Trying to recreate the part example given on the website for Form Z

[CMick]

I am trying to re-create the part shown as an example on the website:

- https://videos.files.wordpress.com/X54GpTBL/s4_3.mp4

I am failing at creating the profile shape the example starts off with.

If I was to do this (and I have) in another application Rhino or Plasticity for example. I would:

- Create 3 circle curves

- Use tangent lines to connect the circles

- Use Trim to remove the inner parts of the circles

- Join the curves and turn it into a surface and extrude up

I try the same technique in Form Z and I fail to pull it off. I have tried clicking on different parts of the lines and just end up with unconnected lines, part circles or even error messages.

I have switched to the Mac version at this point as I was getting a tiny bit further than Windows 11.

I have consulted what I believe to be relevant parts of the manual, I am at an absolute loss as to figure out how to do this or pretty much anything with this application.

I'm not sure if this version (10 Pro with Vray) is broken? Absolute frustration and bewilderment.

 

[Justin Montoya]

Ah, yes, that profile isn't obvious on how to create.  While there are a couple of ways to do that, like you said, starting with circles then joining them with lines to create a face.  However, I would just start with a 4 sided Polygon, then move or scale the edge points in to the right size and then use the Fillet/Bevel tool to round them.

 

 

 

From there you can ReShape or Push/Pull the face and I think you got the rest...

[Tech]

Hi CMick,

Another approach will may afford more dimensional control:

1. Draw 3 circles
2. <Tangent Line> tool to create the 4 tangent lines
3. <Trim Lines> tool to trim the circles to arcs. The resulting arc will be the section clicked on, and will proceed to the circle start/end point on the circumference, so you will want to make sure the start/end lies outside the arc you'd like to keep. To view and edit the circle/arcs endpoints, use the <Pick> tool to select the circle/arc, then in the Inspector palette, click the Show Controls button.
4. Select the 8 lines/curves and use the <Join Lines> tool to make them into a surface.

You can search for each of these tools using the formZ Assistant (hit the spacebar, then start typing and part of the tool name you are looking for).

Please note this forum is for customers to help one another, as Justin has (thanks, Justin!). For formZ technical support, please write to us at support@formz.com

 

[CMick]

Thanks Justin,

I did not think of that approach.

Tech I believe I did try your approach and it is just not working, for me at least. Perhaps I am driving the tools incorrectly. I did review the relevant sections in the manual and tried to make sense of the tools that way, I also tried just madly clicking about in different order and locations of the curves and that didn’t really help either.

I have also sent off some emails to the support email and awaiting replies.

I seem to be having a very rough start as a new user. Unfortunately google and YouTube searches aren’t plentiful for the type of work I’m trying to do with Form Z either. I am spending more time sending emails and forum posts than actually creating anything.

[CMick]

Hi Justin,

I can create the square rotated, I have trouble scaling independently using the Transform Tool (I use spacebar to search for Transform and it is the one called Transform Tool), when I click the object it positions to the top corner rather than the middle as you have pictured. Clicking towards the centre does nothing. If I try to just go ahead and scale, the shape extends out toward the bottom right creating a kind of rectangle.

If I try to use the I-Scale tool (which I assume to mean Independent Scale, like scale on 1 axis not all at same time like Uniform), I can get the diamond shape.

I cannot do the next step which is fillet, it simply fails with an error message. I have tried different values for the Circular Radius and I'm just getting errors. I would have hoped I can just click and drag to get the shape of the fillet and then come back in dial it in numerically if needed.

I am curious what version you are using Justin?

I have tried the latest available version on both Windows 11 Pro (fully up-to-date) and Mac OS Sonoma (fully up-to-date), I seem to be getting wildly different results from yours. For the most part, the Mac version seems to be working out a little better overall, though I am getting some weird pallet window re-adjustments/disappearances while I try to take screenshots and post in this forum (while swapping between windows basically). Both versions seem to want me to log-in with the web-form at a minimum every day, which seems a bit excessive even though I told the Mac version to use the "I'm on a laptop and don't have regular internet option".

 

[CMick]

Tech,

I have created a video of what I believe to be the process you described. I gave it 2 goes, both falling short of what I was intending to create (the profile shape given on the website).

I have also sent an email to support linking this forum post so I don't need to spend more time repeating my issues (and whoever is reading support doesn't need to read the same thing over and over).

Edit:

And straight after this, closed Form Z to this:

Edited April 20 by CMick

[CMick]

Tech,

For what it's worth, this process is very nearly exactly what I can actually get done in Plasticity, it works, it's conceptually easy to pull off. Precise measurements can be entered I just didn't bother as I was trying to demonstrate the workflow.

Is this what is meant to be happening in Form Z and I'm just missing something?

 

 

[CMick]

I gave this a go in Rhino 7 and it seems very similar also, the process works just fine as per the video.

 

 

[CMick]

And Alibre Design example, I'm very new to Alibre but was able to figure out the same process in minutes without even googling anything.

The one thing that caught my eye with Alibre is when you hover the mouse and it shows you what is going to disappear before clicking it to confirm.

 I'm out of software that I own to try this operation any further. Please believe me though, there does seem to be a problem.

 

 

[vva]

hi CMick

what you try to get is so easy to do: use the "VectorLine" and set the hight to e.g. 8mm -draw the rhombus.

then round two edges with small R and then the others with a larger R

thats all

vva

[ZTEK]

 

[CMick]

ZTEK, this gives me hope. Absolutely excellent display.

I am trying to figure where I was going wrong on that initial profile and trim was just failing me.

[CMick]

I got as far as rounding and all it had for me was non-descriptive error messages 🤕

[Justin Montoya]

On 4/19/2024 at 8:10 PM, CMick said:

Hi Justin,

I can create the square rotated, I have trouble scaling independently using the Transform Tool (I use spacebar to search for Transform and it is the one called Transform Tool), when I click the object it positions to the top corner rather than the middle as you have pictured. Clicking towards the centre does nothing. If I try to just go ahead and scale, the shape extends out toward the bottom right creating a kind of rectangle.

If I try to use the I-Scale tool (which I assume to mean Independent Scale, like scale on 1 axis not all at same time like Uniform), I can get the diamond shape.

I cannot do the next step which is fillet, it simply fails with an error message. I have tried different values for the Circular Radius and I'm just getting errors. I would have hoped I can just click and drag to get the shape of the fillet and then come back in dial it in numerically if needed.

I am curious what version you are using Justin?

I have tried the latest available version on both Windows 11 Pro (fully up-to-date) and Mac OS Sonoma (fully up-to-date), I seem to be getting wildly different results from yours. For the most part, the Mac version seems to be working out a little better overall, though I am getting some weird pallet window re-adjustments/disappearances while I try to take screenshots and post in this forum (while swapping between windows basically). Both versions seem to want me to log-in with the web-form at a minimum every day, which seems a bit excessive even though I told the Mac version to use the "I'm on a laptop and don't have regular internet option".

 

Hello CMick,

To do my example, you need to use the Pick tool and Point topology to select the opposite points you want to scale down, then Transform as I did with just those two points selected.

On the Fillet or Controlled Rounding operations where you are getting an error message.  This is because your Radius is too large for it to create an initial preview.  Reduce it down to like 1mm or something then try again.

 

Everyone,

I love seeing all these examples of how to create basically the same part.  formZ = Flexibility