creating a chain link wire mesh

[weslie_howard]

I am looking for a good tutorial on how to create the "strands" for a chain link fence. I am thinking this will need to be done with a 3D sketch but I am not sure.

In the meantime till I learn how to do this myself. Does anyone have a model of a chain link wire mesh they would be willing to share?

I have been to GrabCad and the selection there is very and limited and not really what I looking for.

Thanks,

Keith

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

But what you want to do? Just a fence or so?

[weslie_howard]

Hi Carlos,

What I want to do is actually create the "fabric" for a chain link fence. There is actually two reasons first we are making a highly detailed model of a cell site for the government. I want to be as realistic and accurate as I can be.

Secondly I think this would be a great exercise for doing a 3D sketch and developing the unique angles and radius and other shapes required to create the wire mesh.

Keith

[CCarreiras]

HI!

Ok.

Are you aware how many parts you will need to have if you design all the cell with "realistic wire"?!!
Have you a super mega computer to manage that!!?? or you like to work at snail velocity??!!?! 🙂

My advise is: make a sample of your mesh (if you wanna concept a new design for that), lets say 200mm by 200mm or so, just like a example.
Make a good render and that's it enough to demonstrate yout intent to the mesh concept.

For the cage itself , i think the important is the structure. Nobody work in that using "real mesh"... it´s unreal for CAD. Too much elements. And it's just a repetition, so why repeat the pattern until the pc stop?!!

After the struture we apply a "wire Texture" in a simple part and it simulate the wire well. Also you can create your own custom "wire texture" to match your 200x200mm "real" example.

Check the video to check some examples of the textures available (like i said, you can always create your own texture and most of all, they will render good with the rest of the model).

http://autode.sk/1NcfF5b

[mcgyvr]

Absolutely use a texture vs actually modeling it..

You will pull your hair out and really slow the model to a crawl if that.. 

[weslie_howard]

Carlos,

Thanks for the feedback. I will check out the video when I get home tonight, they have our systems locked down so we can not view most videos.

Keith

[weslie_howard]

I think I am leaning more and more to the texture ideal all the time. This assemblies are so big anyway that every little bit will help.

Keith

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

If they assemblys are big, one more big reason to use textures instead milions of wire elements...

[LT.Rusty]

Now obviously the best solution here is to use a texture, but I had a few spare minutes at the end of the workday and made a section of fence.  You would probably have to then play with some mirroring and offsets to make it an actual fence ... but, meh, I need to go home now.  😄

[Anonymous]

You could design it as a surface?

[CCarreiras]

YES

[LT.Rusty]

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@Anonymous wrote:

You could design it as a surface?

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Sure, but why?  Surfaces don't take much less resource than a solid, and you can't automagically get your mass or anything else from them.

If you have the resources available, do it as a solid.  If you don't, do it as a texture.  (Actually, you should probably just do it as a texture anyway, and set your material to have the appropriate density for a square / linear foot or meter or whatever of the material you're using.)

[Anonymous]

I didn't know if he was just going for "looks".