Surfaces can be
altered for use in Boolean operations or for exportation to a CAD
package.
Convert surfaces into a
shell object
- Make sure the surfaces are all facing
outward.(See Change the orientation of surfaces for
more information.)
- Pick the surfaces you want to combine
into a shell. The surfaces must together define a closed space with
no gaps.
- Choose Surface Edit > Stitch > Shell Stitch .
The prompt line provides feedback on the result
of the operation. For example: “Created
2 shells with 0 boundaries (0 non-manifold).”
If
some boundaries are left open, small red arrows point to them.
NoteDepending
on how you set the options, a shell may not match the original surfaces
exactly. In this case, unstitching will not produce surfaces that
match the originals exactly either.
What if...?
- I can’t make a shell object because of gaps
between the surfaces?
-
- You can use the Align tool
to make the surface edges match exactly.
See Align, combine, or split objects
- You can change the tolerance governing
how close surface edges must be. In the option box, turn off Use
construction options and set the Tolerance value.
- I can’t stitch surfaces together again after
scaling them?
-
If you stitch an object,
then scale it, then unstitch it, you may not be able to re-stitch
the object. This is because the scaling operation can increase the
gaps between surfaces beyond the current tolerances.