Collab 2020: Modeling Heavy Equipment (Backhoe)

[Omar Domenech]

Fear thy not, for tis already here.

[Ingmar Franz]

An updated version of the wheel’s hub:

[Ingmar Franz]

And here the hub with the rim:

[shan jay]

Kent the array modifier is not working for me properly 

When I try to put the object offset to a bezier curve it goes in a random direction and gets smaller and smaller 

how to fix this

[Ingmar Franz]

@shanr: you don’t need a curve. For your treads, take an Empty and rotate it 36 degrees around the global x-axis (which is our wheel’s rotation axis). The object origin of your tread must be in the same place as your Empty (that is where the axes of your Empty are crossing). Add an Array Modifier to your tread and only select “Object Offset” as offset in your Array Modifier). Set the “Fixed Count” to 10 (since 10 * 36 degrees is a full circle of 360 degrees). Rotations and scaling should be applied (with CTRL + R and CTRL + S) because otherwise these transformations would be applied for every duplicate in relation to its predecessor in the duplication order. You can analyze it here in this file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5z9nvdcyaegl3kh/ArrayModifier_Demonstration.blend?dl=0

Select the original monkey head (top middle; this also selects the duplicates) and scale it, rotate it or move it in object mode and see how it influences the duplication. Doing the same transformations in edit mode also applies to every duplicate but the duplicates now change identically in an absolute manner and not relatively to the preceding object instance.

[Kent Trammell]

Your hub and rim are looking shaaaarp @duerer 👏

[Kent Trammell]

Very cool @adrian2301! I predict a lot of *perfect fit* feelings in our future:

[Adrian Bellworthy]

Trying out the Shrink Wrap Mod on the fuel (gas) filler cap as suggested by @theluthier during the live stream. Looks OK.

[spikeyxxx]

In case someone is interested,here’s how I make something like that (general technique):

Make a copy of your curved surface and give it a Subsurf Modifier (set at least one higher than what you are going to use on your surface) as a target for the Shrinkwrap (nothing special so far).

Outline the ‘seam’ for the cap and go into Edge Select Mode:

Press CTRL+B,, ‘mousewheel up to 3’ and select the middle ring.

Press V (that’s the magic touch…).

If you set up and enable your Modifiers, you get something like this:

[shan jay]

No it does the same

@spikeyxxx do you have a idea

[spikeyxxx]

@duerer is absolutely right.

The only thing that can change the size of your object with Object Offset is when the Scale of your object or of the offset object is not 1 in x, y and z.

If you make sure that the origin of your object and of the offset object are in the same place you should get something like this:

Personally I would not use Object Offset in the Array Modifier for a wheel or tyre, because you’ll have to make a tapered (and curved) section in order to not get holes (like in above picture) or overlaps and that is harder to model than something straight. Also making adjustments to that section later on is a lot easier with a straight model. That is why I always use an Array with Relative Offset followed by a Simple Deform Modifier set to Bend (360° Angle):

You’ll have to put your Empty at the ‘bottom’ of the wheel, but no need to calculate the rotation of an Empty like in the Object Offset;)

Modifiers can be tricky (you have to get everything correct), but once you’ve figured them out, they are like a found treasure and you’ll be using them all the time!

If you still can’t get it to work, feel free to post your .blend, so that we can see where the problem is exactly.

[Adrian Bellworthy]

Thanks @spikeyxxx . Just tried your method and it looks great and a more simple method too. 👍

[spikeyxxx]

@adrian2301 

Understand the principle and you’ll be able to use this in many cases! 

The most important thing is that the verts from the ‘hole’ and those from the ‘cap’ are at exactly the same place and that’s what you get automatically here when pressing V, ENTER. Those edge loops around and inside are a bonus for extra control. (We always want full control.)

[Kent Trammell]

Nice work @adrian2301! And great example @spikeyxxx. I’m planning to demo this approach during the next stream as well.

[Ingmar Franz]

Another possibility would be a “Curve Modifier” in conjunction with a Bezier circle, but for that you would need to manually adapt the distorted object so that it fills a whole circle unless you know the exact length of your curve (I know that there was a Python script to calculate that value in Blender 2.7x). That’s why the “Simple Deform Modifier” is clearly the better choice for circular deformations since you only need to specify the angle as 360 degrees. The “Curve Modifier” is the choice for curves that are no circle.  I like the “Simple Deform Modifier” for things like this:

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