Part RefineShape
Part RefineShape |
Menu location |
---|
Part → Create a copy → Refine Shape |
Workbenches |
Part |
Default shortcut |
None |
Introduced in version |
- |
See also |
SimpleCopy, TransformedCopy, ElementCopy, OpenSCAD RefineShapeFeature |
Description
The Part RefineShape produces a non-parametric copy with a refined shape, that is, with certain edges and faces cleaned up.
After certain boolean operations, like Part Union, some lines from the previous shapes may remain visible. This tool produces a copy of that boolean result, and cleans up those seams.
Alternatively, to produce other non-parametric copies use Simple Copy, Transformed Copy, and Element Copy
Original boolean result (left), and refined shape copy (right).
Usage
- Select an object that you wish to clean and copy.
- Go to the menu Part → Create a copy → Refine shape.
- A cleaned, independent copy of the original object is created; the original object is hidden.
As of version 0.19 and above the result defaults to a parametric (linked) copy.
This behavior can be changed in the parameter editor
- Go to the subgroup:
BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Part
- Change
ParametricRefine
of typeBoolean
tofalse
to get the old behavior (independent copy).
See other parameters in Fine-tuning.
Limitations
- The refinement algorithm only works on shells. Therefore it iterates over the shells of the input shape and then for each shell it creates a new shell with joined faces wherever possible. This means that if your input shape is only a face, wire, edge or vertex then the algorithm does nothing.
- Unlike the OpenSCAD RefineShapeFeature command, Part RefineShape won't update when the preceding shapes are changed.
Notes
- This function can be used as the last step in the modelling work to clean up shapes in a traditional constructive solid geometry workflow.
- This function may help to clean up the model before applying another feature, such as a Fillet.
- This clean up may stop 3D printers from printing unwanted edges once the solid model is exported to a mesh format.
- This function can also be used after converting a mesh to a shape (ShapeFromMesh) to clean up the residual edges on flat faces.
Scripting
The Python command for refining a shape is the following:
shape.removeSplitter()
Part
- Primitives: Box, Cylinder, Sphere, Cone, Torus, Tube, Create primitives, Shape builder
- Creation and modification: Extrude, Revolve, Mirror, Scale, Fillet, Chamfer, Make face from wires, Ruled Surface, Loft, Sweep, Section, Cross sections, 3D Offset, 2D Offset, Thickness, Projection on surface, Attachment
- Boolean: Make compound, Explode Compound, Compound Filter, Boolean, Cut, Fuse, Common, Connect, Embed, Cutout, Boolean fragments, Slice apart, Slice, XOR
User documentation
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