Cineversity

I can not find a way to taper an extrude from a spline. Is it possible?  I have a logo spline from illustrator and need sloping edges from top to bottom. Filliting seems no solution because I need only a small taper

Hi Geertjan,

Changes in the extrusion from top to button are normally done with the Detail>Scale (Sweep [NURBS])

The Spline Rail comes to mind as well.

Perhaps you have something different in mind, would it be possible to have a little sketch for this?

All the best
Sassi

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share?s=aJkVFBlDSp0o7yGG0rnF9g

Hi Sassi
INdeed I also realized that I have to use a sweep. I am using c4d for a purpose it was never indented for.  I am preparing a file for 3D printing. I have a rather complex logo that needs extruding. That extrusion will be printed and used as a mold. In order to remove the mold form the cast I need small tapered edges. If I sweep a square poly there are no problems. But if I sweep a more complex form with holes all the extruded sides pointing to 1 point in space.  Making the hole more skewed than taperd. I think by now that a have to do the tapering by moving the separate edges inward myself:-(
I tried to use illustrator to make a second smaller logo by outlining the path. But unfortunately illustrator adds point to the new path making it almost impossible to use the bridge command to connect splines in C4D.

Hi Geertjan,

I understand a shape that will easily be removable from its mold. Which is not a new use for C4D BTW. The STL export is in use for that since long. I provided in ‘99 the first time a file for a “print out”.

Since the 3D printer have become a toy (in terms of affordability) many people use C4D for printing stuff out.

The question is - can you deliver a collage of shapes or has it a “water-tide” single volume?

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The simplest way is to do the preparation in Illustrator. The way I get my different shapes is to make a copy of the path (Spline in C4D) and set a stroke with a certain width over it. Then I outline this and delete the inner liens. This can be done manually or just by placing another copy on top of it, merge both and use the outline from this—after clean up the file, to get only the path I need, then export as v8 and ready to go.

If Illustrator is not available, you can take the spline and copy it. Then use the Mesh>Spline>Create Outline function and create a larger version of the file than before (Mouse down and drag). Then use the Mesh>Spline>Explode Segments and sort the new and the original spline, so you can delete the original shape (copy of course). Now you have the larger version, which looks like the “bold” (in font terms) and the original version. The bold version needs one time: Object Manager>Object>Connect Objects+Delete.

All of that goes then into the Loft [NURBS]. With a huge amount of Attribute Manager>Object>Mesh Subdivision U you should get your desired “local-taper” shape. IF it looks kind of twisted, use the Mesh>Spline>Reverse Sequence on one of the splines, this should do the trick.

If the process allows you might just use the fillets setting for the part that stays invisible in the Base and increase from there, as the top part of any sign should follow the original size. (You mentioned Fillets as a “no” option, but just to mention it.

As I haven’t done it in a while, ask the mold builder f the material needs to have a similar “depth” so the material behaves nicely when heat and expansion comes into the game. Perhaps that is not a concern at all.

All the best

Sassi

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share?s=1RD_yVy4TKAu3DpwjM3SXY

Thanks Sassi,

I tried to reproduce your letter example but failed. Even with a high U subdivision and reverse sequence of one spline it ‘s a twisted mess. The two splines I try to loft do not have equal vertex points I fact Illustrator creates around every corner 2 more points in the offset line.

Geertjan

Hi Geertjan,

What happens:

You went from a “sharp” profile to an profile (or path) with round corners. Illustrator>Stroke>Corners
If you need these round corners, you need to tread teh original in the same way, but with a very small stroke “weight”

In C4D the start from the path is not relative to the “original” path/spline. You can see that clearly on the color-gradient of the spline (loft is off to see it) By default the pale blue turns into white, which shows the start and direction. This needs to be equal.

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share?s=wI8RUuxfRZwmZ4goZMPGZA

If the amount of points differ slightly, even after things have been used as above, while in Move-Tool and Point Mode, CNTRL click adds points (check it on a copy first)

Please keep in mind that there are limitations if the path folds concave and the new “extended” path overlaps and shortens. Then you need to add points.

The mold needs anything but parallel sides to work, the final angle will be given by the one who creates the mold, he knows the specifics.

All the best

Sassi

Thanks Sassi. I’ll give it a try tomorrow. Its bed time in Europe
Geertjan

Yes, I saw that, old habit from PXC times, Geertjan, to keep the time-zones. Good Luck.

BWT, If there is a complicated graphic, perhaps solving it in several steps is the key.

Sassi

P.S.: The question is based on a something that looks like a “Car License Plate”—flat and emboss letter with a “tapered” side, to describe the file I got.

If I go from there, the simplest way would be to use the Fillets in a way that the “radius” of the cap is equal to the “taper” dimension needed for the mold.

Then extrusion depth (“Movement”) is, e.g., only 0.01 or something like that, very tiny. BUT the scale in the same direction as the movement is large. Large enough to stretch the fillets in the direction of the movement (Z normally)

You achieve in this way a very simple workflow to get your “under-cut’ for the mold.

I have attached a scene file that shows how to create this as well as to have the caps with a second Extrude [Nurbs} working. If both are made editable, then the result is a multipart polygon. Pick from each the parts that is needed and delete the others. This needs to be very precise. IF the points are matching, use the Connect and delete as well the Optimize to melt the points and have a single object, waterside.

Image
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share?s=LpOdYWj_SlAszA06-JZqf0
File
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share?s=PNZZwlRBSK4hn9lef2-7nQ

I think that should work for your specific object very well.

All the best

Sassi

Hi Sassi.That is a neat solution. Spend some time experimenting with illustrator and different line off-set setting. But my logo has many sharp and rounded corners. Almost impossible to get an even amount of points. I started to add the point manually but that would take forever.
The angle of the taper in your example is much bigger. I get a 45˚ angle. How is that possible?

Hi Geertjan,

Take your (or any) example where you get the expected 45º and then set the Scale for (I guess Z, if the movement was Z as well) to ten (or what ever fits to your scene). This stretches the Fillet only in one direction. :o)

All the best

Sassi

Bingo!!!! Thank you Sassi

I’m happy that this works for you, Geertjan!

Perfect. I wish your project a lot of success.

Have a great evening

Sassi

Hi Sassi.
There is still something strange happening. When I apply a Z scaling to the extrude the result is a scaling in x,y and Z. They seem coupled
On your example the scale amount remains visible in scale pane. But when I try it with a different extrude deformer it disappears as soon as I apply it.
If I copy your example extrude deformer to a different file it works perfect.

Perhaps a general setting of C4d or does R14 behave different from R15? Your example filename has r15 in it. I have not upgraded yet.

Hi Geertjan,

No idea what is going wrong. I opened R14 did exactly the few steps and got what I was looking for.

I can check you file if you like. If you use the axis scale, you need to be in Object mode. I would suggest to use the parametrically change via numbers only.

Asking if you have the latest release of R14 seems not needed here, as this never failed since R4 for me.

Perhaps you might check with the support, if we can’t clear that.

All the best

Sassi

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share?s=K4V6r4e6SXwjcMuixeUd1w

Blimey, never in all those years used object mode. I sometimes wondered what the difference was between object and model mode and when to use it. Now I know.
Problem completely solved.