Rhino Squish

**Golden Bear** · #1 01-11-2011, 07:34 PM

I really don't know what prompts me to post this. Except that there are two or three people who might get some use out of it.

OK, in the past, there were only two ways to get layouts from your 3D model: Unroll and Smash. Unroll is easy and works on parts that are already 2D. Smash takes a lot of playing around with. Actually you need to smash U and then smash V and try to match corners and edges to get something to work.

For those of you w/o Rhino, and I have no idea why you might still be reading at this point, Smash was the only way to get surfaces curved in more than one axis to lay out.

Well, a couple months ago, Rhino released SQUISH. This is a MUST GET if you don't have it. Their recommendation is now to ignore Smash and use only Squish.

OK, but... Squish has its quirks. When you use it, you will discover that your corners (End to Rhino afficianados) doesn't work because somehow Squish breaks up edges into billions of bitty pieces and the corners are like stars. So what to do...

Here is my current solution. BEFORE Squishing, I mark the corners with points. Sometimes I put down lines (DupEdge) also. Then Squish - I have not found any of the options useful so far so just hit Enter - with the points included. OK. Now I can use the points to align the part and to help define the edges of the squished piece.

Dunno if this makes sense or helps but it took me awhile to figure it out...

Carl

**SJPONeill** · #2 01-11-2011, 08:17 PM

Carl, even to a Rhino numpty like myself, that all makes perfect sense...I don't use Rhino but I can see exactly where you're coming from and where you're going with this...

Simon

Zathros · #3 01-11-2011, 09:45 PM

That's really interesting. I have avoided "smash" like the plague because I kept finding I could usually do a work around by paying with 'Control Points and "Running Rails". This sounds interesting though. I have to admit, any suggestions from you concerning Rhino are not to be taken with a grain of salt. Your work speaks for itself.

I for one would heartily and eagerly be very interesting to any other ideas you may have to offer. Thanks!!

**Willja67** · #4 01-11-2011, 11:13 PM

Never have used the smash command, even though you mentioned it my Rhino mini tutorials thread. I should try it out. I guess i'm outa luck on squish since I don't have 4.0. Pitty would be fun to try out.

**once** · #5 01-12-2011, 01:19 AM

Thanks for posting this, which I'll look into. The alternative of course is to redo the non-developable part of your 3D into developable portions - of your choosing. Can you tell me why you opt for SQUISH.

**Lex** · #6 01-12-2011, 04:53 AM

I've kept with the tried and tested unroll command for all my time, but if I do get 4.0 I might go on trying the squish command... sounds fun! Thanks!

**strk** · #7 01-12-2011, 02:09 PM

I use Rh4 for three years and I found "squish" command rather useless. Although this feature sounds tempting for a papermodeler and designer, massive errors and deformations of "squished" elements (usually double-curved surfaces, i.e half-spheres etc) make it a doubtful tool. Correcting "squished" elements take too much time and effort.
In my works, I try to design virtual paper-model, not almost-like-real-thing 3D model. It means, that i.e bulbous elements (other double-curved surfaces) consist of a number of flat (or almost flat) surfaces, easy to unroll or smash with inconsiderable deformations. See my works on pr.903 strike ekranoplan Lun: radar domes are perfectly unrolled and glued w/o "sguish" command.

If unrolling returns errors - redesign unrolled surface.

Quote:

Originally Posted by once

Thanks for posting this, which I'll look into. The alternative of course is to redo the non-developable part of your 3D into developable portions - of your choosing. Can you tell me why you opt for SQUISH.

Zathros · #8 01-12-2011, 02:17 PM

It was interesting to Squish a truncated cone and compare it with the "uNRollDevelopableSurface" command. It takes a lot longer with squish, but you end up with virtually no lines on the part. I also did a regular cone with Squish, I have to try that again because it was definitely funky, interesting command. I think it is better for backward engineering than designing, as far as paper models go. I am going to try it for the nose piece of the craft I'm working on to compare results. I just read STRK's post and that was my gut feeling too, but who knows. I am glad they didn't charge for it.

Gotta love "Run 2 Rails", the essence of Rhino.

**Golden Bear** · #9 01-12-2011, 06:59 PM

OK, in the first place, this is not a thread for discussing your preferences of using Unroll, Smash or whatever.

THIS thread is about helping people who are trying to use Squish.

In the second place, I suspect that the fellow above criticisizing "Squish" is thinking of "Smash". Squish is a new command to replace Smash, as they say in the description.

To get Squish you need to go to the Rhino site and download it specially. It is in the Rhino Labs section:
labs:advancedflattening · McNeel Wiki

Squish is very, very good.

If you have other ways to do things, all well and good. Start your own thread. This one is about using Squish.

Carl

**once** · #10 01-12-2011, 08:13 PM

I had hoped your response to my question would have been a little more helpful to me in my approach to squish. No matter, I'm quite capable of checking it out for myself and reaching my own conclusion.