Mesh Scripting

Introduction

To get access to the Mesh module you have to import it first:

import Mesh

Creation

To create an empty mesh object just use the standard constructor:

mesh = Mesh.Mesh()

You can also create an object from a file:

mesh = Mesh.Mesh("D:/temp/Something.stl")

Or create it out of a set of triangles described by their corner points:

triangles = [
# triangle 1
[-0.5000, -0.5000, 0.0000], [0.5000, 0.5000, 0.0000], [-0.5000, 0.5000, 0.0000],
#triangle 2
[-0.5000, -0.5000, 0.0000], [0.5000, -0.5000, 0.0000], [0.5000, 0.5000, 0.0000],
]
meshObject = Mesh.Mesh(triangles)
Mesh.show(meshObject)

The Mesh-Kernel takes care of creating a topologically correct data structure by sorting coincident points and edges.

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Modeling

To create regular geometries you can use one of the create*() methods. A torus, for instance, can be created as follows:

m = Mesh.createTorus(8.0, 2.0, 50)
Mesh.show(m)

The first two parameters define the radii of the torus and the third parameter is a sub-sampling factor for how many triangles are created. The higher this value the smoother the mesh.

The Mesh module also provides three Boolean methods: union(), intersection() and difference():

m1, m2              # are the input mesh objects
m3 = Mesh.Mesh(m1)  # create a copy of m1
m3.unite(m2)        # union of m1 and m2, the result is stored in m3
m4 = Mesh.Mesh(m1)
m4.intersect(m2)    # intersection of m1 and m2
m5 = Mesh.Mesh(m1)
m5.difference(m2)   # the difference of m1 and m2
m6 = Mesh.Mesh(m2)
m6.difference(m1)   # the difference of m2 and m1, usually the result is different to m5

Here is an example that creates a pipe using the difference() method:

import FreeCAD, Mesh
cylA = Mesh.createCylinder(2.0, 10.0, True, 1.0, 36)
cylB = Mesh.createCylinder(1.0, 12.0, True, 1.0, 36)
cylB.Placement.Base = (FreeCAD.Vector(-1, 0, 0)) # move cylB to avoid co-planar faces
pipe = cylA
pipe = pipe.difference(cylB)
pipe.flipNormals() # somehow required
doc = FreeCAD.ActiveDocument
obj = d.addObject("Mesh::Feature", "Pipe")
obj.Mesh = pipe
doc.recompute()

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Notes

An extensive, though hard to use, source of mesh related scripting are the unit test scripts of the Mesh module. In these unit tests literally all methods are called and all properties/attributes are tweaked. So if you are bold enough, take a look at the Unit Test module.

See also: Mesh API.

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Power user documentation

• FreeCAD scripting: Python, Introduction to Python, Python scripting tutorial, FreeCAD Scripting Basics

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• Modules: Builtin modules, Units, Quantity
• Workbenches: Workbench creation, Gui Commands, Commands, Installing more workbenches
• Meshes and Parts: Mesh Scripting, Topological data scripting, Mesh to Part, PythonOCC

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• Parametric objects: Scripted objects, Viewproviders (Custom icon in tree view)
• Scenegraph: Coin (Inventor) scenegraph, Pivy
• Graphical interface: Interface creation, Interface creation completely in Python (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), PySide, PySide examples beginner, intermediate, advanced
• Macros: Macros, How to install macros
• Embedding: Embedding FreeCAD, Embedding FreeCADGui

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• Other: Expressions, Code snippets, Line drawing function, FreeCAD vector math library (deprecated)

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• Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub

Mesh

• Miscellaneous: Import mesh, Export mesh, Create mesh from shape, Regular solid, Unwrap Mesh, Unwrap Face
• Modifying: Harmonize normals, Flip normals, Fill holes, Close hole, Add triangle, Remove components, Remove components by hand, Smooth, Refinement, Decimation, Scale

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• Boolean: Union, Intersection, Difference
• Cutting: Cut mesh, Trim mesh, Trim mesh with a plane, Create section from mesh and plane, Cross-sections
• Components and segments: Merge, Split by components, Create mesh segments, Create mesh segments from best-fit surfaces

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• Analyze: Evaluate and repair mesh, Face info, Curvature plot, Curvature info, Check solid mesh, Boundings info
• Additional: Import Export Preferences, OpenSCAD Workbench, Mesh Scripting