Multiple bodies into one?

[Anonymous]

There was a previous question on this, but it wasn't solved properly for my issue. In modelling upholstery, namely leather linings to bags, to replicate a sewn cotton thread typically 2 mm long by 0.5 mm thick I create a body and give it an appearance. Then I use Pattern on path to duplicate it for the extent I need. In so doing, I create a "body" for every sewn thread!....hundreds! It becomes a real hassle, and I'm wondering is there a way to incorporate all these identical bodies into one for each path?

Thanks

[Beyondforce]

Hi @Anonymous,

If the bodies are touching each other, then yes. here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w4koxWDkFQ

Cheers / Ben
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[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply Beyondforce. No the bodies aren't touching, have a 1mm gap. Imagine looking at stitched material, you see one side of the thread, then it dives back to the other side and resurfaces again along the path. The look is achieved by spacing bodies on the work surface.

However, you got me thinking? If my body was formed like a "S" link, as in a chain, and positioned on the Z axis such that only half was visible, then they could be joined? This would be nigh impossible using Pattern on Path at detail this fine though? The stitching in a leather wallet for example, comprises hundreds of thread counts, each one a body. Uses up a lot of resources.

[etfrench]

Try this.

1. Create the bodies using a pattern.
2. Create a new component.
3. Drag and drop the bodies into the component in the Browser.

[Beyondforce]

If you could add a picture, a screencast or the file, that will help a lot.

[Anonymous]

Thanks etfrench. Doesn't really solve the issue though. Selecting all the bodies and dropping it onto a component, just sets up a subset of the same number of bodies when you open up the Component. If I'm worried about all these bodies (cotton threads) using up memory or slowing responsiveness due to the file size becoming bulged, your solution of converting "x" number of thread bodies into one component would no doubt still use the same resources?

I guess that a better fix would be to have the ability to create a preset "brush" like Photoshop does. Where repetitive miniscule details can be drawn along a path as a pattern? Here's a picture for clarity's sake:

[TheCADWhisperer]

Is there a reason you need that as a separate body rather than simply using a Pattern of a Feature?

[Anonymous]

TheCADwhisperer, as this thread has evolved, I've thought, no there is no real benefit, apart from not having a browser populated with hundreds of irrelevant bodies?....lol

These bodies are just window dressing (like a texture) for realism sake and shouldn't really be bodies? That's why my suggestion of a brush tool to lay down a "dashed emboldened" line so to speak, would be a useful addition to FS360 perhaps?

Maybe the Pattern tool can have an option, that any repeats of the source body (call it Body 14 say) generated, belong to that body and the Body count doesn't increase?.....just a suggestion is all?

[etfrench]

I was thinking more about the organizational side of things.  You can create the pattern inside of a component instead of copying the bodies.  Patterns (of components/bodies) don't use as many resources as individual bodies, so there may not be a resource issue.  Autodesk can confirm what the upper limits are. 

[TheCADWhisperer]

Something like this is what I had in mind.  (see attached)

If you didn't need the effect of raised geometry - another option would be to Split the face and add cosmetic Appearance for stitching.

[Anonymous]

Good screencast on how to pattern a raised body and edit it, something I do when I create my cotton threadlike visuals...BUT?...in your example, the minute you've patterned your revolved body you now have 20 odd new bodies in the browser, unless I'm missing something? That's my point, it's a waste of resources.

As for Split the Face! That's a tenuous exercise as you have to draw one closed path, project it to the face, go back and do the next one. I've done a bit of it and FS360, it's very prone to being cantankerous and unwieldy. 

However another thought? If you Project to Surface a path, you can't do much with it except Sweep a profile, so a raised continuous torus like shape appears. You're half way there, just need it to have gaps evident along the Sweep. I'll play around with that idea?

Thanks for your response by the way 🙂

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

.....BUT?...in your example, the minute you've patterned your revolved body you now have 20 odd new bodies in the browser, unless I'm missing something? )

---

I never created a revolved body.

