Points to Solid.

[gregmcl]

I pretty sure this isn't possible, but I have calculated a set of points at either end of a structutal beam, that I have created a 3d polyline from. These points include the cut and notched etc to define the each end conditions. I there a way to convert these two point list into a Solid/Mesh representing the beam ?

Any suggestions apprecieted.

Cheers

Greg

[stevor]

The geometry of the said point lists are not clear to me, however, try:

Make a closed pline of one end's point list, and extrude it to the other.

If the ends are not parallel, then do the same to each end and extrude them towrds each outher to midway, and union the two solids.

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

---

@gregmcl wrote:

.... I have calculated a set of points at either end of a structutal beam, that I have created a 3d polyline from. These points include the cut and notched etc to define the each end conditions. I there a way to convert these two point list into a Solid/Mesh representing the beam ?

....

---

Try the RULESURF command.

I haven't used it much, and it seems unsatisfactory in some ways, especially for irregularly shaped defining curves, and I think it will be affected by how similarly your 3DPolylines are constructed [e.g. whether their starting vertices are in the same position relative to the beam section, etc.].  But at least experiment with it.  You may have to set the SURFTAB1 System Variable to a very high value, to get it to work reasonably at corners, etc.

Otherwise, I think you'd be better off with Extrude on the plain beam profile, and some varieties of Subtract/Slice/Intersect/Union to do cutouts, notches, etc.  That would use your calculated points in a different way than making 3DPolylines with them.  But that would certainly give you a cleaner end result than Rulesurf.

[Kent1Cooper]

---

@stevor wrote:

.... 

Make a closed pline of one end's point list, and extrude it to the other.

....

---

Unfortunately [unless this has changed in later versions than mine], you can't Extrude a 3DPolyline unless it's planar.  That doesn't sound likely if the 3DPolyline represents a beam end with notches.

[gregmcl]

Kent,

Thanks for that, it pretty close to what I was looking for. I'd forgotten Rulesurf, haven't used it since Version 12 in Dos.

Cheers

Greg

[stevor]

Greg, if you are still with this, post your two point list, maybe someone will resolve the end plate geometry, using 'subtract' or 'union.'

[gregmcl]

Stevor,

I had more or less done an Extrude/Slice/Union etc routine, but it entailed a lot of additional point calculation for Notches.

I was sort of looking for a neater way of doing things, as I have defind the extents of solid object, one would think that it would be possible for Autodesk to give you a direct way of converting it into a solid.

I'd love to post my code, but its huge, there are thousands of line in leadup to the point calculation.

Thanks for you help

Cheers

Greg