Equal distance between points+finding support using Galapagos

Need help! I'm trying to generate an abstract structure from wooden beams, using kangaroo and karamba to test its sustainability. The project needs to be done really fast, so I'm looking fo some simple solutions. The general view is something like that

I haven't found the solutions for the following questions(in my head):

1) is there any way to generate the model from beams with defined length, for example if I want to make the entire structure from 6m-long timbers. I mean how could I achieve equal spaces between random points?

2) I like the idea of finding the location of possible supports using Galapagos to minimize the displacement of the structure, but I can't understand the principles of generating those indicies.

Could somebody possibly explain me something? Thank you!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by peter fotiadis on December 13, 2015 at 1:53am

And in case that you know a machinist who doesn't like welding (Argon).

This variant allows far greater liberties (AND avoids the ultra kitsch snap shackle) but it's more expensive and definitely requires some laser (or hydro) cutting facility (for the gold things shown above).

It's doable with aluminum (1/6th of the stainless steel cost) as well since the truss is very small and doesn't carry anything other than itself.

BTW: Read and enjoy (In plain English: be reasonably reasonable and forget wood AND rectangular members):

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127_INDUSTRIAL.pdf

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MCU (Moisture Curing Polyurethane)

http://www.gerdneumann.net/english/instrument-building-parts-teile-...

Attachments:

RUSSIA_DECORATIVE_DIY_DOUBLE_TETRA_TENSEGRITY2A.stp, 1.7 MB

Permalink Reply by Maria Ostroumova on December 13, 2015 at 6:40am

Thank you so much, Peter! I didn't expect this amount of attention to my project, seriously)) I'm gonna stydy hard and do my best! The very problem for now is to find minded enthusiasts here in Saint-P. Its time for me to learn how to communicate with people, doh.

Permalink Reply by peter fotiadis on December 13, 2015 at 9:12am

Well...

I have more than 7K definitions here: why I haven't provided any (yet)?

Because the lesson of the day is: always focus to the detail (fully exploited) BEFORE even attempting taming/dealing with an idea (any idea). Is the difference that could make your future carrier a joyous journey whilst others will eternally struggle. And the finesse of the detail (the fine balance between less (= collapse) and more (= blubber)) is the difference between the right and wrong.

And as the greatest machinist ever (Soichiro Honda) stated: success is 99% failure.

Permalink Reply by peter fotiadis on December 14, 2015 at 12:26am

BTW: Must be the Alzheimer, he he - forgot the North-South pole of all SS things related with Architecture: Ronstan and CarlStahl

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Technical Specifications - Metal Trellises, Cables and Rods

BTW: You'll need to register in order to get the CAD free data > but DO IT anyway

And the most famous "semi" tensegrity building known to man (by The Master: I.M.Pei)

Permalink Reply by peter fotiadis on December 14, 2015 at 5:04am

And after all that stuff about nuts and bolts (and industrial finesse) ... it's time for some code: The Crude Plan Z: so I start from Node 0:

1. Assume that you have some points or points from a blob or a mesh > all finally yielding a triangulated mesh (either via Ball Pivoting or "tuned" via MeshMachine or with some other approach)..

2. Assume that this mesh is "reasonable" with regard the edge sizes et all.

3. What is the best DIY method to do the thing using wood ? Well ... by FORGETTING beams as stand alone entities (using even linear hinges for the connection) and creating STAND ALONE tri "frames" from plywood and then connecting them by bolts.

4. How can we achieve planer pieces that when extruded inwards (+ some other "minor" stuff) could yield these standalone sets of plywood? (+ some decent layouts for cutting the pieces). What about fitting tolerances? What about the fact that we have actually "skin" deployed frames and not a true truss (so what? - it's a small thingy after all).

I give you a hint (he, he) the full solution soon (not sure if I should use a bit of the Dark Side for creating these tri-frames):

Red is non planar, green is planar (height - or rather the "width" of the plywood pieces for the tri-frame - is obviously user controllable):

more soon