Plating Generator And Greebles

by Mark Kingsnorth in Addons

What is the Plating Generator?


The Plating Generator is a Blender add-on for 3DModelers and Concept Artists that adds paneling patterns and can add multiple objects onto flat or curved mesh surfaces. It uses specially designed algorithms to generate different patterns from selected faces.

Features:

  • Generate a panel lines or scatter smaller objects using a random seed.
  • Use on flat or curved surfaces of faces.
  • Choose from a range of completely customizable plating patterns.
  • Save, re-use and share your own pre-set configurations, or choose from a variety of pre-bundled ones to get you started. 
  • Create your own greeble objects libraries or choose from the standard default library.
  • The objects can either be created and edited separately or integrated into the base object.
  • Go back and change the patterns and greebles from a fixed control panel at any time when they are created as separate objects.
  • Create from a whole quad based mesh or on a sub selection of quad faces.
  • Control the depth of the grooves, heights of the panels, thickness of the grooves, make corners rounded, and add bevel effects.
  • Add your own materials and vary panel color through vertex colors.
  • Greebles can either be overlapping or non-overlapping.
  • Greebles can either conform to the shape of the face or maintain their proportions.
  • Option to completely remove the grooves and leave the plates intact.

Latest! Blender 4.0 Modifiers and Tools

The latest update introduces modifiers which have greater performance. 

See the Blender 4.0 update video:


Previous Modifiers video with some tips and tricks:

Warning!

Performance with the python core add-on decreases with higher face counts, for example on a 64x128 sphere. The latest modifiers can operate at higher face counts depending on your machine.

Examples


The Plating Generator added to a sci fi ship (Model Supplied)


Plating Generator added to a Sci Fi Space Station (Model Supplied)

Spaceship based on a design by Paul Chadeisson (Model Supplied).


Versatile for a range of sci fi scenes (Model Supplied)

Version 2.0 now available with sample files

Build your own customizable panels with the Levels feature. Deep Dive Video.

The Plating Generator being used on the Dynamic Jet


Featured Greeble Library

(Contact me via Blender Market if you have a library you'd like to share!)

Greebles pack for Plating Generator addon (Sold Separately) - SolCommand

The collection contains 271 3D meshes that you can use to spread across the walls and hulls of your spaceships, stations, futuristic cities and other projects you may have, in order to quickly make them look much more detailed and complicated in your final renders.

Greeble Pack by SolCommand

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New Releases

Version 2.1: Modifiers and Geometry Nodes

The latest version of the Plating Generator now comes with the ability to add modifiers to an object to create extruded paneling effects.  As well as fitting in with the rest of Blender’s modifier stack allowing you to go back and change parameters, these reusable modifiers are fast because they use Geometry Nodes behind the scenes.  See the video about the new feature and read the documentation.

Version 2.0 Officially Released!

See the overview video here:


Version 2.0 Beta - You (Can) Redo

This is a significant update to the add-on which introduces a re-useable fixed panel so you can go back and change your panelling whenever you wish.  See this overview video:


Version 1.30.0 - Greeble Libraries

You can now create your own greeble libraries that can be loaded into Blender. You could even sell them on Blender Market if you wish.


The update also comes with some example libraries and a user interface overhaul so that you can manage your greebles in a much more interactive way.

There is also a new Create New Object menu item which allows you to create the greebles separately from the main mesh, so that it won't change your original object.

Version 1.26.0 - Create Plates Separately

Make your plating less destructive by using a new menu option which allows you to create plates separately from the main mesh:

Select Generate Plates (Create New Object) in the menu to get this effect:

Applying this will create a new object, called plating.

Version 1.25.0 - Materials!

Assign custom materials to the plates and grooves. See the documentation for more details:

Version 1.24.0 - Blender 2.9 ready

This version will now be compatible with Blender 2.9 and backwards compatible with Blender 2.83.  Do contact me if you have any questions.

Version 1.23.0

The latest version provides you with the option to subdivide the faces at the same time as adding the plating effect. This is done by changing the 'Subdivisions' settings under the "Plating Pattern" section:

Version 1.22.0

  • I have added a new plating pattern variation which introduces triangular edges to generated plates which can add a different optional style.  I have also added this to the Animation Nodes feature.
  • Fixed a bug identified by Juris Perkons where the add-on was erroring the second time you used the add-on in face edit mode.

Version 1.20.0

Some major new features released:

  • Non overlapping greeble mode!
  • Maintain the original proportions of a greeble.
  • The materials and UVs of a custom greeble will be copied over.
  • Height and material overrides for each greeble type.
  • Customise the direction of each greeble (good for forests!)

See the documentation for more details!



Version 1.11.0: - Animation*!

