In the Mesh Split/Fuse section, there are tools for separating and combining meshes in various ways. These tools are also accessible from the Mesh dialog.
Fuse mesh / Split meshes
The Split Mesh tool can be used for separating meshes that are often grouped together. For example, you may want to separate a wheel from a chair to make other objects mobile. This gives you more freedom to manipulate the meshes as you wish.
To join the meshes back together again, use the Fuse meshes tool.
When using the Split mesh tool, it may be difficult to select the desired mesh. Therefore, an input box with the option Lock target is displayed. When you have selected the desired mesh, you can quickly check the Lock target box by pressing the Space key. This will prevent the selected mesh from being accidentally deselected when you perform the split operation.
To split and fuse meshes, follow these steps:
- Click the Make editable button and the click the component that you wish to modify. The component turns yellow and is now editable.
- Click anywhere in the drawing area to deselect the component.
- Make sure that the Single mesh select button is selected.
- Click the Split mesh tool and move the cursor to the drawing area. In the input box, you can choose to split on Piece, Surface, or the X/Y/Z planes.
- Click the mesh you want to split, in our example below - each wheel, the caster, and stem. Selected meshes turn green.
- After the split, each mesh can be selected and manipulated separately,
- When you are done, press the Esc key on your keyboard or move the mouse pointer outside the drawing area to release the Split mesh tool.
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To fuse meshes into one unit again, press the Ctrl key and click each mesh that you want to fuse from the Mesh Dialog. Click on the selected objects in the 3D view. Click Fuse meshes. The meshes are fused into one unit.
The Fuse tool can only be used on meshes belonging to the same component.
Group / Ungroup
If you want to group several meshes within one component, you need to use the Group tool to create a unit, called a "Node". When you want to separate the meshes again, use the Ungroup tool. Grouping is different from Fusing because when meshes are grouped, they are still individual meshes that can be selected separately, though they function as a group. Fusing makes all selected meshes one mesh.
To group and ungroup meshes, follow these steps:
- Click the Make editable button and the click the object that you wish to modify. The object is now editable.
- Make sure that the Single mesh select button is selected. Meshes will appear blue in Single mesh select mode. Selected single meshes turn orange. Open the Mesh Dialog by clicking the button.
- In the Mesh dialog, hold the Ctrl key and click to select the meshes you want to group. The main selected mesh will appear orange, additional meshes selected appear yellow.
- In the Mesh Dialog, click the Group button OR
- Click on one of the selected meshes in the 3D View. The Group button activates. Click the Group button. In the Mesh dialog, the grouped meshes show as "Node (grouped)".
- To ungroup meshes again, select the group and then click the Ungroup button. The Ungrouped meshes will be listed under a single Node.
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