Waffle Structure

[Neves+Creative Inc.]

Anyone know if there is an easy way to turn 3D objects into waffle structures for three dimensional fabrication.  Or if there is a good plugin or another software I could use? 

[Jeff Prince]

Sounds like a job for Marionette.

 

Rhino has a couple floating around for Grasshopper.

If it's a one off task, you could always download the trial of Rhino and run your project.

 

If neither of those are an option, you can do it the old fashion way...

Build the waffle grid out of rectangular extrudes and use the intersect and subtract commands to slice and dice your geometry into the desired parts.

Just keep lots of copies of the various parts on different design layers to make it easy to go back and grab your source geo.

Edited May 12, 2023 by jeff prince

[Neves+Creative Inc.]

Yeah I saw Grasshopper pop up in google search - never used it.  I have a rhino license but not an avid user.  I have the license mainly when someone sends me a rhino file and I need extract only specific objects out of the file.  Yeah probably a Marionette thing but never wrapped my head around it.  Thanks for the comment 

[Jeff Prince]

led the horse to water…

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

I have never used this function, but doesn't surface array do that?

[michaelk]

2 hours ago, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

I have never used this function, but doesn't surface array do that?

 It sure does.  I use surface arrays often when I need to model roof tiles, board & batt …

 

And they are super fun to play with.

 

waffle.vwx

[Jeff Prince]

@VIRTUALENVIRONS & @michaelk

 

Taking an object and turning it into a waffle structure is different than what you have in mind.  It was a method of representing complex forms and making them easy to construct, typically for exhibitions.  It has since become its own aesthetic expression.

Well known example: Metropol Parasol

[michaelk]

I see what you mean.  

 

It looks like a Subdivision object instersected with an extrude.  

 

 

I bet that the extrude part would be easy enough to manipulate with Marionette.  Controlling a Subdivision object with Marionette sounds hard!

 

[Jonathan Pickup]

I Think if it was me, I would model the object using subdivision surfaces to get the overall shape. Then, I would try to use the contour tool to create the contours through the object. Use the contours in both directions, you can then enter into the group of contours and create the thickness. You might have to use shell solid on the NURBS curves that you get rather than extrude.

 

[michaelk]

@Jonathan Pickup That's a great workflow.

 

I was thinking in intersections just because I was trying to think of a way to make the object parametric.  

 

But you would have to need to make many similar objects to make that worthwhile!

 

[Jonathan Pickup]

Hi Michael, I used this technique on this student project for the seating. 

[Peter Neufeld.]

Hello,

Check out this post from September last year. I don't know anything other than the video. This is more for straight slabs rather than free form.

 

 

You might have to DM him as the link to his site doesn't seem to work.

 

Cheers,

Peter