Topo Contour
Topo Contour quantizes smooth underlying waves into discrete terrace steps, like elevation bands on a topographic map. Contour Lines sets how many levels exist between base and peak; Step Height scales the vertical jump per band. Edge Softness slightly fillets step edges for cleaner FDM and less stress concentration.
Preview
Effect Controls
Interactive preview is available in the interactive reader.
Parameters
Pattern Count- Angular frequency of the underlying pattern around the mesh (1–20).
Vertical Waves- Vertical frequency of the same field; 0 removes vertical undulation (0–10).
Base Depth (mm)- Overall amplitude before stepping and multipliers (0–10 mm).
Contour Lines- Number of discrete terrace levels between min and max (2–20).
Step Height- Multiplier applied to each quantized band’s height (0.1–2).
Edge Softness- Bevel width between flat steps; higher softens risers for printability (0–0.5).
Angular Phase- Rotation of the angular component in radians (0–6.28).
Vertical Phase- Phase shift along height in radians (0–6.28).
How It Works
A continuous height field is computed from Pattern Count and Vertical Waves, then remapped through a staircase function with Contour Lines steps. Step Height scales the vertical distance between adjacent bands independently of how many bands you chose. Edge Smooth interpolates across the vertical discontinuity so each tread meets the next riser with a small radius instead of a mathematical crease.