I know how to export a modified OBJ as a Morph Target and then load it back into the original prop as a dial. However, the shape distorts in odd ways in between the zero and 1 positions. It only looks right at zero or 1, not in between. So I can't do a gradual, partial morph, it has to be all or none.

 So I would like to combine several in-between morphs that I have exported as OBJ files. How can I put them all together so that bends of 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees (for example) can just be different positions on a single dial instead of 5 different dials?

Even better would be a way to prevent the 90-degree bend, for example, from distorting in between zero and 1. But I don't know if that is possible.

Do you mean distortion in a single rotation like X or is it distortion of the morphs with combined bends of different rotations?

With a single bend such as the X rotation of the leg you should be able to get a smooth working JCM from 0-90, by simply combining the morphs at the 90 degree bend. Once you start adding other rotations to that though it gets crazy. Combining morphs for different rotations to work smoothly together is very difficult in an organic figure, but it can be done.

Watch your polygon movement in the smooth lined view and see how they are deforming, from that plan a morph that will work with the bend but change the shape to the desired result. You dont want to make a morph that is  completely opposed to the way your poly's fold up with the bend, but instead a morph that will work with the joint deformations, but change the shape.

It takes practice. Hope that helps.

cheers.

It's not an organic figure, it's a prop. Say, a straight pipe I want to bend. I'm modeling the pipe in an external modeling app and saving the OBJ. Then I'm bending it in degrees along the X axis and saving each bend as a separate OBJ, then importing them as morph targets.

The smaller bends, like 15 and  30 degrees, don't distort too badly on the way from zero to 1. But the more severe bends visibly warp, stretch and taper the prop as the dial turns from zero to 1. When it reaches 1, the prop returns to its proper shape (except for the correct bend). 

I can get a smooth morph by making the bend with a magnet within Poser, but then the bend itself stretches the prop in undesirable ways and doesn't look like a realistic bend. I can't figure out how to get the Poser magnet to bend something like a modeling program does, and I've tried every which way.

Anyway, I can create a good bend outside Poser, and I can load it as a target, but I can't get Poser to make a smooth, undistorted morph from unbent to full bend. It's like it only knows the zero and 1 positions, and makes a guess at what the in-between points should look like. I'm willing to provide the in-between bends, but don't know how to get them into one dial.

I see what you mean.  In the Antonia thread, odf outlined a method for having different morphs start and end at different times on a single dial.  If you search the Antonia thread for the term "cascading JCM"  You should find it. I believe that method will do what you are wanting.

To give a direct answer to your question, yes! See this thread. The problem is because a morph only moves vertices in straight lines, so a single morph can't emulate a rotation. Often the best solution is to divide the obj into multiple groups, and turn it into a figure, and use rotate channels to implement the bend.

As phantom3D said, there is also some discussion of this in the "Antonia - Opinions?" thread, but that thread is now so huge that it may be hard to find the relevant posts.

As the ever knowledgeable LesBentley said, if you want good movement throughout the dial spin, then you need to split your prop into several groupings and create a bone rig for those groupings (ie; making it into a figure), then through manipulation of the joint editor you can get what you're looking for.
Hope this helps

Props appeal to my "Keep It Simple, Stupid" mentality. Maybe it's because props don't occupy a multitude of lines that must be constantly collapsed in the hierarchy editor. (When will Poser allow you to collapse figures as a global preference?)

Anyway, I like to work with props whenever possible, even though I realize this imposes some limitations. Other people prefer to work with figures, even when they don't have to. Why does a simple chair with no moving parts, for example, need to be a resource-hogging and hierarchy-cluttering CR2? Because the creator makes CR2's out of habit, I imagine. I generally convert them to PZ2's at the first opportunity and stow them in the props folder. 

I agree that there is no real reason why a Chair should be made into a figure, a chair prop is as simple as it gets.
If your hard-edged prop is moving bits and pieces along x,y or z axis's then there is still no reason to convert it to a figure.
If you are asking the prop to bend smoothly a great distance along one of those axis's, then you will need bones...imo.

Using a group of props or making a figure is simpler and more in keeping with the KISS principle than trying to use multiple morphs to simulate rotation of some part(s).