how to do this? (create wave curves)

See the video on this page: http://www.enroute3.com/RapidTexture.html

I want to make similar random, or not random, curves in Rhino to use for the same purpose as this video, CNC toolpaths for textures.

any ideas on the best way to figure this out?

thanks

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by taz on February 9, 2010 at 12:13pm

Not sure exactly what result you want to obtain, but I just saw this today...

Create Toolpaths for CNC Routing

Permalink Reply by Eric Mims on February 9, 2010 at 1:32pm

I was hoping to make a Grasshopper routine to create curves just like the video shows. Meaning, without first making a surface and then building curves off of it.

Permalink Reply by taz on February 10, 2010 at 11:03am

If you want to array a set of template curves for pattern making to fill a bounding area, then yes it would be possible.

Permalink Reply by Eric Mims on February 10, 2010 at 11:22am

ok, so it's not obvious by the video I guess. thanks anyways

Permalink Reply by Francisco Lara on February 11, 2010 at 8:54am

wow that video made me feel like a was wasting my time with grasshopper for a few seconds!!
it looks sweet though and really fast

Permalink Reply by taz on February 11, 2010 at 9:01am

Maybe someone should try to link GH and RhinoCAM...

Creating toolpaths templates with GH would be pretty straightforward, but simulating the final milled surface product with various bit types would require something else.

Permalink Reply by Eric Mims on February 11, 2010 at 9:08am

I use Rhinocam and it's great. You can simulate different bits very quickly. I just hope to make a GH that can parametrically create the lines to then use with Rhinocam.

my other big wish for Rhino is to have a Voxel based modeling plugin, like RhinoArt, but much faster and more powerful (I like Mecsoft, but that plugin is lacking).

Permalink Reply by Eric Mims on February 11, 2010 at 9:01am

I had a little luck yesterday by creating a flat surface, dividing it, extracing the points and then moving them in the Z random distances, and recreating a surface from the new points. Then projecting an array of lines at an angle to the surface.. this gave OK randomized curves which produce random texture when using a large cnc ball cutter.

I would still love to make a definition that has better controls, with wave pattern, repeating patterns, etc.

Permalink Reply by taz on February 11, 2010 at 9:46am

You should check out the GH [Image Sampler] and also Andrew Heumanns surface deformer.

Recreating RhinoArt functionality in GH should be readily possible.

http://heumanndesigntech.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/mesh-deformation-...

Permalink Reply by FrankS on February 16, 2010 at 9:52am

i am using rhinocam too and experimented with the post-processor/g-code creation out of GH (as others did).

concering rhinocam:
is there a way to feed rhinocam with 3d curves that i missed? since engraving is 2,5-axis, it will not support 3d curves. since 3-axis operations required srfs, they will not accept 3d-crvs either...

concerning PP in GH:
ok, i can make GH output g-code, but...
- i will have to make sure this g-code is as safe as the code from my known cam-system.
- i can't run a rhinocam simulation on that code, i had code up a (cutting not movement) simulation myself.

pls find attached my g-code creation definition featuring:
- support of 3d crvs
- variable segment length
- creation of positioning movements between open crvs (with parametric clearence)
- simple tool creation (v-mill)
- tool movement simulation
- variable feed rate
- positioning movements can be set to use transfer speed (G0)
- find lowest z position in the g-code
- g-code can be streamed into textfile via panel (dark grey)

best,
frank

Attachments:

GH_NC_Generator_FSP_09.ghx, 975 KB

Permalink Reply by taz on February 16, 2010 at 10:27am

Hey Frank,

In response to your question...

Others can correct me if I'm wrong (I currently don't have RhinoCAM installed...) but I think that even though engraving is located in the 2.5-axis menu it works with 3D curves. I know I've done this in the past.

Cheers,
taz

Permalink Reply by FrankS on February 17, 2010 at 7:28am

hey taz,

wow, surprise!
i guess i can learn more on rhinocam here than on the rcam forum ;-)
i took the definition of 2.5axis operation too literally (allowing for either x+y OR z to move simultaniously).
i did ask on the mecsoft forum to implement "referencing features (crvs) by layer". this way you could gh-bake to a layer and have everything on that layer automatically assigned to a milling operation. there has been no response yet.
http://www.mecsoft.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1871

thanks for the hint!