Drawing a bending pipe
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So this is done with the Follow me tool
It needs to have two things (see image below);
- a path, which the toll will follow
- and a profile which the tool will follow the path with.
First select the path (if it is more edges, you can extend your selection by pressing the Shift key or using a selection box) then select the Follow Me tool (Tools menu or grab a toolbar from under the View menu which contains it) and click on the profile.It will automatically create your shape. In my example, there are two sgapes; one "full" pipe and one with wall thickness. If you only need the one without the wall thickness, delete the ending circles of your pipe.
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Thanks a lot for your help.
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Similarly, you can also use the arc tool for a proper bend. If you break up your line into equally spaced segments (right click, choose 'divide'), you can get tighter bends from sketching point to point.
(Sorry Csaba for 'pissing on your flowers'. We must share a beer sometime!
)Tom
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I usually use the method that tfdesign explained.....I make half the pipe (or even just a quarter of it) and the duplicate it.
Cheers,
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Well, indeed the path can be practically any shape and any complex - as well as your profile can be some other, complex shape.
There are some limitations of the tool (bending shapes along a 3d polyline, turning along too small radius paths, using too small models etc) but those can be ironed out when you get to them.
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Good Morning,
The path is actually a complex one. I have modelled the pipe but it is not exactly what I want and I am still struggling to draw a accurate one. I need to draw a line outside the red, green and blue axis as the pipe bends and at the same time changes its direction.Any line I draw stayed in axis. How can I draw a line out of these axis or alternatively after creating the tube how can I move that to the position out of the axis?
Regards
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3dskeng ?
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'Bending' a pipe once it's created is possible using scripts like Chris Fullmer's ShapeBender [you'd group the pipe, draw the 3d path and weld it into a curve then use the tool].
This is pretty complex stuff and for what was said earlier a 'sun-pipe' is not so complex !
It's center-line follows a relatively logical, ordered path and can be easily drawn in 3d.
Using this set of lines/arcs you can then use FollowMe to make a simple tubular extrusion from a predrawn 'flat' profile.
It's easy enough to draw edges off axis ?
Or rotate them later using built-in tools.
Remember to group your path's geometry so that although it can snap/infer to other things in the model it's not 'sticking' to them; and then make the 'tube' inside that group's edit...
Circular forms extrude OK this way.
If you can't even be bothered drawing the ring-profile or the start is not 'flat' then my PipeAlongPath tool would help extrude a given sized pipe along a preselected path of edges/arcs
With complex shaped profiles they can 'twist' - e.g. oval-handrails - then the FAK [FollowMeAndKeep] script comes in, as that will retain the profile's orientation as it extrudes... -
Many thanks TIG,
I have another question. I want to export the drawn pipe from SU to IES(Thermal modelling software)for the porpose of daylighting analysis. I need it as GEM file. How can I export that as GEM file?Many thanks
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@unknownuser said:
3dskeng ?
Pilou, this is the newbie forum where people want to learn to use SketchUp. Why would someone buy an expensive, professional package in order to
- draw something simple
- and NOT to learn to use the most basic tools in SU?
I know you browse the "new posts" or what list when using the forums but often you end up being really unhelpful but confusing beginner.
Sorry for the long rant (and we have discussed it several times already) but you do not seem to learn.
(And yeah, 3skeng is indeed a powerful tool but for plumbers and such, not for "amateurs" in this field).
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Sorry but I have absolutely zero experience with that (in fact, this was the first time I heard).
If you still have issues with the paths and such, I gladly help.
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I too am not fully aufait with the GEM file format BUT there is an IES 'Sketchup Plugin' to allow you to work within the SKP as if it were an IES project... and I also think the export from a SKP project into an IES compatible format [like GEM?].
This really is more of an issue to raise at IES's website - where you should also be able to get their plugin etc...
http://forums.iesve.com/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=f617a65d643b53a680828e80de3c38a4 -
Hey guys,
I have created a simple pipe with your help but still need to improve it to make it more like what I want. Any help on Gem file please? I want to make sure that the model I created in SU will be exportable to my software as a Gem file. Would you advice me on that?
Thanks
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