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Boolean 3d operations

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Project Blog by blinky465 Cult of Games Member

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About the Project

I don't know how to upload photos in the messaging system, so created this to explain to interested parties about simple "boolean operations" in 3d software (in this case Blender)

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Ok, so it's not really a project

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After swapping long, detailed, prose-filled messages with another member, I thought I’d post some pictures to better explain the simple boolean logic used by 3d software (Blender).

I recently used it in my Castle Greenskull project, to create a void for a servo to fit inside one of the turrets.

Here’s how simple boolean logic works in Blender:

 

Take two shapes....Take two shapes....
Create an overlapCreate an overlap
Select the object you want to keep (remove material from)Select the object you want to keep (remove material from)
Apply the boolean Apply the boolean "difference" and select the shape to remove

So far so obvious – to subtract one shape from another, we need a shape to subtract from and a shape to use as a template for the subtraction. But when we apply the boolean operation something happens….

Ok, so it's not really a project

The result looks as expected – a cube with a cylinder removed from it. But this isn’t a “true” boolean result. Blender has actually created some additional faces…

Ok, so it's not really a project

The above mesh has been added to the void where to two shapes previous met. A  “true” boolean operation – take one model and remove where this other set of faces intersect the existing faces – would probably look more like this:

Ok, so it's not really a project

But in applying the operation, Blender has created the additional faces.

Which is really handy for 3d printing!

Hope this helps….

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