[BETA] PLD — Edge-Driven Panel Lines with Real Geometry (Zero Booleans, Clean Quads)

Resources Released Add-ons and Extensions
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PLD_DEMO

Hi everyone,

I’m Tokugawa from TOKUGAWA ELECTRONICS.
Like many hard-surface modelers, I got tired of the endless shading cleanups and broken topologies that inevitably follow traditional Boolean cutters.

So I built PLD (Panel Line Designer) — an edge-driven panel line tool designed to carve physical, real-geometry grooves directly into your mesh without using booleans or decals.

Select your edges, dial in width and depth, and hit generate. That’s it.

https://youtu.be/sohvp0uGO3o

*(Note: The video showcases an earlier build, but development hasn’t stopped — in the latest version 2.0.21, we’ve pushed performance even further, achieving up to ~2.4x faster regeneration speeds on our test models!)
*
Key Highlights

fighter_detail
fighter_detail2200×1354 1.33 MB

  • Real Geometry, Zero Booleans: Generates clean, physical groove topology directly along your selected edges. No cutter artifacts, no endless normal-patching.

  • Preserves Base Flow: Retains your SubD curvature, existing mirror/bevel setups, and weighted normals smoothly.

  • Round Rim (v2.0.21 New): Automatically handles edge-softening highlights via dedicated rim-weight Bevel and Geometry Nodes to protect corner transitions.

  • Live Iteration: Adjust width, depth, or pick new edges non-destructively before finalizing. Changing rim width or segments updates modifier parameters instantly without full mesh regeneration.

  • Custom Recessed Materials: Assign contrasting panel-line accent materials (wash / panel liner effect) straight out of the box.

fighter_full
fighter_full2200×1354 751 KB

mic_full
mic_full1800×2400 944 KB

mic_bellows
mic_bellows1800×1309 364 KB

Compatibility & Limitations

  • Compatibility: Verified for Blender 5.1 series (tested on macOS / 5.1.2). GNU GPL v3.

  • Honest note on topology: While it avoids booleans, extremely short edges, crowded intersections, or ultra-thin surfaces can still cause pinch points. Always best paired with clean edge flows!

Closed Beta & Feedback

We are currently running a closed test round for v2.0.21 before official launch. If you’re a hard-surface artist working on mecha, sci-fi vehicles, or industrial design and want to take it for a spin, drop a comment below or shoot an email to support@gyueen.jp to grab a trial build.

Website: https://gyueen.jp/

Would love to hear your thoughts, critique on topology behavior, and feature requests!

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PLD 2.0.23 released — new video, examples, and 10 free copies

The closed beta in the opening post has ended. PLD is now available on Superhive; this update contains the current download and compatibility information.

Hi everyone! I’m Tokugawa, the developer of PLD (Panel Line Designer). Select mesh edges and turn them into real panel-line grooves for mecha armor, aircraft panels, and product housings. Adjust width, depth, and rim rounding without Boolean cutters.

Try it free and help improve PLD

Get PLD on Superhive — use pldfeedback10 at checkout for 100% off, limited to the first 10 completed coupon redemptions. No application or email exchange is needed: confirm that the product price is $0, complete your order, and download immediately.

Please use one copy per person. The offer ends after 10 redemptions or on October 21, 2026 at 23:59 CDT, whichever comes first. If the code is unavailable or the price is not $0, only complete a paid order if you intend to purchase. Regular price: $15.

See the workflow

https://youtu.be/2ukDRczE7tw

Select edges → create grooves → refine width, depth, and rounded rims. You can reselect the edges before finalizing.

Before / after

The same aircraft surface, before adding panel lines:

Before panel lines — aircraft surface
Before panel lines — aircraft surface1200×600 107 KB

With real groove depth:

After panel lines — aircraft surface
After panel lines — aircraft surface1200×600 129 KB

Control the finish

Round Rim off:

Round Rim off — PLD 2.0.22 reference
Round Rim off — PLD 2.0.22 reference1600×1100 772 KB

Round Rim on, with the same view and groove dimensions:

Round Rim on — same view and groove dimensions
Round Rim on — same view and groove dimensions1600×1100 824 KB

  • Editable before finalization: change groove dimensions or reselect the source edges. Finalizing ends PLD rebuilding.
  • Different groove widths: add another pass, then control shared rim rounding from the final result. Keep earlier backups; changes to an earlier pass do not automatically rebuild later passes.
  • Groove-floor materials: use a dark floor or a custom material for contrasting or emissive details.
  • Reusable presets: save preferred settings in the current .blend scene.

Different groove widths with shared final rounding — PLD 2.0.22 reference
Different groove widths with shared final rounding — PLD 2.0.22 reference1600×1100 913 KB

Panel-line detail on a product housing
Panel-line detail on a product housing1200×600 84.1 KB

Compatibility and practical limits

PLD 2.0.23 fixes rim rounding in Blender 5.2. Supported Blender series: 5.1 / 5.2, tested on macOS with 5.1.2 and 5.2.2 LTS. Windows and Linux have not yet been verified for this release. Blender 4.2 LTS is not supported. Japanese and English interfaces and illustrated manuals are included. Add-on license: GNU GPL v3.

Results depend on the input mesh and groove dimensions. Very short edges, dense intersections, thin surfaces, or large rounding amounts can cause overlap or pinching. Subdivision can change the original curvature. PLD does not guarantee all-quad topology or print-ready geometry.

The video and images demonstrate earlier builds, including 2.0.22. Version 2.0.23 updates Blender 5.2 compatibility without changing the demonstrated workflow.

I’d love your feedback

What would you try it on? After using PLD, please share what worked well, where you got stuck, and what you would improve, ideally within about a week. A short reply here is welcome, or use Contact the creator on Superhive. Include your Blender version and OS; screenshots and reproduction steps are especially helpful for bugs. English or Japanese is fine. Public reviews are optional, and honest criticism is welcome.

Download PLD and read the full product details · Installation and manual