Combine
Table of contents:
Introduction
Dimensions
Group
Merge
Union
Let's talk about the Combine tool, previously known as Merge Objects. In other applications, similar functionality is commonly referred to as Combine, Join, Group, or Boolean Union. While the naming may vary, the purpose is similar: it provides a way to bring multiple objects together under a single operation, either for organization or geometric combination.
In SelfCAD, the Combine tool can be found in the Utilities section of the main Toolbar, below the divider. Unlike its earlier version, it now lists multiple combine options, allowing you to choose the method that best fits your workflow. You can select Group, which temporarily groups objects for easier management; Merge, which combines objects without merging their topology into a single mesh (most suited for combining profiles); or Union, which merges overlapping topology into one continuous mesh. In practice, this gives users flexible control when organizing assemblies, preparing files for export, or permanently fusing intersecting parts.
The Utilities category focuses on workflow efficiency and model organization rather than direct reshaping. Combine acts as a centralized hub for object management and geometric consolidation. In this article, we'll explore how to use the Combine tool effectively and choose the right combining method for your models.
Select the objects
The first step of using the majority of modeling tools is selecting the object or objects on which you want to use it. You can select them by either left-clicking on them in the workspace or by selecting them in the Object Management section, in the right-side panel. The second option has an in-built search engine, which is extremely useful when you are working with multiple objects.
Combine
Once the objects are selected, you can access the Combine tool by choosing it from the Utilities drop-down list in the main Toolbar or use a shortcut by pressing the 'U+O' combination on your keyboard. This way, you will open a Tool Setting Panel with all of the customizable options for this feature on the left-hand side of your screen.
Group
The Group option temporarily combines multiple objects into a single unit, allowing you to move and manage them together. The grouped objects can later be separated using the Ungroup option, making it useful for organizing parts without permanently merging them.
Merge
The Merge option is used to combine multiple profiles into a single object. It is especially useful when working with drawn or imported profiles that you want to treat as one continuous shape.
Cut Intersections
The Cut intersections option is available when merging profiles. It creates new vertices at the points where the edges of the selected profiles intersect, combining them into a continuous shape.
Union
The Union option combines intersecting objects into a single unified mesh while keeping the geometry clean. It removes internal geometry where the shapes overlap, deletes duplicate elements, and creates one seamless object from multiple parts.
And that’s about it for the Combine. After reading this article, you should know the basics of this tool and how to use it, and know about its different applications. Of course, the graphics shown here were just examples, and using this tool with different settings will give you slightly different effects, but its underlying principles will always stay the same.
That's all I have for you today. I wish you success in your future projects. See you, and stay tuned for more content to come!