[Plugin][$] Curviloft 2.0a - 31 Mar 24 (Loft & Skinning)

jumpjack · 20 Oct 2014, 19:35

I decided to upload the whole file, in case others in the world are interested in some archeo-astro-photogrammetry

http://jumpjack.altervista.org/mars-pathfinder-model-D-color.zip (43 MB)

Project page:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057032501

Box · 20 Oct 2014, 22:04

I don't think there is anything out there to heal your model. I have no idea how it was created, do you have individual files of each photometric section, but you have overlapping sections in a radial array and a mass of jagged bits and loose geometry all over the place. Maybe you can repair each part of the radial array in meshlab then stitch them together. Plus you seem to have multiple copies of the component which is making the file much bigger than it needs to be.

What is it you want to end up with? Is it something you want to print? Is it meant to be an accurate Mars landscape? Is it just going to be a rendering?

You can quickly sculpt a nice landscape with the Sandbox tools to form a printable solid or basis for a render.

The one below took minutes to make. There is nothing stopping you making it as detailed as you want and starting with a solid mesh means you have no holes to fill. You can also use Fredos ThruPaint to place your images correctly.

None of this really has much to do with Curviloft so it would probably be more appropriate moved to it's own thread.

Also there are several plugins designed for working with topography, Toposhaper for one, that may be more suited to your project. http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=470701#p470701
Or perhaps some point cloud plugin if the photometric data is suitable.

If this is something like you want I can give you more information.

Edit: I looked at your project page and now I have some understanding of what you are attempting. If you can get the point data I'm sure there is a way to get close.

cotty · 21 Oct 2014, 05:50

@box said:

Edit: I looked at your project page and now I have some understanding of what you are attempting. If you can get the point data I'm sure there is a way to get close.

I didn't have a look, but after reading this, I have thought about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=092ZzSrsE_w

jumpjack · 21 Oct 2014, 08:15

@box said:

I don't think there is anything out there to heal your model. I have no idea how it was created, do you have individual files of each photometric section, but you have overlapping sections in a radial array and a mass of jagged bits and loose geometry all over the place.

Yes, it's a mess...

@box said:

Maybe you can repair each part of the radial array in meshlab then stitch them together.

Maybe I could fill holes in each part using this plugin(it works fine for simple holes) and also stitch them together using the plugin again. Hopefully this will result in new holes which I will maybe be able to fill using again the plugin... and so on till I fill all of them!

@box said:

Plus you seem to have multiple copies of the component which is making the file much bigger than it needs to be.

I didn't notice it, I'll check.

What is the attachment?

Box · 21 Oct 2014, 08:52

@jumpjack said:

What is the attachment?

It is a simple sandbox model with a random mars landscape as a texture, and the rover roughly lifted from your model and dropped on it.

Quick Mars.skp

thefreestman · 14 Nov 2014, 19:18

**I love this plugin, especially the splice feature.

Does anyone know of another similar feature that creates a grided planar surface in a similar effect- to that of the black mesh that appears in modeling before it generates a smooth surface?!

Thanks!**

TIG · 15 Nov 2014, 12:34

At any time you can make any 'smoothed surface' into a 'mesh', with fully visible edges, by selecting the surface and using the native 'Soften/Smooth Edges' tool [context-menu], with minimal angle-slider setting and the two options ticked...
Of course you can do the reverse [on any 'mesh'] - select all of the facets required and move slider to right so the surface becomes smooth...

Box · 15 Nov 2014, 12:47

And what Tig has modestly left out, a lot of his plugins allow you to choose quads, if that is the full square grid you are after.

thefreestman · 17 Nov 2014, 22:07

Great Thanks!

dana2048 · 21 Nov 2014, 13:25

This tool did exactly what I needed! Great work!

JClements · 22 Nov 2014, 17:48

Could this plugin be adapted into a new/similar plugin but for sheet metal fabrication? With some of the functions described here in this SolidsWorks video; in particular bend lines and flattening functions?

(www.hawkridgesys.com)

Osuki99 · 3 Dec 2014, 12:35

thankk you very much ^^

ronys · 3 Jan 2015, 19:11

Thank you for this amazing plugin.

I am trying to use the outcome of the Curviloft for hotwiring foam (with CNC) for RC airplanes.
My problem is that the some of the faces created are triangular - which is great for the purpose of lofting in SU, but is not good for hotwiring. If I use the path of triangles, the speed of the wire will not be constant on both faces.

Anyway, my question is:
Is there a way to make Curviloft create only quadratian faces?

Thanks,
Rony

jgb · 5 Jan 2015, 16:58

This is not a Curviloft (CL) problem.

Only when a 4 sided face is defined by opposite parallel lines will it form a face without triangles. A triangles face is, by definition, always flat.

If a 4 sided (or more) face has any 1 vertex not in exactly the same plane, SU and CL will define the face with triangles.

In your model, the lines defining the curves are not quite parallel in the lower 7 segments, and therefore cannot be defined by a 4 sided flat surface. You can prove this to yourself by drawing lines and seeing that they will not face. Other than adjusting one side or the other, there is nothing CL can do to fix that.

jeff hammond · 5 Jan 2015, 17:46

@ronys said:

Anyway, my question is:
Is there a way to make Curviloft create only quadratian faces?

[attachment=0:358vs3zr]curviloft.png[/attachment:358vs3zr]

Thanks,
Rony

post the .skp (or that portion of the model).. there's probably a way to get better results than the long triangles you're getting.. (via better curve segmentation and/or curvilot settings)

Jimmymino · 15 Jan 2015, 22:03

Hey community.

Im having a bit of trouble with this plugin. Maybe the way I am applying it or maybe Im doing something wrong. Could someone help?

Every time I attempt to loft an object along a path, the preview looks fine but the final result has tons of faces missing.

I am trying to get information on what the various options in the toolbar are once you see the preview, (ie, sampling, interpolating, etc) and what they do, but cant find any info on it.

Can some help?

Dave R · 15 Jan 2015, 22:08

Very likely you're working on something that is small and you're running up against the short edges/small faces issue. It would be most helpful if you would upload a sample SKP file that exhibits the problem you're having. Otherwise we're taking stabs in the dark.

peterromao · 20 Jan 2015, 12:13

Hey, great tool tat I've been using for some time.

Funny that only now did I come across this green dialog box stating:

"Handling Needle Eyes and other defects! -1"

Could someone enlighten me as to what this signifies?

Thanks!

fredo6 · 20 Jan 2015, 22:40

@peterromao said:

Funny that only now did I come across this green dialog box stating:

"Handling Needle Eyes and other defects! -1"

Could someone enlighten me as to what this signifies?

Thanks!

There are a few checks on the contours, but this is not very accurate.

Needle eyes are defects which derive from the suprposition of two contours, creating small loops.

In general, Edge defects are better handled by EdgeInspector.

Fredo

cemileca · 25 Jan 2015, 11:15

Hi, Friends..

Curviloft not working in 2015 vercion SU