Mesh Unfolder

While most CAD (short for Computer Aided Design) apps out there come with 3D meshing capabilities, there is no doubt that unfolding and flattening models is quite a complex process, party thanks to the internal tensions from within any bent surface.

Designed specifically for sheet material manufacturers, Mesh Unfolder is a powerful yet lightweight tool that takes on the complicated process of transforming 3D formed surfaces into 2D unfolded and flattened patterns.

In other words, Mesh Unfolder actually reverses the process of material production (when inevitably, certain tensions in the surface occur) and by doing so, it helps you find the best results for flattening 2D patterns, with the least amount of internal tensions.

Getting down to real-world facts, Mesh Unfolder makes it possible for you to import DXF, STL, OBJ or STL from most CAD systems. After the 3D meshes are unfolded and the tensions reduced to a minimum, you can export the results to DXF formats and other CAD programs for further editing.

Considering that most people who use Mesh Unfolder already have a certain level of CAD knowledge, working with the application should not represent any struggle. Yes, you surely cannot overlook the fact that its interface is somewhat outdated and yes, users with large screen resolutions are prone to miss the buttons when trying to click them.

By now, it is quite clear that Mesh Unfolder is not designed to replace CAD applications that are generally more powerful, but instead it is developed to help you import models from the previously mentioned programs, transform 3D material surfaces into 2D patterns and then export them back.

What's more, it would not be exaggerated to consider Mesh Unfolder more than what it actually is, a powerful 3D unfolding tool, as the app can also be employed to convert certain CAD unsupported files.

For example, it can convert STL files directly to DXF, one of the most common formats that is largely supported by most CAD apps.