Armoured cable help required

[KevG]

Hi

I Need some help on how to best do this.

I have to model armoured cable and animate single strands of the armoured shielding bending backwards a little like in the images.

From this

To This

I have created a single strand and added some bones to the mesh

The problem I am having is how to add 32, 64 or 128 strands with the bones in a circle.

The array modifier can create the strands but as one mesh which I know I can separate as individual strands by going into edit mode etc.

The problem I have with using the array modifier is that it doesn’t copy the bones

Therefore what’s the easiest way to create all the strands with bones other than trying to place the one at a time?

maybe there is a script or something but I don’t know anything about scripting or how to use them

TIA

KevG

[Anthony_Forwood]

Don’t use strands and bones. Use simple curves. You can animate curves by added hooks to them and moving the hook.

Of course, that doesn’t answer your question. Duh. Just a suggestion.

If you want an array set in a circle, have a look at dupli-verts in the documentation.

[RickyBlender]

normally done as an helix curve then spin it around a circle

happy bl

[KevG]

Thanks for the quick replies

Anthony Forwood I didn’t think about using curves and hooks, I give it a go but as you said still doesn’t solve the problem

RickyBelnder Could you explain more on how to do this please.

Thanks

[KevG]

I have had a go at creating the strands of wire using curves and creating a number of them by using dupliverts. This part works fine and generates as many as needed.

The problem I have now is after applying a hook between an empty and a single strand and when I move the empty the curve stretches.

see photo below

How can I stop the limit the curves control points from stretching ???

[RickyBlender]

use addon to make spiral with proper length add some bevel
then convert to mesh and use spin around a center

another way would be to make one segment 360 degrees
then use array and curve

happy bl

Attachments

[Anthony_Forwood]

If you don’t want stretching you might have to use a mesh and shapekeys.