Unfold shell

Module(s): 3D Modeling + Bridge and Civil Engineering

You can use the Unfold Shell tool to interactively unfold a 3D solid.

To unfold a 3D solid

1. Click Unfold Shell (How).
   

   Activate Unfold Shell in one of the following ways

   • Menu bar: Create Bonus Tools 3D Modeling

   • Palette: Tools Create area in the following module(s):

   3D Modeling

   Bridge and Civil Engineering

2. Click a surface of the 3D solid to select the surface you want to use as the reference surface. It is a good idea to open multiple viewports so that you can select the surface in one of the isometric views, for example.
   When you point to the surface, it is displayed as a transparent area in the detection color set in the Options. You can select all visible surfaces.

   The selected surface is attached to the crosshairs.

3. Enter an angle of rotation in the dialog line, if necessary, and place the reference surface in plan.
   

   • Click the point.
   • Align to points using the linear snap function and click the point.
   • Define the point by making entries in the dialog line.

   Tip: To find out how to enter points in Allplan, see Precision Drawing.

   Tip: The shortcut menu and dialog line provide tools and options to assist you in the process of entering points. For more information, see Tools and Options.

4. Select the edges to which you want to attach the next surface to be unfolded one after the other. You can only select edges of which the adjoining surface has not been unfolded yet.
   When you point to an edge, a preview of the adjoining surface appears and the corresponding surface of the 3D solid is displayed in the detection color set in the Options. Here, too, it is a good idea to work with multiple viewports.

   Note: If you point to an edge of which the adjoining surface has already been unfolded, a corresponding symbol is displayed with the crosshairs and a message to this effect appears in the dialog line.

5. Press ESC when you have finished unfolding surfaces. When you have unfolded all surfaces of the 3D solid, the program displays an appropriate message and automatically quits the tool.
   

Notes:

• You cannot use this tool to unfold architectural elements. You first need to convert the architectural elements to 3D solids using the Convert Elements tool.
• The same applies to shell entities created in the Shell module; they cannot be unfolded using this tool. Copy the shell entity to a new, empty drawing file and delete all views and sections using Delete View/Section. As soon as you delete the last view, the shell entity is automatically converted to non-associative 3D elements, which can then be unfolded.