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Aligning irregular planes to the ground plane


sigurd

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I have modeled up a rhomboid- like form of which (with the exception of the top plane) no 2 edges are parallel. Each plane is essentially skewed.

I have been trying to 'flatten' out each plane to get an accurate profile, so that this shape may be built.

Any suggestions as to how I can do this would be greatly appreciated.

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Edited by Debra Kunda
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It depends on whether each of the four side planes is planar or twisted:

- If they are planar duplicate the object and convert the object to 3D polygons. Ungroup this and you will have six 3D polygons you can rotate until they lie flat on the ground plane.

- If they are twisted convert the object to nurbs. Ungroup this and you will have six nurbs surfaces defining each of the surfaces. Quite how you woud then use the twisted ones to make a surface I'm not sure. You might need to discuss this with your proposed manufacturer.

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Read up in the help on working planes and the Look at Working Plane button in the Working Planes Palette.

General idea is to use the Set Working Plane tool (3D Tool Set) to set the working plane. I recommend using the Planar Face Mode so all you have to do is click on an edge and then pick the face you want to set the working plane to. Then click the Look at Working Plane button (looks like an eye looking at a pink grid) to move the view so you are looking at a single face.

Now create a viewport or a saved view so you don't have to go through the setting the working plane again.

Hope this helps.

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The v2009 designer series includes the Unfold Surfaces command - I think its default location is in Model/3d Power Pack. This command works well on such rhomboid shapes made as a collection of NURBS surfaces, including many curved surfaces. You may need to punch some ID holes in each face so you know which panel goes where, and whether it is face up or face down. Colors for each plane can also help.

I recently modeled some similar objects (but the sides are all planar) and found that it was way easier to rotate the object to a convenient view than to establish working planes. This is because it is difficult (for me anyway) to know and trust the WP view. I built a tool consisting of 6 NURBS rectangles which I could move and rotate to enclose the desired volume. Select all, Intersect Solids, and delete the outlying bits.

-B

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  • 2 weeks later...

Debra - a combination of Mike's and Pat's methods may work for you here:

Assuming all faces are indeed planar:

Use - Set Working Plane>Planar Face Mode and >Look At the face

Use - Extract >Extract Surface Mode tool to extract this face as a 3d Nurbs

Use - Modify>Convert>Convert to Polygon - results in a 2d group

Ungroup and Modify>Compose

Presto - 2d Polygon.

...repeat as required...

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