 in the scripts/docs, although Vite may choose another port if 3000 is already occupied.

Quick start: Windows WPF app

Requirements:

• Windows 10/11
• Visual Studio 2022 with C++ workload if building the C++ backend
• .NET 10 SDK
• Node.js 20+ if building the web UI

.\build.ps1
.\launch.ps1

Useful build variants:

.\build.ps1 -Release
.\build.ps1 -NoBuildUI

dotnet build -c Release

The WPF client is Windows-only because it targets net10.0-windows and UseWPF=true.

Manual build

# Configure C++ backend
cmake -B build/Debug -S . \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake \
  -G Ninja

# Build C++ backend
cmake --build build/Debug --parallel

# Build web UI
cd ui
npm ci
npm run build

Docker

docker compose up --build

Current Docker notes:

• the image builds the C++ backend and web UI
• ports 3000 and 9001 are exposed
• the checked-in Dockerfile command starts only /app/E3Studio; serve/static UI startup may need adjustment if you want a single container to host both backend and UI

WebSocket API status

The C++ backend exposes a JSON-over-WebSocket API. The implemented dispatch table currently handles:

• project.new, project.open, project.save, project.get
• operation.add, operation.update, operation.remove, operation.compute
• toolpath.get, toolpath.export
• simulation.start, simulation.step, simulation.pause
• ai.optimize
• model.load, mesh.get

See docs/API.md for the current protocol and message shapes. Older names such as import.stl, toolpath.generate, and export.gcode are not the current C++ API names.

Documentation

• docs/ARCHITECTURE.md explains the hybrid C# / C++ / React architecture and module responsibilities.
• docs/API.md documents the current WebSocket protocol implemented by src/api/MessageHandler.cpp.
• docs/POST_PROCESSORS.md explains post-processor behavior and controller-specific G-Code considerations.
• CONTRIBUTING.md covers contribution workflow and project conventions.

Development notes

• The C++ code currently uses Turkish comments/log messages in several files. The React UI has English and Turkish runtime strings.
• The C++ API returns status: "ok" plus a data object for successful responses, or status: "error" plus message for failures.
• The React file input uses (file as any).path ?? file.name; browsers usually expose only the file name, so full-path loading is mainly suitable for desktop/Electron-like environments or future file-upload handling.
• ai.optimize is deterministic physics fallback today, not a trained model inference path.
• There are no dedicated automated test projects in the repository yet; build verification is the main quality gate.

Safety disclaimer

CNC output can damage machines, stock, tooling, or injure people. Always dry-run, simulate, inspect clearances, verify work offsets, and test with the spindle disabled before running generated G-Code on real hardware.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.