I’m trying to figure out a way to do something sort of “Voronoi-ish” with curves, and am running into problems.

Sketch of the general idea:


Ideally, I would like to take a series of curves, run a script on them, and have them converted into a volume (with smooth joins where they intersect). I tried a few script ideas, but I’m not sure I’m thinking the problem through correctly.

Failing this, I’ve been trying to create paths along the curves. But now I’m not sure how to draw one of the curves I need to do the blend. For example, in this file, I’d like the red sweep to merge smoothly with the gray sweep.



To do this blend, one edge is easy - I can select the end of the red sweep. The problem is the curve on the surface of the gray sweep.

I tried projecting the selected edge to the gray sweep, but I really need to expand it along the tangent of the gray sweep, and I can’t figure out how to do that.

Is there some clever way to do this?

Hi libelle - something like that is most likely easier done in a subdivision polygon modeler rather than in a CAD program like MoI.

Usually things that have branching structures and are all smooth at junctures tends to be easier to do in sub-d. The sub-d mechanism basically automatically melts down all the junctures on such things.

It tends to be difficult to get blend to work well on that type of structure where the tubes are both the same size, Blend will work better when it's a smaller tube connecting to a larger broader body shape rather than same size between parts.

- Michael

Hi libelle, also if you'd like the try the sub-d modeling approach but within MoI, it's possible to do that using Max Smirnov's plugin which you can get from here:

http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6674.203

Then you construct an initially blocky object made up of all planar quad faces in it, then run Max's sub-d smoothing command on it and you will get a melted down smoothed result, see the attached file where I've done it that way.

Branching structures in particular tend to be easier to do in sub-d modeling.

- Michael

Thanks Michael and BurrMan!

I considered modeling in another program and importing, but I just wanted to see if anyone had an approach. I've only been using MoI for about four months, so I'm still learning its capabilities. And I'm always impressed with the resourcefulness of the people in this forum!

BurrMan, thanks for the tutorial. I really appreciate the video - I'm not sure I would have been able to follow if you had written a text description, but your demonstration made it quite clear.

I appreciate the help!

I would suggest searching for something like "solidifying wireframe" or "wireframe thickening" and (also) having a look at the result's images.