Mesh Workbench: Difference between revisions

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The [[Image:Workbench_Mesh.svg|24px]] [[Mesh Workbench|Mesh Workbench]] handles [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_mesh triangle meshes]. Meshes are a special type of 3D object, composed of triangular faces connected by their vertices and edges.
The [[Image:Workbench_Mesh.svg|24px]] [[Mesh_Workbench|Mesh Workbench]] handles [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_mesh triangle meshes]. Meshes are a special type of 3D object, composed of triangular faces connected by their vertices and edges.


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However, in the field of engineering meshes present a big limitation: they cannot accurately define curved surfaces. This is why FreeCAD relies on [[wikipedia:Boundary representation|Brep]] instead. The Mesh Workbench offers some commands to directly manipulate meshes, but it is most often used to import 3D mesh data and convert it to a solid for use with the [[Image:Workbench_Part.svg|24px]] [[Part Workbench|Part Workbench]] or [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|24px]] [[PartDesign Workbench|PartDesign Workbench]].
However, in the field of engineering meshes present a big limitation: they cannot accurately define curved surfaces. This is why FreeCAD relies on [[wikipedia:Boundary representation|Brep]] instead. The Mesh Workbench offers some commands to directly manipulate meshes, but it is most often used to import 3D mesh data and convert it to a solid for use with the [[Image:Workbench_Part.svg|24px]] [[Part_Workbench|Part Workbench]] or [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|24px]] [[PartDesign_Workbench|PartDesign Workbench]].


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All Mesh Workbench tools can be accessed from the '''Meshes''' menu. Some tools are also available in the '''Mesh tools''' toolbar.
All Mesh Workbench tools can be accessed from the '''Meshes''' menu. Almost all are also available in one of the Mesh toolbars.


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* [[Image:Mesh_RemeshGmsh.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_RemeshGmsh|Refinement...]]: Remeshes a mesh object. {{Version|0.19}}
* [[Image:Mesh_RemeshGmsh.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_RemeshGmsh|Refinement...]]: Remeshes a mesh object.


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* [[Image:Mesh_Decimating.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_Decimating|Decimation...]]: Reduces the number of faces in mesh objects. {{Version|0.19}}
* [[Image:Mesh_Decimating.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_Decimating|Decimation...]]: Reduces the number of faces in mesh objects.


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* [[Image:Mesh_BuildRegularSolid.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_BuildRegularSolid|Regular solid...]] Creates a regular parametric solid mesh object.
* [[Image:Mesh_BuildRegularSolid.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_BuildRegularSolid|Regular solid...]]: Creates a regular parametric solid mesh object.


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** [[Image:Mesh_TrimByPlane.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_TrimByPlane|Trim mesh with a plane]]: Trims faces and parts of faces on one side of a plane from a mesh object.
** [[Image:Mesh_TrimByPlane.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_TrimByPlane|Trim mesh with a plane]]: Trims faces and parts of faces on one side of a plane from a mesh object.
** [[Image:Mesh_SectionByPlane.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_SectionByPlane|Create section from mesh and plane]]: Creates a cross section across a mesh object.
** [[Image:Mesh_SectionByPlane.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_SectionByPlane|Create section from mesh and plane]]: Creates a cross section across a mesh object.
** [[Image:Mesh_CrossSections.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_CrossSections|Cross-sections...]]: Creates multiple cross sections across mesh objects. {{Version|0.19}}
** [[Image:Mesh_CrossSections.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_CrossSections|Cross-sections...]]: Creates multiple cross sections across mesh objects.


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* [[Image:Mesh_Merge.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_Merge|Merge]]: Creates a mesh object by combining the meshes of two or more mesh objects.
* [[Image:Mesh_Merge.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_Merge|Merge]]: Creates a mesh object by combining the meshes of two or more mesh objects.

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* [[Image:Mesh_SplitComponents.svg|32px]] [[Mesh_SplitComponents|Split by components]]: Splits a mesh object into its components.


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* [[Image:MeshPart_CreateFlatMesh.svg|32px]] [[MeshPart_CreateFlatMesh|Unwrap Mesh]]: Creates a flat representation of a mesh object. {{Version|0.19}}
* [[Image:MeshPart_CreateFlatMesh.svg|32px]] [[MeshPart_CreateFlatMesh|Unwrap mesh]]: Creates a flat representation of a mesh object.


