Here is a simple example (drawn with v2beta) where I loft some ellipses.
I then measured the distances from the axis to the edge of each ellipses at 45 deg interval then plotted a curve for each ellipse.
Then I lofted these curves to produce the unwrapped surface that could be used to reproduce the 3d object.
I have not tried it but think that would work.
Making the slices and plotting the length of the rotating vector is a tedious process when done by hand but would be an easy one by computer.

Gaston