Hexagonal grid on surface- Closed berps to trim solid

Hi all,

I am new in this forum and hope someone can help me. I am trying to construct a small pavilion that can be divided into hexagonal panels to be later fabricated off hexagonal cardboard pieces.

I have been trying to make a definition with a hexagonal grid and offset edges so that I can apply this Grid to any surface I would like and then be able to analyze precisely the size of the hexagons.

The first direction I am taking is with a definition I already found. I am able to place this hexagonal mesh onto a any surface however, I need help with actually dividing this surface into those hexagonal panels so that we might cut and fabricate them. I would finally hope to divide the curved surface into straight panel boxes .

The other direction I am taking is attempting to make my own definition so that I can divide my surface into boxes and add hexagons with offset borders so that they might be able to be fabricated. In making this definition and am stuck on trimming my solids so that I will only have the geometry of the in between spaces. There is an error message that says all my surfaces need to have closed berps. How do I solve this? Where would the problem lie?

Please, I would appreciate any type of help tremendously.

Attachments:

surface2.3dm, 148 KB
Surface2.gh, 128 KB
the goal.jpg, 101 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pieter Segeren on August 9, 2015 at 4:07pm

Hi Gabriela, to answer your last question: the geometry you're trying to trim with (and also the shape you want to trim) are trimmed surfaces, not Breps (Boundary representation/polysurfaces). If I understood correctly I'd advise you to something like this:Still, there's more to do to get to the goal...
B.t.w. the panels look twisted in that image - is that your intention too?

Attachments:

HexCut_PSG.gh, 19 KB

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 9, 2015 at 4:32pm

My intention is to build a structure out of hexagonal pannels. They don't have to be twisted, I think that actually they should have to be straight because they will be built out of cardboard.

Do you know what I might do to use that first definition I have which populates any surface with hexagons and make it the hexagons divide the surface into boxed pannels? So that then I could unroll those surfaces, lay them flat and get the dimensions I need to fabricate (cut them)?

Thank you

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 9, 2015 at 4:37pm

Permalink Reply by johnnyUtah05 on August 9, 2015 at 5:25pm

Is something like this what you are after?

Attachments:

the goal.gh, 16 KB

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 10, 2015 at 1:07am

Hi Erik, this is amazing, and yes on your image it looks like it is exactly what I need.

However, when I tried to open it on my computer it doesn't work the same way. Could you please help me figure out what I am doing wrong. The loft connector doesn't seem to be working on the definition I am opening and also I am unsure how to get those interior pannels to appear.

As a next step I am looking to unroll all the srf so that I can lay them flat and use them to measure them out of cardboard and make a life size model of it. Is that something I could use the lunchbox plugginn for.? Thank you so much I am just starting to get a handle on grasshopper and wanted to try this out. I really appreciate all your help. Thank you!

Attachments:

help 1.jpg, 173 KB
defintion1.jpg, 535 KB

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 10, 2015 at 1:14am

also .. where does the crv. that fits into the pull point attach to ? thank you so much

Permalink Reply by johnnyUtah05 on August 10, 2015 at 1:26am

Hi Gabriela,

Glad I could help. I realize it is not working for you because I forgot to internalize the attractor curve. I have attached a working version here.

As far as unrolling the surfaces to fabricate... this is relatively straightforward using either Rhino or GH. In GH there is a great tutorial on digitaltoolbox.com that goes over how to use the 'orient' component to arrange the items on your material. Here is the link: http://digitaltoolbox.info/grasshopper-intermediate/orient/

Also, fabtools on foodforrhino.com has an 'unroller' component for Gh. I don't believe there is an unroller tool included in Lunchbox. Using deconstruct BREP to explode the inner surfaces of the vertical extrusions is probably the easiest. I have labeled them in the definition.

Good luck with your project!

Best,

Erik

Attachments:

the goal 1.1.gh, 21 KB

Permalink Reply by johnnyUtah05 on August 10, 2015 at 9:49am

The curve is just an arbitrary nurbs curve on the surface of your geometry. It controls the perforations of the hex cells which can be adjusted bu turning on its control points. Furthermore, you can use a point or any other geometry in its place.

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 11, 2015 at 12:13pm

Hi Erik, Thank you so much for all you help.

I have been busy with work and finally am getting a chance to sit down an play with the definition you sent me. Could you please take a second and explain to me how I would change the density of the hexagons on the surface. Does this have to do with the nurbs curve you refer to above? Another surface I am trying is the one in the picture bellow, however I can seem to find how to adjust the density of the hexagons. Again I tremendously appreciate all your help.

Sincerely,

Gabriela .

Attachments:

Permalink Reply by johnnyUtah05 on August 11, 2015 at 2:30pm

Hey Gabriela.

No problem glad to help. Studio is killing me too. Anyway, I updated the definition so that the horizontal hexagons have thickness. The attractor curve only control the size of the apertures of the hexagons.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Erik

Attachments:

the goal 1.2.gh, 25 KB

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 11, 2015 at 3:43pm

Hi Erik,

Thank you for labeling everything for me.

The definition you included on the bottom is that for laying the panels flat for fabrication? What do I plug inn for it to work. Sorry I have so many questions, would you be able to maybe meet with me on like google hangout and explain to mee the steps and logic you took to get there if you have some extra time. I feel like I would like to take a class of grasshopper from you.

Thank you,

Gabriela

Permalink Reply by Gabriela Alban Hidalgo on August 11, 2015 at 5:42pm

I think I am trying to simplify this a bit for fabrication so now all I need are the flat hexagonal pannels. With the lunch box plugginn how do you get the lines to become flat surfaces ?

Thank you