The resulting Catenaries are parametric objects, so you can adjust their controls at any time after creation.Ĭatenaries can be used as inputs to derivative object types such as extrusions, sweeps, and NURBS surfaces. There’s also an option to control the catenary by the length of the curve: the catenary will maintain the length you’ve specified as you drag the two endpoints about. Choose a hanging or inverted curve, click anywhere in 3D space to establish the curve endpoints, then drag up and down to control the depth. With the Catenary tool, you can construct these curves in natural, interactive manner. With the advent of computational design, there has been a resurgent interest the properties and aesthetics of the catenary. An overhead utility wire, a tram cable, and a chain connecting two posts will each assume this form.Ĭatenaries have a rich history in architecture and design, most famously in the work of Antonio Gaudi and Saarinen’s Gateway Arch. Image by the formZ LAB.Ī chain, hanging under its own weight with both ends anchored, forms the characteristic curve know as the catenary. Trying to keep your edge geometry tight and smooth will greatly increase your complexity, and you can reach a point where Revit will not accept it.Catenaries with the new LAB tool were used to create the NURBS shell in this study. but if they do, they will garner a response. there are a handful of formz users on this forum, and we are relatively knowledgable on the application, so a lot of questions dont come up. i used to play over there a lot, but lost interest.
So you have a three way conflict here between smoothness, simplicity and how closely you want to stick to your original edge geometry. the formz forum on their website is defenitly the most active around, and decent for tech support. It’s hassle-free because even new users can easily create patterns like voronoi. Architectural designers can do wonders with this tool. View formZ pro’s reviews, use cases, case studies, features, clients and more in 3D Animation Software.
The more you smooth out the overall shape the more your shape deviates from the original. Check formZ market existence in 3D Animation Software market. Not all seams are ‘bad” - perhaps you can live with seams at the filleted corners, and smooth out the rest. To avoid the misapprehension of architectural design as exclusively a form-making exercise, it is critical to gain an in-depth understanding of the intentions. In Revit You should be able to create wall or roof by face for each face of your surface. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular Revit Architecture topics. Welcome to Autodesk’s Revit Architecture Forums.
I have not used form z recently enough to offer any advice in the rebuilding of this form In there but I think the principles are similar. Ive been a formz user for about 5 years and have recently taken up revit to help with some of the document generation tools that formz lacks. In Rhino the solution would be to rebuild your curve geometry so you start with continuous smooth curves - i.e curves/ slides that will not explode into arcs and lines.
These lines are not “rulings” or iso curves, they are distinct surfaces. In Rhino you will often see that when trying to create some surfaces like this, Rhino will break them up into smaller surfaces similiar to what you have shown.
formZ free features a subset of the tools found in formZ pro and formZ jr with the same easy to use dynamic interface. The models can also be presented using sun studies, real time rendering effects, sectioning and dimensions. If you were to graph this curve you would see the derivative suddenly jump from zero to something else. With formZ free you can quickly create your own 3D solid models that can even be 3D printed.
For example whenever a line is filleted to a radius, the new curve is no longer really smooth because the curve has an abrupt transition. I suspect that your surface, which may or may not display smooth, is not “uniformly smooth” in a mathematical sense. Unfortunately there is little to no useful documentation on issues like this, but as someone who has struggled with similar problems I can offer some insight into the real limitations here.