Array Support - No info

#1

OK, how do we use Array Support? Not intuitive at all, I know what I’d LIKE it to be, but there’s no info at all on what it does and how to use it.

#2

I’d be interested in seeing a quick tutorial too. I just don’t get the application of this feature…

#3

@formware any documentation on how to use this feature?

#4

Work in progress; but i’ll do a quick explainer here with some screenshots.
In V1038 i have seperated the functoinailty in 2 commands. It’s also a bit more polished.
First command is the array place support.
Second command (which was developed together with a Jewelry Industry partner) is for copying supports over similar rotated shells in a disjoint mesh.

Regarding the array support:

  1. Single support + polyline.
    The basic idea is you can with only a couple of clicks support a (poly)line with an even spacing.
    Select the options as below and click the model. The 2nd click will define the spacing (unless checked off). Any further point will add a point to the polyline.

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Press apply or hit enter to place the supports.

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  1. Circle shape: this will require 3 points to be clicked. You can change the spacing of the supports later on.

  2. Surface -> this works the same as polyline, but it places the supports in a surface enclosed by the polyline.

Support types:

  1. single support: speaks for itself
  2. lattice support: it’s still an old design support; but apparently it is being used still. Needs redesign.
  3. Tree: allows you to group some supports together basically.
  4. selected supports: a bit tricker; but you could select say 4 supports and have these copied along a polyline.
    The initial thought here was to make a copy function for if you would have many similar disjoint parts in 1 mesh. However; this was moved to a seperate command (as writtten earlier) that has had much more development time and works much better. So this will be included in V1038.

Hope that clearifies it a bit?

#5

2 more remarks:

  • you can change the spacing when still in preview mode (with lines/dots).
  • on curved shapes it’s difficult to see the circle/polyline. You could switch it to wireframe mode. Still need to find some kind of projection algoritm for this.

Elco

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#6

Thanks, I’ll give it another try.

BTW, I use Lattice support almost exclusively. It’s the only reason why I bought a license. For my purposes, it’s by far the best support structure to use.

#7

Ok, I’m having issues with polyline/surface. When I click it shows the spots where it would add supports, figures out the spacing of the first two clicks, but I don’t know how to get it to actually create them after the 3rd click. With circle I hit Enter and it creates the supports, but Enter does nothing with polyline/surface, regardless of how many points I add. What am I doing wrong?