housing for an LED PCB. The object is a parametric series of discs with an opening inside made up of a mirrored curve [drawn in Rhino, mirrored in GH]
It is madde up of N number of discs which can be varied through the distance between the circular outline using a divided curve [straight line in GH]. The length of the object can be varied using a length parameter, and the shape using a graph mapper.
I've chosen to cap the end two discs by creating two sets of outlines. One set has the central aperture cutout for the PCB, whereas the other set is a trimmed circle [achieved using the "trim box" layer profile in Rhino]
I then cull the outer two curves from one array, and the inner N-2 curves from the inner array.
The final outcome I am after is to create the housing as both an STL and a 2d template for laser cutting. This is a learning exercise for me as well as a cool project.
I had it working OK, but then I adjusted the profile for the PCB and joined it and now it is giving me some grief. I am sure the answer is obvious. The problem is the PCB profile is made up of 3 polycurves, whereas the disc profile is one planar curve. I have no problem using the flatten option so there are only N sets of curves coming out of the "Join Curves" component. However when I cull the curves, the planar curves making up the exterior edge cull fine, but the interior curves [the joined, PCB profile] culls in a different [irrational?] order to what I would expect. If I connect the single planar curve to the culls section, it works fine, but the joined line section just won't play.
In the instance uploaded N = 10, based on spacings. And index white it appears that 0 and 9 are diagonal to what I'd expect, although if you fiddle with the values they go all over the place.
Can someone please help me and explain what I did wrong? Files are attached... I have screen grabbed the relevant section, but it is grouped in red and labelled as "problem child" :)
Many thanks for your help, sorry if this looks like a clusterf**k, first time for everything... any advice very much appreciated, not just relating to my problem.
All the best
Nick…
22 (parametric design)
July 26-27-28-29 (digital fabrication)
The third edition of digitalMed Workshop is structured as a design laboratory. Participants will learn the challenging process of producing ideas, projects and research analysis that are to be developed through specific software and concepts that emerge through the use of mapping, parametric design and digital fabrication.
Goals and Objectives:
We aim to make clear the theoretical and technical knowledge in the approach to parametric and generative design and digital fabrication. (From collection and data management, to the manner in which these inform the geometries, to the fabrication of prototypes.)
Participants will also have the opportunity to practice the new knowledge gained in the design laboratory through project work.
Project Theme:
"Urban Field" Identify, study and analyze the system of public spaces in the urban area of the city of Salerno.
Connection, mutation, generation and evolution are the themes to be followed in project work.
Brief Description of Topics:
- Mapping. Our reality, in all its forms, has studied through concepts of the theory of Complex Systems. The techniques that will be used to study events and places of reality, will work for the management, manipulation and visualization of data and information. These will form the basis for project management and driven geometry, conducted during the second phase of the workshop.
- Parametric Design. Introduction to Rhino* and Grasshopper. Specifically, we will explain the concepts with which to work with the software of parametric design and how they function. Through these tools, we will arrive at the definition of systems of mathematical and / or geometrical relationships that are able to generate and govern patterns, shapes and objects that will inform the final design.
- Digital Fabrication. In this phase, participants of the workshop are organized into working groups. Participants have access to materials and conceptual apparatus that will take them directly to the fabrication of the geometries of the project, with the use of software CAD / CAM interface and the use of machines for the digital fabrication.
The DigitalMed workshop is organized by Nomad AREA (Academy of Research & Training in topics of Contemporary Architecture), in collaboration with the City of Salerno, the Order of Architects Province of Salerno and the National Institute of Architecture In / Arch - Campania.
Interested parties may download the Notice of Competition at the address www.digitalmedworkshop.com and fill the pre-registration no later than July 10th 2012.
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ly one (Cost of the structural material in my case) and penalize the individuals that not satisfy the structural verification by multipliyng the cost for that iteration for a factor 10. This seem to work really good, infact I obtained a convergence of the results in a specific area and number of beams.
Now, I've to modify something because the thickness of the insole, tend to minimum of the range (only because it's the most expensive material in my case), despite the validation of structural verification that is satisfied with the maximum height of the beams.
I'm expecting a insole thickness about 20-30 cm and beams height less that the maximum. I increase the range of the thickness insole to a minimum of 20 cm, but I hope the solution tend to a larger value.
Do you have some suggestion in this case?
Your post was really helpful, thank you so much again for the perfect explanation!
