Steel Square Wire Mesh Modelling

Hi Henry,

Is there a specific reason you don't want to use a material for this?  Modeling this in 3D would likely result in a fairly "heavy" model.  

Hi Steve,

For specific illustrative purposes, I need to be able to see through the mesh without applying transparency.

Is it actually possible to model grids in 3D. if so, how? 

Henry,

There isn't a specific tool for modelling grids, but the general 3D modelling tools offer a number of approaches including:

1. Draw the Pattern of the mesh in 2D using closed shapes: Create the outline, within this array the holes, use create region to flood the outline with the Locate Interior shape option, extrude the resulting element. Crude and quick but inflexible.

2. Identify a pattern repeat for the mesh, model a segment, array it to the required extent, model the enclosing edge. use Boolean union to merge to one object.

3. Model a solid for the whole panel, array shapes for the holes above the panel, use cut solid by curve to punch holes by selecting all of the hole shapes.

4. For more flexibility, use MicroStation parametric tools to:

a) model the panel as a slab, punch one or more original holes, then array these to the required pattern using the Array Parametric Solid Feature tool.

b) a parametric version of 2. with the added flexibility that the profiles used to create the repeating segment would be based on profiles driven by parameters controlled by variables that could be modified to generate different versions.

c) build a parametric profile representing the mesh. This is a very crude experiment/demo of a parametric facade (very, very simple form...), a single unit (bottom left) is parametrically arrayed to form a simplistic facade, the DGN is attached if you would like to try it out. The use case is similar so might be appropriate? If the underlying unit form applies to multiple cases variations can be created to stored the variables for each case, in this file I have just changed the Row value in the 5 and 10 storey variations:Parametric_ElevationExercise.dgn

Hi Marc,

thanks for all these suggestions and they are really great, i will try all of them out at some point.
Meanwhile, i have other ideas. What if i download these revit models (for mesh doors and fences) from the
links below then use the AECOsim RFA wizard to import them into my catalog but the question now is how do
i do this efficiently while still retaining their parametric properties as i also want
to be able o report on them???

MESH FENCE

https://www.nationalbimlibrary.com/en-gb/cldfencingsystems/dulok-868-fencing-system/?lo=en-GB

MESH DOORS

https://www.nationalbimlibrary.com/en-gb/troax-uk-ltd/caelum-door-double/?lo=en-GB

FWIW, importing an RFA is certainly an option but consider the results to be in the form of a cell vs. a linear element.  if that matters.

In regards to available parametrics, that is dependent on the RFA itself.  And related to that is the overall efficiency of the imported result which is often the inverse of the available parametric control and graphic density.   Perhaps shared cells could be a way to reduce the overhead but it's impossible to say without actually going through the process. 

FWIW, importing an RFA is certainly an option but consider the results to be in the form of a cell vs. a linear element.  if that matters.

In regards to available parametrics, that is dependent on the RFA itself.  And related to that is the overall efficiency of the imported result which is often the inverse of the available parametric control and graphic density.   Perhaps shared cells could be a way to reduce the overhead but it's impossible to say without actually going through the process. 

Hi Steve,

what do you think about my question to Marc? i am trying to model a net covering for a heras fence hoarding but i am contemplating the use lines to represent the net mesh rather than actual smart or feature solids but not so sure these lines would display after rendering or creating of dynamic views

You may want to cheat and just use a texture.

Hi Dominic,

I would need to create a surface to apply a texture which is not my intention. I want a natural see through net

The surface that the texture is applied to is transparent. Where the texture is not opaque, you will be able to see through it.

Hi Henry,

Depending the LOD you need and/or how realistic the final result needs to be, perhaps you could use a linestyle like Batten or one of the "Sketchy" variations:

There are 3D linestyles, but I haven't personally worked with them enough to offer any advice.