Collapse mesh faces

The collapse mesh faces commands help to edit existing meshes by removing unwanted or unnecessary faces from the mesh. Mesh faces can be collapsed using:

Selecting individual faces.
A specified maximum or minimum area.
A specified aspect ratio.
A specified edge length.

Notes

Some STL/SLA printers have problems if meshes contain many long, thin facets. These can slow the printer's slicing process down, produce odd printed results, and run the printer out of memory.
The MeshRepair command may be useful when tuning up meshes for STL/SLA printing.

CollapseMeshFace

The CollapseMeshFace command moves the vertices of a mesh face to a single vertex.

Steps

Select a mesh face.

The surrounding edges and faces adjust.

CollapseMeshFacesByArea

The CollapseMeshFacesByArea command moves the vertices of mesh faces that have a surface area greater or less than a specified value to a single vertex.

Steps

Select a mesh object.

Collapse mesh faces by area options

Select faces larger than ___

Selects faces with an area larger than the specified setting.

Select smallest face

Select a mesh face to set the area of the smallest face.

Select faces smaller than

Selects faces with an area smaller than the specified setting.

Select largest face

Select a mesh face to set the area of the largest face.

Increment

Sets the amount the Area value is changed with each arrow click.

Select range from face

Select an example face to set the size range. A range of ±10% of the area of the selected face is used.

Faces greater than

Selects faces with an area greater than the specified setting.

Faces less than

Selects faces with an area less than the specified setting.

Select Face

Select a mesh face to set the value to compare.

Increment

Sets the amount the Area value is changed with each arrow click.

Select range from face

Sets the area by picking an example face. A range of ±10% of the area of the selected face is used.

CollapseMeshFacesByAspectRatio

The CollapseMeshFacesByAspectRatio command moves the vertices of mesh faces that are greater than a specified ratio of length to width to a single vertex.

Note: A ratio of 25:1 or above is considered long.

Steps

Select a mesh.

Collapse mesh faces by aspect ratio options

Aspect ratio ___ to 1

Set the target aspect ratio.

Increment

Sets the amount the Aspect ratio value is changed with each arrow click.

Select aspect ratio from face

Select a mesh face to specify the Aspect Ratio value.

Aspect Ratio

Set the target aspect ratio.

Select Aspect Ratio From Face

Select a mesh face to specify the Aspect Ratio value.

CollapseMeshFacesByEdgeLength

The CollapseMeshFacesByEdgeLength command moves the vertices of mesh edges that are greater or less than a specified length to a single vertex.

Steps

Select a mesh.

Collapse mesh faces by edge length options

Edge length

Sets the edge length to compare.

Select edge

Pick a mesh edge to specify the edge length you want.

Increment

Sets the amount the Edge length value is changed with each arrow click.

Select edges:

Shorter than edge length

Selects faces with an edge length shorter than the Edge length setting.

Longer than edge length

Selects faces with an edge length longer than the Edge length setting.

Edge Length

Sets the edge length to compare.

GreaterThan

Selects faces with an edge length greater than the Edge Length setting.

LessThan

Selects faces with an edge length less than the Edge Length setting.

Select Edge

Pick a mesh edge to specify the edge length you want.

See also

Collapse mesh faces and vertices

Extract object sub-elements

Edit mesh objects

White paper: Scan, Cleanup, Remodel


Rhinoceros 5 © 2010-2015 Robert McNeel & Associates. 17-Sep-2015