It has been almost 1-2 years since I was using Moi3D the last time. Now I have been modeling a lure to learn Moi3D again and the plan is to 3d print this model. What would be a good way/method to model the gills in the lure, see image? The goal would be to make extrusions on top of organic shape. I have now created a separate object for gills and I have tried Deform-Flow command to add these to the body but somehow I don't get it to work. Do you see that there would be some more proper way to model these?

Hi mk1978, a CAD program like MoI is focused mostly on precision type shapes and not organic shapes so it's not really the best tool for that type of work.

Probably the easiest tool for that type of work would be a displacement brush based program like 3D Coat or ZBrush, those allow you to raise or lower areas using brush strokes on the surface. Those work very well for sculpting on subtle raised or lowered details.

Maybe one related technique you could try in MoI is discussed here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=7516.3
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=7516.13

- Michael

Without having the 3DM file, it's hard to see why Flow is not working out.

You could try this technique below. I've used it to place a raised strip of variable width chrome trim down the length of a car body.

1) Draw 5 curves to represent each extrusion of the lower-right gill.

2) Select the 5 curves.

3) Construct > Curve > Project > Select the top, front, or right projection as required.

4) Select the fish as the Projection Target.

5) Now your 5 curves are formed to the surface of the fish. These will be used as Rails for a Sweep. Make 10 appropriate sized closed curved profiles (one at each end of each curve for a taper) and Sweep each Rail.

6) Mirror the swept gill solid objects to the opposite side and Boolean Union the 10 strips to the fish.

A variation of this technique would be to project just a two curves (Rails) and design two closed curve profiles that include the ridges to make all 5 gills. Then perform a 2-Rail Sweep.

Something similar might work for the large gill behind the eye. I also think a Network might work to create the fish while integrating the large gill, all in one go. Would need to have your file to test.

Ed Ferguson

3D Coat or Zbrush are costly progs!

You can try Sculpt GL Online or Local : it's free!
https://stephaneginier.com/sculptgl/
https://stephaneginier.com/

Or even Sculptris! Free also! https://www.filehorse.com/download-sculptris/

If you like your objects and want to use flow, you can simplify it to get a result.

Make a copy of your organic fish shape.

Extract the surface from that copy that you want your gills on and discard the rest.

From the side view, create a closed curve big enough to encompass your gills and then trim the fish body extracted surface with it. Keep just the little shape.

Make a copy of that little shape and use the edit frame to "flat snap it".

Use ShrinkTrimmedSrf on flat and non flat pieces.

Then place your gill into the flat surface and use that as a base to flow to the non flattened piece.

Now the gill will place onto the fish in that spot.

Any "moving" needs to be measured so you can "move back" to initial place.

Let me know if this is unclear.

First, thanks for all the tips I will test these approaches next few evenings/days.

In this case I would assume that Moi3D could serve the purpose quite well because when 3D printing the part it is not needed to have 100% smooth and organic shapes for the details. The 3D printed part will be surface treated (sanded, painted, coated) anyway. Below are a couple of examples when lure is modeled in Solidworks and 3D printed with FDM printer. With FDM printer it should be ok with hard edges for details because the resolution is still quite rough. This basically the tutorial I have been trying follow and figure out how to do it in Moi3D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYa1wiWgMDw&t=602s

I have also included 3dm file in this message. I this file I have been thinking about using Trim to project gills curves to the base model and I have also planned to model gills as a separate object and project that object with Deform/flow to the model.

Hi,
perhaps this method may help.
I cut the surface with the fin profile and rotated it outwards .
I trimmed a outer boarder around the the fin then blended between body and fin.
The grooves where produced by flowing a circle with taper one end and boolean from the solid.
Cheers
Barry

There is also Blender that allows you to make sculptures efficiently without necessarily buying software like ZBrush or 3D coat to do simple things like this, and Blender is not basic but you can make detailed sculptures of excellent quality.



However, I did a test for you with the subdivision surfaces in Blender and then imported the model in Moi3D with the SubD command and imported the object in OBJ format.

In the attached zip file you will find both the file for Blender and the one for Moi3D.



the model is a solid and you can use either that of Blender or that of Moi3D but if you want the printing to be done well I suggest you to use that of Blender and apply the modifier in order to have an excellent mesh topology.

the model is a solid and you can use either that of Blender or that of Moi3D but if you want the printing to be done well I suggest you to use that of Blender and apply the modifier in order to have an excellent mesh topology

However you can do the same thing of solidworks with Moi3D loft can help a lot and booleans

here a models in CAD
https://grabcad.com/library/fishing-lures-models#!
https://grabcad.com/library/fishing-lure-8
https://grabcad.com/library?page=1&time=all_time&sort=recent&query=lure


Greetings

Here an useful workflow for Rhino but is the same with Moi3D

Hi I did this with Moi3d using the "Network" command with very simple curves, and some simple projections for the eyes, in the file there are construction lines, I think can help, but Pilou has developed a way to use the subdivision surfaces by building the control cage directly in Moi3D could have some solution on this problem to make an organic model of a lure shape directly with Moi3D



Greetings

<<< has developed a way to use the subdivision surfaces by building the control cage directly in Moi3D

yes in theory! :)
here only with _SSPlit, _SSscale, _subdiv_beta9, by Max Smirnov + Extrude SetDirection ;)

You can put them in ShortCuts: for me its P = _sSplit, S = _sScale, K = __subdiv_beta9 but you can make anything you want! :)
(B= _sSBridge, E = Extrude Setdirection (native : write the previous) cool for Hard Surfaces Modeling ) see Bulgarov Moi Video ;)
and for Extrude face(s) in subdivision when they have special positions in the yet Sub Boxmodeling object)

with only these 5 ones you can make theorically anything...in Moi! :)
see this thread: https://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9689.1





Vitaly Bulgarov Video!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq9qyZ5B2V4

If you want some practical real theory of SubDivision modeling concepts see the marvellous site of Arrimus! (only videos)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSLLdTBwLMfTKWS56tOiQpw
It's also a Moi Master! ;)