Hello,

Does Inkscape allow me to create a 3D object, in this case, a funnel, and then open it up and lay it flat so we can laser or route out the piece and then form it back into shape?

TIA,

Phridge

Hi.

Not really.
Blender is a more suitable tool for that. You can unwrap 3D models with it and there are some related addons to provide extra space for gluing.

In Inkscape, you could only draw the 2d pieces which are needed for cutting.

You could draw a 2d simulation of a 3d object, using shading and highlighting to create the illusion of depth. Inkscape is a 2d graphics program.