ZBrushCentral

Maintaining complexity in Zbrush to Geomagic workflow

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I am producing high complexity sculpts which I deliver as finished sculpts to the next step in the workflow which uses Geomagic and NX from Siemens. I export an .stl which still maintains the desired complexity level, but when it gets into the CAD mill there is a regrettable drop in detail level.

How do we get around that? The transition from my Zbrush world into their CAD/CAM world is like disappearing through a curtain of fog. I do not have any expertise in their processes, so I need to be able to deliver in a format that can survive their processes, or they need to use another software or plug-in to convert from .stl into .step or .xt parasolid.

Please whoever can point me into the right direction can take credit for saving my sanity!

#2

Hi @Ozalynda!

Sorry you’re having some trouble. Ultimately, resources devoted to the software you are using will be the best source for information on how to get the best results with that software. I might have some general tips, but you’re going to need to clarify a couple things for me.

Are you referring here to:

  1. A loss in detail in a physical reproduction like a print, vs the digital version

  2. A loss of surface detail in the mesh as a result of a format change or process in your third party software (topology the same/detail softened)?

  3. A reduction in polygon count as a result of a format change or process in your third party software? (different topology entirely).

  4. Other?

The first is probably inevitable depending on the process, the others may need some explanation accompanied by screenshots of the surface topology to show what’s happening.

If it’s a matter of polygon reduction for performance reasons, are you decimating your geometry first before exporting, in order to get the polycount down?