Mixing
How to model an accurate parabolic mirror with a known focal point?
$begingroup$
I am new to Blender and really enjoying it now, but... I want to make an accurate parabolic mirror with a known focal point. For example, I would want to have it focussed so that a parallel beam could be reflected from the focal point outwards.
This will be 3d printed and then used with a tiny sonic transmitter/receiver set up to map surroundings, for a small rover bot. I think this could be done with a Bezier Curve, at least the general shape could be emulated. But how to make the parabular accurate for the focal point? I am guessing that once the general shape was made, it could be extruded away from the front to make it more solid.
The focal point needs to known so I can add struts to mount the sonic electronics. I'm not worried about scale or size at this point, just the method that I can repeat. Ive looked for some scripts that might help, but not found anything yet.
Thanks for your help.
add-on bezier
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I am new to Blender and really enjoying it now, but... I want to make an accurate parabolic mirror with a known focal point. For example, I would want to have it focussed so that a parallel beam could be reflected from the focal point outwards.
This will be 3d printed and then used with a tiny sonic transmitter/receiver set up to map surroundings, for a small rover bot. I think this could be done with a Bezier Curve, at least the general shape could be emulated. But how to make the parabular accurate for the focal point? I am guessing that once the general shape was made, it could be extruded away from the front to make it more solid.
The focal point needs to known so I can add struts to mount the sonic electronics. I'm not worried about scale or size at this point, just the method that I can repeat. Ive looked for some scripts that might help, but not found anything yet.
Thanks for your help.
add-on bezier
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I am new to Blender and really enjoying it now, but... I want to make an accurate parabolic mirror with a known focal point. For example, I would want to have it focussed so that a parallel beam could be reflected from the focal point outwards.
This will be 3d printed and then used with a tiny sonic transmitter/receiver set up to map surroundings, for a small rover bot. I think this could be done with a Bezier Curve, at least the general shape could be emulated. But how to make the parabular accurate for the focal point? I am guessing that once the general shape was made, it could be extruded away from the front to make it more solid.
The focal point needs to known so I can add struts to mount the sonic electronics. I'm not worried about scale or size at this point, just the method that I can repeat. Ive looked for some scripts that might help, but not found anything yet.
Thanks for your help.
add-on bezier
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
$endgroup$
I am new to Blender and really enjoying it now, but... I want to make an accurate parabolic mirror with a known focal point. For example, I would want to have it focussed so that a parallel beam could be reflected from the focal point outwards.
This will be 3d printed and then used with a tiny sonic transmitter/receiver set up to map surroundings, for a small rover bot. I think this could be done with a Bezier Curve, at least the general shape could be emulated. But how to make the parabular accurate for the focal point? I am guessing that once the general shape was made, it could be extruded away from the front to make it more solid.
The focal point needs to known so I can add struts to mount the sonic electronics. I'm not worried about scale or size at this point, just the method that I can repeat. Ive looked for some scripts that might help, but not found anything yet.
Thanks for your help.
add-on bezier
add-on bezier
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
asked Jan 18 at 9:27
Andrea RichardsAndrea Richards
534
534
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Add mesh z surface
Enable the add mesh extra objects addon, then from add menu choose add > mesh > math function > math z surface
The equation of a paraboloid with focus f is
(x ** 2 + y ** 2) / (4 * f)
paraboloid with focus at (0, 0, 1)
- Thickness can be added with the solidify modifier.
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "502"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fblender.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f129126%2fhow-to-model-an-accurate-parabolic-mirror-with-a-known-focal-point%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Add mesh z surface
Enable the add mesh extra objects addon, then from add menu choose add > mesh > math function > math z surface
The equation of a paraboloid with focus f is
(x ** 2 + y ** 2) / (4 * f)
paraboloid with focus at (0, 0, 1)
- Thickness can be added with the solidify modifier.
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Add mesh z surface
Enable the add mesh extra objects addon, then from add menu choose add > mesh > math function > math z surface
The equation of a paraboloid with focus f is
(x ** 2 + y ** 2) / (4 * f)
paraboloid with focus at (0, 0, 1)
- Thickness can be added with the solidify modifier.
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Add mesh z surface
Enable the add mesh extra objects addon, then from add menu choose add > mesh > math function > math z surface
The equation of a paraboloid with focus f is
(x ** 2 + y ** 2) / (4 * f)
paraboloid with focus at (0, 0, 1)
- Thickness can be added with the solidify modifier.
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
$endgroup$
Add mesh z surface
Enable the add mesh extra objects addon, then from add menu choose add > mesh > math function > math z surface
The equation of a paraboloid with focus f is
(x ** 2 + y ** 2) / (4 * f)
paraboloid with focus at (0, 0, 1)
- Thickness can be added with the solidify modifier.
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
edited Jan 18 at 14:16
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
answered Jan 18 at 10:32
batFINGERbatFINGER
24.7k42673
24.7k42673
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
$begingroup$
I've learnt a number of things about Blender from your answer. I didn't realise that it could be so easy if you know what you are doing. Thanks so much!
$endgroup$
– Andrea Richards
Jan 18 at 13:44
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Blender Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fblender.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f129126%2fhow-to-model-an-accurate-parabolic-mirror-with-a-known-focal-point%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
