Filling Irregular Polygons in Box-Pleating

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Baltorigamist
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Filling Irregular Polygons in Box-Pleating

Post by Baltorigamist »

So I'm working on a BP design with a lot of irregular shapes for flaps (I can't use simple squares and rectangles because I'm using the pleats for color changes on several flaps). I've figured out most of the crease pattern, but I'm left with a very irregular open space toward the bottom of the packing. None of the angle bisectors line up on the grid, and so there's no way to break it down into smaller molecules.
The only way to get rid of it is to extend the grid to 64 or higher, while the packing itself can fit into a 56 grid. Needless to say, I'm not willing to sacrifice the effciency in what's already a relatively inefficient design. (The color changes take up the entire edge, and there's not much else to do with the remaining paper in the middle.)

I'll post a picture tomorrow to show you guys what I'm talking about. But in the meantime, I'd like to know if there is a specific method to filling irregular shapes or not.
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Re: Filling Irregular Polygons in Box-Pleating

Post by myself »

I don't know if there is a method for filling an irregular shape, but if I can't figure out how an irregular polygon should be filled (which happens too often), I use BPmaker. I don't know if it can fill any irregular polygon correctly, but you can try it. For me, it has worked every time so far.
http://h3md.free.fr/travaux/BPMaker/index.html
Baltorigamist
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Re: Filling Irregular Polygons in Box-Pleating

Post by Baltorigamist »

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try it out when I get the chance.
I'm having problems with Flickr atm, so I couldn't embed the picture, but it's the most recent pic in my photostream.
After the fall, we rise.

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Re: Filling Irregular Polygons in Box-Pleating

Post by myself »

For some reason, I assumed you meant irregular polygons with 90 degree angles. BPMaker is only meant for 90 degree polygons and rivers. I'm sorry but I can't help you with this. Petr made a huge comment on flickr which might help you out, so I suggest to read that, if you haven't read it already.
Baltorigamist
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Re: Filling Irregular Polygons in Box-Pleating

Post by Baltorigamist »

Petr's comment on Flickr actually helped me get to the point where I have something to work with. I just mirrored the shape of the legs and was able to get a stretch between them. The only thing left to do is to figure out the color change on one other part of the model, and then it'll be ready for a test-fold. :D
After the fall, we rise.

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