I have a model made entirely of flat planes. Let's use a 3-sided pyramid as a simple example.

I want to print the outline (edges) of each plane in actual size so I can use it as a template for cutting each plane out of a sheet of wood.

I assume showing edges only and exporting as AI is my best option.

My question is how to obtain flat outlines of planes that are tilted (such as sides of a pyramid).

Hi Ed,

maybe software like this can help you, in case you save as mesh
and then let the software unfold the mesh. Exports as vectors too.

https://tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/

Regards
Stefan

Thanks for the link Stefan - I'll check it out.

I'm not necessarily looking for a program to unfold my entire model.

At a more fundamental level I'm curious how to print the flat outline of a single plane that is tilted in two directions.

Ed Ferguson

Hi Ed,

would that something better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3L0G6giO1k

Regards
Stefan

You have the Free FormZ Free who has an Unfolding function inside! ;)

Minute 24

Thanks for the links guys.

I think an un-folding program is over-kill for my simple model. I'm happy to deal with one plane at a time.

Isn't their a way in MoI to click on a flat plane and make the MoI "camera" look at it head on?

Ed Ferguson

If I understand you correctly then aligning the Cplane to each of plane of your model should do what you want.

Colin

Not exactly that you want but...

Camera&TargetPointToClipboard – it will copy the camera and target locations to the clipboard as a text string:

F9 script:var v = moi.ui.mainWindow.viewpanel.getViewport('3D'); moi.copyTextToClipboard( 'Camera=' + v.cameraPt.toString() + '\r\nTarget=' + v.targetPt.toString() );
Similarly you can set the .cameraPt value to something to place the camera at a certain x,y,z location:

F7 script:var v = moi.ui.mainWindow.viewpanel.getViewport('3D'); v.cameraPt = moi.vectorMath.createPoint(50.2, 30.5, 10.1);

Hi ed, so for a simple case with just a few pieces there would be 2 main ways to do it.

#1 is like Colin writes above - use View > CPlane to set the construction plane to the center of one of your angled planar shapes. This will relocate the Top/Front/Right views to that local frame of reference and now when you export a PDF, AI, or DXF file using the Top view projection it will be a straight-down view on that particular plane.

#2 is to dissassemble your object using Edit > Separate and then use Transform > Orient to relocate each face onto the world xy plane.

- Michael

Thanks everyone!

View > CPlane on my tilted plane and exported as AI from top view. Opened the AI file in Corel Draw and have a flat, actual size outline ready to print and use as a cutting template.

Ed Ferguson

Hi Ed, so just for future reference the other disassembly method using Transform > Orient is pretty good too, since the orientation picker can be aligned to a surface normal for the base position and the world z axis for the target position.

That looks like this:



- Michael

Thanks Michael. Good to know.

Ed Ferguson