Improving 3D pipe bends

[WhoCanDo]

I usually draw pipe with extruded circles and sweeps for corners but I thought I would try something different.

Simply, I used the 3D polygon tool to draw a right angle and the 2D fillet, set for 140R, to fillet the corner.

I tried both a 2D circle and Nurbs Circle and Extrude Along Path. I used a 21.2 radius.

The 2D circle makes the fillet corner into 3 segments and is not a smooth radius.

The Nurbs Circle does something weird at the corners.

Can anyone suggest another option to create a bent pipe using Extrude Along Path or do I have to use the manual method to get the best look?

[GWS]

I followed what you described and got this. I also tried it with the 2D and 3D conversion resolution set to low in the preferences but got the same result. Are you rendering in OpenGL and are those setting set high enough?

[WhoCanDo]

Yes but I can see that you are getting a different result. I have repeated what I do on your Pipes.vwx drawing and I get what you get so there must be some settings retained by your drawing that I need to change.

I'll keep fiddling for a while.

[WhoCanDo]

A step forward Guy,

I have found that my OpenGL settings were set to low. Now my result is almost like yours although I am still getting the outside edge looking like it's several chords using a circle and Nurbs Circle unlike your smooth result.

It can't be the fact that I am using Fundamentals version can it?

Edited July 19, 2010 by WhoCanDo

[GWS]

I wouldn't have thought so. Have you checked the 2D and 3D conversion settings in your preferences?

[WhoCanDo]

Thanks Guy, I have every other setting set to Very High.

[andy c]

I have a similar issue with creating 3-d routed pipes (or wires). I tried to set a network of 3d loci, first spotted on the working plane, then (laboriously) moving the selected ones in 3-d to desired elevations. Then, ideally, a series of lines and nurbs arcs should be able to snap to the loci now in 3-space.

This does not work. The nurbs arcs remain on the plane and do not snap to the loci (I was using both center and endpoints, and 3 points, to create).

I tried this using Nurbs curve tool, it sort of works, but not with nice specified radii.

Is there a way to draw a nurbs *line* between 3-d loci in space?

[Kevin McAllister]

You can draw a NURBS line easily with the NURBS Curve Tool by changing the default degree to 1. In the Mode Bar, click on the third icon while the tool is selected.

Kevin