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Drawing curved pipes with thickness and specified edge lengths in geometry nodes

I can draw an outline of a pipe curve extruding vertices using specified values in modeling, but how can I do this in Geometry nodes.

Example: Pipe outline wanted

img1

The goal is to create a pipe with a thickness and adjustable edge lengths and angles that can be changed using geometry nodes.

img2

I was trying to use Curve Line and Set Position node but getting things to turn the way I want didn't work out.

img3

PS: This will be 3D printed so that is why thickness is needed.

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  • $\begingroup$ maybe i have too less coffee...but i don't understand what you wanna achieve... $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    Nov 23, 2022 at 7:08
  • $\begingroup$ I want to draw the shape shown in the outline image above in geometry nodes and have the ability to change the edge lengths. But with a smooth pipe like transition for the curves. $\endgroup$
    – Rick T
    Nov 23, 2022 at 7:11
  • $\begingroup$ so the shape is "fixed"? you just wanna change the length? $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    Nov 23, 2022 at 7:17
  • $\begingroup$ Yes the shape will be fixed I just want to change the length of each of the edges in GN and have smooth curving angles between the edges. $\endgroup$
    – Rick T
    Nov 23, 2022 at 7:36

2 Answers 2

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Well, if you want to manually control every individual point I guess you could use something like the setup below, where a custom node group extrudes and offsets the top vertex created by the previous one, basically mimicking what you do in edit mode. Then convert that into a curve, turn it into a Bezier type so you can fillet the corners with a Fillet Curve with fewer control points (you could leave it as is and use the Poly mode, but then you're not taking advantage of the curve handles to create the fillet).

After that comes the usual maintenance—sweep a profile with Curve to Mesh, Solidify the result for thickness (custom Extrude Mesh group that keeps the original face), join the original geometry (just a single vertex) at the top of a Join Geometry node so auto-smooth works, if you want.

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although i am pretty sure you won't be very happy with it, but i think this will nearly always a pretty tedious way like this:

enter image description here

and then you have to calculate the angles/positions for your segments yourself. Of course you can use some node groups, who maybe can simplify the node tree a bit e.g. a node group which calculates point B from Point A for a giveN angle and length. But there is no "automated" way to do this AFAIK.

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