Leonardo…
will work slightly different from before. Sorry about breaking this, but it proved impossible to improve the selection logic with the fairly ambiguous notation that was implemented already.
Not every change is breaking though and I hope that most simple matching rules will work as before. There will be a McNeel webinar on Wednesday the 6th of November where I discuss the new selection rules (as well as path mapping syntax and relative offsets within one or more data trees). This will be a pretty hard-core webinar aimed at expert users. The event will be recorded so you can always go and watch it later. I figured I'd briefly explain the new selection rules on Ning before I release the update though.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imagine we have the following data tree, containing a bunch of textual characters:
{0;0} = [a,e,i,o,u,y] {0;1} = [ä,ë,ê,ï,î,ö,ô,õ,ü,û,ÿ,ý] {1;0} = [b,c,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,q,r,s,t,v,w,x,z] {1;1} = [ç,ĉ,č,ĝ,ř,š,ş,ž]
There are a total of four branches {0;0}, {0;1}, {1;0} and {1;1}. The first branch contains all the vowels that are part of the standard English alphabet. The second branch contains all non-standard vowels and branches three and four contain the standard and non-standard consonants respectively.
So what if we want to select from this tree only the standard vowels? Basically include everything in the first branch and disregard everything else. We can use the [Tree Split] component with a selection rule to achieve this:
{0;0}
This selection rule hard-codes the number zero in both tree path locations. It doesn't define an item index rule, so all items in {0;0} will be selected.
If we want all the vowels (both standard and non-standard), then we have several options:
{0;?} = select all branches that start with 0
{0;(0,1)} = select all branches that start with 0 and end in either 0 or 1
{0;(0 to 1)} = ......................................... and end in the range 0 to 1.
Conversely, selecting all standard vowels and consonants while disregarding all non-standard character can be achieved with rules as follows:
{?;0}
{(0,1);0}
{(0 to 1);0}
It is also possible to select items from each branch in addition to limiting the selection to specific branches. In this case another rule stated in square brackets needs to be appended:
{0;?}[0 to 2]
The above rule will select the first three vowels from the standard and the non-standard lists.
Basically, rules work in a very consistent way, but there are some syntax conventions you need to know. The first thing to realize is that every individual piece of data in a data-tree can be uniquely and unambiguously identified by a collection of integers. One integer describes its index within the branch and the others are used to identify the branch within the tree. As a result a rule for selection items always looks the same:
{A;B;C;...;Z}[i] where A, B, C, Z and i represent rules.
It's very similar to the Path Mapper syntax except it uses square brackets instead of parenthesis for the index (the Path Mapper will follow suit soon, but that won't be a breaking change). You always have to define the path selector rule in between curly brackets. You can supply any number of rules as long as you separate them with semi-colons.
The index rule is optional, but -when provided- it has to be encased in square brackets after the path selection rule(s).
The following rule notations are allowed:
* Any number of integers in a path
? Any single integer
6 Any specific integer
!6 Anything except a specific integer
(2,6,7) Any one of the specific integers in this group.
!(2,6,7) Anything except one of the integers in this group.
(2 to 20) Any integer in this range (including both 2 and 20).
!(2 to 20) Any integer outside this range.
(0,2,...) Any integer part of this infinite sequence. Sequences have to be at least two integers long, and every subsequent integer has to be bigger than the previous one (sorry, that may be a temporary limitation, don't know yet).
(0,2,...,48) Any integer part of this finite sequence. You can optionally provide a single sequence limit after the three dots.
!(3,5,...) Any integer not part of this infinite sequence. The sequence doesn't extend to the left, only towards the right. So this rule would select the numbers 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and all remaining even numbers.
!(7,10,21,...,425) Any integer not part of this finite sequence.
Furthermore, it is possible to combine two or more rules using the boolean and/or operators. If you want to select the first five items in every list of a datatree and also the items 7, 12 and 42, then the selection rule would look as follows:
{*}[(0 to 4) or (6,11,41)]
The asterisk allows you to include all branches, no matter what their paths looks like.
It is at present not possible to use the parenthesis to define rule precedence, rules are always evaluated from left to right. It is at present also not possible to use negative integers to identify items from the end of a list.
If you want to know more, join the Webinar on Wednesday!
--
David Rutten
david@mcneel.com
Seattle, WA…
Added by David Rutten at 8:57pm on November 3, 2013
A repository of generic or complex examples.
