Spline Loft Sculpture

Evey object has multiple ways it can be displayed including a Wireframe view.
These can be accessed in the object's Properties Panel.

But there is also a global wireframe display mode, which in addition to the wireframe view also
shows how Cheetah "braces" the geometry with triangles to try and keep everything in place.

You can find it in the upper right corner of the 3D view. It's the thing that looks like a gear.

globalwire.gif
 
Here's Element C1a, or the first section of the first curved Element, and it's ribs.

Would it be better to separate the UV islands or leave them together?

seperateduvs.jpg
 
Previously I showed using a Boolean to make the ribs but there's
no need to disturb the Boolean spirits when there's a simpler way.

Working on a copy of Element C1 you can use the
Ring Cut tool to slice it in half and half again x2.
Then delete the front section up to where the first rib will be and then
use Fill Hole to make a big n-gon (a polygon with more than four edges).

Then repeat the process.

makingribs.gif
 
Once the ribs are done, I trim off the fat - aka the wall thickness of 3mm.

When using Inner Extrude you must watch tight crowded corners for polygon overlap.
This is a mild case and can be easily fixed with the Point Slide Tool.
Click and drag to the right until Inner Extrude snaps to the .03 setting.

trimribs.gif
 
Now I can remove the 3mm border and I'm left with a big n-gon again.
I want a grid of polygons here to help in the
Boolean operation for the carbon rods.

I could use the Scalpel Tool and put in the edges one
at a time but I like using the Bridge Tool instead.
All you have to do use one of the Shell Tools either
the Shell Modifier or the Shell Command.

trimribs02.gif
 
I've progressed to the curved element C1d which has the most extreme twist.
I don't think these curved parts with twisted non-flat polygons will unwrap in a useful way.

This twisted form creates a compound curve you would need shrink wrap or vacuum forming to reproduce.

It could be done with thin strips like a boat, but each strip would be under torsion.
Maybe some hybrid boat/model airplane construction technique could be developed.

Twisted Polys.jpg
 
I've progressed to the curved element C1d which has the most extreme twist.
I don't think these curved parts with twisted non-flat polygons will unwrap in a useful way.

This twisted form creates a compound curve you would need shrink wrap or vacuum forming to reproduce.

It could be done with thin strips like a boat, but each strip would be under torsion.
Maybe some hybrid boat/model airplane construction technique could be developed.

View attachment 38646
Hi, the uv looks good, even I really dont know why there is a "s" shape, that cant be right? I still have to make the elements from paper, will post the results. I dont get the 3D view, there is no twisted like shown in that preview, there a two bended elements that are joint and cut each other at some point...
 
I found a service with the largest sizes of 400 x 355 x 400 mm... :/ I am also afraid it will be too expensive...
I just found this one-
The University of Maine’s new 3D printer is the largest in the world,
capable of producing objects up to 100 feet long by 22 feet wide by 10 feet high.
And how heavy would it be?
 
Oh f…, I think we have a problem… 😂 That twist was not on my list… thats the only element with this strong twist? That will be very interesting to build. Maybe 3D printing should be considered for this element despite the costs… 🥹
 
I am doing quite a lot with fibreglass and carbon (rc-planes) but I cant image to build it directly from it. But.. if you could export a lot of ribs (every cm) with 3 channels for rods, I could thread the ribs on that rods and use inbetween 1cm of foam, then I could sand the foam to the ribs, use a lot of sanding and filling. it should be doable, but very timecostly… but way cheaper than printing. I also could cnc mill the element from foam and than reinforce it with fibreglas for stability and a have a base for filling and sanding etc…
 
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