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Author Topic: Custom Sprinkler style  (Read 3626 times)

mabulsoud

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Custom Sprinkler style
« on: August 28, 2018, 12:12:47 AM »
Hi,

I'm trying to create an RC style for a sprinkler system that incorporates different pipe sizes as well as other neat features.

I'm hitting a wall with some things though.

1. I don't know how to define the ceiling height. I would like all the support lines to automatically go to the ceiling and stop there so you can see the ceiling connection.
2. Sprinkler height should be a fixed value from the ceiling as well.
3. I'm having all kinds of weird connections with gaps or they won't orient correctly
4. There seems to be a weird geometry artifact at some place.

I have attached images that illustrate the separate issues as well as the .max file with the RC style.

I'm using 3ds max 2018 and RC 3.1.0

Thanks,

Marwan
« Last Edit: May 10, 2019, 05:52:59 PM by mabulsoud »

Rokas

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2018, 01:09:03 PM »
Hi

Thanks for the question. You used compose grouped mode. Which is incompatible with some features You want to have (adjustable height).
I redid Your style with sequential compose mode.
RailClone V4 will have some improvements which will enable similar styles to be constructed more easily.

I attach You modified style for You.

Rokas

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2018, 02:18:21 PM »
Thanks Rokas!

I have one more question. How do I distribute sprinklers at vertices?

Evertime I add a vertex it adds a corner piece and I'm trying to avoid that

Rokas

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2018, 02:27:38 PM »
I doubt You want sprinklers on vertices. These are important for corners. And corners have corner element, not sprinkler. I probably misunderstand something. Can You explain in more detail?
Rokas

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2018, 02:49:25 PM »
I'm trying to make it so that you have a straight vertical pipe at manually placed vertices.

Kind of like an "even" distribution but instead of using a distance value the designers can manually place vertices along the pipe line to choose where the sprinklers are.

Rokas

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2018, 03:36:23 PM »
create new linear generator with only corners input where vertices are smooth - sprinklers will be added.


Rokas

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2018, 04:11:42 PM »
I'm trying to wrap my head around your changes they're quite extensive! Thanks so much for that!

There seems to be some problem areas still in terms of orientation of connections. as well as the new vertical sprinklers. Please see attached image. and .max file.

I'm also curious what features in RC4 would make this easier?
« Last Edit: May 10, 2019, 05:52:52 PM by mabulsoud »

Rokas

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2018, 11:11:38 AM »
Hi

Some connections do orient badly due to vertical splines. RC cant compute initial X/Y vectors.
As a workaround You can create conditional material ID operators to adjust rotation.

RC4 will have nested generators with one RailClone Style. Compositing segments will be easier and more flexible.

In attached max file I only fixed manual sprinklers.
Rokas

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2018, 07:35:20 PM »
Thanks so much Rokas!

That's great news about RC4. I'm planning on making the rest of the MEP systems and that would come in handy.

I've got the general idea of your fixes. But I'm trying to understand the following

1. There are a lot of fixed padding/translation on different pieces of geometry. Are these numbers just trial and error? Is there a way to have these parametrized from the geometry so that it can be easily swapped?
2. I really don't understand what the three expressions do. Is there a tutorial/guide that explains that somewhere.

Lastly I noticed there's a problem that happens when the support distance is dropped below 200. Some supports start pointing down while some of the top parts start floating. It seems to only happen for the 1.5" pipe one. I've tried to compare the two and see why but I couldn't find it.

I've attached a photo showing the issue as well as the .max file.

Thanks again for your excellent support.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2019, 05:52:44 PM by mabulsoud »

Rokas

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2018, 02:10:56 PM »
Thanks so much Rokas!

That's great news about RC4. I'm planning on making the rest of the MEP systems and that would come in handy.

I've got the general idea of your fixes. But I'm trying to understand the following

1. There are a lot of fixed padding/translation on different pieces of geometry. Are these numbers just trial and error? Is there a way to have these parametrized from the geometry so that it can be easily swapped?


2. I really don't understand what the three expressions do. Is there a tutorial/guide that explains that somewhere.


Lastly I noticed there's a problem that happens when the support distance is dropped below 200. Some supports start pointing down while some of the top parts start floating. It seems to only happen for the 1.5" pipe one. I've tried to compare the two and see why but I couldn't find it.

I've attached a photo showing the issue as well as the .max file.

Thanks again for your excellent support.

1.
Yes I put them by trial end error but certainly You can export segments attributes and calculate exact value as well. graph will look more like spider web.

2.
I would recommend starting in this topic.

3.
This value needs to be above some value so all sprinklers are above highest of the pipes.
Rokas

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2018, 04:15:12 PM »
Hi Rokas,

I understand that the vertical distance needs to be a certain minimum. But I was actually referring to the horizontal distance which acts very strange.

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2018, 08:33:02 PM »
I have the style working (almost) perfectly now. Thank you!

I'm still having one problem with the "Support Distance" Parameter as shown in the attached picture. There also seems to be a problem with the material ID's where some sprinklers will lose all IDs and switch to ID=1.

Example 01: sprinkler distance is set to 54. You can see that all supports are working properly but somehow there are whole pipes without any supports for some reason
Example 02: sprinkler distance is set to 36. Some supports flip vertically and some are even floating. The supports are still distributed in an almost random fashion though

I'm using even distribution to control the distance between the supports. Is there something I'm doing wrong here that's causing this wrong behavior?

Thanks,

Marwan
« Last Edit: May 10, 2019, 05:52:36 PM by mabulsoud »

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2018, 09:26:33 PM »
The examples below

mabulsoud

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2018, 03:55:57 PM »
I've solved that geometry losing the MatID issue but the even distribution just seems to be working haphazardly. Any pointers on what to look at would be greatly appreciated.

Rokas

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Re: Custom Sprinkler style
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2018, 04:29:18 PM »
Try to set Support Rule Corner = smooth
« Last Edit: September 20, 2018, 04:39:04 PM by Rokas »
Rokas