How can i procedurally model plant cells?

[ant]

Hi there,

I'm looking to 3D print objects that have structural surfaces to improve wall strength that are inspired by plant cells - like the image below. 

Any ideas about how to efficiently go about producing a mesh that I can export to STL without needing to be painstakingly build and/or repaired it? 

I would ideally like to find a procedural process to save time and make variations. Looking at Script Spot i found the amazing http://www.automodeller.com/ So i can make flat geometry and then project it onto a curved surface for etc. but I'm still struggling to think of a decent way to build the cell walls as a single mesh object, or hundreds or thousands of individual meshes pushing up against each other like the image.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Anthony

[rendermaster · Accepted solution]

try procedural topology located at Ribbon panel

[ant]

Thanks for the tip, looks like a great suggestion after a quick YouTube
glance. I'll have a play and see how I get on.

Cheers!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @ant,

I am going to agree with @rendermaster, this is likely your best option.  You could then do an inset and after press delete which will delete the new faces and leave the old.  The practical upshot of this is your new mesh is all quads and easy to work with.  Then take the resulting mesh and put a shell on it to make it 3D instead of planar.  (Nice and compartimentalized.)  If you are bending it into shape, experiment with the bend and shell modifier placement in the stack to find the look you want.  

Or, if you need to conform it to another organic shape, do that first with the conform tools in the ribbon, then do the above.  Should work out well for you.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Best Regards,

[ant]

Hi Rendermaster,

I first viewed your reply in my phone and didn't see the visual. Thank you, this is great and will work nicely.

Cheers.

Ant

[ant]

Hi Alfred,

Bang on, thank you! Found some interesting workflows on you tube too. 

Many thanks,

Anthony