Flanges/Couplings

This operator lets you generate flanges or couplings for curve objects made from using Random Tubes or Random Cables. This only works for curve objects and must be used on the cables or tubes before converting them to meshes.

Figure 1

Here are the redo properties and what they do:

Type

Allows you to select what screws you want to use.

• Basic: Creates a basic cylinder with its own properteis Depth and Segment to design it.

• Custom: Allows you to use 8of the custom flanges/couplings meshesthat comes with the operator.

• Mesh: Allows you to select from any mesh in the scene to serve as the flange or coupling.

• Collection: Allows you to assign a collection's mesh objects as the screws.

Figure 2

Using the basic option creates a primitive cylinder with default segments of 6 to act as the flange. This will come with its own properties like depth and segment to change its shape.

Import Mesh

Only shows up when you use Type: Custom. This allows you to choose from the 8 custom flanges/couplings models that comes with the operator.

Figure 3

Mesh

Only shows up when you use Type: Mesh. This allows you to select from any mesh in the scene to act as the flange or coupling object.

Figure 4

Collection

Only shows up when you use Type: Collection. This allows you to assign a collection whose mesh objects will act as the flange or coupling.

Figure 5

Object Seed

Only shows up when you use Type: Collection. Randomizes the mesh object used in each point using a seed number.

Figure 6

Amount

The number of flanges/couplings generated for each curve. This only counts the number in the body of the curve and disregards the ones created in the start and end caps of the curve object.

Figure 7

Spacing

This only shows up when turning off the Even Count toggle and replaces the Amount property. Instead of a constant number, the amount of flanges/couplings generated is based on the spacing between them. Lower values will generate more flanges/couplings.

Figure 8

Radius

The radius or size of the flanges/couplings.

Figure 9

This property is not dynamic so if you initially do not see the flange/coupling, it might be that they're too small and are inside the tubes or cables. Increasing the radius may solve this issue.

Depth

This only shows up when using Type: Basic. This determines the thickness of the cylinder object being used as the flange or coupling.

Figure 10

Segments

This only shows up when using Type: Basic. This determines the number of segments in the cylinder objects being used as the flange or coupling.

Figure 11

Offset

This has two properties: Caps and Body. Caps lets you offset the flange/coupling from the end caps of the curve. Body lets you offset the flange/coupling along the body of the curve.

Figure 12

Rotation

Allows you to set the rotation of the flanges/couplings.

Figure 13

Rotation Seed

This will randomize the rotation for each of the flanges/couplings using a seed number. The randomization will start at 2 and higher with number 1 allowing you to use the same rotation angle for all the flanges/couplings.

Figure 14

Limit

This has 3 options: Limit, Caps and Body. Limit will generate the flanges/couplings in the body and strat/end caps of the curve. Caps will generate the flanges/couplings only on the start/end caps of the curve. Body will generate the flanges/couplings only on the body of the curve.

Figure 15

Material Index

The Material Index property lets the resulting cloth sim mesh inherit a material from the active or work mesh.

The default value of -1 means it will use the active material in the work mesh if that material exists.

Using 0 and above means you will be using the 1st material in the material stack when using 0, the 2nd material when using 1 and so forth.

Using a material stack number when that material does not exist will assign no material to the resulting panel cut mesh.

Even Count

Replaces the Amount property with Spacing and controls the number of flanges/couplings generated based on the spacing between them.

Figure 16

Amount is constant while Spacing depends on the length of the tube or the cables when generating the number of flanges/couplings.