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3d printing - How to understand measurments in Zbrush

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi all Zbrushers,

I love Zbrush which has been my main daily tool for years . Recently it has became also a great helper for modeling for 3d printing. While I always loved the artistic approach of Zbrush to sculpting , now it is also a great helper in fixing model for 3d printing. There is a small issues that I am dealing with it, which is related to how Zbrush consider the dimension and measurements. Knowing , at least a rough indication of dimension, it becomes really important when working for 3d printing. I would really love if someone can help me find the answers for the following questions:

  • What is the Resolution of Dynamesh ? What is the relationship between the actual model polycount , the Resolution number of the Dynamesh slider and the new polycounts of the model after the dynamesh has been applied?

  • What it the Thickness of the " Create Shell" inside the Dynamesh tool ? What is the relationship between the actual model size, the thickness number of the “Create Shell” slider and the new thickness size of the new hollowed model after the “dynamesh Create Shell” has been applied?

I found in the Guide that this is related with the resolution of the document, what does it mean? If anyone can add some diagram would be great , or point me to some tutorial…

Kindest regards
Guido

#2

I’m commenting purely to subscribe. I’ve asked the thickness question in the past, and got nowhere, so hoping you get an answer.

#3

Hi guys.

I´ve been working for 3D printing and i found using Zbrush is just the best choice and you can do almost all the tasks before send to print. There are a lot of tricks you can find usefull for creating amazing pieces ready to print. But the most usefull feature i found is the transpose tool lines as measurement guides. Once you realize the number on the transpose lines is the “real” measurement in mm i.e (or in any other scale actually) you can easily create shells, then split in other subtool tweak (inflate + or -) before you do your boolean to have your piece hollowed in the correct thickness. With all the benefits that you can also remove undercuts and unnecessary parts that just creates bottle neck problems when voiding residual material, etc.

About the Dynamesh resolution. It all depends on the scale of your model. So if you try to work in real measure size probably you need a very low resolution in dynamesh. But you can allways work in /10 size scales and then rescale x10. So for example 1mm could be 1m if you want, and viceversa. You just need to keep in the same scale for all your piece in order to have the same proportion and just rescale before send it to print.

I do really dig in Zbrush should improve create shell thickness as many other slider to be in real scales. But would be just fine to have create shell with decimals as many other algorithms. Also size palette would be awesome if were correlative to the 3Dprint exporter size, which is a perfect plugin that gives you the exact real scale. Afortunately the transpose lines measures are exactly the same as the 3Dprinter exporter plugin gives you. So transpose lines is your only option inside Zbrush to measure in diferent parts and test thickness.

Hope this can be usefull for someone (if can understand my awful english…)

Best Regards

Fran

#4

Hi Fran,
Thank you very much , really appricieted your help.

I am using transpose as measurement tool . It’s a valueable size measurement tool that Zbrush has. However I have a problem in understanding the “mathematic” relationship of the various slider that I mentioned before.

I think that there must be a “secret” formula, which when I will found will be that kind of obvious … I am sure. I am going to View 2013 tomorrow , and maybe I will have the opportunity to ask it to Angelozzi . IN case I will post his answer.

Any other help will be much appriciated.

Regards

Guido