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Wire Hexagons Grid

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Hexagonal grids are nature's elegant solution for efficient space filling, appearing in honeycombs, molecular structures, and architectural designs. The wire hexagon grid component creates an array of hexagonal wire boundaries that can be used as building blocks for complex geometric patterns and structures.

Understanding Hexagon Grid Patterns​

The hexagonsInGrid function generates a collection of hexagonal wire shapes arranged in a grid pattern. Unlike simple rectangular grids, hexagonal grids offer unique advantages: they provide optimal packing efficiency, create natural interlocking patterns, and distribute structural forces more evenly across the grid.

The component works by fitting a specified number of hexagons within defined width and height boundaries. Each hexagon is automatically sized to maintain proper proportions while filling the designated space. This smart scaling ensures that your hexagonal patterns always fit perfectly within their intended boundaries, whether you're designing architectural screens, decorative panels, or structural frameworks.

Essential Parameters​

The hexagon grid system offers several key controls that shape how your pattern develops:

Dimensional Control through width and height parameters defines the overall boundary of your grid area. The system automatically calculates hexagon sizes to fit precisely within these limits.

Grid Density is controlled by nrHexagonsInWidth and nrHexagonsInHeight, which specify exactly how many hexagons you want across each dimension. Higher numbers create finer, more detailed grids with smaller individual hexagons.

Orientation Options via the flatTop parameter fundamentally change how hexagons are oriented. When false (the default), hexagons have pointed tops creating a more dynamic appearance. When true, hexagons sit flat, creating horizontal emphasis that works well for certain architectural applications.

Edge Extension controls allow you to extend the grid beyond its natural boundaries. The extendTop, extendBottom, extendLeft, and extendRight parameters can shift the entire grid by half-hexagon increments, helping you align patterns with existing geometry or create specific edge conditions.

Pattern Applications​

Wire hexagon grids excel in numerous design scenarios. In architectural work, they create stunning façade patterns, interior screens, and decorative elements that balance visual interest with structural efficiency. The wire format makes them perfect for defining boundaries that can later be filled with solid faces or used as cutting patterns for more complex shapes.

For parametric design, these grids serve as excellent starting points for creating complex geometric relationships. Each hexagon maintains its proportional relationship to its neighbors, allowing for systematic modifications that preserve the overall pattern integrity while enabling local variations.

The component also includes advanced patterning capabilities through optional arrays: scalePatternWidth and scalePatternHeight allow selective sizing of individual hexagons, filletPattern can soften corners with varying radii, and inclusionPattern lets you selectively remove hexagons to create openings or decorative voids.

Bitbybit Platform

Creating hexagon grids

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Creating Your First Hexagon Grid​

This example demonstrates the fundamental approach to creating hexagonal wire grids. We start by defining the overall dimensions through width and height parameters, then specify how many hexagons we want to fit within those boundaries.

The pattern emerges from the intersection of geometric constraints and design intent. By setting nrHexagonsInWidth to 13 and nrHexagonsInHeight to 18, we create a fine-grained grid where each hexagon is automatically sized to maintain proper proportions while filling the available space.

The flatTop parameter controls orientation - when set to false, hexagons appear with pointed tops, creating the classic "honeycomb" appearance. The extension parameters remain false, keeping the grid neatly contained within its specified boundaries.

A boundary rectangle is included for visual reference, helping you understand how the hexagonal pattern relates to its defining dimensions. This rectangle represents the target area that the hexagons fill, demonstrating the precision with which the grid system fits patterns to specified constraints.