by KushiroCG·Modeling
Images © KushiroCG. Used for product review; image policy.
Simple Bend Ex stands out in the superhive library for handling meshes at any orientation, including rotated and non-global-axis geometry the original Simple Bend struggled with. It's a GPL-licensed add-on covering Blender 2.83 through 5.1.
Simple Bend Ex is the enhanced version of Simple Bend, built to bend mesh geometry in Blender. You select the faces that make up the bend area, run the tool, then adjust the bend angle and other settings from the lower-left menu. It works on complex meshes and tries to detect the correct bending axis from the geometry.
The add-on works on any orientation, including rotated meshes and non-global axes, so a pipe mesh can be bent as it was extruded. If the detected axis is wrong, you can override it with the global X, Y or Z axis. You can enlarge the length of the bending area to avoid self-overlapping, shift the bending location along the axis, and use the full-width Single Side Bend option. A built-in Slicing function bends the mesh with auto slicing along the axis.
To use it, enter Edit mode, switch to Face mode, select the faces, right-click in the viewport, and choose Simple Bend Ex from the context menu.
Simple Bend Ex is best for blender artists who need to bend mesh geometry, including complex or rotated meshes not aligned to the global axes.
Simple Bend Ex is completely free to download and use.
Simple Bend Ex supports Blender 2.83 through 5.1 and is listed as Blender Extension compatible. It's distributed as an add-on and marked as a Blender Dev Fund contributor. The wide version range means it covers a long span of Blender releases, from older builds up to recent ones. For the exact install steps and any version-specific notes, it's best to check the developer's page before adding it to your setup.
Simple Bend Ex is used from Blender's Edit mode. Switch to Face mode, select the faces that form the bend area, then right-click in the 3D viewport and choose Simple Bend Ex from the context menu. After running it, open the settings menu from the lower-left of the viewport to adjust the bend angle and other options. Running the tool without selecting any faces resets all the settings back to their default values.
Simple Bend Ex can handle any orientation, including meshes that aren't aligned to the global X, Y or Z axes. It tries to detect the correct bending axis from the geometry, so a pipe mesh can be bent as it was extruded even when rotated. If the detected axis isn't right, you can override it using the global X, Y or Z axis. This is where it improves on the original Simple Bend, which was limited on rotated meshes.
Simple Bend Ex includes a built-in Slicing function that bends the mesh with auto slicing along the axis. You can select any mesh, set the slicing count, then bend. Slicing is enabled by default and can be disabled with a checkbox. There's also a Slicing merge option to merge vertices. These options were redesigned and unified across the version updates so they work together with the bending controls.
Simple Bend Ex is listed as free in this catalog and carries a GPL license. Licensing terms and any purchase options can change over time, so for the most current details it's best to check the developer's page directly. The add-on is also marked as a Blender Dev Fund contributor. GPL is an open-source license, and beyond that no specific pricing figures are stated here.
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