Custom Panels on Blended Mass Curtain Wall Systems

[gavinberman]

Hello everyone.

I am trying to insert a custom panel on a curtain wall system which was made from a blended mass. Is this possible? I have attached an image.

Thanks

Gavin

[AP23]

Yes, it is possible. Just select the curtain panel and unpin it. Then swap the panel with your custom panel.

If you want to make the panel warp nicely on the blended shape , you will need to create a custom curtain wall panel family by using the blend tool (not the extrusion tool). Prior to making the panel, you will need to create reference lines and ad instance parameters to drive the curvature of the blended panel. Then you need to insert each panel and ad the right parameters according to the warped surface of the mass. The hard part is to figure out how much the panel is going to warp at each insertion point.

I've submitted a request to Autodesk to give us panels that automatically blends like walls do.

[pool]

Yes, it is possible. Just select the curtain panel and unpin it. Then swap the panel with your custom panel.

If you want to make the panel warp nicely on the blended shape , you will need to create a custom curtain wall panel family by using the blend tool (not the extrusion tool). Prior to making the panel, you will need to create reference lines and ad instance parameters to drive the curvature of the blended panel. Then you need to insert each panel and ad the right parameters according to the warped surface of the mass. The hard part is to figure out how much the panel is going to warp at each insertion point.

I've submitted a request to Autodesk to give us panels that automatically blends like walls do.

Do you mean 'ad instance parameter' to get dimensions of the angle of the base sketch and the top sketch so you feed the panel with the rotation it has to interpolate?

[AP23]

Do you mean 'ad instance parameter' to get dimensions of the angle of the base sketch and the top sketch so you feed the panel with the rotation it has to interpolate?

The method you described only works on straight orthogonal curtain walls. When I wrote this reply I was not aware that you couldn't do the same on non orthogonal curtain systems. The curtain system may slant, but the panels have square or rectangular at all times. So a custom panel can’t adapt its shape to the grid lay out if the grids are not at a 90 degree angle in elevations. However, you can make a custom panel with parameters to morph the shape as long as the panels are inserted in a orthogonal curtain wall/system. Check out http://designreform.net/2008/03/31/angle-parameters/
and http://designreform.net/2008/03/26/hexagon-curtian-panels/

[pool]

Thanks for the links, but it's not what i'm looking for.

The intention is that I want to use the 'curtain system by Line' tool. THis command asks for a bottom and top line.
In my case the bottom and top line are under a rotation in one direction and parallel in the other. So I want the panel to result in a ruled surface.

I started trying to 'hack' the panel.rfa
By building the panels from a Solid blend where the reference lines or reference planes are positioned parallel in the family. But when using the 'curtain system by line' i want to feed the family the lines that incorporate the angle difference and thus create the proper blend.
....but the family cannot communicate with the curtain system anymore....

anybody has a suggestion?

[Andre Baros]

For limited applications you could build the whole curtain wall as a generic model. Make your own generic family panels and your own generic family grid to contain them. Not as fast as the curtain wall and curtain system tools but much more flexible.