Spiral Columns

[Anonymous]

I figured out a way to create a spiral column, one where ribs will spiral around a central axis.

I have a working prototype with parameters that allow me to:

- Change the column outside diameter

- Change the width of the profile of the ribs

- Adjusts for the height of the column

- Adjusts for the degree of slope, or pitch of the ribs

...The only problem is the family is WAY too huge. 2.6GB. LOL. Gonna keep on working on it now that I know how the geometry is working...

The attached file is a 3D PDF of one of the results. Just click in the white space for the content to load.

Thanks

[barthbradley]

Something like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0IukRasY6M

http://plevit1.blogspot.com/2014/12/helix-again.html

[Anonymous]

My spiral has concentric radii... Stretched vertically.

Thanks,

[barthbradley]

What's your point?  

[barthbradley]

[bin]

It looks nice, how did you create a 3D PDF?

[Anonymous]

To create a 3D PDF, I used a Blue Beam Add-on for Revit.

There's an app for the iPhone that can read 3D PDFs as well and its a great way to take the object with you or share it.

Both Adobe PDF and the app can give you one or combined section cuts through the object.

The name of the phone App is: '3D PDF Reader'

[Anonymous]

In the method you presented, I can't see how to use a profile that gives me the complex shape I want to see for the ribs. 'Generic pattern based' and 'Conceptual Mass' families do not allow the use of a profile family.

[barthbradley]

What you are showing in this screenshot, is not what you are showing in your initial screenshot -- which is clearly a helix.  As for this last screenshot, that would be done using the Blend tool - not a Helix. Either one is easy to do.  

[Anonymous]

If you look closely at the first screen shot, you can see the individual 'donuts' with the profiles as show in my second screen shot. I did use a sweep blend to get the spiral affect with a polar array in plan first, and a linear array in front elevation second. The second screen is just one of the segments that was arrayed vertically.  

[barthbradley]

What you are showing in you first screenshot is a HELIX - hence, the reason I linked you to that information in my follow-up post.  As for the component that is pathed (e.g. via Repeater) along the Helix lines, that can be ANY shape/profile -- including "donut"-shaped.  

Maybe, I'm misreading you entirely. I just realized you are asking no questions.  Just making statements.  Do you want advice or something?  

BTW: you can post you file here as well -- if you want an analysis.  You said initially, that the family was too heavy. Maybe we can tell you how to lighten it up.  

[bin]

Good to know, thank you.

[Anonymous]

I may post the file... 

The first attempt developed a working prototype that did every I wanted it too but it was about a 2.7GB file! I learned a lot from the process and after taking a step back, thought of a better way to achieve the same thing.

So I recreated the family with fewer nested families and built it in a way that would reduce the amount of repetitive geometry. 

Now my family is only 18mb. Still heavy but to some extent, that's unavoidable just because the geometry of a spiral column is so complex. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Sorry, Mchans40 is me too. Should've logged on under the same name. 

[Anonymous]

I thought I might mention that in the spiral column family I posted, I meant to add a flip control. That would enable you to reverse the direction of the spiral. 

if you overlap two columns with the same definitions but with opposing spirals, you get some interesting diamond grid patterns.