Split Body with multiple surfaces

[workingmatt]

I have modelled a flower pot with spiral ridges on the outside. I would like to cut it into matching thirds so I can 3D print it much bigger as three (or more) identical pieces

I could easily cut the body with straight planes but that would leave an unsightly join mark across the outer spirals, so I want the join line to follow the spirals on the outside. I describe my approach to this in the screencast although I would add that the sprial projection was used with a sweep path along a line to the centre of the flowerpot from the midpoint of the sprial to create the curved surface for cutting. In total there are 6 surfaces I want to use to cut the body.

I have tried using Split Body using the surfaces. I also tried thickening the surfaces and using Combine Cut to seperate the body into three but ended up with one body with slots along the thickened surfaces. I was unable to make either of these work to end up with a third of the initial flower pot that I could print 3 times and glue together.

I have attached the f3d file.

Any suggestions?

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

Here is one approach.

1. separate the bottom, using Split Body, with the inside cylinder face.  Note that there is no allowance here for tolerance in the 3D print - you may have to deal with that
2. extend your surfaces by 1mm to make sure that they cleanly intersect the flowerpot
3. thicken each surface.  I chose .2mm, but that is up to you
4. use Combine to cut the main body

[wersy]

If you extend the surface you can splt the body.

[workingmatt]

Hi Jeff,

excellent solution and should print OK upsidedown with no supports. You're right that the thicken process is much better because you can add the 3D print tolerances needed.

[workingmatt]

Thanks Wersy,

extended the surfaces beyond the boundary of the body its splitting was the crux of my issue. I went with the other solution because Jeff went a few steps more to solve my problem - specifically cutting out the bottom first.

Thanks for your answer.