Am having a model CNC milled in foam for the first time, and have been told I need to get it down to 2 million polys from 120 million. It’s so urgent as I have a very tight deadline, but have never done this before and can’t find anyone to help. I only have Zbrush, no other ‘useful’ software. I need to try and do this today ideally without compromising the model too much.
Can anyone help please? It’s so urgent.
Thank you.
decimation master
Yep Decimation Master. I use it all the time to drop 6mil to between 250k-500k without a visible loss of detail, especially for print.
Have tried decimation master, but so far it goes down only to about 55 million polys and then crashes my computer. Any suggestions?
Perhaps Zremesher and Decimate.
Do you have a version of your tool(mesh) with less resolution to project the details onto?
I don’t think you’ll get ZRemesher to work if Decimation Master didn’t manage it.
How big is your file size? Why 120 million? That’s way too high for CNC/printing, unless your model is very big. How big is your model in real world units (cm, mm, feet, etc.)?
Make a copy of your model. Drop the 120 million model down 2 subdivision levels. This should drop the count to 7.5 million. Delete the higher levels and then run decimation master. Depending on your real world model size you should be able to decimate it down to 500k-1mil without a loss of detail. Realize that your CNC is going to drop detail with or without a decimated model. I would keep the model size down to keep the file size down which should help with processing time through the CNC process.
How big is your file size? Why 120 million? That’s way too high for CNC/printing, unless your model is very big. How big is your model in real world units (cm, mm, feet, etc.)?
Yes, it is way too high for CNC milling. That’s why I need to reduce it dramatically. But I’m very new to this, so the model was created without knowing this would be a problem, if you see what I mean. In real world size the model is going to be about 1.1 metres high so quite large. It’s a portrait, so detail is important, even though it will naturally lose some in the CNC process. We had tests made which worked fine, (just of the face) but the CNC company are struggling with the overall file for the full piece, hence the need to reduce. I will try your suggestions below and report back. Thank you so much for your advice (and to the previous repliers too). Very much appreciated. x
Make a copy of your model. Drop the 120 million model down 2 subdivision levels. This should drop the count to 7.5 million. Delete the higher levels and then run decimation master. Depending on your real world model size you should be able to decimate it down to 500k-1mil without a loss of detail. Realize that your CNC is going to drop detail with or without a decimated model. I would keep the model size down to keep the file size down which should help with processing time through the CNC process.
OK so the bit where you can go down subdivision levels is all greyed out. I think this is because the CNC company wanted all the subtools as one cohesive unified file, so it’s been saved as ‘one thing’ (sorry for not knowing the terminology). I tried doing the reconstruct sub div button to see if I could get that greyed out stuff back but it said it wouldn’t do it because there were ‘triangles’. So now we’ve clicked on remesher to see what happens. …help?
The zremesher works but is removing wayyyy too much detail. Have asked it to aim for 2 million polys and it keeps doing it just over 1 million but it looks so boxy and blocky. Can anyone tell me how to switch back on dynameshing ability and the greyed out bit? (If you re-read my post above, when I tried the reconstruct button it said it couldn’t due to ‘triangles’). Sorry for clueless questions.
How big is the file size?
Do you have the file that is saved as separate pieces, the one you should have before sending it to the CNC company?
I’m assuming you need a .stl file to send to CNC. Do you have a way to upload the file and I could take a look at it, the Zbrush file or even an OBJ or STL file would work. If I look at it then I could give a better idea of the steps to take it down and even a reasonable size where you wouldn’t see any detail loss. I could even process the file for you and send it back and then tell you what steps it went through. I handle a lot of high end print jobs so I should be able to give a good idea after looking at it.
Rather annoyingly I don’t have the original file, because it was done on another computer with someone else working on it and they’ve since left the country and aren’t easily contactable. Is it worth me trying to send the most recent version with all the ‘layers’ made into one object or is that now not editable?
On a separate note, just got it to do about 1.4 million polys with remesher but it’s still losing a heck of a lot of detail. Don’t mind losing some but am struggling now to find a compromise between massive and detailed and small and blocky. I’m guessing Dynamesh is much better at this stuff looking at the stuff I’ve read about it.
In answer to your question about file size it is currently 117mb.
I can process the file you’re using now. If you have a way to send it to me. That size is too big for email. I can take a look at it and even clean it up for easier processing.
That would be amazing if you could I can send it to you via dropbox. Are you familiar? I’d need an email address to send the link to as I don’t want to post it on here. Thank you soooo much. x
Check your messages I’ve sent you my email.
Fab thank you
Did you try to reproject the details from the hi res model to the lower one yet?
Hi Doug. No, I didn’t. I don’t really understand the concept of projecting the details on. Wouldn’t that just be a surface ‘visual’ thing rather than something that can be milled or printed out?
I think we’ve done it anyway…did a pre-process on the model before hitting remesher and it worked much better. Still couldn’t get dynamesh to work. But it looks much better now.
Thanks to everyone who tried to help me in my panic. I’m sure there will be more… But panic averted for tonight xx
Thanks Doug! x