Food4Rhino

The Spider for Rhino is a plug-in created for the purpose of the specific and research oriented project. Originally it was used for the modelling of large web-like elastomer assemblies. It is conceived as a design tool and a tiny contribution to the fast growing field of architectural research aiming at better enacting of material behaviour within geometric modelling. The plug-in focuses on elasticity and allows for a simple simulation of approximate material properties. The idea is based on the simplified version of Hook’s law and relies on the particle-spring systems commonly used for creating physical simulations. Material properties, such as reversible deformation range and elastic modulus, are parametrically controlled to allow for iterative testing of different building materials. We hope this may open the door to other research related to optimization and form-finding. 

To install:
1. Requirements: Rhinoceros 4.0 SR8
2. Extract Spider4Rhino.zip archive in Rhinoceros 4.0 Plug-ins folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Rhinoceros 4.0\Plug-ins or C:\Program Files\Rhinoceros 4.0\Plug-ins)
3. Right click on Spider4Rhino.rhp file then click on „Open“ or „Open with...“. Choose Rhinoceros 4.0.
 

To use:
A completed pdf manual is include in the release.
Toolbar Commands:
Spider4Rhino – start and stop simulation
SpiderSampleWeb – sample web
SpiderAddAnchor – add anchor point
SpiderConnectNodes – insert new spring between existing nodes
SpiderInsertNode – insert new node
SpiderDeleteNode – delete node
SpiderMoveNode – move node
SpiderWebProperties – change material and environmental properties
SpiderSaveWeb – save point cloud in Spider WEB format
SpiderLoadWeb – load point cloud in Spider WEB format
SpiderBakeWeb – create Rhino geometry from web
SpiderResetWeb – reset system or delete everything you have done
SpiderLabelsColor – add colour to labels
SpiderLabels – show and hide labels
SpiderAddWind – add wind
SpiderWind – start and stop wind

Properties Form:
Genral (Analysis, Global Material Properties, Wind)
Slider contol
Table