Integrating 3D models with photography
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# 1 08-01-2014 , 10:47 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22

Multiple Cutting Planes - One Object

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to split a 180cm humanoid polymesh into slices with 4cm distance inbetween, so 45 slices. My intention is to get the contour (looking from top view) of the mesh at each of these slices to later arrange them for cutting out real-life material, so if i stack the cut out shapes i get an approximation of the original digital model.
Now this may not be the kind of task Maya is meant for, but as it is the one program I would like to learn as much as possible in and about, I would like to use it anyways, if possible.

My approach right now is straightforward and I'm a little stressed that it doesn't work:
I just created appropriate sized and placed (4cm space inbetween) planes meant to be cutting objects through the polymesh of the human. Like multiple knives that should just cut the mesh. I then hope to find a way to get the individual contours from the planes (extract them) and convert them to NURBS curves.

I can however not find a way to slice the mesh with multiple cutting planes all at one time and doing it one by one, boolean, then extract, recreate the mesh etc etc etc does not seem like something a program that expensive would really ask from its user. So this way it would basically be one task that needs to be repeated multiple times, with minor changes (height -4), although of course i don't know if this way even works for my intent. Maybe there is some magic MEL could do, but I'm not familiar with that yet.

I'd be glad if someone more competent could give me some hint or idea, even it is "use inventor (e.g.) you fool, it's one single click in there" and maybe tell me what to click user added image. I'm really out of ideas, what to try.

I tried cut face, which again would be a one by one thing, but might work.
A more efficient solution would be preferable of course (45 pieces is alright, but what if one wants to make 2000 slices to get an MRI-like effect?).

Kind regards,
Borlag the noob

# 2 19-01-2014 , 08:44 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
Should anyone ever come across this question of mine in search for answers to a similar problem, here is what I did:

Use Rhinoceros (4.0), it has a command which does exactly what I needed. Export as .obj from maya, import in rhino. I then put in a plane and use the array command on it, specify the instances' vertical distance from each other to the amount I needed and then used the intersect command (I don't remember if I used meshes or converted to surfaces at some point, try it out). That gave me the slices of my model that intersected with each plane as a curve.

There is a Plug-In for Rhino which I could not try out due to some error, which is called RhinoNest, which I suppose does this trick in an automated manner. It seems this whole issue is not really in Maya's area of operations, as it is more of a CAD-thing.

If you want to try this/need to do this (the way I did it) and need help, you can send me a PM and I will respond ASAP.
I will also try to do this in Inventor as soon as I have the time and give an update.

# 3 10-03-2014 , 05:29 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
I'm sorry I can only guess that you are talking about the project on the website your signature links to. I only have a basic understanding of french and so I cannot see if there maybe is a script which does the requested splitting or some explanations on how to do it or if you want to ask something.
Please elaborate.

# 4 10-03-2014 , 05:41 PM
NextDesign's Avatar
Technical Director
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,988
It was a bot.

You can do this with Maya using a cube, the mesh, and an intersection boolean.

If you're looking at how to create a physical paper model of your character, take a look at pepakura.


Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Last edited by NextDesign; 10-03-2014 at 05:43 PM.
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