bootneck Posted August 19, 2024 Posted August 19, 2024 I am looking for help with some of the design features in Fusion and this time it is the Pattern feature. I want to make some flexible barbed wire for my 1:35 diorama and have used the Pattern along a Path function: however the bodies don't seem to keep to the path. The images below show my problem. I like using the COIL function in Fusion as it produces a flexible coil when has been printed and this means that I can pull it out to length or compress it, as if it was folded up. I started off with the Create / COIL function to make the wire. The diameter of the wire is 1.0mm but I shall reduce that once I've got the problem sorted out. Two cross pieces were added, set at right angles to each other, and these would represent the barb. Then I used the CREATE PATTERN and PATTERN ON PATH functions and selected the two barbs. The path on the coil was extended to the top and the amount of barbs was raised to 250. The problem is that the path doesn't seem to follow the path on the coiled body. I have tried changing the offset but that just moves the barbs further from the coil. Any suggestions that will help me to resolve the problem of keep the barbs on the coil for the full length please? cheers, Mike 1
Ebf2k Posted August 19, 2024 Posted August 19, 2024 This is one of those things I have to teach myself to do every time because I don't use coils a lot. If I remember correctly, the trick is not to use the coil command itself, but use it to create a 3d coiled path, by making a square/triangular cross section coil and using one of the edges. Then you can create a sketch to make the true wire profile and sweep that along the path. Then create the sketches/objects for the barbs on the end of the path and use pattern on path to replicate them and space them out appropriately.
bootneck Posted August 19, 2024 Author Posted August 19, 2024 I'm not sure how to creat the true wire profile. Could you, or anyone, describe the step by step process for that please? I am sure that others would also appreciate knowing this as I don't think there is an actual kit in 1:35 for an expanding coil of barbed wire. cheers, Mike
Ebf2k Posted August 21, 2024 Posted August 21, 2024 I think this is the video tutorial I learned from:
bootneck Posted August 21, 2024 Author Posted August 21, 2024 Thanks, I shall watch that and then have a try. In the meantime, I have printed the "wire" without the barbs and it has come out fine. The nice thing with these 3D printed coils is that they can be stretched out or compressed to match the setting I want. Stretched, across a diorama street, or compressed, to fit on the bonnet or in the back of a Land Rover. I now need to reduce the diameter, and the thickness, so that it looks good in a 1:35 scale setting. I shall do these after I have learned from the video. Then, hopefully, I will be able to find a way of adding barbs to the wire. cheers, Mike
Circloy Posted August 21, 2024 Posted August 21, 2024 Unless it's for fun, I'm not sure why you'd go to the effort of trying to 3d print barbed wire when miniature barbed wire is avalable cheaply Check out the bottom of page 319. (other sources available) http://www.squirestools.com/files/12-18d.pdf
bootneck Posted August 21, 2024 Author Posted August 21, 2024 Nothing to do with fun, I am trying to learn CAD and the best way is to incorporate what I am doing into something that I can use on my diorama. cheers, Mike
TheBaron Posted August 28, 2024 Posted August 28, 2024 On 19/08/2024 at 10:13, bootneck said: Any suggestions that will help me to resolve the problem of keep the barbs on the coil for the full length please? Mike: I'm not sure if this is the source of the problem but I noticed in your third image down that you have the orientation dropdown set to 'Identical' rather than 'Path Direction'.
bootneck Posted August 28, 2024 Author Posted August 28, 2024 Thanks, I will look into that. I have found a workaround and that is to just make the coil and print it. Once printed, I just cut the supports close to, but not right up against, the coil. This leaves some very nice, and sharp! barbs which should look good enough on a diorama. I shall take a photo tomorrow to demonstrate. cheers, Mike 2
dnl42 Posted August 28, 2024 Posted August 28, 2024 Just now, bootneck said: Thanks, I will look into that. I have found a workaround and that is to just make the coil and print it. Once printed, I just cut the supports close to, but not right up against, the coil. This leaves some very nice, and sharp! barbs which should look good enough on a diorama. I shall take a photo tomorrow to demonstrate. Bravo! That's very clever!
Ebf2k Posted August 28, 2024 Posted August 28, 2024 1 hour ago, TheBaron said: Mike: I'm not sure if this is the source of the problem but I noticed in your third image down that you have the orientation dropdown set to 'Identical' rather than 'Path Direction'. Good catch, I didn't see that. 1
bootneck Posted August 29, 2024 Author Posted August 29, 2024 Herewith the printed coil and, as can be seen, the supports have not be completely removed. This gives an effect of having barbs attached. Also note that the coil can be compressed, as with one on the Land Rover bonnet, or extended on the barrier. cheers, Mike 1 1
Ebf2k Posted August 29, 2024 Posted August 29, 2024 It looks good to me! Side question: Not being a barbed wire expert, are the wires braided or a single strand? Would you be able to tell in 1/35 scale? Would not be too much harder to make it braided if required.
bootneck Posted August 29, 2024 Author Posted August 29, 2024 They are single strand, the actual barbs are only about the size of a fingernail so my attempt will suffice for me. cheers, Mike
Quimp Slattery Posted August 29, 2024 Posted August 29, 2024 2 hours ago, bootneck said: the printed coil I think you are getting very close to your goal. What is the diameter of the ‘wire’ in the coil? It still looks rather thick. Don't forget that in a concertina, each loop is linked to its neighbours a few times as seen in that black and white picture. It’s a small point (ha) but it makes a difference I believe. Without those links a coil of farming type barbed wire just falls over.
bootneck Posted August 29, 2024 Author Posted August 29, 2024 The diameter is 0.25mm which, I think, is about the limit I can go down to with getting a failed print. I am still learning with CAD and I might try a lower size. I had forgotten about the linking between strands, to achieve that I would have to do that manually after printing; otherwise, I would need to bring the strands together in the design and that would just meld together whilst printing. This is an earlier design, much thicker, but shown here on how the shape would look during the print process. cheers, Mike
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