Wrap mesh/net/screen around solid irregular object

[kjsmith1026]

I have a solid irregular object that I want to add a mesh screen around (like the mesh screen on a house window - little rectangles). I've tried various project to surface and web features, but I just can't figure out how to get the mesh screen to wrap around it properly. In the attached pictures, the green object is the solid irregular object and the red is where I want to screen to be - it is an offset of the solid object. Top view and top/front view attached. I'm not looking for a render of the material, but rather an actual mesh screen object that I can export.

Thank you for your help,

Kristen

[TrippyLighting]

Can you share your model in .f3d format?

What mesh density are you looking for ?

[kjsmith1026]

I am looking for a pretty fine mesh density - basically this is a scaled down model of a building and the mesh outer sleeve would be see through - I imagine something like what I see when I look out the window screen of my house windows.

Attached is a .f3d of a test shape that I am working with. The green is the solid shape and the red is where I envision a thin mesh around the building to be.

My final goal will be to 3d print this outer mesh - I know the lines will be thin, but I can work through that once I know how to create something like this in fusion.

Thank you.

[TrippyLighting]

I personally would not attempt this in Fusion 360 as that will create a lot of geometry.

The general idea is to use the sheet metal tools in Fusion 360. On a completely closed, arbitrary curved object  that will not work. 

1. The general workflow for this stuff is that you would: create your curved geometry as a sheet metal flange, then use the Unfold feature to flatten it.
2. You'd model your wire mesh on the flattened sheet metal part.
3. Then you'd use the re-fold feature. The sheet metal part will now return to its previous shape and the wire mesh will deform with it.
4. then you can use the split body command to split the wire mesh from the sheet metal body and hide, or remove (not delete) the sheet metal body.

The limitation is that the sketch for the sheet metal flange needs to contain a section of straight line. Once the sheet metal flange has been created, that will create a flat surface, which will then be selected as the stationary feature for unfolding.

I amusing a slightly different sheet metal workflow and also create a hole pattern directly in the sheet metal body.

The purpose is just to demonstrate the general sheet metal workflow. Flange, unfold, model, re-fold.

I work on a relatively fast computer (Ryzen 5950), but even there the re-folding operation takes a while. A fine mesh will take exponentially longer.

[kjsmith1026]

Thanks for your response. I’ve never looked at the sheet metal features, will have to check them out. Appreciate the details on using them. 

Do you have another tool in mind that would work better for this type of thing? Blender? I’ve never used it, but maybe now is the time to learn. 

[TrippyLighting]

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@kjsmith1026 wrote:

Thanks for your response. I’ve never looked at the sheet metal features, will have to check them out. Appreciate the details on using them. 

Do you have another tool in mind that would work better for this type of thing? Blender? I’ve never used it, but maybe now is the time to learn. 

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Yes a sub-d or polygon modeler can handle much more geometry. Blender would also be my choice (and has been for many projects).

[Warmingup1953]

How open (or closed) should the mesh be?

[kjsmith1026]

Something like you show in your design is about the size of the fine mesh I am looking for. Want to be able to see through it, but have it be pretty dense.

[Warmingup1953]

Ok here is my quick go if it is of interest

[kjsmith1026]

Thank you - I will have a look.

[TrippyLighting]

Nice! I had not thought about pattern on path 😳