I’m working on a hexagonal lattice generated on rectangular surfaces in Grasshopper, which is then relaxed using Kangaroo/BouncySolver. The final fabrication goal is to create an inflatable structure made from nylon tubes, where the inflated tubes form the actual lattice geometry. My issue appears after adding the Pipes component to the relaxed curves from the bouncysolver. At the joints/nodes, the pipes either intersect/overlap or leave small gaps, depending on the radius and local curvature.What I’m trying to achieve is a clean and fabrication-ready tube network that I can eventually unroll/pattern for cutting and assembling the inflatable structure.I was wondering if anyone has dealt with a similar workflow or has suggestions on how to handle. I can also upload screenshots and the Grasshopper definition if needed.
Or else i could use the multipipe component but then i need to split pipes into individuals, in order to unroll them and then cut them on membrane, so i can make the inflatable.
Something that can be a workaround sometimes, depending on the overall complexity of your line network is to rely on MultiPipe’s control polygon (mesh) + WarpWeft to isolate the ‘rings’:
*Ideally you’d use grasshopper native brep-splitting component for this, but it has known bugs and you won’t be able to split the shape—hence that python code from another topic in this forum.
Far from perfect—will it help you do the unroll thing? Who knows, probably not BUT you could grab the axes of those multipipe cylinders, make pipes, and those will unroll—should be close enough for your templates?
I’d suggest looking into “node generators” that people have come up with numerous times before but I bet you’ll face classic “boolean problems” as soon as your linework goes 3D or when several lines share a node tightly.
Example of an adaptation of those node thingies, but only works in grasshopper from the Rhino WIP…+ depending on sizing of pipes, sphere node, the weather, and Rhino’s mood:
BUT you could grab the axes of those multipipe cylinders, make pipes, and those will unroll—should be close enough for your templates?
