Maxforums - Flatten a surface/loft to a plane

Flatten a surface/loft to a plane

DLDude

hi guys,
I have made this thin loft (which could also just be a surface) in 3ds 2009 and I need to get it to flatten. I thought perhaps I could project it to a flat plane and there would be a setting to flatten it, however that doesnt seem to be the case. This surface is actually going to be a piece of card stock that will be die-cut, however I am having difficulty trying to figure out the shaping of the part as if it were on a flat surface. The first turn is not completely flat, thus I cannot break it up into a flat curve and a flat straight piece. Any clues on what I could do?

Picture:

Hope this all makes sense.

Thanks!

read 864 times
4/12/2010 7:56:28 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 7:56:28 PM)

ScotlandDave

As opposed to just scaling it flat? Probably the closest thing you`d get would be uvw unwrapping it using one of those crazy max unwrapping techniques - haven`t used max in ages tho so someone else would have to help there..

GOT SICK OF OLD SIG HAVE AT THIS NEW ONE

read 857 times
4/12/2010 8:13:28 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 8:13:28 PM)

kiko

maybe you can convert it to an edit poly and move all of the verts to z 0.0, (hit the make planar z button in edit poly modifier)

cheers,

-- David --

read 854 times
4/12/2010 8:28:49 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 8:28:49 PM)

DLDude

Well it need to stretch a bit. For instance, the section that is straight will end up being longer. I came across "Make Planar" on the poly editing mode, It worked one time, then I tried to edit it and redo it and it flattens it to another plane, not sure how to fix it now.

read 849 times
4/12/2010 8:34:00 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 8:34:00 PM)

kiko

Ok, will ellaborate:

Go back a fex steps until you hace the model as in the image you posted earlier, then go to the modifier tab and add an edit poly modifier to your shape. Under edit poly go te selection and use verts (it's the first option, the one with the dots), hit that and then select all of the verts in your shape (should turn red), then go down in your edit poly modifier and hit the Z button next to make planar, should be done by now unless your shape is not alligned with th Z coordinate, in which case use either X or Y.

Hope it helps

Cheers,

-- David --

read 846 times
4/12/2010 8:38:44 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 8:38:44 PM)

DLDude

I understand what you are saying. That method would successfully 'project' the shape onto the Z plane, but I need to 'flatten' the object. I need the arc lengths to remain the same, but it needs to all be on the Z plane.

read 843 times
4/12/2010 8:45:38 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 8:45:38 PM)

del3d

Unwrap UVW modifier will flatten 1:1 sizes of your faces on a single plane.

read 829 times
4/12/2010 9:50:12 PM (last edit: 4/12/2010 9:51:17 PM)

Hirato

Dave (edit: and del3d) are right, i wrote something like this a few weeks ago so here's what you have to do and it even got images.

1) Apply unwrap UVW modifier.
2) Click edit, go to mapping and select unfold mapping.
3) Detach and move overlapping faces
4) When it looks good, go to the utilities panel and select Channel info. copy the last item in the list and paste it on the first one.
5) This will create a model of the unfolded geometry. It will look messed up in wireframe mode but it is fine.

6) optional, export as DWG explode the geometry so you have a line drawing.