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Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

how to model using tube

Llian
Advocate
here's a fairly easy but can't figure out how ...can someone help please!
how do i model a tube [ 1-1/2" dia tube with elbow of 4" radius?

Screen shot 2011-08-07 at 1.27.43 AM.png
Lilian Seow
LEED AP | cSBA | CAPM | PMP
Interior-Architecture and BIM Management
AC20 USA | 27- macOS 10.14.6| 4 GHz Intel Core i7| 32 GB RAM | Archicad-user since 1994!
18 REPLIES 18
if you want the profile to be smooth set these magic wand setting before you save the profile. I just discoverd this. Perhaps I was the last to know. ?
I was having problems getting smooth profiles.

ArchiCAD 25 7000 USA - Windows 10 Pro 64x - Dell 7720 64 GB 2400MHz ECC - Xeon E3 1535M v6 4.20GHz - (2) 1TB M.2 PCIe Class 50 SSD's - 17.3" UHD IPS (3840x2160) - Nvidia Quadro P5000 16GB GDDR5 - Maxwell Studio/Render 5.2.1.49- Multilight 2 - Adobe Acrobat Pro - ArchiCAD 6 -25

Anonymous
Not applicable
if you want the profile to be smooth set these magic wand setting before you save the profile. I just discoverd this. Perhaps I was the last to know. ?
I was having problems getting smooth profiles.


That's a clever solution Steve!

When you have a true curve in your complex profile and it is applied to a piece of 3d geometry, ArchiCAD will automatically reduce the polycount by using something like the RADIUS function in GDL; turning your nice smooth circle/arc into a faceted shape. This is acceptable in a object with a large radius, but is very noticeable with smaller objects.

By forcing the fill to be made of many tiny Linear Segments, ArchiCAD can't apply this effect as there are no curves. This does mean, however, that your tube will have a higher polycount, so don't go overboard with the number of segments. (You have set it to have 360 linear segments! That's way too many! )

Still, it is useful to know how to manually adjust this setting if needs be.

As an aside, I have found Olivier Dentans 'Flexitube' objects useful for creating complex 3d tubular shapes. They are a little complicated to use, but do work well. There are both English and French versions in the zip file so give them a go perhaps -

http://archilib.od.pagesperso-orange.fr/
Llian
Advocate
Here are 2 models using slab and hollow tube [ special basic shapes ]. I need to place # 2 onto # 1, but # 2 is perpendicular to # 1. Scott mentioned about using complex profile but I can't figure that out.....I just need to understand how to model object using the plan and side view settings!
fixture 3d.jpg
Lilian Seow
LEED AP | cSBA | CAPM | PMP
Interior-Architecture and BIM Management
AC20 USA | 27- macOS 10.14.6| 4 GHz Intel Core i7| 32 GB RAM | Archicad-user since 1994!
Anonymous
Not applicable
for your second tube - select it and choose the view selection in 3d option from the view menu
move the view in the 3d window to look at whichever side of the tube you want to be the top, then save the model as .... from the library and objects option of the file menu - and your new object will be properly oriented
Llian
Advocate
Thanks Scott !
Yes, I understand your reply now about using the Projections - Top, Side and Bottom to save a 3D object. I went through the ITG GDL interactive but really the tutorials skip some basic [magic ] steps like what you shared.
Lilian Seow
LEED AP | cSBA | CAPM | PMP
Interior-Architecture and BIM Management
AC20 USA | 27- macOS 10.14.6| 4 GHz Intel Core i7| 32 GB RAM | Archicad-user since 1994!
I like to show off my fancy morph tubes.

ArchiCAD 25 7000 USA - Windows 10 Pro 64x - Dell 7720 64 GB 2400MHz ECC - Xeon E3 1535M v6 4.20GHz - (2) 1TB M.2 PCIe Class 50 SSD's - 17.3" UHD IPS (3840x2160) - Nvidia Quadro P5000 16GB GDDR5 - Maxwell Studio/Render 5.2.1.49- Multilight 2 - Adobe Acrobat Pro - ArchiCAD 6 -25

Anonymous
Not applicable
Congrats Steve, such a nice detailed job!
That deserves a good video tutorial.
Thanks. I just may do that. I am learning how to use Snagit.

ArchiCAD 25 7000 USA - Windows 10 Pro 64x - Dell 7720 64 GB 2400MHz ECC - Xeon E3 1535M v6 4.20GHz - (2) 1TB M.2 PCIe Class 50 SSD's - 17.3" UHD IPS (3840x2160) - Nvidia Quadro P5000 16GB GDDR5 - Maxwell Studio/Render 5.2.1.49- Multilight 2 - Adobe Acrobat Pro - ArchiCAD 6 -25

Peter wrote:
if you want the profile to be smooth set these magic wand setting before you save the profile. I just discoverd this. Perhaps I was the last to know. ?
I was having problems getting smooth profiles.


That's a clever solution Steve!

When you have a true curve in your complex profile and it is applied to a piece of 3d geometry, ArchiCAD will automatically reduce the polycount by using something like the RADIUS function in GDL; turning your nice smooth circle/arc into a faceted shape. This is acceptable in a object with a large radius, but is very noticeable with smaller objects.

By forcing the fill to be made of many tiny Linear Segments, ArchiCAD can't apply this effect as there are no curves. This does mean, however, that your tube will have a higher polycount, so don't go overboard with the number of segments. (You have set it to have 360 linear segments! That's way too many! )

Still, it is useful to know how to manually adjust this setting if needs be.

As an aside, I have found Olivier Dentans 'Flexitube' objects useful for creating complex 3d tubular shapes. They are a little complicated to use, but do work well. There are both English and French versions in the zip file so give them a go perhaps -

http://archilib.od.pagesperso-orange.fr/
Yes, 360 linear segments is a lot for some things. What I am showing is what the limits of the smallest segments you can make in ArchiCAD.
11-2-2013 8-16-47 AM.jpg

ArchiCAD 25 7000 USA - Windows 10 Pro 64x - Dell 7720 64 GB 2400MHz ECC - Xeon E3 1535M v6 4.20GHz - (2) 1TB M.2 PCIe Class 50 SSD's - 17.3" UHD IPS (3840x2160) - Nvidia Quadro P5000 16GB GDDR5 - Maxwell Studio/Render 5.2.1.49- Multilight 2 - Adobe Acrobat Pro - ArchiCAD 6 -25