Subtract sphere from surface

Hello,

I'm trying to achieve a similar effect found in the attached image. Right now I have a non solid surface and a series of spheres intersecting it. I was able to perform a mesh intersection. Now how do I remove the part of the original surface that is covering the cut I made (it'll make sense once you look at the file). Thank you for any help and advice you can offer! Grasshopper file was 6.2 megabytes and wouldn't let me upload so I attached the definition I'm using in a screenshot. I'm using the front, outer surface in my project as the linked surface. Thanks!

Attachments:

Home Automation 2 v18.3dm, 4 MB
Screen Shot 2017-04-07 at 1.21.28 PM.png, 180 KB
Radiolaria_08.png, 301 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Birk Binnard on April 7, 2017 at 12:17pm

Here's a subset of a GH layout I made some time ago - it might help you achieve the effect you want. The depth of the cutouts is the same for all spheres, but you might be able to use attractor points to change this.

Attachments:

sample.gh, 9 KB

Permalink Reply by Ben Weatherhead on April 7, 2017 at 5:38pm

Thank you I will see what I can learn from this. I appreciate the reply!

Permalink Reply by Ben Weatherhead on April 8, 2017 at 12:25pm

I was unable to use your file because you are using cutting a solid with a solid. However I'm trying to cut a freeform surface with solid spheres. Any other suggestions? (Thanks for your suggestions thus far).

Permalink Reply by Birk Binnard on April 8, 2017 at 12:36pm

"you are using cutting a solid with a solid"

That is true; it's because I use GH to make 3D printable objects, and solid objects are required for that. Perhaps someone else here has some ideas for dealing with a surface.

Permalink Reply by mark zirinsky on April 8, 2017 at 7:04pm