# Hexagonal tiling on 3D surface?

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/hexagonal-tiling-on-3d-surface/159606>\
**Category:** Grasshopper\
**Tags:** mac\
**Created:** [May 9, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/hexagonal-tiling-on-3d-surface/159606 "2023-05-09T15:03:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![laurent\_delrieu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/laurent_delrieu/32/601605_2.png) [@laurent\_delrieu](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/laurent_delrieu)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/hexagonal-tiling-on-3d-surface/159606/2 "2023-05-09T20:43:13Z")

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Hello  
I have something that worked for some project but not well here. You’ll need Nautilus plugin, not really mandatory but helps.  
First you need nice hexagons. I had some problems with this problem and on this link you’ll find some other tools.

> [@Hexagons on surface : Is there a tool that outputs nice hexagons?](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/hexagons-on-surface-is-there-a-tool-that-outputs-nice-hexagons/155940):
>
> Dear community I tried some plugins to put hexagons on a surface with a seam. I tried lunchbox, ngon. I didn’t try Paneling tool. These tools have problems or the seams (lunchbox, or too much points (polyline with 9 points for ngon plugin), not hexagons at the ends, or too much distorsion … As I need quite nice hexagons I developed a little tool 2 hours work). You just have to put the number of hexagons on a ring and say where is the seam (U or V). Did I miss an existing tool ? M…

and here my tool

> [@Nautilus plugin](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/nautilus-plugin/152425/24):
>
> And now on 0.5 version a tool to make hexagons on a surface with seams, like a revolved one a tube, a pipe, … You just have to give a surface, a number of ring and to specify the orientation It will gives quite regular hexagons/polylines with 7 points. Look at this discussion to have more tools and tricks

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/d/a/e/daed1423c800563ceb1bf75a1956ee6c23e8e77c.jpeg)

Secondly to morph I use @DanielPiker tool MeshCageMorph2

> [@Cage edit command that can adapt to any form automatically](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/cage-edit-command-that-can-adapt-to-any-form-automatically/103015/41):
>
> Here’s a version that should work with any geometry - Breps, trimmed surfaces etc. [MeshCageMorpher.gha](https://discourse.mcneel.com/uploads/short-url/fPLzRhOqhMax1c94tP7tq7ftccP.gha) (11.5 KB) [morphdemo.gh](https://discourse.mcneel.com/uploads/short-url/onFU03QleAjyyzgIqYvdV7zfbOj.gh) (138.8 KB) Because Space Morphs of NURBS objects don’t always end up with the same number of control points as they started with, it’s not possible to precompute the weights like it is with the point version, so it will be slower. If morphing Breps, you might find it helps to mesh them and use the mesh for previewing changes while setting up the morph, and only replace…

So first draw an hexagon above your tile, that is not centered and doesn’t seem to hexagonal from above. Then plug my component MeshCage

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/e/0/3/e0337bda137ed22917c260c7234b97b7efbae70e.jpeg)  
It will make a mesh cage that will be used by mesh cage morph

Plug another mesh cage to the hexagons on your surface.  
…

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/b/4/e/b4e4b121eff6dace3b5f7b7fe285597bcd3dcd9b.jpeg)

At the moment my cage is not too divided because it was enough.

And at the end doing this 3 times, random choosing a tile among 3 tiles. Doing Truchet

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/4/0/9/40990cafb494c273a82a42a9446c4fc5bd01d4d5.jpeg)  
[hexTiles3D.gh](https://discourse.mcneel.com/uploads/short-url/kD2jTzMC3nQrHwDmXZStNZU4C4T.gh) (97.0 KB)

That must be better but Crap In Crap Out

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/e/6/f/e6f8cec0aca939260ed5fad11c55387855b0b97c.png)

I must work with the brep but for some reason MeshCageMorph doesn’t work or it is too long

And here a version with less components

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/d/e/1/de1223191903247222298f7abcbf8d7be943f325.jpeg)  
[hexTiles3D\_LD2.gh](https://discourse.mcneel.com/uploads/short-url/4FBnztcBgS6TnWtl4koXzZESCV6.gh) (94.5 KB)

Old discussions on this subject

> [@Low relief tile surface?](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/low-relief-tile-surface/158237):
>
> Hi Folks, I’m trying to make a truchet title like the one attached. I can work it out in rhino but am struggling to wrap my head around how to make the surface appear smooth in Grasshopper. How would you approach a design like this? I’ve tried sweeping the edge profiles along the arcs and then unioning the pieces, but that leaves “creases” where the sweeps overlap. Thanks for your suggestions!

> [@Hexagon Truchet tiles part 2](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/hexagon-truchet-tiles-part-2/158442/3):
>
> It has a kinky(?) surface. Don’t have time to solve this. Hope anybody finds a solution.

And non random Truchet

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/3/f/e/3fe691d3ab27d64e04c83c720d3a3937b4c819fd.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/6/f/6/6f6df9878ae09411af0d05f915b1d3c2fbac3124.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/d/3/b/d3b218f307b179acb118a043bbcac3047fa6dd08.jpeg)

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