by Mark Kingsnorth·Modeling
Images © Mark Kingsnorth. Used for product review; image policy.
Zigzag Extrude stands out in the superhive library because it packs step count, cut depth, randomness and bevel controls into one extrusion add-on and pairs with Blender's Path Deform modifier for piping.
Zigzag Extrude is a Blender add-on for creating jagged extrusion effects on mesh faces. It's suited to piping, steps, ribbed patterns or more abstract results, and works on one or more selected faces at a time. You can also bend and move the extrusion.
The add-on gives you control over the number of steps and the depth and thickness of the cuts, so you can build a variety of effects. Adding randomness to the step thickness produces more varied results, while taper, transform and rotate options create bendable shapes that also work with Blender's proportional editing tools. Bevelling the insides and corners smooths the geometry into pipe-like forms.
Zigzag Extrude handles tris, quads or n-gon faces, and lets you extrude selected faces as a single region or each face individually. It can create pipes from different mesh shapes, such as circular edges, and pairs with Blender's Path Deform modifier for more intricate piping. It's compatible with Blender 2.83 through 5.2 and ships under the GPL license.
Zigzag Extrude is best for creating piping, steps, ribbed patterns and more abstract jagged extrusion effects on mesh faces in Blender.
Zigzag Extrude is completely free to download and use.
Zigzag Extrude lists compatibility with Blender versions 2.83 through 5.2 and is marked as Blender Extension compatible. It installs as an add-on under the GPL license. If you're running a version within that range, the add-on should load as expected. For the current supported range and any newer builds, check the developer's page on Superhive. The listing notes it was published over seven years ago while still covering a wide version span.
Zigzag Extrude works on tris, quads or n-gon faces, and it operates on one or more selected faces at a time. You can choose to extrude the selected faces as a single region or extrude each selected face individually, which changes how the jagged steps build up across the mesh. It also handles different mesh shapes, such as circular edges, when creating pipe-like forms, so you can apply the effect to varied geometry.
Zigzag Extrude can create pipes from different mesh shapes, such as circular edges, and lets you bevel the insides and corners for smoother pipe-like shapes. For more intricate piping, you can combine it with Blender's Path Deform modifier. You also control the number of steps along with the depth and thickness of the cuts, and can add randomness to the step thickness for varied results. Taper, transform and rotate options give bendable effects on top of that.
Zigzag Extrude is listed as free in this catalog, and it ships under the GPL license as a Blender add-on. Licensing and any bundle terms can change over time, so for the current details, including any Extrude Bundle offer, check Mark Kingsnorth's page on Superhive. A demo video is also available if you want a look at the add-on before installing it.
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