Reduce number of panel units for mapping double-curved surface

Here is the root of the problem here is a mathematical limitation that makes a strict solution impossible.

Mathematically a solution that cannot do all of these all at the same time:

  1. Grid any double curved surface
  2. Have specific sized Quads
  3. All Quads that match corner to corner
  4. Require Quads that are planar

So to find a solution, one or more of these requirements needs to change. And there are many many ways that this can be done.

For instance, there are only a few specific shapes that can be gridded with the last 3 requirements above. If the shape is a section of a torus for instance. That is a known solution. There are other shapes, but they are limited.

Getting specific sized quads can be done. Using UV spacing to do this is a very poor way of getting this. Using a more flexible method of gridding will help here. Panelingtools can help here. Of course this may lead to issues as what to do with leftover space or grid panels that meet the edges with overlap etc…

Quads that meet corner to corner. This may or may not be a requirement. Many time the facade system does allow for some adjustment from panel to panel. That may be deep mullions. Or perhaps visual breaks in the horizontal segmentation. So one strip of panels is slightly offset to the next. Then only the horizontal strips need to solved.

How planar panels need to be? Can a mullion systems allow some floating of planar panels within them? Or if the corner panel is allowed to come off the surface just a bit? This effectively changes the shape locally to allow panels to be planar.

So, where can the solution have some level of tolerance or flexibility to get a solution that works? PanelingTools has construction tools to address each one of these issues. But understanding where there is some flexibility is important.

Can you attach the surface you are working on? Perhaps working on the same model might make this easier.

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