Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

[lemon_aid]

To All fellow VfSU Users,

I am an Architect and im trying to model a building covered with Aluminium Composite Panels.
What I need help on is an easier method to create the horizontal and vertical lines in the Glass Panels and Aluminium Panels using VfSU.

Right not, i have modelled in the mullion lines using follow me tool, but this is getting highly exagerrated, not to mention tedious. It also does not seem like the right way of doing it.

Does anyone know of a way to create these lines .

Thanks a ton in advance.

[img][/img]

[lemon_aid]

Re: Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

Anyone? I really need ideas to this as I have been scouring the net the last 4 days without results.

[jrharvey]

Re: Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

Show an image of your sketchup model so we know what we are looking at. I would definately not make each panel in sketchup. I would use some type of material to illustrate the paneling.

[lemon_aid]

Re: Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

Thanks for your reply John.

I explored the option of using a material to simulate the lines, but these were my apprehensions:-

1. Being ACP Lines, they need to be exactly aligned with glass lines. Does mapping work accurately.
2. How does apply the mapping to the surface( on SU or Vray using UVW Mapping - I dont know how this works really )


Some Screen Shots of my SU model :-

One image has the glass surface without grid lines,
One has the glass with grid lines created by follow me tool and a close up shot of the grid line created.

http://s564.photobucket.com/albums/ss86/orc777_29675/

[thomthom]

Re: Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

The most reliable method of mapping is via SU. If you don't have a texture in SU mapped to the surface then V-Ray won't have any mapping co-ordinates and will have to make them up.

When there's no SU UV mapping information V-Ray will use inches as the UV units.

[jrharvey]

Re: Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

I see what you mean and honestly I think there is no easy way around it other than actually having the mullions modeled in 3d. This is where Rhino would really come in handy with a quick array. You know, sketchup has an array (somewhat). Why not just make one mullion pattern and make it a block and then array it across the surface? Would be much easier than drawing them all piece by piece. To array in sketchup you simple select the objects, use the move tool and type in x2 or x15 (however many times you want.

[lemon_aid]

Re: Please Assist- Aluminium Composite Panel Lines

Thank you for that JOhn. THats exactly what I figured. You need to model in the lines for the sake of accuracy. Mapping wont work as it cant be applied exactly.

Mapping I guess is only for textures and stuff.
Ill let you know how that goes with the array.

thanks a ton for that tip.