Not sure it’s already possible to do something like this or if there’s a workflow I could follow to make it easier.
Essentially, I would like to be able to wrap an existing body around another body. Not a sketch or a sketch projection. A simple example would be if I had an extruded rectangle and an extruded cylinder. I would like to be able to wrap the rectangle around the cylinder (think like a slap braclet slaps onto a wrist)
Now this example is easy enough with simple objects like this with sketches etc but if you have a complex mechanism with many parts that can get messy quickly. Does anyone know if theres a way to do something like this? Or if something like this would even be possible to implement as a feature?
Thanks
You could place the rectangle on the cylinder and subtract the cylinder from it.
I will give you a method based on constraints and dealing with multiple bodies but for the best accuracy to your exact question, could you define the term “wrap”; a single body that has taken the shape of the main body eg. A label wrapped around a complex container. or are you looking to extrude a flat shape and then make it contour around a shape…? for this I would say that would be nearly impossible with direct modelling and even very difficult for parametric modelling.
Now onto a possible solution…
#1
I understand you do not want to do this with sketches or projects so instead we will use the shell tool this allows us to overcome 1 of the problems for a single body, a better example than I can write out can be found in this short video.
#2 For multiple bodies
Using the align tool will only take your existing bodies and move them to a selected place so that doesn’t help you as much…
trying to use the select and transform tool might work for simple parts but will kind of distort the part.
Then we will have to sadly make a new sketch but use the constraints of the original body we are trying to wrap around the form of the complex body simulating the interaction of parts as they would move around the form and then create new parts and probably use off set sketch tool and match the thickness of the original form we are trying to wrap.
This request is asking a lot of the software to solve a lot of the geometry for you and a little backward thinking when creating a model as this seems to be trying to create a simulation of a non-solid non-using solid bodies.
If we change the thought process from “take part or parts → wrap around the body” to “build the part or parts around the body → build the flat model of body or multiple parts using this wrapped part as reference” it will make the design process more streamlined and possible to achieve your result.
of course, with 3D modelling there are 100 ways to do the same thing and this is only 2 ways but, I hope this helps you with future projects in the future.
Cheers and happy modeling!!
4 Likes
Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful response!
That first video is actually pretty interesting. I’ve done some similar workflows to that in the past but not that exact same one. I will definitely have to keep that in mind as in the right situation it could be easer that the workflow im using right now with sketches and essentially cutting the bodies to create the wrapped shape.
It’s true, it is asking a lot of the software. In your mind its simple but I can understand how in software there are alot of assumptions your mind makes that the software can’t so maybe I am asking to much.
For the time being I am creating the mechanisms flat then creating sketches for the rounded objects and cutting the flat body to “shape” them. It works well enough and with your first suggestion I might be able to cut down on some of that.
1 Like
Your welcome!
if you have any further questions or something more specific send a screenshot of the issue and I would be more than happy to help! 
once the parametric modelling updates come out I can help you create a dynamic sketch that can help follow more complex situations and update automatically for you!
Hello,
Completely agree with the community. A Wrap/Flow function is sorely missing. Project is not powerful enough to do the job. Flow is really useful for quickly deforming a body. I use it a lot for patterns and engravings/reliefs. At present I work professionally with MoI 3D and this function is implemented. I find Shapr 3D excellent and I would be ready to buy it but I lack this function to be 100% operational.
We find it among all the competitors: Rhino, MoI, Onshape, etc…
Thanks.
In attachment, simple flow exemples
1 Like
Looks like Mol is suitable for content creation, how about 3D printing? Machining?
