A solid waffle for laser cutting.

This script is aim to take in a BRep polysurface solid for generating a laser cutting file.
It can handle hollow forms, cantilevering masses and can generally take more complex geometry then the usual section plane-section curve algorithm. This is because of an operation which determines the middle point for notch/slot to happen, instead of the usual fixed height notching.

Ideal script to generate massing models for complex geometries.
It uses a global coordinate grid to determine cutting plates location, which allows two adjoining form to be baked separately while cutting plates matching across the two form.
Best used in mm scale.

This is not a simple script, not intend for general purpose.
The script still relies on solid Boolean operations, thus limited to what Rhino 'can Boolean'.

I'll add more description about the script later when I have more time.
I attached a form testing file, which you can play with some forms that I've sketched.

This is my first post, suggestions and comments appreciated.
Inspired by David Fano's Parametric Truss script.

waffle_20101228.ghx, 1.6 MB is the latest script (hope it works on GH0.8)

Attachments:

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Victor Leung on July 21, 2011 at 3:08am

Hi Martin,

Great to hear from you that you like the script. Keep us posted.

Cheers

Victor

Permalink Reply by Aldo Sollazzo on February 17, 2012 at 8:36am

Victor Thx for the definition.

I also made a waffle tryng with the tutorial of digitaltoolbox...It works but I don't understand why I can't see the sections of the waffle oriented on a plane (the ones I need to cut)

I attach my def!

thx!

Attachments:

POD3.3dm, 55 KB
POD 3.gh, 34 KB

Permalink Reply by Matteo Centi on August 5, 2011 at 11:56am

Thank you for this example, i try it as soon as possible!. :D

Permalink Reply by niklassc on January 22, 2012 at 8:12am

Thanks for this script Victor! I've been wondering how these waffle-like lasercut stuff been made. Now I know

Permalink Reply by Bogdan Obradovic on February 14, 2012 at 4:21am

Great definition, thanks man!

Permalink Reply by Cameron S. Andersen on March 4, 2012 at 7:43pm

Does this definition work with the 0.8.001 definition in grasshopper? It seems like there is a problem with the Sec Brep | Plane component.

Permalink Reply by Hary on March 14, 2012 at 6:23am

thanks ist very helpful

Permalink Reply by preston Monroe on April 6, 2012 at 12:45pm

hey victor I'm trying to use the scrip for the skin of a canopy and part of my building. When I use your script strickly for the canopy it works fine however when I combine the canopy and the building into one polysurface the script doesn't end up doing anything. I was wondering if you could help me out with the problem, I have attached my file to the post. Thanks in advance!!

Preston

Attachments:

canopy and building.3dm, 1.5 MB

Permalink Reply by Rob on January 21, 2013 at 7:25pm

Hi Victor,

I am working on the Grasshopper curriculum for a university architecture program, and I came across your definition. I made some changes, and adapted it for use with any object anywhere in Rhino. I also included a packing algorithm for placing the cut lines based on your system. I think it should work with any curves. I will be doing some laser cuts tomorrow (hopefully) so I will post pictures.

Thanks a bunch for the French Fries idea, that was a real stroke of brilliance.

Best,

Rob

Attachments:

Waffle Generator1.1.gh, 140 KB

Permalink Reply by Victor Leung on January 21, 2013 at 9:26pm

Hi Rob,

Great that this super old script is still useful to someone, I am glad that someone like you picked it up and made modification to it. I have well moved on to other business without much time to maintain it with the latest GH version etc.

Hope you and your class went well. The french fries idea is really complex, so ask your students to brace themselves.

If you would kindly post your ultimate script after a bunch of cleaning etc - for the benefit of others - it would be a really nice act of you.

Cheers

Permalink Reply by stuart l on February 26, 2013 at 1:58pm

Very useful, have used it for a number of objects. But now I am struggling with it. I am doing some manual lofts for a tube like shape which flares out at the top like a flower. It doesn't allow the waffling to work (please see attached) Any ideas why it is not working. Its really bugging me !

regards

Stuart

Attachments:

problem.3dm, 893 KB

Permalink Reply by Rob on February 26, 2013 at 3:40pm

Hi Stuart,

Your surface is recursive (like a Klein bottle). To see what I mean, turn on the section curves, and look at the broken ones. Recursive surfaces break Grasshopper for most things. Fix the surface and the definition will work.

Good luck,

Rob