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* [[Image:MeshPart_CreateFlatFace.svg|32px]] [[MeshPart_CreateFlatFace|Unwrap Face]]: Creates a flat representation of a face of a shape object. {{Version|0.19}}
* [[Image:MeshPart_CreateFlatFace.svg|32px]] [[MeshPart_CreateFlatFace|Unwrap face]]: Creates a flat representation of a face of a shape object.


==Preferences== <!--T:18-->
==Preferences== <!--T:18-->
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Mesh Workbench preferences can be found in the following categories of the [[Preferences_Editor|Preferences Editor]]:
Mesh Workbench preferences can be found in the following categories of the [[Preferences_Editor|Preferences Editor]]:
* [[Image:Preferences-display.svg|32px]] [[Preferences_Editor#Display_settings|Display]]: On the [[Preferences_Editor#Mesh_view|Mesh view]] tab several preferences can be set.
* [[Image:Preferences-display.svg|32px]] [[Preferences_Editor#Display|Display]]: On the [[Preferences_Editor#Mesh_view|Mesh view]] tab several preferences can be set.
* [[Image:Preferences-openscad.svg|32px]] [[OpenSCAD_Preferences|OpenSCAD]]: The [[Mesh_Union|Mesh Union]], [[Mesh_Intersection|Mesh Intersection]] and [[Mesh_Difference|Mesh Difference]] commands require [http://www.openscad.org/ OpenSCAD] and use the '''OpenSCAD executable''' preference to find its executable.
* [[Image:Preferences-openscad.svg|32px]] [[OpenSCAD_Preferences|OpenSCAD]]: The [[Mesh_Union|Mesh Union]], [[Mesh_Intersection|Mesh Intersection]] and [[Mesh_Difference|Mesh Difference]] commands require [http://www.openscad.org/ OpenSCAD] and use the '''OpenSCAD executable''' preference to find its executable.


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* See [[Mesh_Scripting|Mesh Scripting]] to manipulate and create meshes using [[Python|Python]].
* See [[Mesh_Scripting|Mesh Scripting]] to manipulate and create meshes using [[Python|Python]].
* See also [[FreeCAD_and_Mesh_Import|FreeCAD and Mesh Import]]
* See also [[FreeCAD_and_Mesh_Import|FreeCAD and Mesh Import]]
* See [[Asymptote|Asymptote]] to export meshes to the Asymptote format, which can be used in a LaTeX document.
* See [[Asymptote|Asymptote]] to export meshes to the Asymptote format.



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|[[Inspection_Workbench|Inspection Workbench]]
|[[Inspection_Workbench|Inspection Workbench]]
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|IconR=Workbench_OpenSCAD.svg

Latest revision as of 16:24, 25 November 2023

Mesh workbench icon

Introduction

The Mesh Workbench handles triangle meshes. Meshes are a special type of 3D object, composed of triangular faces connected by their vertices and edges.

Many 3D applications, like Sketchup, Blender, Maya and 3D Studio Max, use meshes as their primary type of 3D object. Since meshes are very simple objects, containing only vertices (points), edges and triangular faces, they are very easy to create, modify, subdivide, stretch, and can easily be passed from one application to another without any loss of details. In addition, since meshes contain very simple data, 3D applications can usually manage very large quantities of them without using a lot of resources. For these reasons, meshes are often the 3D object type of choice for applications dealing with movies, animation, and image creation.

However, in the field of engineering meshes present a big limitation: they cannot accurately define curved surfaces. This is why FreeCAD relies on Brep instead. The Mesh Workbench offers some commands to directly manipulate meshes, but it is most often used to import 3D mesh data and convert it to a solid for use with the Part Workbench or PartDesign Workbench.

Tools

All Mesh Workbench tools can be accessed from the Meshes menu. Almost all are also available in one of the Mesh toolbars.

  • Close hole: Fills selected holes in mesh objects.
  • Add triangle: Adds faces along a boundary of an open mesh object.
  • Boolean
    • Union: Creates a mesh object that is the union of two mesh objects.
    • Intersection: Creates a mesh object that is the intersection of two mesh objects.
    • Difference: Creates a mesh object that is the difference of two mesh objects.
  • Merge: Creates a mesh object by combining the meshes of two or more mesh objects.
  • Unwrap mesh: Creates a flat representation of a mesh object.
  • Unwrap face: Creates a flat representation of a face of a shape object.

Preferences

There are some export preferences related to Mesh Formats but these are not used by commands belonging to this workbench. They are used by the Std Export command.

Mesh Workbench preferences can be found in the following categories of the Preferences Editor:

Notes