Rotate around edge without deforming

[skaltura]

I don't have much experience using 3DSMax, and I was wondering if it's possible to rotate a selected polygon around it's edge without deforming the rest of the object.

Just like you would fold over the corner of a piece of paper for example.

I attached a drawing to make it a little bit more clear (hopefully)...

I want to rotate the gray piece (4), using the dotted yellow edge as a hinge or fold line, but without deforming the other pieces.

I tried making separate plates and moving the pivot points, but then it rotates X, Y or Z, and not around the edge.

And as a total object and selected poly, the same problem.

Thank you in advanced for your help.

[miledrizk · Accepted solution]

Hi,

1- Select the Polygon and in the Edit Polygon rollout click the

Settings button for the Hinge From Edge button

2- In the dialog click the Pick Hinge button and choose your edge, then set the angle to your liking,

In the image below I made it 90

3- Finally, delete the unnecessary polygons.

[skaltura]

That will be very time consuming for the project I'm working on, having to delete all the unnecessary polygons...

But it does what I need it to do, so thank you very much 👍👍

[rterry]

I think your initial thought/attempt should work.  Try creating "polygon #4" by shift-dragging the #3 polygon down with vertex or edge snaps on so it is directly in line with "polygon #3" but choose "clone to object" when the dialog pops up.  This creates separate piece of geometry. Now, with new piece of geometry (#4) selected, under the 'Hierarchy' tab, choose affect pivot only and snap the pivot to the corner/center of the edge that is adjacent to #3.  Select 'Use Pivot Point Center" and rotate to desired angle.  Then you can then attach #4 to original geometry. 

[10DSpace]

@skaltura 

That will be very time consuming for the project I'm working on, having to delete all the unnecessary polygons...

An alternative which will save you from deleting extra polygons is to :

1. With the polygon selected, right click and choose Place Pivot Surface.

2. You then can place the pivot along the edge you want to rotate around.  Then click OK.  This creates a temporary working pivot and takes you out of subobject mode.

3. Go back into subobject mode select the polygon you want to rotate and (with Select and Rotate enabled) rotate as you wish.  You can enable angle snap toggle if you want to limit rotation. 

This will not create extra polygons.  When you are done, you can go back to Local or any other reference Coordinate system for modeling as usual.  When you are ready for another bend, repeat steps 1 - 3.  

Note, that you may have to further tweak the orientation of the working pivot depending the orientation of your model in world space.  To do this, you select "Edit working Pivot" from the Heirarchy tab which let's you place an rotate the pivot where you want.  Enabling Snaps toggle [S] with Edge segment and Midpoint selected would be helpful in what you are doing. 

This is just another workflow that may work better for you in certain circumstances.   Best to know both options. 

[miledrizk]

The working pivot is, for sure, the way to go when the edges to rotate about are aligned

With the home grid axes, or they have a known angle(with no infinite decimals)

But when you have a case like in the screenshot, it's hard to align precisely the Pivot point,

Especially that you cannot use the Snap feature with the Rotate tool, at least for the version

I'm still using: 3DS max 2018.

[10DSpace]

@miledrizk 

Yes, I think we are in agreement  that each workflow has it's pros and cons and best use cases.