Author Topic: 3D Piping  (Read 9254 times)

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LE3

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #15 on: February 12, 2010, 07:31:29 PM »
I'm considering building a 3D piping package - spec driven.
Modeling at first and then either generated Pipe Isometrics and / or using Isogen.

I would expect to have modes - 2d, 3d single line and 3d solid. No custom objects.

Two ways to approach the 'user interface' - manipulate the usc and / or point filters.
Lines okay for the route?

Anybody got any suggestions or other warnings?

That can be easy with the use of ExtrudeAlongPath();

LE3

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #16 on: February 13, 2010, 02:01:58 PM »
That can be easy with the use of ExtrudeAlongPath();

For example and just to provide a viewable sample, to generate pipes and fittings as 3D solids from a 2D line work:
« Last Edit: February 13, 2010, 02:06:23 PM by LE3 »

MickD

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #17 on: February 13, 2010, 07:01:35 PM »
Thanks LE3, that is pretty much what we want to do but we need to add quite a lot more intelligence into the model for things like bills of material and 2d output. There's quite a bit more to do but it's very doable.

I've created a new open source project here - http://dcs3d.sourceforge.net/

Stay tuned as I'll be uploading some code over the next few days to get going with this and feel free to join the project if you're interested.
cheers,
Mick.
"Short cuts make long delays,' argued Pippin.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

LE3

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #18 on: February 13, 2010, 07:36:36 PM »
Thanks LE3, that is pretty much what we want to do but we need to add quite a lot more intelligence into the model for things like bills of material and 2d output. There's quite a bit more to do but it's very doable.

I've created a new open source project here - http://dcs3d.sourceforge.net/

Stay tuned as I'll be uploading some code over the next few days to get going with this and feel free to join the project if you're interested.
cheers,
Mick.

Hi Mick,
Is this pipe app something you are doing too?... I read Draftek on the first post....

and yes I know your dcs3d stuff... btw.

MickD

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2010, 07:46:05 PM »
There are a lot of similarities in the processes of modelling between piping and structural steel so I think could easily be done in tandem, perhaps a branch just for piping can be created if the need arises.
The main focus of the new project is to build the 3d modelling and 2d engines that can be used for pretty much any 3d projects so the possibilties are endless :)
"Short cuts make long delays,' argued Pippin.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

LE3

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #20 on: February 13, 2010, 10:29:40 PM »
There are a lot of similarities in the processes of modelling between piping and structural steel so I think could easily be done in tandem, perhaps a branch just for piping can be created if the need arises.
The main focus of the new project is to build the 3d modelling and 2d engines that can be used for pretty much any 3d projects so the possibilties are endless :)


I am not fan of the open source - sorry, but can see too the possibilities, have done two projects now in 3D one for structures and the other for pipes - with intelligent objects :-)

PS> Mick, if you still are interested to try/use/test/trash/ignore/etc my old Oriented Bounding Box - OBB app for A2010, let me know, in my last guess it is working on the 90% of the 3D solids.

MickD

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2010, 12:19:01 AM »
Will do Luis, thanks.

I wasn't sure if it was you before Luis, good to see you again. Yes, your experience will be invaluable when we get to the harder questions.

I wasn't a big fan of oss either but there comes a time when even what you do have might be quite valuable but it's not worth much if you can only sell a few copies.
I see more possibilities for making possible income in the services (SaaS) side of the software and when you give it away you have a much larger potential customer base to work for than what you have if you sold your software.

Another benefit of the oss business model, if the project builds up some momentum it will have a chance to grow a lot quicker, fix bugs quicker and have much better code which benefits all.

Unless you have a show stopping application it is very hard to make money in software using the closed source business model, if I can pick up a bit of work coding and be paid for it I'll be more than happy.

But, that isn't my main objective, what is though is getting some software up to a usable, solid state so user can get their work done easier and better, every thing else is just a bonus :)
"Short cuts make long delays,' argued Pippin.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

LE3

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #22 on: February 14, 2010, 12:44:23 AM »
I wasn't sure if it was you before Luis, good to see you again. Yes, your experience will be invaluable when we get to the harder questions.

I wasn't a big fan of oss either but there comes a time when even what you do have might be quite valuable but it's not worth much if you can only sell a few copies.
I see more possibilities for making possible income in the services (SaaS) side of the software and when you give it away you have a much larger potential customer base to work for than what you have if you sold your software.

Another benefit of the oss business model, if the project builds up some momentum it will have a chance to grow a lot quicker, fix bugs quicker and have much better code which benefits all.

Unless you have a show stopping application it is very hard to make money in software using the closed source business model, if I can pick up a bit of work coding and be paid for it I'll be more than happy.

But, that isn't my main objective, what is though is getting some software up to a usable, solid state so user can get their work done easier and better, every thing else is just a bonus :)

I will if I can.

And I agree...

Where do I send you the arx file?... (I have your emails any of the two?) - will probably posted back here in the old thread (if I can find it) or some place here.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2010, 01:52:21 AM by LE3 »

Jeff_M

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #23 on: February 14, 2010, 12:21:40 PM »
I'm surprised Autodesk does not have things to do this better, its very common for users to need numbers for elevation, since that is what is cumbersome to manage.  For instance, why does Civil3D not show profile PVI's in plan view?  Its the first thing I did for my LISP tools, even before stationing or BC/EC labels.
I do not wish to hijack this thread, so I'm just going to post a quick question here, and a follow up in the Land Lubber group. James, C3D can show profile information in plan, automatically, too.

LE3

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Re: 3D Piping
« Reply #24 on: February 14, 2010, 01:36:38 PM »
I'm surprised Autodesk does not have things to do this better, its very common for users to need numbers for elevation, since that is what is cumbersome to manage.  For instance, why does Civil3D not show profile PVI's in plan view?  Its the first thing I did for my LISP tools, even before stationing or BC/EC labels.
I do not wish to hijack this thread, so I'm just going to post a quick question here, and a follow up in the Land Lubber group. James, C3D can show profile information in plan, automatically, too.

You can find that feature/ability/option in MEP and depending on how it is the viewstyle and or the iso view it will display the objects - BTW.

I use that API, but it is not friendly at all - at least for me. :)