Full Version: SHELL REBUILD - USING NETWORK CURVES

Show messages:  1-11  12-24

Hi Barry,

Thanks for file - I couldnt Network Surface from geometry supplied maybe if you could just send me the surface only - to give you an idea of the final aim - I am working with another Studio - Studio Kite which have just finished building a large scale 3d delta printer. We are looking at printing textured shells that would form a concrete mould to do spray concrete with. Just as an exercise and a demo of what the technology is capable of.

Here is info on machine

http://www.studiokite.com/3d-printing/#/cooper/

and some concept renders of the proposed structure.

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Hi AlexPolo,
when selecting curves for network select in order in one direction then in order the other direction .
So with curves In my file you should have 7 curves in the X and 5 in the Y.(highlighted in previous post photo)
I will post the surface if this doesn’t work for you.
Cheers
Barry

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Hi Barry,

Many thanks that actually worked great - thanks for your input.

Will keep posts as project progresses.

all the best

Alex.

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Hi Alex,

> Will keep posts as project progresses.

Please do - looks like an interesting project!

- Michael

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Hi Alexpolo,

The surface generated by RHINO plugin ARMADILLO is quite poor (RHINO.png). It uses a low-end lofting method.



The following image (XNurbs.png) shows the good surface and the video (http://www.xnurbs.com/download/XNurbs.mp4) demonstrates how it can be done. (No need any tricks you know – just select the curves and it will produce Class-A surface for you).



Could you send me the network cage (i.e., the original curves) in the STEP, IGES and SAT formats? Just keep the little tiny gaps as they are. (I cannot find any curves when opening your 3dm file in SolidWorks). I will then send the generated surface back to you during the weekend.

Kevin

Image Attachments:
RHINO.png  XNurbs.png 

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Hi Kevin,

Had a look at the Xnurbs site product looks good. Please find shell wireframe geometry.

Thanks for your input.

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Hi AlexPolo,

The attachments are the generated surface (XNurbsSurf.IGS and XNurbsSurf.stp), and XNurbsZebra.png show the zebra image of the generated surface.



Need to point out that the curve file you sent contains some bizarre curves as showing in the following image. They are obviously overlapped; I don’t understand why these weird curves are there? A mistake? So I delete them. The remaining curves also have small overlaps – they have a negative impact to the final surface quality (I did not make any correction to those overlaps). If you cannot make the curves connected with each other, then you should keep them open (i.e., leave a big gap). This way you will get a much better surface.



Kevin

Attachments:
XNurbsSurf.IGS
XNurbsSurf.stp

Image Attachments:
Curves.png  XNurbsZebra.png 

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Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the model - the continuity is very good but unfortunately it produces a trimmed surface from which the UVs are very messy to try and get regular UV network going for panelling work. Have a look at the point surface difference between the models. I am also a SOLIDWORKS user how much does the plug in cost - no mention on website.

Image Attachments:
moi_network.png 

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Hi AlexPolo,

Of course, it is a trimmed surface. The following is a screenshot inside SolidWorks – simply select the curves and it takes a couple of minutes to complete the design.



I am confused why you need to manipulate the control points – the “regular UV network” you mentioned is actually the control points, and manipulating these control points is time-consuming and boring work. You may never get the good positions for those control points. You should NOT waste your time on them. Instead, you should focus on designing the curves or constraints, i.e., modifying or adding curves or constraints, and let the software generate the smoothest surface from your constraints.

As Michael Gibson already said “it's just not possible to make that shape out of one single untrimmed surface”. Using one single untrimmed surface is a low-end method, and the surface quality will definitely be poor. The UV network generated by XNurbs is much better than yours – there is no sharp turning and they moves smoothly.

I need to remind you again that your curves used for generating XNurbs surf are not good, and have a very negative impact to the surface quality (I did not make any correction to your curves). You need focus on designing the “good” curves or constraints, and let the software generate the smoothest surface from your constraints.

Next week, you should be able to find the complete info, e.g., pricing, from our website.

Could you tell me which software you use to show the control points?

Kevin

Image Attachments:
XNurbsSolidWorks.png 

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Hi Kevin,

If you follow the beginning of the post the objective was to create an untrimmed surface so that I can apply either RHINO plugins Panelling Tools or Armadillo

https://wiki.mcneel.com/labs/panelingtools

http://www.food4rhino.com/app/armadillo

The controls points can be viewed from either MOI or RHINO and the wireframe that BARRY posted yielded the best result so that I could apply both plugins.

Hope that helps clearing the objective.

Regards
Alex

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Kevin,

I don't see a contact email on your site, can you answer a question here about what happens to the object if the SolidWorks file is opened on another installation without the plugin?
Does it preserve the surface quality?
Are the curves/surface editable?

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chrisd,

The SolidWorks file can be opened on other computers without the plugin. It preserves the surface quality (XNurbs generates native CAD surfaces, i.e., trimmed NURBS surfaces. So you can also save it in other formats, e.g., IGES, and it also preserves the surface quality.) To edit the XNurbs features, you will need to install the plugin. If you just need to use the plugin for a short time, then you can install a trial version, which is fully functioned.

The attached files are SolidWorks files with XNurbs features. You need SolidWorks 2017 SP4.1 or later to open the files. Just let me know if you have any problem.

Kevin

Attachments:
Cylinder.SLDPRT
Fillet.SLDPRT

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AlexPolo,

I am not sure I understand you.

I need to remind you again: please do not use the curves you sent to me in production. The wireframe is heavily overlapped and twisted. XNurbs has to downgrade surface quality and waste a lot of control points to handle these curve constraints. In your wireframe, for two connected points at a corner, one point is actually 5 mm above the other – very bad conflict constraints! Your screenshot shows XNurbs generates dense control points at the four corners – it indicates problems in your input. We are looking for some bad samples, e.g., heavily overlapped/twisted constraints, and your example is perfect for us. Thank you. However, if you were a designer, I don’t know why you also need such an example.

Kevin

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Show messages:  1-11  12-24