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

ExtractMeshFaces

The ExtractMeshFaces command separates selected mesh faces from the parent mesh object.

ExtractMeshFacesByArea

The ExtractMeshFacesByArea command separates mesh faces that are within a specified range of area from the parent mesh object.

Steps

Select a mesh object.

Extract mesh faces by area options

Faces greater than

Selects mesh faces with an area greater than the specified setting.

Select face

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

Faces less than

Selects mesh faces with an area less than the specified setting.

Select face

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

Increment

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

Select range from face

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

ExtractMeshFacesByAspectRatio

The ExtractMeshFacesByAspectRatio command separates mesh faces from the parent mesh object that are greater than the specified aspect ratio limit.

ExtractMeshFacesByAspectRatio finds mesh faces that are very long compared to their width. A ratio of 25:1 or above is considered long.

In the image, the extracted red faces have an aspect ratio of 9:1 or more.

Steps

Select a mesh object.

Extract mesh faces by aspect ratio options

Aspect Ratio

Set the target aspect ratio.

Select Aspect Ratio From Face

Select a mesh face to specify the Aspect Ratio value.

ExtractMeshFacesByDraftAngle

The ExtractMeshFacesByDraftAngle command separates mesh faces from the parent mesh object based on the angle of the faces to the view.

ExtractMeshFacesByDraftAngle can split a mesh object for molds or to look for undercut areas. In the example, the mesh faces were selected in the top view.

Steps

Select a mesh object.

Extract mesh faces by draft angle options

Start angle from camera direction

Sets the starting angle from the direction of the viewport camera.

End angle from camera direction

Sets the ending angle from the direction of the viewport camera.

Border only

Makes polylines out of the edges of the selected mesh meshes instead of extracting them from the parent mesh object.

Update To View

If the view is changed, click this button to update the selection.

ExtractMeshFacesByEdgeLength

The ExtractMeshFacesByEdgeLength command separates selects mesh faces from the parent mesh object that have an edge length greater or less than a specified value.

ExtractMeshFacesByEdgeLength removes small or large mesh faces that do not belong in the mesh object.

In the example image, the extracted red faces have an edge length shorter than 0.1.

Steps

Select a mesh object.

Extract mesh faces by edge length options

Edge Length

Sets the mesh edge length to compare.

Increment

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

GreaterThan

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

LessThan

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

Select Edge

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

ExtractConnectedMeshFaces

The ExtractConnectedMeshFaces command separates mesh faces from the parent mesh object that are connected to a selected face.

The ExtractConnectedMeshFaces command extracts a set of mesh faces from a joined mesh object based on a specified break angle. This can be used to extract a series of mesh faces that make up a planar surface in a mesh object or to extract set of faces that make up a coherent feature in the mesh.

Steps

Select mesh faces, and press Enter.

Adjust options to get the selection you want.

Extract connected mesh faces options

Angle between

Sets the angle between mesh faces for selection.

A setting of 0 will give you all the mesh faces that are connected and planar with the face you select.

Sometimes planar meshes have a little noise in them, so a angle of 1 can help select planar faces.

Select Faces

Select two mesh faces to specify the angle you want.

Greater than

At angles greater than the Angle between value.

Less than

At angles less than the Angle between value.

Border only

Makes polylines out of the edges of the selected mesh faces instead of extracting them from the parent mesh object.

Edit Selection

Click to select a different mesh face.

ExtractDuplicateMeshFaces

The ExtractDuplicateMeshFaces command separates duplicated mesh faces from the parent mesh object.

Steps

Select mesh objects.

ExtractMeshPart

The ExtractMeshPart command extracts all mesh faces radiating out from the selected face to naked or unwelded edges in the parent mesh object.

Notes

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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.

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The MeshRepair command may be useful when tuning up meshes for STL/SLA printing.

Steps

Select a mesh object.

Hidden command-line option

To access hidden command-line options

Type a hyphen in front of the command name: -ExtractMeshPart.

ExtractToNonManifoldEdges

Adds non-manifold edges (edges common to three or more faces) to the selection criteria.