MEL 110

Development of surfaces

Development is a graphical method of obtaining the area of the

surfaces of a solid. When a solid is opened out and its complete
surface is laid on a plane, the surface of the solid is said to be
developed. The figure thus obtained is called a development of
the surfaces of the solid or simply development. Development
of the
solid, when folded or rolled, gives the solid.
Examples
Prism Made up of same number of rectangles as sides of
the base
One side: Height of the prism
Other side: Side of the base
Cylinder Rectangle
One side: Circumference of the base
h
Other side: Height of the cylinder
d
T. L.
Pyramid Number of triangles in contact

The base may be included

if present

Methods used to develop surfaces

1.

Parallel-line development: Used for prisms, cylinders etc. in

which parallel lines are drawn along the surface and
transferred to the development.

2.

Radial-line development: Used for pyramids, cones etc. in

which the true length of the slant edge or generator is used
as radius.

3.

Triangulation development: Complex shapes are divided into

a number of triangles and transferred into the development
(usually used for transition pieces).

4.

Approximate method: Surface is divided into parts and

developed. Used for surfaces such as spheres, paraboloids,
ellipsoids etc.

Note:- The surface is preferably cut at the location where the

edge will be smallest such that welding or other joining
procedures will be minimal.
3

Parallel line development: This method is employed to develop

the surfaces of prisms and cylinders. Two parallel lines (called
stretch-out lines) are drawn from the two ends of the solids
and the lateral faces are located between these lines.

Development of lateral surfaces of different solids.

(Lateral surface is the surface excluding top & base)
A Rectangle

Cone: (Sector of circle)

Pyramids: (No.of triangles)

Cylinder:
H

H= Height D= base diameter

Prisms:

R=Base circle radius.

L=Slant height.
R 3600

No.of Rectangles

Parallel-line
development

H= Height S = Edge of base

L= Slant edge.
S = Edge of base

Radial-line
development

Cube: Six Squares.

Tetrahedron: Four Equilateral Triangles

All sides
equal in length
5

FRUSTUMS
DEVELOPMENT OF
FRUSTUM OF CONE

DEVELOPMENT OF
FRUSTUM OF SQUARE PYRAMID
Base side
Top side

L1

L1

R 3600
L

R= Base circle radius of cone

L= Slant height of cone
L1 = Slant height of cut part.

L= Slant edge of pyramid

L1 = Slant edge of cut part.

Cube cut by
section plane

Project, horizontally, the points of intersection

of the cutting plane with the edges.
4, d

Mark distances 3M, 3N

2, b

4
1

3
2
D

C
B

Draw the development of the lower portion of the cone surface cut by a plane. Cone base
diameter is 40 mm and height is 50 mm. The cutting plane intersects the cone axis at an
angle of 45o and 20 mm below the vertex
Divide the cone in the top view and project the
corresponding generator lines in the front view

Radius of cone =
R

True lengths b2,

2o obtained by a
auxiliary view
method

Develop the complete surface of the cone by drawing

an arc with radius = length of side generator of cone
and length of arc = circumference of cone base

2
b

f
c

3
1

b
a

b c

Obtain true lengths of o1, o2 etc. by auxiliary view,

rotation method OR by projecting onto one of the side
generators (which are in true length)
Mark the distances (true lengths) o1, o2etc. in the
T development and join them to get the development of
the lower portion of the cone
R 3600
o
F

4
l3
2

e fg

1 2

Draw the corresponding generator lines

34

a
b

d e

True length of (o2, o3) = (o2, o3)

etc.

Length of arc =
circumference of
base of cone
8

If R = 2r then = 180, i.e., if the slant height of a cone is

equal to its diameter of base then its development is a
9
semicircle of radius equal to the slant height.

Develop the surface of the symmetrical half of an oblique pyramid

with a horizontal regular hexagonal base (side 20 mm and vertex 30
mm above one corner
of the base)
Obtain true lengths of the edges ob and oc by rotation or
auxiliary view method
Edge oa is seen in true length in the Front View
ab = bc = cd = side of hexagonal base = 20 mm

o, d

a
T

od and dc can be constructed as they are

perpendicular to each other
The lengths of bc, and ob are known and
therefore these distances can be marked
with the compass
After drawing triangles odc and ocb,
o
triangle oba can be completed

a
b

c
True
lengths

c
d

d
10

Develop the surface of the cylinder which is cut as shown

50

Divide the base of the cylinder in the top and front

views into the a certain number of equal parts (12
here)

i
h

a
b

Develop the surface of the cylinder (rectangle with

length x diameter and height = height of
cylinder) and divide it into the same number of
equal parts

The projector lines from the top view intersect the

cut portion of thegcylinder at a, b, c..f.
F
g
f
h
45
Project these
i the developed surface
e points onto
e,i f,
j
h
d
d,
k l
c
b, c,k15
a
a b
j
a l
d

100

30o

ih

x50

11

Oblique square prism

e, j,
h
a, i,
d
a,
e
i, j

f, l,
g

b, k,
c
b,
f

i k
i, j

b
b,
f
i

b
f

k, l
d,
h

c,
g

d,
h

k, l
d

l
h
d

e
g

Oblique prism

f
h

c
Parallel to each other

a i b
f a

b
a

g h

i
g

i
g
13