Cineversity

I am building out circuit board lines with splines and sweep objects to wrap along a spline from my model.

I can’t figure out how to get the sweep object to keep its form and not get totally bent out of shape.

Project File

- help

Hi Raul,

My first idea was to use the UV, as I had it in my mind, but it has changed and can’t be used in that way for it. The Surface Deformer would work otherwise in a much faster way to achieve this, assuming I know what you want to do, as I guess I got a simplified version (as I ask for :o)

The first thing that I changed was the interpolation method of the Spline. Linear and adaptive makes no sense. Adaptive introduces new (generated, not “visible”) points to the spline if the angle of the curve reaches a limit. A linear Spline has not that kind of curve. Even projected, it stays linear, and with that, the little amount of points is the only information that can be changed.

I rotated the model so I was able to project from my “view” the given Splines (well I connected them for simplicity). I changed the axis of a copy of the spline, so the object origin was in the middle of the head, and scaled it (for x,y,z, each time differently, so the size would work as rail).

I switched off “Scale - Rail” in the Sweep [NURBS] and got even with a few points of the Spline a nice result. You might improve it with a “higher resolution”.

With the “rail” I like to achieve that the lines on the head lay flat (0.5/5.0) was the setting of your Rectangle. Keep that in mind while you scale the copy of the Spline, that each part of it works like a target.

I have deleted the head out of your model, as I think you work on an larger project and don’t like to have things public right now.

All the best
Sassi

P.S.: I haven’t suggested the Edge-To_Spline, as I saw a selection on your model and so I presume that you tried that already.

But—how about the Polygon Pen Tool? See image. I Extrude the result, In Brush mode it is very fast.

Dr. Sassi,

Your approach is interesting. The goal I am trying to achieve is to have computer circuit line patterns (I will design in illustrator) wrap around the model. I wanted to use the sweep objects to grow them out each individually over time.

I was hoping to use the spline wrap as a quick solution for wrapping the splines across the surface of the object. Otherwise I would have to do it all by hand which it looks like that is what you did in your first example.

Thank you tho for that file. At least now I know how to do it correctly if it comes down to doing it by hand.

Thanks for the additional information, Raul.

My suggestion for the Ai file: Wrap it like a sphere around the head first, use the Wrap Object in spherical mode, and leave the neck part open [see image]

Use then the “Current State To Object” command to get the spherical spline as result. Move the axis of that object in the middle of the head.

With that, the Sphere projection around the head should be easier, and way more predicable.

Take a copy and scale it from its middle point so the Sweep has a rail and the growing idea will work much nicer.

All the best

Sassi

Images: the Spline (2D!), the Wrap (set adjustments to cover only the parts where you like to have it), the projected version.

Dr. Sassi,

Thank you for the suggestion. I will give it a shot.

Best wishes,

-Raul

You’re welcome, Raul.

Have a great weekend

Sassi