Surface Array Tool in 2013

[BillV 20]

While the surface array can do some amazing things I feel it has a potential problem area - or maybe I am just not using it correctly?

I am trying to create a wood paneled wall. In the attached you will see I have created my wall with a door, extracted a polygon and built my panel.

When applying surface array (panel object to the extracted polygon) the array does not appear able to allow for the door aperture.

Any help anyone?

[propstuff 3]

Have you got the Edge Conditions set to Trim?

[Jonathan Pickup 273]

if you set the edge conditions to TRIM, it will work, but you also have to watch the number of repetitions...

Edited September 23, 2012 by Jonathan Pickup

[BillV 20]

Yes, Jonathan that does work. Well "sort of" as we discovered!

Whilst this is a good tool for certain applications I don't think that it's suitable for what I am trying to do here. I have also tried weatherboard and not super successful. For these issue I will stick to tried and true methods.

There are also issues if the NURBS surface is deemed to be too complex.

[Guest Mark Flamer]

The Surface Array behavior also depends a lot on what type of array items you use. Meshes vs. Extrudes for example.

[Vincent C 24]

I think there needs to be some handles to drag offset and starting points etc. in 3D.

It took me ages to move, position and offset the repeated object so that it showed correctly, (and all I was trying to do was create a simple brick array on a solid.......)

It is not so easy to decipher what setting actually does what in the dialog.

[Alan H 0]

It is not so easy to decipher what setting actually does what in the dialog.

I had a bit of spare time so I was just trying to figure out how the surface array tool works. Seems very limited in what you can do with it.

Vincent - how did you get the repeated surface to offset the brick. i still cant work this out?

I was just experimenting to see if i could get a brick stretcher coursing pattern.

[Guest Mark Flamer]

You can stagger the brick by setting the offset factors. These represent the percentage of shift between each row or column in relation to the size of a module(brick in this case).

Edited October 23, 2012 by Mark Flamer