Tutorial 9: Tubular Knot Sculpture

Extrude a tube along a wavy 3D path from the Superformula node: Pipe Along Path builds a mesh like Grasshopper’s Pipe around a rail curve—great for jewelry-scale struts or display pieces.

Thick tube following a superformula path in 3D preview

What you'll learn

Superformula as a complex closed rail
Pipe Along Path radius and segments (cross-section resolution)
End caps for printable solids

Prerequisites

Tutorial 2 (superformula basics)

Step 1: Rail and pipe

Step 1

Superformula path → Pipe Along Path

Use Print Bed → Superformula (with Number on m and radius as in the embedded file). Add Pipe Along Path; connect path → path. Set radius small enough for your nozzle (e.g. 2.5 mm), segments 16–24 for a round tube.

Step 2: Mesh out

Step 2

Output Preview mesh

Pipe mesh → Output Preview mesh; export STL when satisfied.

Outcome

A closed tubular mesh following a star-shaped rail—scale down for a ring, up for a sculpture.

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Interactive preview is available in the interactive reader.

What’s Next

Tutorial 10: Morphing Vase — Loft Profiles between Circle and Polygon.