Steel Pylon Cable

[Newstream]

Hi!

I think you might find SolidSpline pro useful for this type of project: http://www.tools4d.com/solidsplines/solidsplinespro.htm You can texture the "splines" with a procedural or repeating pattern along its length to create that twined steel cable look.

Also, working with a whole bunch of splines in a scene without the need to pre-extrude them etc. prior to rendering makes things easier.

/ Alex

[Mono Jojoy]

Ever tried sweep nurbs?

put first the profile spline into it and then the spline from where to where you want the cable to go.

You dont really need solid spline pro for that.

[Darter]

If using Sweep NURBS, connect 3 circles to make the contour spline and use the Rotation parameter to create a twist along the sweep. Set both the contour and path splines to Natural and adjust the Number value for each for the most efficient result.

As mentioned, SolidSpline Pro can make things easier to work with, particularly for heavy scenes.

[janosch1234]

Hi Howzit,

this Rope-Plugins might help you a little bit:
Link (http://www.codeworkers.de/reeper/)
(description is in german, but i think the video will help you)

[tcastudios]

Dload the free SplineConnector here:

http://www.welter-4d.de/fplugs/freeplugins_en.html

then open the attached file and you'll have a start.
Note the axis settings for the Circle and the SplineConnector object.
They are both set to -90 using the Axis Tool.

Cheers
Lennart

[moka.studio]

Hi Howzit,

this Rope-Plugins might help you a little bit:
Link (http://www.codeworkers.de/reeper/)
(description is in german, but i think the video will help you)

thanks for the link, looks usefull

[tonare]

Yea, thank you for that link as well. Very cool plug.:)

[howzit]

thank you very much for the help!
I meant to say i was using SWEEPS nurbs, not loft, but i think ALL suggestions posted are good. Just jumped on, and am downlaoding the plugins and will work on this today!
Thanks again
regards

[howzit]

Hi Howzit,

(description is in german, but i think the video will help you)

there is actualy a link near the top that will give you the english version of everything, incliding a HELP PDF in english aswell.
tcastudios, that file was perfect, i can also adjust and tweek the paramters to suite my needs, i owe you one......
Thanks for the link

[janosch1234]

there is actualy a link near the top that will give you the english version of everything, incliding a HELP PDF in english aswell.


Oh, i had overseen this.
But good that you have not. :)

[flingster]

formula spline...i'm sure there is a way to do with that..but no good at maths..i remember lennart i think it was making chicken wire with formula...v cool.


oops..maybe this was a texturing question rather than a modelling one..sorry..excuse.

[boxy]

thanks for the reefer link and steelwire, very useful
Boxy

[jamacsween]

Hi Howzit,

Had to do something similar for a visualisation render (see signature below). I'm guessing you wont need anything as complicated (i.e. only need to show outer strands only).

My researches and investigations came up with the following:

First option is the deepshade shader found here (http://www.maxon.net/~deepshade/shader/shaders/mineral/275/275.html) . For work seen from a distance it is a good lightweight option.

If you want to do something a little more detailed, such as the cross section in my example, then you will need to come up with somehting else.

The problem with modeling these wires is that the strand is compacted during the twisting process. Wire is delivered to the factory in round strands and it is then twisted in different directions to ensure that under tension there is no net unwinding force or torque along the length of the wire. I did this proceduraly using sweep nurbs, helixs and twist modifiers going in different directions. The screenshot of the heirarchy below should explain, if not drop me a pm and I will see if I can dig the file out for you.

Screen Grab (http://www.naval-architecture.co.uk/graphics/art_temp/strand_screen_grab.png)

As indicated elsewhere can be made alot easier and render friendly if you get solid splaines pro. Then just trace the outline of the wire rope and then sweep along a spline with a twist applied. Helix with start and end radii of zero may work...

Cheers

JA

[moka.studio]

Hi Howzit,

Had to do something similar for a visualisation render (see signature below). I'm guessing you wont need anything as complicated (i.e. only need to show outer strands only).

Screen Grab (http://www.naval-architecture.co.uk/graphics/art_temp/strand_screen_grab.png)



JA

now that is what I call a Construction History Tree!. -
thanks for sharing, intersting to see how you construct these.

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