Pattern along a path

[mickingaamco]

Can anyone solve this. I am trying to make a rough representation of a snowmobile track. I would like to duplicate the paddle at many positions along the track surface.

[etfrench]

What have you tried so far?

1. I'd start with the path for the snowmobile tread. The slot command would work great for this.
2. Create a Plane on Path using the above path as the base. Set the dimension to 0.
3. Create a sketch of an individual tread on the plane.
4. Use Pattern on path to create the full set of treads.

[Anonymous]

I think, in your case Sheet Metal technique could help. But this module is not released to public yet.

[Anonymous]

Anyway, with 'Pattern on Path' the result is also nice. Here are 2 versions: with solid and segmented track. Design file is attached.

 

[mickingaamco]

This looks great. Can you show a screencast on how you made it?

Thanks,

Mike

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@mickingaamco I thought it should be easy to understand the approach by viewing at timeline history.

Anyway, here is the screencast from scratch to result. (Sorry for laggy mouse, I did that on remote machine using Teamviewer :))

[mickingaamco]

Thanks so much. I did follow your history and I think I understand what you did. Funny thing, the time I tried it I did just what you did. I created a smooth track, then I put a paddle on it and tried to pattern the paddle along the edge of the track. It went well until the pattern made it around one of the radii, then the paddles started to display on the inside layer of the track.

I'll try it again, and if I still have trouble, I will post my own screencast.

Again, thanks for taking the time for me.

Mike

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

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It went well until the pattern made it around one of the radii, then the paddles started to display on the inside layer of the track.

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To fix that change the Orientation option to "Path direction" in Pattern properties dialog. Also, it's better to start paddles a bit inside of track (i.e. by using "Offset plane" when extrude), so they will not be separated from track on arcs.