Any way to make this code more efficient performance wise.

[kdschlosser]

I am new to using build123d and I have yet to learn all of the nifty tricks to get things done in the most efficient manner.
This is what the code below is creating.

I know I can probably grab the end edge of the long cylinder and create the loop using that instead of creating a circle and creating the loop form that and having to do all of the rotations and moves I am doing to get the 3 pieces aligned somewhat. I would imagine it would be faster than having to stitch the pieces together like I am doing bit I have no clue how to go about locating the edge and using it to create the loop.

any help is appreciated..

Thanks.

def create_wire(wire: "Wire"):
    length = wire.length
    wire_r = wire.diameter / Decimal(2)

    # Create the wire
    cyl = build123d.Cylinder(float(wire_r), float(length), align=build123d.Align.NONE)

    cyl_p2 = Point(_decimal(0), _decimal(0), length)
    cyl_p1 = Point(_decimal(0), _decimal(0), _decimal(0))

    # Create helix path (centered at origin, offsets along Z)
    loop_helix = build123d.Helix(
        radius=float(wire.diameter),
        pitch=float(wire.diameter + wire.diameter * _decimal(0.15)),
        height=float(wire.diameter + wire.diameter * _decimal(0.15)),
        cone_angle=0,
        direction=(1, 0, 0)
    )

    loop_profile = build123d.Circle(float(wire_r))

    swept_cylinder = build123d.sweep(path=loop_helix, sections=(loop_helix ^ 0) * loop_profile)

    # rotate and position the loop so it align with the cylinder
    swept_cylinder = swept_cylinder.rotate(build123d.Axis((0.0, 0.0, 0.0), (1, 0, 0)), 90.0)
    swept_cylinder = swept_cylinder.rotate(build123d.Axis((0.0, 0.0, 0.0), (0, 1, 0)), 9.35)
    swept_cylinder = swept_cylinder.move(build123d.Location((0.0, float(wire.diameter), 0.0), (0, 1, 0)))

    # add the loop to the cylinder to make the part
    cyl += swept_cylinder

    cyl2 = build123d.Cylinder(float(wire_r), float(length) / 3, align=build123d.Align.NONE)

    wire_axis = cyl2.faces().filter_by(build123d.GeomType.CYLINDER)[0].axis_of_rotation

    edges = cyl2.edges().filter_by(build123d.GeomType.CIRCLE)
    edges = edges.sort_by(lambda e: e.distance_to(wire_axis.position))[0]
    edges = edges.trim_to_length(0, float(wire.diameter / Decimal(3) * Decimal(build123d.MM)))

    stripe_thickness = python_utils.remap(wire.diameter, old_min=1.25, old_max=5.0, new_min=0.010, new_max=0.025)

    stripe_arc = build123d.Face(edges.offset_2d(float(stripe_thickness * Decimal(build123d.MM)), side=build123d.Side.RIGHT))

    twist = build123d.Helix(
        pitch=20.0,
        height=float(length) / 3,
        radius=float(wire_r),
        center=wire_axis.position,
        direction=wire_axis.direction,
    )

    stripe2 = build123d.sweep(
        stripe_arc,
        build123d.Line(wire_axis.position, float(length) / 3 * wire_axis.direction),
        binormal=twist
    )

    cyl2 = cyl2.rotate(build123d.Axis((0.0, 0.0, 0.0), (0, 1, 0)), 180.0)
    stripe2 = stripe2.rotate(build123d.Axis((0.0, 0.0, 0.0), (0, 1, 0)), 180.0)

    cyl2 = cyl2.move(build123d.Location((float(wire.diameter + wire.diameter * _decimal(0.133)), 0.0, 0.0), (1, 0, 0)))
    stripe2 = stripe2.move(build123d.Location((float(wire.diameter + wire.diameter * _decimal(0.133)), 0.0, 0.0), (1, 0, 0)))
    cyl2 = cyl2.move(build123d.Location((0.0, -float(wire.diameter * _decimal(0.0195)), 0.0), (0, 1, 0)))
    stripe2 = stripe2.move(build123d.Location((0.0, -float(wire.diameter * _decimal(0.0195)), 0.0), (0, 1, 0)))
    cyl2 = cyl2.move(build123d.Location((0.0, 0.0, -float(wire.diameter * _decimal(0.15))), (0, 0, 1)))
    stripe2 = stripe2.move(build123d.Location((0.0, 0.0, -float(wire.diameter * _decimal(0.15))), (0, 0, 1)))
    cyl += cyl2

    wire_axis = cyl.faces().filter_by(build123d.GeomType.CYLINDER)[0].axis_of_rotation

