Parametric modeling for Shapes (guitar)

Hello GH world,

I have been searching for a parameter based CAD to do modeling of guitar parts.

Quick history, We were building aircraft parts digitally with NC on the APT370AC Fortran based system parametricly before on-screen graphics. Using punched Hollerith cards. (we went to the moon with punched card tech)

Enough old stuff, when we were switching to CAD/CNC I kept bothering the Math Phd's for scalar variables and parameter table for the computes used in design and machining. Not available. I have been searching since. is GH the answer.?

Example I wish to define a set of points to develop the outer profile and offset inward and develop full surfaces from the profile. And link this offset inward for things like skin thickness. I use Cadkey19 now and do rebuild the models.

Is there anyone in the community who can explain GH in real families of parts ?

I believe, after seeing the interface picts, that I understand and comprehend GH. never used rhino since the older system does everything i need except ----> parametrics. I am really annoyed at repetitive keying in of scalars Which could be set and referenced like the Fortran type system.

http://www.archivist.info/apt/aptos/apt360/doc/manual/

Thanks in advance to share knowledge.

Brian O

Simple changes in this model get complex quickly

Attachments:

Developed parametric bi-cubic surfaces.bmp, 1.6 MB
Top Rendered Completed 2.JPG, 28 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brian Ostosh on April 2, 2017 at 12:26pm

Another Question,

Can GH allow a scalar variable to set the offsets from centerline and

a scalar for the fillet radius to recalc the derived solid model for weight calcs?

Thanks,

Attachments:

Soundboard steel strings 1.JPG, 750 KB

Permalink Reply by Birk Binnard on April 2, 2017 at 2:00pm

I doubt anyone here will know what APT was since most of the folks here are architecture or jewelry related people. Once upon a time I wrote a number of APT programs too, but that was "..a long time ago in a galaxy far far away".

In general I'd say the answer to your question is "probably." But comparing APT to GH is like comparing horses to Corvettes - they simply do different things. APT (Automatically Programmed Tools) uses Fortran programming statements to create toolpath data. That data (goto points, normals, feedrates, etc.) is run through an NC machine post-processor program to create data that drives the machine to cut parts.

GH uses graphical objects to create 3D geometry in Rhino that can then be sent to an an NC machine to create the geometry from real material. In my case the NC machine is a 3D printer, but there are lots of other machine types that can accept Rhino geometry data. Note that to use Grasshopper you first have to have Rhino installed; GH is a free add-on to the Rhino program.

I made a blog page about parametric modelling that may answer some of your questions - you can check it out here: http://birkbinnard.com/blog/parametric-modeling/. I think the key to what you are wanting to do is to switch from thinking about toolpaths to thinking about geometry.

Permalink Reply by Brian Ostosh on April 2, 2017 at 10:32pm

The goal is to iterate designs that are created in CNC, I want to vary and generate the geometry. Interesting to know your are familiar with the old stuff, APT is the Latin of CAD CNC. The PHD's were using old "Hanrady Code" from IITRI APT internally for CAD/CAM. 3D Dot product calcs are al the same just faster now.

I made a lot of bucks doing APT for Aerowaste.

I'll look at this site you recommend

thank You.

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