ZBrushCentral

Adding tabs to subtool

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

I am working on creating a model for 3D printing and I want to add some tabs along my seemline where I can clamp the two sides together. My process included:
-making a IMM mesh with two blocks

  • placing the mesh along the seamline
  • using the gizmo to orient the blocks correctly
  • splitting the subtool into parts
  • merging the tab with the corresponding mesh
    -Dynamesh the model

Here are some pictures of the process:

Screen Shot 2024-05-23 at 11.35.46 AM
Screen Shot 2024-05-23 at 11.35.46 AM1674Ă—1886 37.7 KB
Screen Shot 2024-05-23 at 11.44.07 AM
Screen Shot 2024-05-23 at 11.44.07 AM1266Ă—1684 27.4 KB
Screen Shot 2024-05-23 at 11.46.19 AM
Screen Shot 2024-05-23 at 11.46.19 AM1314Ă—1862 70.8 KB

I am wondering if there are any approaches to improve this process. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

#2

Hi @tommyriefe!

You may be going to more trouble than you need to here. Rather than inserting multiple objects and trying to get them to align, fuse everything together into a single piece then slice the mesh into different pieces. Live Boolean can be used to do both. Please read the documentation for the feature to learn how to use it:

https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/#html/user-guide/3d-modeling/modeling-basics/creating-meshes/live-boolean/live-boolean.html?Highlight=live%20boolean

So in your case, insert a single cube along the center line. Fuse the mesh together. Then completely envelop one half of the mesh in a new cube subtool so the edge of the cube falls along the center line or wherever you want to cut the mesh.

  1. Create one new Live Boolean mesh with the cube set to “Intersect” mode. This will create a new mesh from the half of the model that is contained within the cube.

  2. Create another new Live Boolean mesh with the cube subtool set to “subtraction” mode. This will create a new mesh from the portion of the original mesh that is outside of the cube subtool.

Now you should have two completely new meshes made of one half or the original model that will fit together perfectly.

Likewise, you can also use the Knife Curve brush with the Brush> Clip Modifiers> Split to Parts option active. This will cut your fused mesh into two parts on either side of the stroke. However, unlike Live Boolean this action is destructive to the original geometry.

:slight_smile:

#3

Spyndel,

Thanks for your suggestions! I have also been trying the knife brush, but I like how the Live Boolean is non-destructive.

Thanks again,
Tommy

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