Creating a Threaded Screw

[cclark440]

I am new to all this and trying to learn. I understand most of the basics but, one thing I want to do and haven't found an example of yet is to create a threaded screw. 

I found this example, http://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#LG3GS#173 which would do exactly what I want if I could make the profile that is swept around the path a triangle.

 

Any guidance is greatly appreciated. 

[Wingnut]

Hi CC, welcome to the forum.

Although my "extrudeShape" screw-building is rather bad, perhaps a more bolt-like "lathe" method (nod really threaded, but LOOKS that way)... would be a better solution.

Ok, how about an "ExtrudeShapeCustom"?  No, that doesn't look so good, either. 

Generally speaking... set a triangle shape (plotted facing camera, not laying on ground).  Then set a path to make it go round and rise and round and rise. 

And while that path ascends the spiral staircase... a guy might need a rotationFunction: someFunc  ... to keep the triangle shape from "rolling over" as it climbs.  That's what is wrong with some of my screwy screws.    Bad rot.  heh

Perhaps @jerome will visit... who is THE GOD of parametric shapes (having coded MOST of those tools). 

Anyway, now you have some goofy toys to play-with, and the documentation to go with them.  I hope this helps.  Others may comment soon, so stay tuned. 

[inteja]

Modelling screw and bolt threads could max out the poly count pretty quickly. Fair enough if you need a closeup of each screw but if you have many screws as part of a larger assembly and they're never intended to be seen closeup then I'd be tempted to use a simple low poly cylinder, with a repeating normal map to approximate the thread. At distance you'd hardly notice the difference. 

[brianzinn]

You could create one in blender and import it... maybe that is cheating, but the wood screw tip is a triangle:
https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/modeling/meshes/editing/duplicating/screw.html

[jerome]

http://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#LG3GS#175

[cclark440]

Thanks guys. Now I have some things to play with. I also just saw that I can import stp files too. I think I might try just modeling the thread in Solidworks and importing it then build the rest of the geometry as needed.

Also, if any of you would like to have a look at my other question, this is the other one that I am hung up on.

 

Thanks again.