Translating 3D Structure to 2D Membrane Fabric Rolls

Membrane surfaces are almost never flat. In fact they should never be. These are warped surfaces. These surfaces can be classified into two groups:

– Synclastic surfaces

They have the same curvature at all points. That is the intersection of a plane perpendicular to said surface produces a line of intersection which is always concave towards the same side.

– Anticlastic surfaces

They are those that exist at all points a double curvature. That means the intersection of a plane perpendicular to said surface produces a line of intersection that has concavity on one side, while the plane perpendicular to the former plane at the intersection produces a line of intersection that has the concave on the opposite side.

Whatever the type of surface, we need to get together to build patterns obtained from a flat membrane, usually served in rolls. Patterning is a very important process in tensile membrane fabrication. Wrong patterns may lead to wrinkles, affect the aesthetical quality, structural problems, increased waste, etc.

The process of finding these flat patterns is handled through patterning module of WinTess. The method used in WinTess to transpose a warped form to flat involves dividing the warped surface into triangles. Triangles are always flat, so if we transpose adjacent triangles next to each other, we get a geometric shape in the form of pattern which is what we’re looking for. The smaller these triangles, the more delicate the patterns we get. WinTess has several methods to develop patterns from a 3D membrane structure. User may pick anyone suitable for the project.