    edges = cyl.edges().filter_by(build123d.GeomType.CIRCLE)
    edges = edges.sort_by(lambda e: e.distance_to(wire_axis.position))[0]
    edges = edges.trim_to_length(0, float(wire.diameter / Decimal(3) * Decimal(build123d.MM)))

    stripe_arc = build123d.Face(edges.offset_2d(float(stripe_thickness * Decimal(build123d.MM)), side=build123d.Side.RIGHT))

    twist = build123d.Helix(
        pitch=20.0,
        height=float(length),
        radius=float(wire_r),
        center=wire_axis.position,
        direction=wire_axis.direction,
    )

    stripe1 = build123d.sweep(
        stripe_arc,
        build123d.Line(wire_axis.position, float(length) * wire_axis.direction),
        binormal=twist
    )

    try:
        bbox = cyl.bounding_box()
        corner1 = Point(*[_decimal(float(item)) for item in bbox.min])
        corner2 = Point(*[_decimal(float(item)) for item in bbox.max])
    except AttributeError:
        bbmin = None
        bbmax = None
        for item in cyl:
            if isinstance(item, build123d.Shape):
                bbox = item.bounding_box()
                corner1 = Point(*[_decimal(float(item)) for item in bbox.min])
                corner2 = Point(*[_decimal(float(item)) for item in bbox.max])
                if bbmin is None or bbmin >= corner1:
                    bbmin = corner1
                if bbmax is None or bbmax <= corner2:
                    bbmax = corner2
        corner1 = bbmin
        corner2 = bbmax

    return cyl, [stripe1, stripe2], [corner1, corner2]

[gumyr]

Did you add the Point class? What are all of the _decimal and float calls for?

Anyway, here is a simple way to create that shape:

with BuildPart() as wire:
    with BuildLine() as path:
        h = Helix(2, 2, 4, direction=(0, -1, 0))
        Line(h @ 0, h @ 0 - (5, 0, 0))
        Line(h @ 1, h @ 1 + (5, 0, 0))
    with BuildSketch(path.wire() ^ 0):
        Circle(1)
    sweep()

To align the sketch of the wire cross section (the Circle), one uses the location_at method or the ^ operator such that with BuildSketch(path.wire() ^ 0): means: "Create a sketch that is aligned at the beginning of the path wire with respect to both position and orientation". Once that is done the sketch is created like normal on a local Plane.XY that's easy to work with.

[kdschlosser]

I am doing everything using the "algebra" method because I need to have access to the shape/solid that I use to calculate the triangles and normals for so I am able to display the shape using OpenGL.

The point and decimal calls are there so there is no floating point math error. Point is just a container class for x, y and z coordinates and has a mechanism I coded into it so if anything changes registered callbacks get called to update things like database entries and also update the GUI as needed. Because I am not able to pass an decimal.Decimal instances into any of the build123d classes and functions I have to convert them to float.

[gumyr]

I am doing everything using the "algebra" method because I need to have access to the shape/solid that I use to calculate the triangles and normals for so I am able to display the shape using OpenGL.

In Builder mode the Shape is available under wire.part and it's exactly the same as that built in Algebra mode. This is the equivalent in Algebra mode:

h = Helix(2, 2, 4, direction=(0, -1, 0))
l1 = Line(h @ 0, h @ 0 - (5, 0, 0))
l2 = Line(h @ 1, h @ 1 + (5, 0, 0))

path = Wire() + [h, l1, l2]
profile = (path ^ 0) * Circle(1)
wire = sweep(profile, path)

[kdschlosser]

OK so now is there any way I can get you to explain what this code is doing exactly?? 😃. knowing what the code is doing can be helpful.. LOL...

h @ 0, h @ 0 - (5, 0, 0)
it looks like you are doing a matmul to zero which would zero out. I suspect that @ symbol reacts differently.

[jdegenstein]

This is covered in several places in the docs, but most notably in the introductory examples such as example 14:

https://build123d.readthedocs.io/en/latest/introductory_examples.html#position-on-a-line-with-and-introduce-sweep

[gumyr]

OK so now is there any way I can get you to explain what this code is doing exactly?? 😃. knowing what the code is doing can be helpful.. LOL...

h @ 0, h @ 0 - (5, 0, 0) it looks like you are doing a matmul to zero which would zero out. I suspect that @ symbol reacts differently.

The @ u, % u and ^ u operators have been remapped to the position_at(u), tangent_at(u) and location_at(u) methods where u is a value between 0 and 1 representing a normalized distance along the Edge or Wire. Therefore, the tangent at the middle is h % 0.5. The @ 0 and @ 1 operators generate the start and end points of a line which allow new curves to be created relative to existing curves which make complex diagrams much easier to create.