# How to make unwrapped drawing of a tube

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [August 15, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318 "2024-08-15T19:38:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![theJonan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/thejonan/32/27624_2.png) [@theJonan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/theJonan)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/1 "2024-08-15T19:38:18Z")

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Hi,

I have a model of a tube, with specific holes and assets on it, and I’d like to get a drawing of an unwrapped tube, i.e. - a flat view of the tube’s outer surface, so I can print it with 1:1 scale and wrap it around the real tube and make whatever I want.

The same goes with other bended bodies - their drawing always appears as a projection, not as an unwrapped surface of the whole piece. In general - it would be nice to have a drawing of a face.

How can I achieve this result now? Thank you!

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**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/2 "2024-08-16T23:13:28Z")

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Hello,  
3,1416 x diameter = length of unwrap tube  
the height is the same as your model

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**Author:** ![theJonan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/thejonan/32/27624_2.png) [@theJonan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/theJonan)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/3 "2024-08-17T20:01:10Z")

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Thanks - yes, I know the formula for the circumference of a circle.

The question is how can I project the tube onto a rectangle with one side - the length of the tube, and the other - π \* diameter of the tube, _with all the holes and elements on the tube, in the right places._

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/4 "2024-08-17T20:46:11Z")

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There is no wrapping/ unwrapping function in Shapr unfortunately. You can divide the tube into pie like sections and align them in just the right way to project to a plane or face. The smaller/more pie sections the more accurate the projection.

Similar to this (there are others by searching wrap cylinder) [Accurate method to wrap a sketch to a cylinder](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/accurate-method-to-wrap-a-sketch-to-a-cylinder/18024)

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**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 10:59am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/5 "2024-08-18T10:59:20Z")

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Hi,  
While waiting for this function to be added to Shapr, I am juggling with MoI3D and Shapr3D.  
Attached is the .shapr file and 2 screenshots.  
I create my sketch in Shapr and Export in DXF.  
In MoI3D,I extrude the cylinder and I use the tool \> Deform \> Flow to wrap the pattern  
I export it in DXF but you can choose an other format.  
In Shapr, I import in the project.  
Et voilà…

 ![screen2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/8/8/88340ba42db655911f8479d144d2c22de4cbf9e5.jpeg)  
 ![screen1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/9/0/90b4b921ab1c99c3570c8015e36013e2244348db.jpeg)  
[Wrapp&Unwrapp.shapr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/hhr6LD95YvH0yZSetrDeIuMsFsH.shapr) (70,2 Ko)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![theJonan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/thejonan/32/27624_2.png) [@theJonan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/theJonan)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/6 "2024-08-18T16:39:22Z")

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Many thanks, I’ll give it a try!

I hope the feature arrives soon - not only cylindrical objects, but any bended one that you’d like to laser cut, for example, relies on this feature.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![theJonan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/thejonan/32/27624_2.png) [@theJonan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/theJonan)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 3:40pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/7 "2024-08-27T15:40:55Z")

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Hi,

As I’ve attempted to try it - this procedure doesn’t seem to work for me. First of all - I don’t have a sketch which I’ve wrapped and I’d like to unwrap - if I did, I’d be using directly the sketch.

I have a body which is constructed with booleans, several sketches, etc. - I’d like to unwrap the outer surface of this body into a sketch which I’d be able to print, cut, etc.

I did downloaded Mol3D and gave it a try, importing the body (which went fine), but failed in my attempts to get an unwrapped surface out of the body.

Any other suggestions? Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Klaidas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Klaidas](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Klaidas)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/8 "2025-02-07T13:05:00Z")

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Did you find a solution? I have the same problem…

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**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:26pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/10 "2025-02-07T14:26:42Z")

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There is a tool I can recommend. It is used for paper tools, but basically its an unwrap tool.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/a/3/a3457a5e4baade976cbb60d8bc5c3432083f58d8.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/c/d/cd8b87bcd4bd13f715dcf37741c40914a20cf713.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/2/5/256a2f745f5590e7d45bab76e6cf03f730bef67d.jpeg)

> **[Unfolder - Create papercraft easily](https://www.unfolder.app/)**
>
> Unfolder is a 3D model unfolding tool for creating papercraft.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-make-unwrapped-drawing-of-a-tube/33318/11 "2025-02-07T14:48:05Z")

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If you need more accuracy you would need to use other cad tool, missing feature in Shapr

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/9/3/93959668de19766a1ac0b893d2cc3a90095691cd.png)