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join subtools for 3D printing without loss of quality (Dynamesh)?

ZBrush Artworks
#1

Hi,

I am working on some figurines I’d like to 3D print. There’s a number of tutorials on 3D print preparation, the basic workflow is:

  • merge down subtools
  • dynamesh to get unified object
  • decimation master to reduce poly count
  • export STL file

The problem I am seeing is that dynameshing (even with resolution set to 4k) often introduces nasty artifacts. It creates random structures between surfaces that are close together. Manually fixing this is a lot of work, I load the STL file in Meshmixer, which is able to correct most of these geometry errors, but not all.
In addition, dynameshing always loses some details.
So, is there a way to create a unified model without dynamesh? Or is there a way to modify how dynamesh works - like a "join nearby polygons threshold?

  • Martin
#2

Short answer, nope.

Long answer. Almost all geometry requires clean up and projections after the use of Dynamesh.

That said it sounds more like a workflow issue than anything else to me. First start off duplicating all of your meshes. Then the basic idea is that you shouldn’t be trying to transfer your details with dynamesh, just your forms. You then use Zremesher to give you nice even topology and subdivide that mesh and use project all to bring back your details (which has better control options and can use masking, etc). This usually creates errors where two meshes meet but can easily be masked, smoothed on all levels and then quickly cleaned up.

Look up videos on cleaning up 3D scan data because the same general principles apply to miniature creation.

Hope this helps.

#3

Excellent! Just tried this with a part of my model (glove with plate armor - many segments creating lots of overlaps. Google “Nazgul glove” and you get the idea).
Merge then dynamesh to a medium resolution, then zremesh, subdivide, project details. In a first try this gave much better results than I had before - exported to STL (after decimation) with no problems in the printer afterwards. Thanks a lot! I’ll look up the scan data cleanup tutorials later.
Do you have any idea how to prevent Dynamesh from creating a mess between two close surfaces? Or do you just clean it up using the smooth brush?

  • Martin
#4

couple of options for cleaning it up the weird spider web thingy that happens on close(ish) meshes.

  1. move the meshes farther apart.
  2. use the inflate brush on the spider web mesh and run dynamesh again (easiest)
  3. increase dynamesh resolution (60% of the time it works every time).