Simulating a pot scrubber

[mrehmus]

How would you go about simulating a stainless steel pot scrubber (sort of like steel wool only with wide ribbons) stuffed into a test tube. This is for a Thermo-Acoustic heat engine. :mrgreen:

 

[mshideler]

If you plan on rendering the pot scrubber, HyperShot or another package, should have a material that looks like a mesh or screen.

When it came to 3D CAD and stranger materials, i.e. reticulated foams or screem filters, I would just display them as a solid and then in the 2D drawing I would add a hatch to give an indication of the real material.

I do not know if Alibre will do this, but I have done this in Solid Works - make your pot scrubber as a Solid, add a configuration in which that solid is transparent/invis and insert an image (jpeg, png, gif) of the texture sample of the Pot Scrubber on the top and bottom surfaces of the model. That might be enough in an assembly to convey the idea of the actual part.

 

[mrehmus]

Good idea, inserting a picture of the scrubber rather than attempting to model it.

Thanks

 

[mshideler]

I was looking around in Alibre after I posted that response and I could not find how to insert images into a model so if you run into it, post it.


Dropping in images can also be used to take somone's napkin sketch and trace over it to begin a part or surface. I have had to use that in the past so I will miss if it it is not in Alibre.

mjs

 

[MilesH]

You can only Import an image into a Drawing. See: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3612&start=7

This might be worth looking at : viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4407&p=24311&hilit=brick#p24311

 

[mshideler]

Here is what importing images into 3D part space can help you with.

http://www.the-blueprints.com/tutorials

The example is a little poor with the crappy drawing that was used but it should give you an idea of how using someone's 'napkin' sketch (your own, a co-worker/designer, or other 2D images like old blue prints, photos, etc.) can be used to layout several images to rebuild a model from bitmaps.

I have also used the technique on vector line drawings (top, front, right) to create 3D models just to mess around and see how it would work.

I also added it to the 'wish list'

 

[Ralf]

With the "Twisty Helix Maker"of Max,
we can create a "Pot scrubber/Steel wool":
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5752&p=30750&hilit=Spring#p30750
.
Here is a quick example:

 

[Ralf]

...steel wool stuffed into a tube...

 

[mrehmus]

Thank you. That is spectacular. Now to get it working for this task.

 

[MilesH]

Nice one, Ralf

 

[Ralf]

Miles,

Mike,
If you want you can use this "Toroidal Helix" part.
I have reduced the geometry for a smaller file size.

With "Scale" you can create differently parts.

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

Adding a mirrored one here and there would probably mix it up even more.

 

[Ralf]

...also rotating some parts, would probably mix it up even more.
Important in this case is the performance ...to many "helical parts" slows down the performance.

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

Would making it in one part with different configurations help at all? Sorry if not I don't use helical much.

 

[mrehmus]

Thanks one and all for your input. When I tried to gen a nice scrubber, the computer hacked and dropped back as if I had pushed the Reset button. Sorry I upgraded to an Intel motherboard!