A Fun Problem for Family Creators

[rod.74246]

Okay I am a bit stuck on this one. I am trying to make a mesh screen with an angled top that i can change heights / widths and angles on to suit. ( Got about 50 of these going on a project and all are different.)

Anyways, there is no way i could figure out how to array the mesh yet manage to have the ends of the arrayed objects trim themselves to an angle. I figured the only way may be to use a void to slice the ends but that also will not work once arrayed either. This is pretty hard to explain what i am trying to do. Anyway I have attached the file to see if anyone has any bright ideas on this one or am I getting a little too complicated wih families here.

And before anyone says anything, yes I know i should have nested the actual mesh bits as a component and will fix this if i can ever figure out how to get this to actually work in the first place.

All uggestions welcome.

[rhys]

Have you used the "Cut geometry" command to make the void cut the mesh?
You hadn't this seems to work

[Shaun v Rooyen]

Rhys. It's not as easy as that. Change the size and the new additions dont cut.

[Nevine]

50 of these? I think you are better of filling with a solid material that is transparent and has mask or grid. I did that or chain link fencing and metal grid floor in a project. I also used this method to great glass block wall. It represents well in 2d and 3d renderings.
The attached image shows a wall grid and the floor done this way.

[rhys]

Rhys. It's not as easy as that. Change the size and the new additions dont cut.
Works for me - you have to do the cut geometry for each type you make. In the family editor . Easy enough in 8 to switch back and forward if a new type is needed on the fly.

[SkiSouth]

Think Nevine has the best solution for "getting it done." Attached is a so modified file. The mesh rendering material needs work. Just pulled one from Accustudio for example. The hatch pattern shown is as follows:

*lattice, lattice pattern
;%TYPE=MODEL
0, 0,0, 0,2.5, 2,-.5
0, 0,2, 0,2.5, 2,-.5
90, 0,0, 2.5,-2.5, 2,-.5
90, 2,0, 2.5,-2.5, 2,-.5

[hand471037]

I'd really recommend that 'hatch' method for doing screens.

Place I worked at, we did a lot of nice roll-up mesh garage doors for condos and the like.

Unless it's something you really need to model to produce shop drawings, I'd keep it simple, if only to keep the model lightweight. These 'hatched' meshes work really nice and fast, and if you make the material itself transparent then it even looks good in 3D Shaded/hidden views.

Even if you had to produce shops for it, I'd just make one that's actually fully 3D, use that for the shops, and still have all the ones on the building just be representative.

[Phil Read]

Model Patterns rock. My vote.

-Phil

[mmodernc]

Thanks Phil, .rfa please.

[rod.74246]

Thanks for the comments guys. My initial thoughts were to model them so we could schedule each one individually. But at the moment we are actually using a hatch pattenr to define these in the model.

The family itself though is one of those ones i got carried away with though just for the fun of making it work ( i do that a lot). The problem itself though is one that a solution for would really work for a lot of other circumstances as well, hence the question.

Just another question too though. Don't know if anyone noticed but i had to use a reference line to set the angle paramater at the top. I have never been able to use a reference plane in a similar situation, whenever i change the height or width i can;t figure out how to get the angled plane to go with it about a specific point. I know it is possible as i have done it once or twice and have seen it used in other families for similar purposes, but for the life of me can;t see how it was done.

[rod.74246]

Oh Rhys, I did try the cut geometry tool too. The problem is that it works if you change the height and angle parameter but if you change the width ( in which case the mesh array changes to add new members) The existing members still cut but the new ones don't. Hence back to initial question. I am guessing there is probably no way to do this with an arayed parameter involved. How to tell the array to cut etc the new ones is probably a bit beyond it.

The only thing i can think of is a mathematical formula to calculate the height in relation to the position in relation to the cut angle etc, but i am guessing a matsh genius would be involved for this one.

[Steve_Stafford]

Just another question too though. Don't know if anyone noticed but i had to use a reference line to set the angle paramater at the top. I have never been able to use a reference plane in a similar situation, whenever i change the height or width i can;t figure out how to get the angled plane to go with it about a specific point. I know it is possible as i have done it once or twice and have seen it used in other families for similar purposes, but for the life of me can;t see how it was done.Reference Planes appear to have an endpoint but that is just a graphical convenience for us to adjust how it looks in our view and on paper if we print them. They don't really have an endpoint, they extend to infinity and beyond, hehe.....in either direction.

Reference Lines were created because of this condition, they DO have an endpoint and will stay put when you apply angle dimensions and parameters to them. They also make it vary easy to control objects that are created on workplanes that Reference Lines have.

Oh...I also agree that the model pattern is the way to go...if you really want to model it you might find the approach I suggest in THIS THREAD (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=19396)an alternative to consider. There is an example file.

[rod.74246]

Rhys,
Forget my above post , missed your reply. Yeah doing it in each family is the only way i could see. ( In my mind the "edit family" tool is the best thing i have seen in 8 so far and by far the most useful)

Steve,

Thanks for the reply. But i have seen reference planes stick to a specific point for some reason i have done it by accident a couple of times before and have never been able to reproduce it when trying. Am guessing by the response it might have just got lucky on those ones.

[Steve_Stafford]

...lucky on those ones...Lucky or an illusion...not likely that it really did it. Reference planes never behaved differently that I can remember...if it did it was before 4.5. Check out the additional info I posted in my previous response if you didn't see it already...

[rod.74246]

Steve that thread is great. Probably not all that usfeul for a mesh but thats great for a lot of other things i can think of so thanks heaps

[rod.74246]

I do have a bench family that does do it, used the angled plane to mitre the ends and no matter how i change the length the mitre changes with it. Will have to remember to post it when i get back to work on Monday, It definitely shifts in relation to non-parralel planes, its been bugging the hell out of me how it works so i'd be keen for someone to look at it and see if they can see how it does it.

[bclarch]

Reference lines appear to have an endpoint but that is just a graphical convenience for us to adjust how it looks in our view and on paper if we print them. They don't really have an endpoint, they extend to infinity and beyond, hehe.....in either direction.

Reference Lines were created because of this condition, they DO have an endpoint and will stay put when you apply angle dimensions and parameters to them. They also make it vary easy to control objects that are created on workplanes that Reference Lines have.
Did you mean reference planes in the first paragraph?

[Steve_Stafford]

Did you mean reference planes in the first paragraph?That's what I said!! Check the text...oh...alright I fixed it. You caught me!! :shock: Thanks for pointing it out!

[amagill]

BTW, I stole;) the grid and loved using it as a platform for a roof top landing!