ZBrushCentral

Importing SolidWorks into ZBrush

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Want to bring SolidWorks files into ZBrush for sculpting, but the meshes are triangulated creating less than desireable results for sculpting. Looking for a good go-between software to qudrilate meshes to bring into ZBrush.

Unsuccessfully attempted the following:

  1. Exported SolidWorks OBJ files, but meshes were far too triangulated
  2. Again- similar unsuccessful results w/ Modo 3D
  3. Tried using Rhino3D ver4.0 to export OBJ & 3D DXF mesh files, again meshes were still triangulated & erratic sizes
  4. Used MOI 3d(free 30 day trial) to export OBJ files, but again not all meshes converted to quads- the critical areas are unfortunately still triangulated.

All our attempts to export quad mesh OBJ files failed. Not sure, perhaps we are missing something in our export settings.
So far- all meshes were far too triangulated creating less than desirable results in ZBrush.

Are there any freeware or other options cheaper than Maya/ 3D Max/ Cinema 4D?

#2

I don’t have experience with exactly the workflow you’re trying to set up, so forgive me if I’m too broad here, or misunderstanding.

If I understand what you say, the problem isn’t an inability to get the meshes into ZB, it’s that once they’re in there, they are too triangulated. And as you’ve discovered, ZB doesnt tend to like sculpting over tris, and they are problematic in a number of ways.

Rather than try to import the mesh into ZB as quads, why not convert it after it’s in there? Remesh a duplicate with either dynamesh, or the Remesh All function in the subtool menu to get sculpt-friendly quads, subdivide to get higher subD levels, and project the high res detail from the original mesh with Project All, if need be?

Obviously, to use in an external program afterwards, you’d probably need to retop with deliberate geometry and UV, but if you were importing randomized converted geometry, you would have had to do that anyway, yes?