Folding simulation software

[billfunk29]

This is a cool product to develop complicated folded (bending only) shapes in sheet materials.

https://www.foldstar.net/
One can quickly form an intuition on how complex shapes can be formed without shrinking or stretching.
I tried making some of these with a bead roller, but my HF has too small of a throat. Any other ideas on how to form these shapes? The video shows complicated roll forming, but I am looking for more simple tools.

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by billfunk29

This is a cool product to develop complicated folded (bending only) shapes in sheet materials.

https://www.foldstar.net/
One can quickly form an intuition on how complex shapes can be formed without shrinking or stretching.
I tried making some of these with a bead roller, but my HF has too small of a throat. Any other ideas on how to form these shapes? The video shows complicated roll forming, but I am looking for more simple tools.

Hmmm - "fold" vs "bend" ... some semantic detail involved here.

Seeing the cylindrical shapes resolve back and forth indicates to me that some added programming feature would be required to help articulate the reticulated die system needed.

One could suspect clever applications of the "blow-form" methodologies .... with fatigue failure being ever-present at the myriad "fold" junctures.

Maybe the old NASA "pin former" could be employed ...?

Or I guess we just hit "alloy" and "print" for the final version ....

Nice animations - perhaps wet cardboard would be the ideal medium ...