Unrapt a 3d object

 From:  Michael Gibson
2654.9 In reply to 2654.7 
Hi Gaston - the more typical kind of unwrapping is to unwrap a surface to a completely flat shape, so that it can be cut out of some flat stock material like sheet metal, which can then be bent to reproduce the 3D shape.

But the example you show there, the "unwrapped" part is not flat, it is all bumpy.

I'm not sure how it would be possible to cut your unwrapped version there with some kind of material so that it could be bent back into the 3D shape?

I think if you want to cut that with only a 3 axis approach, you're going to have to split that thing up into many different pieces, or sections.

One thing that I have heard of people doing before is to take numerous planar sections through the model, for example here I have set up some lines to the side:



Then use Construct / Curve / Project to project those lines on to your solid - this forms a set of contour lines:



Then you actually throw away your main model and focus on these contours, just cutting one at a time so that you have a series of slabs that you then glue together.




Maybe something like that would work for you?

But maybe things would be a lot easier on you if you could make use of some more flexible axis cutting though...

- Michael