How to Remove Rounded, Wrapped Text From a 3D Mesh in SelfCAD
Removing text from a 3D mesh isn’t as simple as deleting a layer in a 2D graphic editor. The difficulty largely depends on how the text was added to the design. If the text is a separate object, it can usually be deselected or deleted without much trouble. However, if the text has been merged into the mesh’s geometry, a common practice when preparing files for 3D printing or sharing, it becomes an integral part of the object, making the removal process more complex.
SelfCAD makes removing rounded or wrapped text easy with its user-friendly interface and flexible tools. Unlike more complicated 3D design programs, SelfCAD strikes a perfect balance between powerful features and simplicity, making it suitable for designers of all experience levels. In this section, we are looking at how you can use various tools to remove the text.
We want to remove the text that is on the candy:
There are two ways which you can use to remove the text.
Method 1
The first method is by activating the Polygon Selection from the selection tools on the right side panel. Open more settings of the selection by clicking on the gear icon. Set the Tolerance to 5:
Then manually select the texts parts as shown:
Then click delete and you would have removed the text successfully. You can then use the Fill Polygon Tool to fill the spaces left by the text removed. However, this process of selecting the texts manually is tedious and takes time. That is why the second method is easier.
Method 2
Set the Tolerance to 5 again. Click the top to select it as shown:
Then click to activate the Inverse Selection tool:
The Inverse selection selects everything else except the selected top:
Then turn the Wireframe mode (X-ray mode) on:
Hold on the Control key and do the marquee selection:
Holding down the control key does the deselection instead of selection. When the wireframe mode is on, everything is selected including the back sides. Set the rendering mode back to Solid mode and you see that it is only the text which has been selected:
Click delete and you have removed the text successfully:
You have been left with the empty spaces only:
To fill these spaces, select Fill Polygon tool from the Tools category:
Tick the check mark to finalize the fill polygon:
You have successfully removed the text.
Removing text from a 3D mesh can be tricky, especially if the text is merged with the design. It can be hard to separate the text without damaging other parts of the model, which may leave holes or uneven areas that need fixing.
SelfCAD is a great tool for handling these challenges and removing text from 3D meshes. It has a simple interface and useful tools like the Selection Tool and Mesh Tools that make it easy to pick and edit parts of your design. After creating your design, you can use the in-built online slicer of SelfCAD to slice your files and generate the G-code to send to your 3D printer. The video below shows how to slice STL files in SelfCAD.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
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