Mold making analysis- parting lines.

[dan_law_uk]

I’m doing heritage research and looking for a way to analyse how figurative sculptures were cast using non-flexible piece moulds.  I’ve read that as many as 100 pieces were used, with these fitted together to make the complete mould. I’d like to be able to analyse 3D scans of sculptures and generate the piece moulds that might have been used to cast it. That involves analysing undercuts from different angles and segmenting into sections, each of which is free of undercuts, aiming to have fewest sections possible.  A slightly more sophisticated tool would involve those pieces having volume and determining the disassembly sequence- some pieces would get locked in by others.  It would be great though to simply be able to generate the segments i.e. a parting line analysis.  

Might there be a relatively easy way to do this in Fusion 360? 

[OceanHydroAU]

I'm no expert (and I've not even looked if anything exists - GPT is your friend for that), but, if the hard part is done (you know the solution after using some algorithm already) then Fusion will make it easy for you to create the components which you can then send to manufacturing to make the mold.

If you're definitely going to work on solving this problem, I'm happy to collaborate with you to release your work as a functional add-in that other people can use.

Are you trying to re-create actual history, or are you looking to find the mathematically optimal set of parts for the mold?  [2 very different problems]

[dan_law_uk]

I can’t imagine an add in would recreate what was actually done. The mathematically optimal solution might be the thing to aim for. I had in mind something a bit simpler.

I’d start with the user defining an initial pull direction e.g a normal to the front of the body. Then in an orthographic view, section off what is in view and not obscured. Any undercuts will need to be dealt with. Then rotate the view until one has the largest section neighbouring the first. Continue around and above and below until one has fully segmented it.

Solidworks may have the functionality for this in their mould tools. I’m waiting for my trial license to be activated to test that out.

[OceanHydroAU]

Fusion's "inspect" tools includes a "section analysis" feature, which the software actually saves when you click "OK".

If the user wants to manually use such a feature to find the right places to place parting planes, that might get you a long way to a solution.  They'd only be flat planes of course, so possibly not much use for art.

 

[opatusi406]

Your heritage research is amazing and you are doing it in an exceptional way and we support your efforts.