beginner help again

[markus]

hi all!

some of you will remember that i stumbled into this forum a couple of months ago. i had to abandon the project i was working on back then for another one which is finished now. so i am glad i can get back to finding my way through the 3dcoat basics

so - again - here's what i would like to do:

-> import obj from file.

-> check mesh for holes and ideally close them

-> up resolution for smoothest surface possible

-> export as obj.

ps: the mesh should be optimized for cnc cutting

let me screenshot the steps, so you can see the settings i use, and where i should tweak for better results.

ok

1) import:

i scale the size to about 100.000 polys. can i hit "make mesh closed" here, to close holes?

2) more smoothness needed. subdividing here does not work, so i go for quadrangulation.

3) i would then go and quadrangulate the object (settings ok?)

4) the quadrangulated mesh

5) i hit "subdivide 3x" to dense the mesh

6) ready for export

4) thats what the file looks like in cinema4d. not really smooth though

ok ... i am sure, there is a better method than the one i chose can someone point me in the right direction?

thanks for helping

markus

www.humanchaos.net

[lc8b105]

Hi markus,

Since you are preparing the model for CNC cutting, I don't understand why you use quadrangulate. Isn't Triangle better than Quad for CNC? (Correct me if I'm wrong. )

You can try another workflow:

1) The same as yours.

2) If you want more smoothness, you don't need quadrangulate. Just play with "Inc.res" and "Smooth all" those 2 buttons in Voxel room. Hold on "W" key to preview the triangle mesh wireframe. (It is mentioned in my "3D-Coat Hotkeys Master")

3. Go to "File" - "Export" -"Export scene". This will export a high-poly triangle mesh.

Hope this helps.

[markus]

Hi markus,

Since you are preparing the model for CNC cutting, I don't understand why you use quadrangulate. Isn't Triangle better than Quad for CNC? (Correct me if I'm wrong. )

You can try another workflow:

1) The same as yours.

2) If you want more smoothness, you don't need quadrangulate. Just play with "Inc.res" and "Smooth all" those 2 buttons in Voxel room. Hold on "W" key to preview the triangle mesh wireframe. (It is mentioned in my "3D-Coat Hotkeys Master")

3. Go to "File" - "Export" -"Export scene". This will export a high-poly triangle mesh.

Hope this helps.

cool ... thank you very much for the tipp. will try right away.

one question though if i may:

-> does "make mesh closed" in the voxel room do what it promises, and make a mesh really "waterproof"? ie: is it the appropriate method to get models fit for rapid prototyping?

-> does merge as skin add real thickness to the mesh? (an important requirement for rapid prototyping as well)

thanks for helping again

markus

[philnolan3d]

If it answers your question, all voxel meshes are waterproof, that's just the way voxels work. Closing it first is just because sometimes open meshes come in a little messy.

[markus]

If it answers your question, all voxel meshes are waterproof, that's just the way voxels work. Closing it first is just because sometimes open meshes come in a little messy.

ok got it thanks for the patience ...

markus

one more question: provided i have a closed mesh, does "merge as skin" in the voxels param window really add thickness to the mesh? the thickness i would use to produce a rapid prototyping model?