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⚠️ Libfredo 15.4b | Minor release with bugfixes and improvements Update

Step Down with Array

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  • M Offline
    megapod
    last edited by 21 Oct 2011, 08:02

    I am using the rotate tool to array an object around a point in one specified increment, but also need for each of the copies to step down consecutively in the z-axis. Any ideas? Any plug-ins? Thanks!

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    • G Offline
      Gaieus
      last edited by 21 Oct 2011, 09:34

      I think this plugin would work. I have not used it yet although it says "grow" (you can read our far not really funny discussion there) 😒

      Gai...

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      • J Offline
        Jean Lemire
        last edited by 21 Oct 2011, 19:07

        Hi Megapod, hi folks.

        It looks like you want to make a spiral stair.

        A plugin will make this faster but, if you want to learn the basics with SU native tools, try doing a radial array first and then move each copy up or down a regular amount for each move.

        One trick here:

        1 - Do one copy. After rotating it and moving it, you have 2 instances.

        2 - Repeat step 1 using the two instances, doubling the angle and the vertical move. Now you have 4 instances.

        3 - Repeat using the 4 instances, now you have 8.

        Etc.

        By the way, if you use circles with 24 segments (the default value) and want one step every 15° (that's 24 steps for a complete revolution), the base angle will be 15°. You can use the trick above up to when you get 8 instances, using 15°, 30° and 60° as the rotation angles. For the last step, you use 120° and 2 copies to get 3 instances of the group of 8. After moving the 2 copies to proper heigth, you now have a complete revolution of 360°. If you need more revolutions, simply copy the whole thing up as many times as you want.

        To control the vertical move, you can use a vertical line that cover the full heigth and then divide it by as many steps as you require (24 in my example).

        If you want a different number of steps, use a base circle with the appropriate number of segments and divide the vetical line accordingly.

        Just ideas.

        Jean (Johnny) Lemire from Repentigny, Quebec, Canada.

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        • M Offline
          megapod
          last edited by 26 Oct 2011, 07:05

          @jean lemire said:

          Hi Megapod, hi folks.

          It looks like you want to make a spiral stair.

          A plugin will make this faster but, if you want to learn the basics with SU native tools, try doing a radial array first and then move each copy up or down a regular amount for each move.

          One trick here:

          1 - Do one copy. After rotating it and moving it, you have 2 instances.

          2 - Repeat step 1 using the two instances, doubling the angle and the vertical move. Now you have 4 instances.

          3 - Repeat using the 4 instances, now you have 8.

          Etc.

          By the way, if you use circles with 24 segments (the default value) and want one step every 15° (that's 24 steps for a complete revolution), the base angle will be 15°. You can use the trick above up to when you get 8 instances, using 15°, 30° and 60° as the rotation angles. For the last step, you use 120° and 2 copies to get 3 instances of the group of 8. After moving the 2 copies to proper heigth, you now have a complete revolution of 360°. If you need more revolutions, simply copy the whole thing up as many times as you want.

          To control the vertical move, you can use a vertical line that cover the full heigth and then divide it by as many steps as you require (24 in my example).

          If you want a different number of steps, use a base circle with the appropriate number of segments and divide the vetical line accordingly.

          Just ideas.

          Thanks Jean. Well I had to resort to the old fashioned manual approach in the end, but had been hoping there was a plug-in to expedite things. Much appreciated!

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          • J Offline
            Jean Lemire
            last edited by 27 Oct 2011, 12:51

            Hi Megapod, hi folks.

            Have you checked the Plugin subforum here on SketchUcation ?

            There migth be some plugin to help you.

            I also suggest that you visit:

            Link Preview Image
            The Engineering ToolBox

            Free tools and information for engineering and design of technical applications.

            favicon

            (www.engineeringtoolbox.com)

            From there, you install a simple plugin that calls up this Web page. From it you can access a lot of different shapes in piping, ductworks, steel shapes, etc.

            More interesting is a function that creates stairs, straight or spiral, directly in your SU model.

            I tried it and it works.

            Just ideas.

            Jean (Johnny) Lemire from Repentigny, Quebec, Canada.

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            • T Offline
              TIG Moderator
              last edited by 27 Oct 2011, 13:22

              Grow or ParametricCopy probably do what you want - Grow even has a helical stair tutorial...

              TIG

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