Generating a helix

Hello,
How can a helix be generated in grasshopper? In Rhino a helix command exists but I would like to have the radius and number of turns to be controlled by a slider.
Thanks!
Carlos

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Damien Alomar on August 28, 2009 at 9:43pm

Here's a definition...I actually had an old wrm file that created one, but those are useless, so I recreated it. It basically creates a bunch of circles, then samples them at increasing parameters to make a helix. I also did a quick screen cap of the creation of it....I'll post that in just a bit.

Attachments:

helixAlongCurve.ghx, 122 KB

Permalink Reply by Damien Alomar on August 28, 2009 at 10:07pm

Here's the time lapse video of creating it...why? because I'm bored and can't sleep :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI2fxkHsqQs

Permalink Reply by CarlosE on August 31, 2009 at 8:08am

Hey Damien, thank you for the definition and the video. That was insane! I will try your suggestion shortly!

Permalink Reply by Damien Alomar on September 1, 2009 at 8:55am

Yea I think I need to capture a few more frames per second...it just goes by too quickly. For reference it took me maybe 10-12 minutes to put it together.

One thing I will add is that its fairly easy to make a helix with a variable radius with that definition, just create a list of numbers that represents the radii at each "sample point" and supply that whereever the radius is currently connected.

Permalink Reply by Giulio Tarquini on November 12, 2009 at 10:57am

I'm trying to follow religiously what you did on the video (unfortunately I can't understand all the codes on the file .gxh you've attached before), but I'm losing lost of passages due to the speed!
For instance....in the first steps, when you create a Series, which is the expression you put in the C value?

Thanks so much.
Giulio.

Permalink Reply by Joshua Jensen on October 23, 2017 at 11:43am

Using this 8 years later, thanks mate!

Permalink Reply by Daniel Piker on August 29, 2009 at 5:22am

Here is a very simple way of doing it:

You could change the radius/pitch/turns by just putting in mutlipliers

Permalink Reply by CarlosE on August 31, 2009 at 8:10am

Hi Daniel,
I didn't realize it could be this simple. Thank you so much for your suggestion! The multipliers go after the functions, right?
Thanks,
Carlos

Permalink Reply by Daniel Piker on August 31, 2009 at 8:31am

Yes, multiplying X & Y would change the radius, multiplying Z would change the pitch, and changing C on the Series will control the number of turns. Make the step-size something like PI/10

Permalink Reply by Daniel Kelso on January 15, 2016 at 10:08am

Hi, Awesome definition, very helpful! I was wondering what you meant by "PI/10" as an input for the step size?

Thanks, Daniel

Permalink Reply by dcay on September 1, 2009 at 7:48am

hi all,

im on a familiar problem, i want to create a cone simultaneously to a spiral...
my so far .ghx file attached
i try filter out points on curve with y=0 to get profile curve for lofting - but its not at the curve

thanx

Attachments:

spiralCone.ghx, 205 KB

Permalink Reply by walter chefitz on September 4, 2009 at 10:04am

Hi Damien -
When I open your GHX file I am getting 25 errors. What am I doing wrong? I have the Grasshopper 5.0099 build. Any ideas? Thank you. walter