Adding thickness to birail surface

Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 2

This course will look in the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. It's aimed at people that have some modeling experience in Maya but are having trouble with complex objects.

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# 1 13-12-2002 , 04:44 AM

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How would you do it? I've been playing with bevel and not getting the result I want. It seems this would be easy to do.
Thanks.

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# 2 13-12-2002 , 09:32 AM

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Can you elaborate further on this erikober?

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# 3 13-12-2002 , 10:19 AM

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Sorry Undseth. Here is a screenshot. A birail surface created from 3 curves. I want it to have some thickness rather than the thin shell that it is now. Does this make sense?

Thanks.

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# 4 13-12-2002 , 12:36 PM

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dunno how they do it in maya...but in rhino and max....i just add a lip using ruled surf from an offset curve...im sure this will work in maya as well

:-)

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# 5 13-12-2002 , 03:38 PM

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hmm Do you wish to make a volume out of the three curves?

If, so, do you want sharp or round edges?

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# 6 13-12-2002 , 04:07 PM

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Well since you offered, I'd love to know how to either user added image

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# 7 13-12-2002 , 04:28 PM

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It is easily answered... I don't know user added image

edit:
I dont know any tool for converting a nurbs surface into an enclosed volume.

I would offset the surface both ways, with a positive and a negative offset value, and do some skinning on the edges in one way or another.

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Last edited by undseth; 13-12-2002 at 04:48 PM.

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# 8 13-12-2002 , 04:36 PM

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convert to polys. user added image

lol, but in Nurbs, if you construct your curves with the lip built in, it'd probably be easier

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 9 13-12-2002 , 04:43 PM

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Okay, now you've got me going user added image

So the lip is built into the profile curves? And all three? How would you proceed after converting to polys, if you took that route?

thanks guys.

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# 10 13-12-2002 , 04:50 PM

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What is a "lip" ???

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# 11 13-12-2002 , 04:54 PM

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lip = border edge

If you convert to polys, simply extruding the faces should get you the results you want, if I understand you correctly.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 12 13-12-2002 , 05:51 PM

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Well I've been playing with it, and I'll have to keep playing with it user added image

After converting to polys, extruding faces is, so far, making a mess. I'm guessing I need to finesse the tessellate options when converting to make something that will extrude cleanly. It just seems that I should be able to build the thickness into the birail profile, but I haven't ever had any luck creating such a surface with closed paths to create that thickness. The tool only seems to like open paths with point to point connections to the rail curves.

I'll keep trying, but now I have to get back to work user added image