Example 01: Attractor Values
ND_001_AttractorValues.gh
Example 02: Curve Values
ND_002_CurveValues.gh
Example 03: Point Attractor
ND_003_PointAttract
ntrol points in Rhino.
Also, I forgot to mention in part 1 that when doing the directional subdivision, depending on how you drew your input mesh, there is a chance that it gets divided in the wrong direction, and you end up with something like this:
Which is not what we want.
The simple way to fix this is with the MeshTurn component, which rotates the direction of each face by one side:
Now we can use physical relaxation to smooth our mesh. In this example I show a simple tensile relaxation, so it will be negatively curved, but the same principles can be applied to all sorts of surfaces by using different combinations of forces.
The definition for the relaxation is attached below.
There are 3 main groups of forces used:
Planarization
For the mesh to be able to unroll properly into flat strips, we want each of the thin rectangles to be flat.
Springs
I already showed how the WarpWeft splitting can be used to assign different strengths to control the shape of a mesh here. Now because of the uneven subdivision we have very different numbers of edges in each direction, so the strengths have to account for this. Depending on the level of subdivision used and the shape you want to achieve, you may need to set the Weft stiffness to be 10 to 100 times that of the Warp.
Edge Smoothing
Because our subdivided mesh has square ends, we might not want to simply anchor the boundary, so I've shown how we can force them to become more circular, while still staying in place. Each boundary curve gets pulled onto its best fit plane, while also applying bending to round it out, and springs to keep it from shrinking.
(This part could also be achieved in other ways, such as pulling the boundary vertices to a curve)
When we run this relaxation, the shape should smooth out to something like this:
Play with the tensions and boundaries until you are happy with the result, wait for it to stop moving, then stop the timer. (Remember it is very important to always stop the timer once the relaxation has finished, before continuing working with the output, as otherwise Grasshopper becomes very slow, because Kangaroo is constantly resolving, even if no movement is visible).
If you want to try other shapes than tensile surfaces, you could also use forces such as bending, laplacian smoothing, or pulling to some target surface to control the form.
Next - Part 3 splitting and unrolling
…
ración de 150 horas divididas en cuatro módulos, arrancando el 22 de Marzo del 2011 y terminando la segunda semana de Junio con sesiones los Martes y Jueves de 18:00 a 22:00hrs y algunos Sábados de 10:00 a 14:00hrs.
El tema central del diplomado es el uso integral de la herramienta digital en el proceso de diseño a partir de la base teórica del fenómeno de la emergencia (entendida como la obtención de resultados complejos a partir de la interacción de elementos simples con reglas de bajo nivel de sofisticación).
El desarrollo del programa se concentra en la aplicación práctica de las reflexiones teóricas generadas mediante el uso de herramientas digitales generativas, principalmente Grasshopper (plug-in de modelado parametrico para Rhinoceros).
Contaremos con la presencia de dos colaboradores internacionales: EL primero será un miembro de LaN (Live Architecture Network) que impartirá un curso sobre programación avanzada en Grasshopper enfocandolo a la realización de un objeto construido, haciendo énfasis en la transición entre lo virtual, lo análogo y lo físico. El segundo es Jalal el Ali, maestro en arquitectura por la Architectural Association, líder de la Unidad de Geometría Generativa de Buro Happold y actual líder de proyecto en Zaha Hadid Architects, quien dará un curso intensivo enfocado al uso de la herramienta digital y la producción digital, enseñando procesos que ha aplicado en la empresa donde trabaja. Jalal pronunciará también una conferencia magistral.
Es un programa promueve el uso de nuevas tecnologías y la integración de procesos de producción desde la concepción del diseño, aplicando los conocimientos teóricos en un objeto físico usando el laboratorio de fabricación de la Universidad Iberoamericana.
…
ively and creatively solve today’s product development challenges.
Our Rhino3D Foundations for Industrial Design class provides an in-depth look at 2D and 3D tools and methods with Rhino3D, a NURBs surface modeling software. In this class, we will systematically work through Rhino3D’s core features, using them to model the various components of a consumer product. Over the course of 3 days, we’ll cover some foundational topics, including Rhino interface and navigation, Rhino3D object types and properties, creating and editing 2D and 3D geometry, procedural modeling, automation, transforming geometry, Rhino modeling best practices, freeform vs. precision modeling, and exporting geometry.
