Robin Mair Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Hello: I'm wondering if someone can point me to information on how to use VW11.5 to design rudders for sailboats. This question would actually also apply to designing airplane wings. I have been trying to find information on how I would do this but have had no luck so I thought I would trying posting here to see if there is anyone that has done this or if there is already information out there on how it can be done. Thanks! -- Robin Quote Link to comment
mike m oz Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Julian Carr has a boat modelling QT movie on his OzCAD multi Media CD www.ozcad.com.au The principles used could be applied to a rudder or plane wing. A simple rudder or wing could be modelled with shapes for each end and multiple extrude. A more complex one could be modelled with Nurbs curves and lofting. Quote Link to comment
Robin Mair Posted May 18, 2005 Author Share Posted May 18, 2005 Hi Mike: Thanks for the information. I have been able to successfully do this with a wing type shape where there is a more distinct shape on each end. But the rudders I want to design a almost elliptical in plan form so there is no way to extrude from one end to another. I guess I'm going to have to delve into NURBS and lofting as that could well be the best approach, Thanks! --Robin Quote Link to comment
mike m oz Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Robin - two ellipse of different sizes and proportions can be multiple extruded. - you could also try Tapered Extrude. - you can also make up the shapes using individual lines and curves and then compose these into shapes which can then be multiple extruded. Have a look at the DC10 model in the NNA 02_Sitewks_Vehicles library file. I am fairly sure this was modelled without nurbs. Quote Link to comment
Robin Mair Posted May 18, 2005 Author Share Posted May 18, 2005 Hi Mike: I think I could do it this way if there was an easy way to create bezier curves which I have not been able to do very successfully in VW. I have used the bezier smoothing but the amount of control available is crude at best. Now if I had something like the control you have in Illustrator for drawing bezier curves then I could very easily design the sections and then extrude from one section to another. The only problem would be when I go to the tip, which in a side view would be elliptical. - Robin Quote Link to comment
mike m oz Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 I agree the bezier control in VW is less than ideal - try posting a request for improvement on the wish list. Have you thought of drawing your curves in Illustrator and then exporting them to DXF or the like so that you can import them into VW? Quote Link to comment
ojardnas Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 I don't know anything about sailboats design.... But, I do have a program and related manual titled "Bearboat Pro" for designing sea kayaks. Some of the graphs/curves/formulas are similar to ideas posted here. It may be worth a look....it is available for free via internet download. www.marinerkayaks.com Quote Link to comment
Robin Mair Posted May 18, 2005 Author Share Posted May 18, 2005 Hi Delmer: Thanks for the tips. I think this is the approach I'm going to take, but I might design the sections in Illustrator and then import them so that I have better control. Thanks to everyone for the all the useful information. --Robin Quote Link to comment
Delmer Posted May 19, 2005 Share Posted May 19, 2005 If you're patient enough to draw cut sections through the rudder every 1/2" or so moving from bottom to top a simple multiple extrude will give you a reasonable shape. The more sections the truer your shape -particularily the elliptical portion at the end. Use front and side profiles on a 2D grid to assist. - If necessary a quick way to get elliptical beziers to start off is to group a circle, resize it, ungroup. - Rather than trying to maintain the correct drawing order it is sometimes easier to get it all done and then start at one end and send to back or front one at a time till you get to the other end. If you have the terrain modeler a similar method would be to arrange your cut sections out of 3D polys, this time using 3D side and front profiles. Then use the DTM modeller to create the surface. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.