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Complex surface divide into regular quads

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  • M Offline
    Mike91
    last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 10:38

    Hello, I'm writing for a problem I'm having trying to make a space structure.
    I can't seem to find a solution so here is the problem:
    I'm trying to make a space truss similar to the one in the last image, in order to do that I'd need to have a surface made of regular quads (or at least similar to each other as they can be) in order to than use the plugin that converts lines into tubes. The problem is that the surface I have is basically generated from to arcs and another arc which is the direction line. I can do the surface with the extrude to rails plugin but it isn't made of quads.
    So my question is, is there a way to make a complex surface as the one i'm trying to make, and have it made of regular quads or at least similar to each other in dimensions? The idea is to have the surface divide into equal parts.

    Thanks for helping!


    Similar structure


    Walls I need to cover with the space structure


    Curved surface made with extrusion tools (extrude by rails)


    Walls with the surface I need to have divide into equal quads


    Walls with the surface I need to have divide into equal quads


    Lines from which I generated the surface (2 arcs and an arch for direction)

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    • R Offline
      Rich O Brien Moderator
      last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 10:48

      Without a SKP file to play with it is harder to help but I would use CurviLoft by Fredo to skin the profiles and rails...

      screen-grab_062.jpg

      then run the tubing plugin...

      screen-grab_063.jpg

      Download the free D'oh Book for SketchUp πŸ“–

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      • M Offline
        Mike91
        last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 11:18

        Thank you for your answer, I've tried with curviloft but can't seem to make it work. Maybe because I've never used it and didn't understand all the commands from the tutorial.
        Here is the .skp file in sketchup8


        Space truss.skp

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        • R Offline
          Rich O Brien Moderator
          last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 11:46

          Your profiles are very dense.

          Maybe adjust them to reflect the final form you need....

          screen-grab_064.jpg

          Space truss.skp

          Download the free D'oh Book for SketchUp πŸ“–

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          • R Offline
            Rich O Brien Moderator
            last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 11:47

            Sorry, here's a v8 version of the file...

            Space truss-v8.skp

            Download the free D'oh Book for SketchUp πŸ“–

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            • M Offline
              Mike91
              last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 11:56

              Thank you again for helping.
              The problem is that i need squares of about 1 meter x 1 meter and I can't seem to get that with curviloft.
              Plus with curviloft i get that circle on the top as you've made.
              I've also tried to make a plane with the 1x1 meter grid and then curved it so that it would fit my surface but I wasn't able to do it.

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              • G Offline
                gilles
                last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 12:17

                This could be a first step:

                slicer5 from TIG in extension store.

                " c'est curieux chez les marins ce besoin de faire des phrases "

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                • R Offline
                  Rich O Brien Moderator
                  last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 12:18

                  Gilles just svaed the day. Nice approach!


                  screen-grab_065.jpg

                  Download the free D'oh Book for SketchUp πŸ“–

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                  • G Offline
                    gilles
                    last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 12:21

                    Lot of work after this to make a decent model…

                    " c'est curieux chez les marins ce besoin de faire des phrases "

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                    • M Offline
                      Mike91
                      last edited by 3 Feb 2017, 12:36

                      Thank you very much! I'll download and try tomorrow. It's definitely a lot of work but I need it in order to make an architecture collage on photoshop to show a view of the interior and exterior.

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                      • M Offline
                        Mike91
                        last edited by 5 Feb 2017, 11:00

                        I've tried your method and I now have the surface with mostly regular quads.
                        I now have to make "pyramids" on top of them in order to have the final space truss to transform into tubes.
                        I've started to do that on a face but I'm struggling to get the vertical line to the single face in order to than make the four lines that reach the four vertices in order to make the pyramid. Also is there a way to automatically transform all those quad faces into pyramids with a 1 meters by 1 meters base(the one already existing in the mesh) and a 0.5 meters height? I've tried the s4u to component but can't make it work...

                        Thank you very much for helping!


                        Space truss.skp

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                        • G Offline
                          gilles
                          last edited by 5 Feb 2017, 12:22

                          Ok, let's have a more simple workflow:


                          Find the center of the arc


                          create a comp and copy/array


                          copy/array on the other side


                          erase unwanted


                          Spacetruss.skp

                          " c'est curieux chez les marins ce besoin de faire des phrases "

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                          • M Offline
                            Mike91
                            last edited by 5 Feb 2017, 12:48

                            Wow! I can't thank you enough, I didn't know sketchup could do something that complex!

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                            • G Offline
                              gilles
                              last edited by 5 Feb 2017, 13:04

                              The model is far from perfect, so do one by yourself if you want good results.

                              " c'est curieux chez les marins ce besoin de faire des phrases "

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                              • P Offline
                                pilou
                                last edited by 5 Feb 2017, 18:09

                                @unknownuser said:

                                I didn't know sketchup could do something that complex!

                                SketchUp can make anything! (or near... πŸ’š
                                You must just training! πŸ˜‰
                                Making of
                                By Karanak

                                http://orig02.deviantart.net/9426/f/2012/076/4/e/maelstrom_by_karanak-d4t0rdy.jpg

                                Frenchy Pilou
                                Is beautiful that please without concept!
                                My Little site :)

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