Part ProjectionOnSurface

Description
Part ProjectionOnSurface is used to project a Shape on top of a surface from another Shape; this can be used to project a logo or text message (see ) onto curved surfaces to create interesting effects.

This tool can project the entire face, or only a wire or edge of a Shape. The result can be a new face or wire on the surface, or even a projection solid, which can be used in a boolean cut.



Usage

 * 1) Make sure you have at least two objects in your document; the "source" object that you wish to project, and the "target" object where the projection will be made.
 * 2) Click on  to launch a task panel with various options.
 * 3) Click on, and then click on the "target" surface where the projection will be created.
 * 4) Then click on the specific button to choose the type of subelement that you want to add to your projection object.
 * : select a source face.
 * : select a source edge. The tool will extract the entire wire to which the edge belongs. For example, by choosing a single edge of a polygon, it will project the entire polygon.
 * : select a source edge. The tool will only project the selected edge.
 * 1) * Once a button is depressed, pick a subelement in the 3D view. If you wish to deselect it, pick the same element again.
 * 2) * When you are satisfied with your selection, press the same button to leave the selection mode.
 * 3) Then click on the specific radiobutton to choose the type of projection shape to create.
 * : it will show all types of closed wires and edges on the target surface. If a "face" subelement was selected in the previous step, a preview of a solid object extruded from the projection will be shown, depending on the value of.
 * : it will show a preview of a filled face on the target surface. This will only work if you selected a "face" subelement in the previous step; if you selected a closed "wire", only the edges (no face) will be created as projection; if you selected "edges", only those edges will be created as projection.
 * : it will show a preview of the edges on the target surface. This will work whether you added a "face", "wire", or "edge" subelement in the previous step; even if you added a filled "face", only the edges will be created as projection.
 * 1) Press the  to complete the operation and produce the new projection object.

Notes:
 * The projection direction is automatically taken from the camera direction in the 3D view at the moment the tool is launched.
 * To change the direction, move the camera, and press . However, this won't automatically update the projection preview; in order to do this, you must re-select the geometry by pressing the buttons and picking the subelements again.
 * Alternatively press the, , or buttons to set the projection direction to the main global axes, +X, -X, +Y, -Y, +Z, or -Z.

Options

 * : it is the height of the solid shape that is created by extruding the projected face, from the target surface and along the negative of the projection direction. For example, if the projection direction is along +Y, the extrusion will be created in the direction -Y . This solid extrusion will only be created if the subelement selected was a closed face, by pressing the button, and by choosing the  option.
 * : it is the distance that the projection object is moved along the projection direction. Negative values will displace the object in the opposite direction; this allows creating a projection that is offset from the target surface.

Limitations
The projection algorithm sometimes is not able to create a valid projection face. If this happens a solid extrusion won't be able to be created either.

If this happens:
 * Check if your source face is valid; try running the tool for clues.
 * Check if the projection direction is valid. Can the source face be realistically projected onto the target surface? Would a straight projection hit the surface? Adjust the camera so that the source face is in front of the target surface, and try again.
 * Try to use the option. Are the edges projected correctly? Try to create a face with the edges by hand.

Links

 * Forum thread: Project faces onto bent surface