Re: Geometric Form

From: Marshall Burns (Marshall@Ennex.com)
Date: Fri Oct 08 1999 - 06:57:17 EEST


Jonathan,

    I think Stewart Dickson probably knows the answer to your question. He's fabbed a lot of topological surfaces using Mathematica and other software to generate data that he converts to StL with his own code. I'm not sure if he's reading this list. Check out one his many Web pages at http://emsh.calarts.edu/~mathart/R_Proto_ref.html. The contact data for him there may not be current, so also take a look at his portfolio linked at the bottom that page.

    Good luck in your research. It sounds really interesting and I'd love to see the results.

Best regards,
Marshall Burns

Marshall@Ennex.com
Ennex Corporation, Los Angeles, USA, (310) 824-8700
www.Ennex.com

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Jonathan Chertok <j.chertok@mail.utexas.edu>
    To: rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi <rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi>
    Date: Thursday, October 07, 1999 18:18 PM
    Subject: Geometric Form
    
    
    I'm looking to prototype a geometric form from a mathematical model collection. And may be needing some help.
    
    Trouble is this:
    The surface was formed by rotating a shape about another shape. As I understand it the "right" side of the surface runs through the "left" side of the surface and it is possible the Normals don't correspond appropriately in order for the computer to render the form. i.e. the right normal says "on" and the left Normal says "on" when it should say "off". Think fat Moebius loop that intersects itself as it "rounds the corner".
    
    I've seen this form generated in plaster, so it obviously can be made. The program that generated the graphic was FORM Z.
    
    The question is this:
    Is there a way to "fill" or "normalize" this surface in order that the STL or IGES will read appropriately for the machine to render the form? In that I am not concerned with the internal geometry of the form - just the shape outside - I can't help but think there must be a convenient way to convert this file.
    
    Thanks in Advance to the Kindness of Strangers
    
    Jonathan Chertok
    j.chertok @mail.utexas.edu
    
    
    
    ***
    UNIVERSAL JOINT DESIGN
    "for the most useful things since the incline plane and the lever"
    ***
    
    COMING ATTRACTIONS:
    
    
    There will be a travelling exhibition of these forms that I will be getting together as a follow-up to my Graduate Architecture thesis. Anyone that wishes to is welcome to contact me, as I imagine I'll be needing some help and funding contacts (especially appreciate hearing from some heavy hitters). The project ROCKS (Real Serious and Real Cool).
    
    [Note: DO NOT confuse these forms with the stuff you've seen before. Consider these more like a Twentieth Century version of Euclid's solids.]
    
    I think with some more specific information a lot of industy cats looking for great PR will be quite interested (Get on board you won't be disappointed). Starting small here with a firm in Austin, Texas - but look forward to hearing from the larger RP community interested in pure research and amazing sculprural form.
    
    
    
    For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



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