Is there a plugin to slice an object along a cutting plane?
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I know how to cut along a plane by creating it, positioning it, intersecting the object with it, and then deleting the unwanted geometry. This is a slow and tedious process and I was looking for a faster way.
The Zorro plugin does most of what I want, but I'm still trying to find an even better way. Do you know one?
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It doesn't have to be slow or tedious.
I wonder what's missing for you then with Zorro
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It's not very speed and simple with the Pro version and Boolean Split function ?
and without plugin!
Just make a very very tiny plane 3D! -
I think that what's missing is that you must make a group of that geometry first, then copy it, inside the 1st group, you can use the zorro plugin, then do the same to the other group.
Alternatively I would use intersect geometry with (in the rightclick context menu):
Create any cutting plan that intersects geometry (might be a rectangle)
Intersect that plan with your geometry by:
1 - selecting both plan and geometry;
2 - rightclick your selection;
3 - choose the right menu option intersect faces > with selection;
4 - erase the outside part of the plan;
5 - select the top part of the geometry with the plan and group it;
6 - select the bottom part of the geometry and group it;
7 - get inside the second group and create the missing face (or create the missing face and then the group, like in the video attached) -
The cutting-plane workflow (without a plugin) looks something like this:
- Place the geometry to be cut into a group.
- Create a rectangle that defines the cutting plane. This is several steps -- many more than defining a section plane.
- If unwanted geometry intersects the group, hide it
- Open the group.
- Select all faces.
- Select "intersect faces with model"
- Get out the erase tool and start removing the unwanted geometry.
- Heal the cut faces as needed by redrawing edges
- Delete the cutting rectangle
See http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15%26amp;t=43266
The labor nearly doubles if you want to keep both halves.
I call this slow and tedious compared to the workflow I would rather have:
- Place the geometry to be cut into a group
- Place a section plane
- Select the group
- Select "Slice along section plane" plugin.
Now I have two groups.
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The process you outline is certainly harder than it needs to be. There are a number of unnecessary steps. When I get home from work I'll make up something to show an easier process. Have to teach anesthesia residents first.
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For splitting groups etc...
My Pro only tool http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=TIG_Split_to_plane does what you want
Its Pro only sibling http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=TIG_Cut_to_plane is more Zorro like, leaving one part behind. -
Like Dave says. One thing, when you learn how the deletion part is easy--maybe two actions in this case. Different ways of selection, and also "group and delete" technique are helpful.
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You are missing the simple step of right click on the section plane and Create Group from Slice.
This gives you the intersection that can then be easily exploded in place cutting your model. Then using a selection fence you can easily separate the two halves. -
@box said:
You are missing the simple step of right click on the section plane and Create Group from Slice.
This gives you the intersection that can then be easily exploded in place cutting your model. Then using a selection fence you can easily separate the two halves.Yes, I've considered that technique, and plan to try it next time I need to slice something. And I agree that it's simple enough to do a mass-delete provided that the cutting plane was aligned with an axis, or the model can be reasonably rotated so that the cutting plane is vertical or horizontal on the screen, but in my experience, there's always a little bit of clean-up to be done.
Look, I get that this isn't hard, I'm just saying it isn't easy, and I was hoping that there would be a plugin because I do this so frequently.
For now, I've downloaded the Zorro2 plugin and am looking at the source code. I think this will be easy to modify to add the feature I want, and will get back to the forum when I've completed it.
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Understood. I'll put my tutorial
on hold then. -
OK, just as an experiment, I tried my example using this technique. With a horizontal section plane, it took me 45 seconds to split my model in two. With a section plane at 45 degrees, it took 90 seconds. I'm sure with practice I could bring those times down.
I use SU for woodworking mainly. My design process is to design the object I want to build, then slice it into boards I could cut on a table saw. This involves a lot of slicing, so if I could automate the process that would be a win. I'm definitely going to put a little bit of time into tinkering with Zorro2.
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@dave r said:
Understood. I'll put my tutorial
on hold then.Don't do that. It will probably help me and it will definitely help other people.
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Tig's slicer would help, and it isn't pro only.
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OK. Here it is although it's a bit sloppy. Nothing but native tools used throughout. I started assuming you'd already have the component or group made and want to split it.
The reason you have to trace edges to heal faces is because you don't have the cutting plane in the same context as the geometry you're cutting. I start out with the cutting plane outside the component but move it inside the component before intersecting. Then both the geometry in the component as well as the component get the intersections so the faces are created.
The other key things are proper use of the Selection tool, the use of keyboard shortcuts and the use of Edit>Paste in place.
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OK, that was pretty impressive. It's pretty much how I've been doing it; you're just better at it than I am. You should post this under "tutorials"
Oh, I also see how using a cutting rectangle instead of a section plane also automagically healed the faces. Very nice.
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Is this what you were looking for.
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@falk said:
OK, that was pretty impressive. It's pretty much how I've been doing it; you're just better at it than I am. You should post this under "tutorials"
Thanks.
@falk said:
Oh, I also see how using a cutting rectangle instead of a section plane also automagically healed the faces. Very nice.
It does if and only if the cutting surface is in the same context as the faces being cut. You're just leaving some of the cutting surface behind to be the face skinning the openings. The cutting surface doesn't need to be a flat face, either. So the pommels on these columns as well as the tops of the reeds were done essentially the same way.
As were the stopped chamfers on the stretchers for this hayrake table.
And the stopped flutes on this newel post...
.. and the cope joints on the rails of this door.
And you can't do any of those with a section plane.
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@sdmitch said:
Is this what you were looking for.
Yes, exactly. It even healed the faces. Checking out SDM tools now.
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@dave r said:
... So the pommels on these columns as well as the tops of the reeds were done essentially the same way.
As were the stopped chamfers on the stretchers for this hayrake table.
And the stopped flutes on this newel post...
.. and the cope joints on the rails of this door.
And you can't do any of those with a section plane.
OK, now you're just showing off
I've never done anything as nice as those images, but yeah, I've been using this technique for years. I was just looking for something faster for straight cuts.
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