error with Ribbed Hose

[Franklin W. Cain]

Tried to auto-generate a flexible component (a 3-stud length ribbed hose) using LD Design Pad, and got a bad result. 

What did I do wrong?  

Thanks, 
Franklin

0 Begin Flex Object
1 16 7.5 0 0 0 -1 0 -1 0 0 0 0 1 79.dat
1 16 56.61 9.71 0 -0.383 0.924 0 0.924 0.383 0 0 0 1 79.dat
1 16 13.801 -0.029 0 0 -1 0.009 0 0.009 1 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 20.001 -0.166 0 0 -0.999 0.035 0 0.035 0.999 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 26.189 -0.52 0 0 -0.997 0.079 0 0.079 0.997 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 32.291 -1.44 0 0 -0.976 0.218 0 0.218 0.976 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 33.466 -3.175 0 0 0.866 -0.5 0 0.5 0.866 1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 33.502 -2.188 0 0 -0.675 -0.738 0 -0.738 0.675 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 38.108 1.32 0 0 -0.882 -0.471 0 -0.471 0.882 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 43.651 4.09 0 0 -0.906 -0.422 0 -0.422 0.906 -1 0 0 80.dat
1 16 50.057 6.942 0 0 -0.919 -0.394 0 -0.394 0.919 -1 0 0 80.dat
0 Start Point (10.7 0 0) Control Point 1 (70.2 0 0)
0 Control Point 2 (-1.3248 -14.3041 0) End Point (53.6532 8.4844 0)
0 Number Of Segments: 9 Curve Length: 55.8031
0 End Bezier Curve

[Magnus Forsberg]

How do you make parts with LDDP? I've never done that.

Do you have the points in the right order?
Start Point (10.7 0 0)
Control Point 1 (70.2 0 0)
Control Point 2 (-1.3248 -14.3041 0)
End Point (53.6532 8.4844 0)

[N. W. Perry]

How do you make parts with LDDP? I've never done that.

Do you have the points in the right order?
Start Point (10.7 0 0)
Control Point 1 (70.2 0 0)
Control Point 2 (-1.3248 -14.3041 0)
End Point (53.6532 8.4844 0)

I'm also not familiar with that process; opening this file in LDDP and selecting the bendable part menu option didn't reveal anything.

I do note that the fifth segment (excluding the end caps) is rotated 180° with respect to the others in the Y direction. Rotating that didn't immediately change anything as far as I could see, but perhaps it indicates an orientation problem with one of the control points?

[Orion Pobursky]

How do you make parts with LDDP? I've never done that.

Do you have the points in the right order?
Start Point (10.7 0 0)
Control Point 1 (70.2 0 0)
Control Point 2 (-1.3248 -14.3041 0)
End Point (53.6532 8.4844 0)

It's in the flexible part generator. Those points are auto-generated by the code and printed out as comments for reference.

Anyway, I think this is a case of the part being short. I have a good idea how to fix the problem but I can't. I no longer have the ability to compile the LDDP code and until I convert the project to Lazarus/FreePascal I won't (this isn't going to happen anytime soon). I'd recommend using LDCad for the time being. Sorry.

[Franklin W. Cain]

I'd recommend using LDCad for the time being. 

How do I do this in LDCAD, please?  

Here's the manually-calculated code I had come up with, before I tried using LDDP, if that helps any. 

1 16  7.50  0.00  0.00  0 -1  0 -1  0  0  0  0  1 79.dat
1 16  13.75  0.00  0.00  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1 80.dat
1 16  20.00  0.00  0.00  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1 80.dat
(another three [or four??] segments need to go here...)
1 16  45.06  4.92  0.00 -0.383  0.924  0  0.924  0.383  0  0  0  1 80.dat
1 16  50.84  7.32  0.00 -0.383  0.924  0  0.924  0.383  0  0  0  1 80.dat
1 16  56.61  9.71  0.00 -0.383  0.924  0  0.924  0.383  0  0  0  1 79.dat

Thanks, Franklin

[N. W. Perry]

How do I do this in LDCAD, please?  

The process is explained here, and there are also helpful tutorial videos on YouTube. But basically, you choose the part you want from LDCad's templates, enter Nested mode, and position/rotate the end parts and any control points you may add. LDCad will calculate the shape of the part, and will also generate a fallback geometry which you can save as a static part for use in other programs.