Panel Cutter - Non Destructive Panel Cuts (Blender)

VIDEO DEMO
This is a simple addon designed to non destructively automate the process of cutting procedural panel lines. This tool is a life saver for hard surface models such as cars, ships and aircraft. You can now dynamically assign panel cuts without having to commit to modeling it into the topology

HOW TO USE:

• Choose the set of edges where you want to create panel lines. Right-click to open the menu and select the "Panel Cutter" tool. By default, this tool will create basic panel cuts without support loops for subD.

• To add support loops you have 2 options:

1) Increase the bevel segments
2) Enable the subdivision checkbox which will subdivide your model but at the same time also add support loops.

• To add more edges to the panel lines, simply select the additional edges and run the tool again. To remove edges from the panel lines, select the edges and run the tool again, this time checking the "Remove Panel Lines" option.

• To add thickness to your panels simply tick the Solidify option. Users have full control over all relevant settings of the solidify.
• All the modifier options are available in the pop up panel each time the tool is run so you don't need to dig through the modifier stack to change settings.
• If you find some edges are not being cut correctly, try increasing the Mask Threshold slightly.
  
  LIMITATIONS:
• Recommended to use blender 4.1 or 4.2
• Due to this being built on vertex groups, bevel and mask modifiers, it means that if 2 panel lines are separated by 1 polygon, it will create undesired behavior. Panels lines should have at least TWO polygons between them.

  Note:
  If you are trying to install the .zip product file it will only work in blender 4.2 as it uses the new extension add-on format.
  If you are not using blender 4.2 and can't install an extension you can install the .py product file and that will work on 4.0/4.1/4.2 as a legacy add-on.