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3D Print Exporter Question

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I am having an issue exporting .STL files with just two subtools. I have a character, and a support mesh. The issue is upon export, I get a file size of 1kb for the character, and a 2.3MB file for the small support structure. The STL loads for the support made of a small cylinder, but says the file is an invalid STL for the main character.

As soon as I delete the support subtool, I am able to export the character no problem and it loads just fine. My issue is that the bounding box is not the same and the two do not line up at all in my 3D printing app.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

#2

I’m no expert but can you merge the tools together for export?

#3

Try to rename the problem subtool.

#4

Need to be in same subtool to be exported in the same STL file. Don´t forget to press update size button before exporting and verify the dimensions are as you want in the bounding box. (sometimes if hit twice the size of MM become Inch and just need to move the sliders a bit and hit update size again)

#5

Thanks for the response, I actually need the sub-tools to be seperate STL files. In the 3D Print Export menu it has options for Sub-tools, so I would assume there should be no issues exporting sub-tools as their own STL.

If I delete the stand I am able to get an export of the main character. The issue is now the bounding box. When you remove the other subtool, the bounding box resizes and causes placement issues on the print bed. The two objects must be perfectly aligned since the sand is a boolean operation that allows the character to sit in side. The stand is to hold the character during print.

@Artex - I will try re-naming the sub-tool. Then I will try re-ordering the sub-tools to see if I can get a usable STL for each. I still don’t understand why one STL file is 1kb and the other is the correct size of a few MB.

#6

Try this. In 3D Print Exporter> Advanced options> Uncheck Move to origin / Check Export in separate files

#7

Thank you again, renaming the subtool was the solution in my case. I was able to save out a file of more than 1kb after renaming the subtool. Thank you everyone. If you are interested, I can show my print when its finished.

#8

Very interesting to see the results. Good luck. )

#9

To my knowledge, subtools dont need to be merged to export in STL, you just click on ‘all’. However, I think it merges them all togeter, I don’t think you can click one button and expert them as seperate stls. Just go through and do them one at a time. Not sure what that will do to your scale though.

#10

True they don´t need to be in the same subtool if want to export them in one single STL. I usually merge all subtools because i need to decimate before exporting. But If want to export them in separate STL you have an option to export in separate files which pops up a window while saving asking for the name for each subtool. (included save as subtool name which is really handy)
3D Print Exporter> Advanced options> Export in separate files

#11

[][-][4Z4R])) that is exactly what I had to do. I was oblivious to the option to export each subtool individually, and that worked perfectly for my needs. The renaming was also a solution an issue. I had to rename the first subtool before trying to export it by itself. That fixed the 1kb file size issue. Thank you again everyone!