I created a Revolved Feature and did a Pattern of the Feature.

Only one body in my file, not 20 odd....

I did make a couple of changes to the on in the video from the one I posted as my original was just thrown together and not well behaved with edits.

When you watch the video if you get this worthless noise rubbish obscuring the browser - click on the little itty bitty tiny arrow to Hide that noise.  (If you haven't picked up on my irritation with that Screencast  artifact that has no use - well I can't use the words I would like to use... ...Mr. Moderator would slap my typing fingers with a stick.)

[Anonymous]

I am missing something? I can't work out what this "Feature" thingo is. I can comprehend a sketch and a body, but "Feature"? I've googled it but the word "Feature" describes a myriad of things in F360. It sounds good though, so I'll play around with it shortly. Thanks.

[TheCADWhisperer]

How are you doing any work if you aren't creating Features?

Do you create a New Body with everything?

If you select the Boolean operations of Join, Cut or Intersection instead of New Body - you edit the existing body with additional features as needed.

The Feature could be an Extrude, a Revolve, a Hole, a Loft.... ....lots of different feature types for creating/editing existing geometry.

 

Select the Pattern Feature option when creating a Pattern.

[Anonymous]

OK, let's go back to your screencast, which I've forensically examined....but am still mystified?

You start with a sketch of a half cylinder. You call it "A Feature". I call it a sketch? You Revolve the profile 180 degrees to form a body. You now have Body1. You have a path line. Then you say, " I pattern that along my path". So a heap of duplicated bodies appear, but no bodies increase in the browser.

If I replicate what I see you do, I revolve the sketch, that creates Body 1 and then I select Body 1 and pattern along Path. That creates "x" number of new bodies. There is "something in the initial creation of that Body 1 or immediately after it when you Pattern, that I can't comprehend. A "I can't see the hills for the trees scenario?"

Thanks for your patience.

[Anonymous]

Further to. When I go to Pattern on Path and select Body 1 and then the option Pattern Features, my Object is greyed out and can't press OK.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

OK, solved the issue. All kudos to TheCADWhisperer, as he did have the answer there in his responses but after a few hours to clear my head, I was able to see it. The solution he offered is a beauty and will save me a lot of time. Many thanks.

Step by step:

1/ Draw path line on desktop

2/Draw sketch of half the cross section of your desired body about an axis.

3/ Revolve that 180 deg to form Body 1.

4/ Now for the tricky bit. You want to duplicate this body without generating new bodies, so select CREATE:Pattern:Pattern on Path. A dialog box appears and you are prompted to select a body.

5/ The natural response for a novice is to click the Body 1. DON'T! Click the Revolve symbol on the timeline. This is your Object believe it or not?

6/Click on your path line.

7/ the rest is history, decide on the number of bodies and spacing, and guess what? You've still only got Body 1 in the browser.

[dilarien]

Old thread but I don't like to open a new one as it's exactly the issue I'm having right now with the latest version 2.0.9. It seems someone decided to change the behaviour since the step by step guide was posted. I did it exactly like described but still ending up with an insane amount of bodies in the layer. It seems choosing feature or body doesn't make any difference on the layer structure. Wouldn't be a big deal if one could merge the pattern objects into one object like it's possible in every other 3D modelling tool but one can't. So does anyone know a solution for Fusion v2?

[jeff_strater]

bodies must be geometrically overlapping to be combined.  It has always been this way, this is not new behavior.

What behavior do you expect from "merge the pattern objects into one object"?  If you just want them all to move together, or have the same color/material, that is what Components are for.  Put them into the same component, and they act like one unit.

[dilarien]

As the thread title explains I want those multi objects that are generated from the path as one body/object/component/whatever fusion people call it. That gif is just an example that the solution from 2016 explained above my first post doesn't work anymore unfortunately. In my real life case Fusion generated >1600 "bodies" in one layer and crashed. Of course... I'm decade long 3d max worker so in my head 3D object & layer organization works quite differently.