You’ll take away the following:
Navigate the Rhino modeling environment
Create, edit, and modify curves, surfaces, and solids
Precision model using coordinate input and object snaps
Use transformation and universal deformation tools
Apply best practices for layer management and model annotation
Download the course one-pager. Need more information? Connect with us.
This class is ideal for:
Industrial designers who are new to Rhino3D and want to learn its concepts and technical features in an instructor-led environment.
For groups of 10 or more, contact Mode Lab at hello@modelab.is
Interested in additional training options?
https://www.modelab.is/upcoming-computational-design-events…
ng in Grasshopper?
As a general recommendation for developers in Grasshopper who are writing a part of their library which is performance-sensitive (please note: often the performance sensitive part is very limited) is to write it in C#, or maybe even C, or maybe even assembly :). Of course, the closer to the machine you will be, the easier it will be to harness all minimal optimizations. However, there is always a compromise between "getting things done" and "making them best" and this boundary is not very easy to catch, right?
If you want to have significant speed improvements for numerical calculations, I would at least recommend developing with C# in a compiled component using Visual Studio or SharpDevelop. The reason is: in order to provide the line number of possible errors, Grasshopper compiles C# scripts in debug mode! They will be much less optimized than what is possible even with today's technology. This does not preclude keeping the project open-source, if that is one of your goals.
Regarding the actual list:
1) Yes, the implied loop will probably be slower than just a simple for loop. This is because Grasshopper code has to keep track of more things than the ones you could be considering with your knowledge of of your very-special case. However, a factor of 10 is simply not acceptable and is likely a symptom of something else. In fact, I think I remember fixing a bug around that in Rhino WIP. However, it appears to be still slower also there. I've added a bugtracking item here.
2) If you are able to do all casts that are involved, and do them as Grasshopper does, please write that code that way. For example, if you supply a curve to an input with number hint, Grasshopper computes the length of the curve. There will have to be an "if" that checks if the input is a curve somewhere (or some similar construct). This aid for designers is what slows down the hint input.
3) Grasshopper has to keep side effects at bay. For example, components B and C are both connected to outputs of A. If you edit data in component B, and that data came from A you of course expect that data to be unchanged in C. This means that, for even lists of numbers, Grasshopper has to perform a deep copy of the output for each input. Otherwise, what happens if B sorts the list and C finds the index of the smallest number? This could be improved if GH components had some way of flagging themselves as non-data-mutating (constant). The fact that, by supplying special types, Grasshopper has no way of performing copies will likely speed things up. But be aware of possibly very annoying side effects creeping in if data is not immutable. Another option is performing the copy "optimally", just where you need it, because you know where your data is used. This is not information that is available to GH at present.
Does this help?
Thanks again for your input,
Giulio--Giulio Piacentinofor Robert McNeel & Associatesgiulio@mcneel.com…
ints. Anyway this is made for AEC purposes (wavy roofs/envelopes and the likes) and is classified as internal (but I could provide a "light" version).
To give you a very rough idea: C# rebuilds first any input list of nurbs > then samples the control points in a tree > then excludes (or not) the "peripheral" points (case: closed in U/V surfaces) > then "picks" some of them according a rather vast variety of options (~30) > then modifies these either individually (that's only possible with code and it's a bit tricky) or via any collection of push/pull attractors or randomly or ... > then "joins" the 2 sets together (modified + unmodified) > and finally does the new nurbs. Only 456 lines of code that one.
With regard the Dark Side: C# would be my recommendation (P is ala mode, mind) for a vast variety of reasons (less than 10% of them are GH related).
If you decide to cross the Rubicon:
How to go to hell (and stay there) in just 123 easy steps:
Step 1: get the cookies
The bible PlanA: C# In depth (Jon Skeet).
The bible PlanB: C# Step by step (John Sharp).
The bible PlanC: C# 5.0 (J/B Albahari) > my favorite
The reference: C# Language specs ECMA-334
The candidates:
C# Fundamentals (Nakov/Kolev & Co)
C# Head First (Stellman/Greene)
C# Language (Jones)
Step 2: read the cookies (computer OFF)
Step 3: re-read the cookies (computer OFF)
...
Step 121: open computer
Step 122: get the 30 steps to heaven (i.e. hell)
Step 123: shut down computer > change occupation/planet
May The Force (the Dark Option) be with you.
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