How to use Split Face command with a complex mesh

[samgaddis]

I am trying to produce a piece that uses stacked slices of plywood to resemble a human head. I originally went down the path of using Autodesk Slicer but ran into a host of issues with that program (inaccurate dowel holes, randomly added sketch geometry, etc). 

So now I'm reverting to a method I've used previously in which I pattern surfaces across the object I want to resemble. Then I split those surfaces using the model, delete the portion I don't want, and thicken the surfaces to reflect the thickness of the plywood. This has worked well in the past with simple bodies modeled in Fusion, but now I'm trying to use a more complex shape that comes in the form of a mesh file. And apparently you can't split faces with a mesh object. 

I tried converting the mesh to BREP but Fusion threw an error saying that body was too complex to convert. Someone on another forum suggested accomplishing this in MeshMixer, which I downloaded, but it's unclear to me what to do next. Any ideas? 

I've attached the file with the un-split patterned surfaces (with a lowered opacity) as well as an image showing a prior, more simple "stacked slice" style artwork that demonstrates what I'm going for. 

[TheCADWhisperer]

---

@samgaddis wrote:

... but now I'm trying to use a more complex shape that comes in the form of a mesh file.

I tried converting the mesh to BREP but Fusion threw an error saying that body was too complex to convert. .... 

---

Can you Attach the original file here?

[samgaddis]

Of course. Not sure which format to send so attaching Fusion and OBJ types. OBJ type won't post for some reason, so here's a Dropbox link for that: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b4uqoump4djb07e/headOBJ.obj?dl=0

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

Unless you love to suffer through endless experimentation and ultimately subpar results yo have two avenues.

1 . Use Autodesk Mesh mixer to work with meshes. Fusion 360 is a CAD system and as such it mostly works with BRep and NURBS surfaces, not meshes.

@Anonymous is an expert in that area.

2. You convert that head into a quad-mesh and import that into Fusion 360. There you can convert it into a T-Spline and then surface or solid. Once that is done you can work with most Fusion 360 tools in the model environment.

This tutorial is one of mine and should provide you with the necessary pointers to convert this mesh into a smooth surface.

[Anonymous]

Thanks TrippyLighting...

@samgaddis : If  you want to use Meshmixer:

Here's a thread in the Meshmixer forum of how to slice a mesh with registration dowels.

And here's (5th message) a script + screencast automating this workflow (You would need to setup mmApi to run or compile it).

[Anonymous]

Slept over it:

In Fusion you may CreateMeshSections (SKETCH>Mesh>CreateMeshSection)

Then do SKETCH>Mesh>FitCurvesToMeshSection with its CurveType at ClosedSpline on each of the orange sections.

Accepting this tool will not show visual changes but these closed splines can be extruded...