Helix

The Helix forms a tubular spring around the Y axis, with closed ends.

Properties

• Turns: Number of turns around the Y axis. Partial turns are supported: 2.5 produces two and a half turns. Increasing this value while keeping the height fixed brings the turns closer together.
• Height: Vertical distance between the centers of the endpoints, in meters. The tube thickness can extend beyond this measurement. Increasing the height while keeping the number of turns fixed stretches the spring and increases the spacing between turns.
• Radius: Distance from the central axis of the helix to the center of the tube, in meters. Controls the spring width without changing the tube thickness.
• Tube Radius: Radius of the tube cross section, in meters. The tube diameter is twice this value. Increasing it thickens the spring and reduces the free space between turns; high values can make them overlap.
• Radial Seg.: Number of divisions around the tube cross section. Four divisions produce a square cross section. Higher values make the tube rounder and increase the number of faces.
• Segments per Turn: Number of divisions along the helical path per turn. Low values make the turns angular; higher values smooth the outline and increase the number of faces. The total number of divisions scales with the number of turns.