Parts Of My Model Aren't Showing

Discussion in 'Software and Applications' started by 127980_deleted, May 2, 2017.

  1. This is the preview on shapeways (upside down)
    [​IMG]
    This is what it looks like in tinkercad
    [​IMG]

    This is what it looks like in Maya (what I made it with):
    [​IMG]

    Is there any reason this would happen? Any way to easily fix it? I'm hoping I don't have to recreate it. I tried combining the objects but it didn't help.
     
  2. stonysmith
    stonysmith Well-Known Member Moderator
    The upload software here is called MeshMedic. It is designed to remove small floating pieces that are too small for the printer. However, it can some times go a bit off, and remove things that should remain.

    The best way to deal with this is to make sure that all the meshes are unioned (joined together) into one mesh. I personally use https://tools3d.azurewebsites.net/ to do this type of work. It is (almost) the same program as MeshMedic, but it doesn't have the "remove small pieces" feature in it.

    I'd also strongly suggest Netfabb Basic from https://www.autodesk.com/products/netfabb/overview (sign up for the Pro preview, and then it reverts to basic after the trial period)

    Netfabb is wonderful for allowing you to analyze such things as wall thickness and mesh count.
     
  3. skeddtemp
    skeddtemp Member
    I tried to make sure all verticies were merged and then did a simple repair in netfabb

    it almost looks good, just one of the spikes is missing now: (on shapeways)

    [​IMG]
    What can I do now? I just can't seem to get that spike to show up.

    Also it looks crazy in tinkercad:

    [​IMG]

    But looks perfect in netfabb.


    I'm thinking I should start over, but not sure what to do differently. Should I not use maya?
     
  4. stonysmith
    stonysmith Well-Known Member Moderator
    I can't speak about Maya.. I've never used it.
    When you first open the file in Netfabb, do you see the spike?
    If you do, then https://tools3d.azurewebsites.net/ should fix that problem.
     
  5. skeddtemp
    skeddtemp Member
    Yeah, it looks fine in netfabb (before and after I do a simple repair):

    [​IMG]

    Then if I run it through that online tool, and open it again in netfabb, it looks like this:
    [​IMG]
     
  6. stonysmith
    stonysmith Well-Known Member Moderator
    If you don't mind.. send the file to me in a PM.
     
  7. stonysmith
    stonysmith Well-Known Member Moderator
    Ah! I see the problem here.. your pyramids are doubly-defined Several of your pyramids have the same geometry laying on top of itself twice. Also, ALL of your shapes are pyramids (4 sided), not diamonds (8 sided) - they have an overlapping inner wall that is not necessary.

    In Netfabb, open your original file.
    select the Repair tool
    click the green cube on the toolbar - "Select Shells"
    then select the outer tip of that middle point
    - Observe that not all of the pyramid turns green even though it should.
    click on the Delete button
    You'll see that for the middle tip... you are deleting one side, and not the whole tip.

    Your drawing program messed up, or you have two of the pyramids with identical geometry on top of each other.

    The offending shape is like a piece of paper folded only once - there's no "thickness" to the wall - it looks okay to the eye, but since the thickness is 0, the automated programs are removing them.
    I've PM'd you a version that doesn't have the issue, but you might want to go back to Maya and figure out if you actually have overlapping meshes, or if Maya is doing something wrong here. Unfortunately, I can't help you with Maya.