Hellos,
Just wondering: is there any way to build a perforater profile into the Profile tool or by using PCS or the new Railing tool?
This would be really handy and builds on Aecosim's Perorators splendid ability to 'perforate' any Forms like Slabs and Walls on contact.
Most building elements have joints. For example:
1. Floor coverings like stone or ceramics will always need joints. Take this typical joint from Schulter.
First the flooring buildup would be modeled as a Slab on top of the structural Slab. Then the architect would come along and provide a tiling pattern. After which, he would then need to panelise the floor into bays by locating some movement joint runs.
It would be good to be able to define a profile similar to the illustration below based on both solids and void/perforator profiles. The Perforaters would cut the flooring Slab like the Door/Window objects current do to Walls, and extrude the solids per the profile provided. Again, kind of like the way Doors and Windows work.
A path with no section profile would split the Slab.
The Perforating Profile would be linked to the parent slab as per Doors/Windows and Protrusion features. This way, when the parent slab moves, the associated Profiles would follow suit. The Slab would also not be split into multiple elements when the Perforator extends through the slab. Making the slab a lot easier to handle and design with.
Extra Credit: it would be good to be able to make the Perforator LOD-aware by allowing the user to define a 'Symbol' representation, that allows the high detail solid profile to be suppressed; and a 2d section representation to be displayed at the BV Cut Plane only. Compound Slabs?
2. Ditto for Ceiling tiles.
Added logic: A Priority attribute similar to the Wall Cleanup Function / Priority functionality would be good to allow the user to control which Profiles would be primary and 'win through' secondary ones.
3. Ditto for Walls.
'Monolithic' masonry or concrete walls will also need joints. The workflow would be similar to that for stone floors.
Where the walls are panelised, like precast, metal panel or unitised curtain wall systems, we would ideally take the same top down approach. Start with the whole wall face or facade and panelise it by 'drawing' the panel to panel joints on the Wall. Alternatively, select a bunch of lines a 'Place by Line(s)' the Perforating Profiles. Multiple extrusions can already be done with the Linear Element to Form tool. The linear Perforators can be used to 'groove' or split the Wall into panels.
Curtain walls: start with a thin Wall that is transparent (glass). Use the linear Perforators to provide the mullions and transoms. Extra Credit: use the Constraints tools to parametrisize the spacing(s) of the mullions and transoms, using the Wall face as the Constraints tool's sketch plane.
Ditto for glazed atrium roofs.
Punch windows: use the Profile Perforator to provide the means to sculpt the opening surround and to provide returns. When the opening Perforater path / outline is modified, the associated PP updates.
Fair-faced brick walls: Brickwork is normally modeled as individual solids if the architect wants fine control. It would be good to be able to defer this as long as possible or even avoid this in the design process. Having smart perorators that do not destroy the initial wall geometry; coupled with a means to suppress the 'boolean' work and some persistent linear array tools (like the Custom Line Styles tools) would go a long way here.