Hex Grid

The Hex Grid module paints hexagonal cells on a 2D canvas and turns them into a printable vase-mode toolpath. Activate cells by clicking, adjust grid size, and the module traces smooth curves through the hex pattern, stacks them into layers, and emits G-code ready for your printer. It's a fast way to design cellular panels, lattice vases, and structured walls without any splines or G-code editing.

Workflow at a glance

The Hex Grid loop

1. Add the module: From the empty canvas, pick Hex Grid. The left dock switches to the Hex Grid panel; the main viewport splits into a 2D grid canvas and a 3D floor preview.
2. Paint cells: Click any hex to activate it. Click again to upgrade it to double-active (thicker, parallel curve). Click a third time to clear.
3. Tune the grid: Set Grid Radius, Hex Size, Perimeters, and Layers in the left dock. Changes update both the 2D canvas and the 3D floor live.
4. Preview in 3D: The 3D floor shows the actual tube path you'll print. Hover a cell in the 2D canvas to highlight its 3D counterpart.
5. Export G-code: Use the Export toolbar to download G-code. The module wires into the shared pipeline — your global Machine / Material / Nozzle settings apply.

Left-dock controls

All Hex Grid parameters live in a single collapsible card in the left dock:

Hex Grid parameters

Grid Radius: Number of hex rings around the center (1–7). A radius of 3 gives 37 cells, 5 gives 91 cells. Bigger grids = larger canvas area but exponentially more cells.
Hex Size (mm): Flat-to-flat distance of each hexagon in mm (2–100). Controls the physical size of a single cell. The total grid spans roughly (2 × radius + 1) × hex size.
Perimeters (1–5): Number of parallel outline offsets on each cell path. 1 = centerline only; 3 = centerline + 1 line either side; 5 = centerline + 2 lines either side. Spacing follows your nozzle line width.
Layers (1–5): Vertical repeats for stronger parts. Each layer re-traces the same toolpath at the next layer height. In the 3D preview the spacing is exaggerated for visibility — the actual G-code uses your printer's real layer height.
Active cell count: Shows how many cells are currently active. The Clear All button deactivates every cell in one click.

The 2D canvas

Drawing on the grid

Click: Toggle a cell through three states: inactive → active (1) → double-active (2) → inactive. Double-active cells print two parallel curves through the same hex for thicker walls.
Click-and-drag: Paint several cells at once. The drag uses the same state that the starting click produced (incrementing or decrementing), so you don't accidentally mix actions.
Hover: A hovered cell is highlighted in both the 2D canvas and the 3D floor — useful for lining up patterns.
Dense layouts: When a cell has 4/5/6 active neighbours, the module auto-picks a "dense" curve layout (1–3) so the curves connect cleanly. The layout cycles each time the cell is re-activated; there's no manual control.

The 3D floor preview

The 3D floor shows your toolpath on top of the printer's build plate:

Machine limits are respected. The grid is positioned at the centre of the bed and aligned with the viewport axes.
Curves are smooth bezier tubes. The same curve-smoothing logic powers the 2D canvas and the 3D floor so what you see is what you get.
Hovered cells light up in real time so you can compare the 2D click target with its 3D result.

3D floor preview with active hex cells and tube toolpath

G-code structure

When you export, 3dSynth generates a clean vase-mode G-code file with the standard structure used across every module:

Startup G-code from your active Machine preset (homing, heating, bed leveling, priming).
Extrusion-calibrated toolpath through the hex curves, repeated Layers times with proper layer height and line width.
Shutdown G-code (cooldown, park, power off).

Speeds, temperatures, and retraction come from the global printer settings — see Printer Configuration. Hex Grid does not define its own speed or temperature fields.

Bed fitting & origin

The grid is automatically centered on the active build volume. If it would exceed the bed (Hex Size × (2 × Grid Radius + 1) > X or Y), the 3D preview shows the toolpath going off-bed so you can reduce size.
No manual origin offsets — this module is designed for quick tiled prints, not for precise multi-part layouts.

Saving your work

The full Hex Grid state (grid radius, active cells, perimeters, layers, dense layouts) is stored in the project's .3dsynth file. Open a saved project and the hex pattern comes back exactly as you left it.
Presets are not currently supported for Hex Grid — the module is small enough that saving a project covers the typical need.

Hex Grid tutorial — a step-by-step first print.
Getting Started — how Hex Grid fits alongside other modules.
Printer Configuration — where the speeds, temperatures, and layer height come from.
Export 3D — STL / OBJ / glTF exports from the Hex Grid mesh preview.