by hodgson3d·Modeling
Images © hodgson3d. Used for product review; image policy.
Because it is built on vertex groups, bevel and mask modifiers, panel lines separated by a single polygon cause undesired behavior. Keep at least two polygons between panel lines.
Panel Cutter is a Blender add-on for cutting procedural panel lines into hard surface models without altering the underlying topology. Built on vertex groups, bevel and mask modifiers, it lets you assign panel cuts dynamically rather than modeling them into the mesh, which suits subjects such as cars, ships and aircraft.
To use it, select the set of edges where you want panel lines, right-click to open the menu and choose the Panel Cutter tool. By default it creates basic panel cuts without support loops for SubD. Support loops can be added either by increasing the bevel segments to 4 or by enabling the subdivision checkbox, which subdivides the model and adds support loops at the same time. Running the tool again on additional edges extends the panel lines, and checking the Remove Panel Lines option removes edges from them.
Thickness can be added to panels with the Solidify option, with full control over the relevant Solidify settings. All modifier options appear in the pop-up panel each time the tool is run, so settings can be changed without navigating the modifier stack.
Panel Cutter - Non Destructive Panel Cuts (Subd Ready) is best for hard surface modelers working on cars, ships and aircraft who want to assign panel lines without modeling them into the topology.
Panel Cutter - Non Destructive Panel Cuts (Subd Ready) is completely free to download and use.
Panel Cutter lists compatibility with Blender versions 4.2 through 5.1 and is published as a Blender Extension add-on. It is provided as an add-on extension type, so it installs and runs within Blender itself. If you are on a supported version in that range, the tool becomes available through the right-click menu on selected edges. Check the developer's page for the latest compatibility details before installing on a newer or in-development Blender release.
Panel Cutter works from an edge selection. Choose the set of edges where you want the panel lines, right-click to open the menu, and select the Panel Cutter tool. By default it creates basic panel cuts without support loops for SubD. To extend the lines, select additional edges and run the tool again. To remove edges from existing panel lines, select them and run the tool again with the Remove Panel Lines option checked.
Panel Cutter is built on vertex groups, bevel and mask modifiers, so two panel lines separated by a single polygon will create undesired behavior. Panel lines should have at least two polygons between them to avoid this. If you find some polygons being hidden or not cut correctly, try increasing the Mask Threshold slightly. These adjustments are available in the pop-up panel that appears each time the tool is run.
Panel Cutter is listed as free in this catalog and is distributed under the GPL license as a Blender add-on. Licensing terms can change over time, so check the developer's page for the current details before you rely on any particular arrangement. A video demo is also available if you want to see how the tool is set up and used before adding it to your Blender workflow.
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