Hi Pilou,
many thanks for your reply. I'm not sure, but I think that I do the similar thing. When I prepare geometry to Flow - "Unfold" process I highlight edges of part profile first, then I use Offset command to take Base curve which goes in the middle of material thickness. Offset curve is Joined automatically. This curve I Unwrap as a target curve. After that I highlight part (solid), point the Base Curve, then Target curve and then I obtain planar solid. If I color faces before Flow, so result is planar solid with coloured faces. Each unfolded face correspond to original.

I've tried to use your script but I'm not sure if I use it correctly. I choose some curve run the script by shortcut and in clipboard is saved length of selected curve.

May I ask you for explanation in more details, please.
Thanks a lot.

Mik

<<< I choose some curve run the script by shortcut and in clipboard is saved length of selected curve.

Yes it's exactly this! :)
The value of the lenght of any curve(s) selected is pasted in the ClipBoard!
So if you have some NotPad open somewhere you can read it after copy the clipBoard inside! :)
Not very speedy but better than nothing! And very informative! :)

Another thing is existing! (maybe not very adapted to your case but...
CurveLengthBeingDrawn :)
http://kyticka.webzdarma.cz/3d/moi/#CurveLengthBeingDrawn

or on my page in French ;)
http://moiscript.weebly.com/curvelengthbeingdrawn.html

That's an interesting script there, Pilou! I somehow missed that before.

Any idea if this can work during the editing of a curve as well?

Might be useful when trying to keep the length 'constant' while reshaping the curve by its points.

Thanks.

<< Any idea if this can work during the editing of a curve as well?

Alas not with this version!

There are plenty of unfold software tools. I would look at this one at it opens Rhino / Moi 3dm files . Its very clever, as it takes material thickness into account.


http://laminadesign.com/

Not sure that it developps object as volume result ? Only as surface ...

>> Not sure that it developps object as volume result ? Only as surface ...

Frenchy: Yes, the result is a surface, but this surface is calculated depending on the material and the material thickness to unroll. Let me cite the manual:

<snip>
Material: Use the "Material" menu to select the material (e.g. paper, steel, PETG) and material thickness to use. Lamina will take your material and its thickness into account when designing the 2-D cut path, to assure a proper fit of all the final pieces
</snip>

Thx for the Info! After all is depending of what is wished...

I own lamina. It allows you to flatten non-developable surfaces also.

Frenchy, the "not a volume" of a flattened object is just a thickness...

So ...like SpaceClaim above ? (message 3) or this one

In case of!
Remember there is a little free plugin for SKetchUp by Sdmitch : Sheet Metal Bender
http://sdmitch.blogspot.com
The last free version of Sketchup who can use Plugins is the SketchUp Make 2017 !






Curviloft by Fredo6


For something without "gorge" there is the native function!

Hey Pilou,

I hope life is good!

I see no images on my end :(

sorry images come from an external forum so i will change that in a minute!...

Hi Pilou,
That's a good find, thanks.
Would love to have this in Moi, maybe Michael could develop it in the future.
Cheers
Carlos

Hi everybody.

Using Flow as an unfold tool is theoretical brilliant. As long as you need no close tolerances for practical produktion.
The "newtral" line is not allways in the middle between the outlines. During the bending process the outside material will
be stretched and the inside material comes under kompression. That means the layer of the inside will be thicker and at the outside thinner; and the newtral line changed allways it's position depending of the relation between bending radius and the
thickness of the material.

For this universitys made a lot of testlines to find a formula for a factor you can use for the rigth unfolded length of
bending bows. For every combination of thickness and inside radius you will have a special K-number.

Example: Inner bending radius = thicknes of the sheet; K-number =0,365
Inner bending radius = 2 x " " ; K-number =0,400
Interpolation is possible.

This exaple works with normal sheets up 5 mm thicknes.
To work with sheets need a lot of expiriences and allways testbendings.

Good luck...... and have fun.
Hans

next time I send a formula