This is a short turorial: Simulating the folding process of fabrics with Blender (Version 2.49bn)

Blender is a 3d modeling and animation program. Blender is Open-Source - click here to download the program for free. Please donate if it is useful.

Tutorials are available in the net, ie. wikibooks http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender or blender homepage http://www.blender.org/education-help/

This short introduction will show you an easy and quick possibility to simulate the folding process of non pre-stressed fabrics (sun shading systems like toldos, ie. Quba Mosque shown in the script here) .

I didn't find out a way to simulate pre-stressed fabrics  - do you know it, don't t hesitate to write it here down or contact me.

Start from scratch

please refere to the hotkey reference: [Help] -> [Hot Key and Mouse Reference]

most used basis operations:

• [g] move
• [r] rotate
• [s] scale
• [n] transform properties
• [RMB (right mouse button)] select
• [shift] and [RMB] select more than one
• [a] select all

Simulating

1. open Blender, select the cube [RMB] and delete it [Entf]

2. import your mesh to blender (ie. *.obj) and go to #6. or

3. create a mesh in blender: [add], [mesh], [plane], [n] transform

4. change [object mode] to [edit mode]

5. "mesh tools": click [subdivide]

6. "link and materials": [set smooth] to get a smooth, fabric like mesh

7. suspension points: select vertexes [shift][RMB], link and materials [new] name it, ie. "Group" , click [assign]

8. "shapes": [add shape key] (Basis), [add shape key] (key1)

9. change viewports to [SR:1-Animation], got to "ipo curve editor" view (right and top window), change [object] to [shape]

10. set start frame in "time line",

11. go back to "shapes": set "basis" and slider to: 0.00 (an horizontal orange line will appear in IPO view)

12. set end frame, set "key 1" and slider to: 1.00 (an orange curve will appear in the IPO view)

13. go to "3d view" window (middle and top), deselect all vertexes [a], select vertexes [shift][RMB] and shift [g]

14. change [edit mode] to [object mode], set viewport from [wire frame] to [shaded]

15. go to "button" window, [F7] (object), [physics button]

16. select [cloth], material preset ie. [cotton], [pinning of cloth], change "vertex group" to [Group] (see 7.)

17. select "collision", [enable collision] [enable self collision], set quality of both. high number = high quality but needs a fast processor

18. [bake] it - that's it.

click here (folding_fabric.blend) to download the sample file. Before you simulate: don't forget to "bake"

using "soft body" instead of cloth is more precise but more complex too.

Please poste your experienc here.