* The Plating Generator's newer Modifiers and Tools in Blender 4+ is now used instead of this feature as they can be animated too.

Animation with Animation Nodes


There is now an additional feature that will allow you to use the Plating and Greebles Generator as an add-on in the freely available Animation Nodes Blender framework.

This will allow you to do the following key things:

  • Animate all the parameters for generating a plating and greeble effect.
  • Dynamically configure the parameters in realtime without losing the configuration.

I have included a zip file in the downloads section that contains a set of sample .blend files showcasing this feature, including the Death Star trench!

I now have similar functionality in the Shape Generator add-on that will allow you create even more complex objects:

Version 1.10.0: Blender 2.8 beta

I have now upgraded the add-on for 2.8 beta and put it ready for download alongside the 2.7 version. You will be able to tell the 2.8 zip file version because it ends in 2.8!  I'll be updating the documentation once 2.8 becomes the main Blender release.

Also, the both 2.7 and 2.8 version supports presets, so you can load and save your own settings, or reset to default!

Blender 2.8 is still in beta, so if you have any problems with the add-on let me know.

Version 1.8.0

By request I have added an option to disable updates whilst you are working at high values, which will slow down Blender whilst you change them. Hope this helps people!

Version 1.7.0 - Greebles!

A significant update to the add-on (now add-ons) - Greebles.  See the demo video below:

You can choose to add Greebles to the Plating Generator add-on, or choose to add them as a completely seperate options.  You can also add up to 20 of your own Greeble objects.

Other new features include a completely updated interface with collapsible panels.  See the documentation for mor information:

Do contact me if you have any questions or issues via the 'Contact the Creator' section.

Version 1.6.0

Thanks to the help of my testers, I have now released the Plating Generator 1.6.0 into the wild.  This version includes:

  • Variable Plate Heights: The ability to randomise plate heights starts to create more interesting effects, like city scapes and varied detailing:
  • Tapers to the plates:  This also allows for a wider variety of effects on plates: 
  • Performance Improvements: I have also worked to make some of the code more efficient when creating the plating effect, and to pass over the mesh data as few times as possible.  More will come in the next release.

I have used these options combined with the Shape Generator to quickly create sci-fi spaceship models like this.  I plan on putting a video tutorial together on the subject so watch this space:

Version 1.5.0

Several updates in this version:

  • Rivets: by request, you can now optionally add rivets to the plates  
  • You can now bevel the grooves as well as the plates
  • You can now control major and minor corners on all plates

Version 1.4.0

Minor update to the corners feature whilst I work on other features - I've amended the code to handle a better effect in some cases:

This was bugging me so I've updated it! 

Version 1.3.0

A host of new features this time.  If you already have the existing add-on, remove it under Blender User Preferences and download the new file from the same place on this website.  It is now in a zip file.

A video covering the updates is available here:




New Features:

  • A newly designed user interface with more options (see updated documentation):    

  • Ability to create groove patterns based on your own edge selection:

  • Add a bevel to the main corners of your selected faces to create a finished effect:
  • Improved edge splits, that also split the corners of the edges.
  • Option to mark UV seams around the edges of the plates for texture mapping purposes.

  • Better segmentation between side plates and bevels - now less likely to overlap.

  • All existing features remain the same.

  • The add-on is now in a zip file to allow easier porting between versions of Blender.

Next time: Rivets. I promise.

Any questions, let me know :)

Version 1.2.0


Based on requests, I have made some additions to the plating generator which are free to all current users:

  • Define the number of segments on the sides of the plates and within the grooves.
  • An additional option of selecting the faces for the plates as well as the grooves.
  • Add a bevel to the edges of the plates, and define the number of segments.
  • This plugin is also tested on the upcoming Blender 2.79.


A short demo video of the new features is here:




Note that when installing the new plating_1_2_0.py file, remove the existing plugin via the Blender User Preferences window beforehand:

Any questions, do get in touch!

Choose a product version:

  • $30 Plating and Greebles

Mark Kingsnorth

Visit Website See all items by this creator
Sales 4600+
Customer Ratings 50
Average Rating
Dev Fund Contributor
Published over 7 years ago
Blender Version 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.2, 3.1, 3.0, 2.93, 2.92, 2.91, 2.9, 2.83, 2.82, 2.81, 2.8
Extension Type Add-on
License GPL
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Tags: hard surface, bfcm18, bcon22, edge, bfcm21, spring20, summer22, panel lines, summer23, ship, loveblender, summer20, bfcm20, extrude, summer24, bfcm23, Selection, bfcm24, spring24, spring19, bfcm19, nurnies, bfcm17, spring23, fall18, bcon17, winter24, bcon19, bfcm22, greebles, plates, summer21, spring22, panels, mesh, spring21