Macro FCSpring Helix Variable

Description
This macro creates a spring highly customizable. Any modification changing the spring configuration can be saved in a file with the extension .FCSpring or coordinates .FCSpringCoor Are detected: Surface (Face direction), Cylinder (Radius), Ellipse (MinorRadius), Sphere (Radius), Toroid (Radius1), Plane (Direction), Line (follow the Direction ), Point (XYZ vertex position) If no object is detected (not selection) the spring is created at the point XYZ 0., 0., 0.



Usage
This section is used to configuration the spring

Schematic detail of spring configuration



Configuration
If the function is checked. The accuracy is automatically set "precision" is ordered to 1 (360 points per turn 1 point = 1 degrees)
 * Number of coil : Total of coil to spring. Default = 10
 * Radius of spring : Radius of spring. Default = 20.0
 * Pitch of spring : Pitch of spring general. Default = 15.0
 * Precision of turn : Precision of turn the precision correspond the number of point for 1 turn the coil and is calculate : precision (number points) = (pitch / (360/precision)). Default = 5 (72 points)
 * : Radius of large circle of the cone (check the for use)
 * : Give the large diameter of the cone that dimension will always be greater than the radius
 * : Check box choice for activate the function Begin and End angle of the coil unchecked by default.
 * Begin : Begin angle of the spring first coil.
 * End : End angle of the spring last coil.



Type line

 * BSpline : Type line BSpline.
 * Wire : Type line Wire.
 * Points : Check box point if the check box is activate one point is create of on each point.
 * Reverse : Check box reverse if the check box is activate the spring changes direction



Options
This section is displayed if on object is selected. The type object is displayed in the Text Editor

The object can be line, 2 points, circle, wire ... one axis the length of the spring is automatically created

Detection : Cylinder (radius), Sphere (radius), Toroid (radius), Cone (little radius), Circle (radius), Arc (radius), Ellipse (little radius)


 * : If one circle is selected Normal not modify the radius of circle (Default)
 * : If the button ' is pressed, the button change to the spring is adapted to the detected radius (If a radius is detected )
 * : If the click mouse is on one face the spring is created on this point (Default)
 * : If the button is pressed, the button change to, the spring is created on the center face selected
 * Position : If two object are selected (First axis, Second the spring (or other object)), this checkBox is enabled and you can modify the placement object 2 (spring) along the on object 1 (axis), if this is checked the "Position" option is enabled for use
 * : If three points click mouse are selected the button is enabled and it possible to create a circle which can serve as a base for a spring



Position (0)(xx)
(0)(xx) : Number selection(s), length in mm of axis created x 10, equal number of points for shifting the spring of the axis


 * : Position the spring on begin, middle, end axis
 * : Reverse the spring of the axis
 * : Shifting the spring with precision (0.1 mm) along its axis
 * : Reverse the counter ex: Begin 0 to 10.. or End 0 to 10..
 * Slider : Position the spring on its axis



Coil special dimension

 * Numbering of coil : Numbering of coil to modify. (Default : none)
 * Smoothing This checkBox discover one spinBox for determine the grade of smoothing the maximum value is the precision value -1 (this option is still at the prototype stage and the result can be satisfying or completely wrong)
 * Pitch of coil : Pitch of coil to modify. (Default : none)
 * : If the button is pressed the value of the "Pitch of string" is affected of the "Pitch of coil" (This value is automatically aligned of the value Pitch of string)
 * Radius of coil : Radius of coil to modify. (Default : none)
 * : If the button is pressed the value of the "Radius of string" is affected of the "Radius of coil" (This value is automatically aligned of the value Radius of string)
 * : Button to accept the modification after select the numbering of coil and modify the pitch of coil.
 * Text edit : This window displayed all coil modified.
 * : Clean the text editor
 * : Button "Zoom" enlarge the text-edit window



Command

 * : The Lead button open a dialogue box to read a file .FCSpring.
 * : The Save button open a dialogue box to save a file .FCSpring with configuration spring modify or not.
 * : Open a dialogue box to read a file .FCSpringCoor (all coordinates of points of the spring).
 * : Open a dialogue box to save a file .FCSpringCoor (all coordinates of points of the spring).
 * : Quit the macro.
 * : Reset the macro to default configuration.
 * : Launch the macro and create the spring configured.
 * : This button display the wiki page int the FreeCAD browser.



Report view
The window report view displayed all value modified.



Example spring
Example to spring modified



Example Report view
When the macro is launched full list of turns is displayed in tabular form.

Here the data of the spring above and displayed in the Report view

Icon
Download the file image and copy in your macro repertory.

Click the image, in the new window position the mouse over the image, click the right mouse and do "Save target as ..."

ToolBar button

Macro icons



Script
Macro_FCSpring_Helix_Variable.FCMacro

Download the macro to Gist Macro_FCSpring_Helix_Variable

Installation
The above file is a macro in the form of GitHub code. Download the Zip on GitHub, and then follow the macros installation instructions for dummies shown at installing FreeCAD macros in Ubuntu.

Examples
Links== The forum discussion Try to do a Spring

Project
spring solid truncated

soften fittings :done

modify diameter to any coil :done

Version
2023/09/01 Version 0.18b correct (adapt) the code :

to

2022/03/16 Version 0.18 : adding scrollBar, possibility docking Left or Right, restore the chrono (time.time), memorise the last FilePath

2020/11/12 Version=01.17 : suppress the timer chrono !!

2020/10/18 Ver 00.16b : i suppress the test on FC 18 line 56, i suppress the timer chrono and i wait one little

2020/05/01 Ver 00.16: correction error file (save and load) cause "label_11_Name" suppressed...

2020/04/11 Ver 01.15: layout and little presentation

2019/05/03 Ver 01.14: compatible FreeCAD 0.19.16523 (Git)

2019/04/08 Ver 01.13: compatible FreeCAD 0.18.16093 (Git) /Python version: 3.6.6 /Qt version: 5.6.2

03/04/2017: ver 01.12: correction bug line 2314 add  "global ui"

11/12/2016: ver 01.11: Adding Position of the spring on a selected object

10/09/2016: ver 01.10: Adding Button "Zoom" enlarge the textedit window

04/09/2016: ver 01.09: add smoothing

16/03/2016: ver 01.08 : correct and add "int" to debutAngle and finAngle (read file)

02/03/2016: ver 01.07 : add option reverse spring

08/02/2016: ver 01.06 : correct bug angle cause "modifyAngle = int(file.readline.rstrip('\n\r'))  # 9"  modifyAngle is int not char

07/01/2015: ver 01.05 : adding "Try ...Except" (data cone) for compatibility with old version

07/01/2015: ver 01.04 : adding spring conical and modify the path to "UserAppData" and adding the icone.

07/12/2014: ver 01.03 : new version with radius coil adjustable

17/11/2014: ver 1.02 : new version with GUI and modification any coil and save or load the data to disk.

10/11/2014: (23h20) correction of the modification

10/11/2014: modify line 44 :

to

6/11/2014 : adding "makeBSpline" and configuration

Limitations
During sweep tests here are the mistakes I have obtained !