z seam calibration cura 5.1

[ndsugi 3]

I am getting a model I made in zbrush close to printing, but I am unsure of a few things.  One issue I have had so far is that using zbrush's mesh integrity scanner and 3d hub plugin I have been able to get the model manifold (meticulously checked over) and correctly designed for printing, but cura will 1 out of 2 times warn me that there are errors in the mesh.  I assume if I've done my due diligence and checked the final work for issues, this should be safe to ignore.  

 

I also have been noticing the z seams look suspect on the more detailed parts.  This model has two sides as it's a detailed mask but the rear inner side of the mask is less important to me than the outside.  I assumed setting the z seam to user specified - back, would solve my issue but it appears their is still high concentration of seams on areas that will be difficult to clean.  I will share both the stl-screen shot and cura screen shot to elaborate.  If anyone notices something that I don't or has a suggestion for printing something of this nature please let me know.  I am aware their are some fine, thinner parts that seem to protrude or hang but I have made everything manifold even if it appear hidden.

 

 

 

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

Within the Travel section is "Layer Start X" and "Layer Start Y".  You can move them near the Z seam.  That may have an effect on Combing and consequently the Z seam scar.

In the Walls section is "Z Seam Relative".  I don't know how much effect that will have on a single model but it can make a difference sometimes on where the Z seam shows up when islands are being printed.

 

The model is a nice piece of work.  I hope it prints well for you.

Regarding any errors in the model...MS 3D Builder has a repair utility that runs automatically when you Open and then Import Model (which moves it to the workspace).  I have found it to be pretty good.  There are also on-line utilities as well as things like NetFabb which is included with Fusion360.  You have so much work into it you should check it to make sure it's not only watertight but that there are no duplicate or degenerated faces.

[ndsugi 3]

I am regretfully feeling closer to accepting a loss on this model and moving on, this was one of my first attempts in zbrush to create something as I was learning, so it may be my own fault that I cannot diagnose the issues.  It's strange as I have tried zbrush's built in diagnostic tools and auto fixing abilities, ms 3d's auto fix, and meshmixer (mesh mixer causing more problems than it's solving), and still haven't been able to get cura to give it a pass.  Maybe I need to head over to the zbrush forums to see what else I can do to salvage this.

[GregValiant 1,251]

In regards to errors in models:  There are serious errors like "not watertight" that can confuse a slicer and keep it from slicing, and there are lessor errors that allow a model to slice but cause it to slice incorrectly.  Those are the kind that are difficult to figure out when a model is highly complex.  The third kind are errors that don't matter.  The model slices correctly in spite of them.

 

You don't have the first type of error but the second type requires a close eye on the preview to insure that the model will print as it should.  If it does look as it should then the error is of the third type which just don't matter.

 

@kmanstudios and @cloakfiend do a lot more "fine" work than I do.  Maybe they would have a suggestion on how to print something like this successfully, and what pitfalls to watch out for.

[ndsugi 3]

Thanks so much for your input!  So I noticed that sometimes the slice with fail, prompting a "report glitch" popup, and it can happen repeatedly if the model is positioned in certain ways on the build plate.  The way it is positioned in the screenshot obviously didn't give me any issues and ran the slicer.  So as you mentioned in the case of the third type which doesn't matter as much, if the slicer is working, does that mean I shouldn't be so concerned?  

[GregValiant 1,251]

If a successful slice is dependent on the orientation of the model on the build plate then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

You still need to take a close look because if nothing else you might come across places where you might want the supports different, or you notice that some branches of tree supports are growing in mid-air, things like that.  You can make adjustments for those things in Cura, but you need to know what is going on in order to do so.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

On 8/4/2022 at 6:45 AM, GregValiant said:

In regards to errors in models:  There are serious errors like "not watertight" that can confuse a slicer and keep it from slicing, and there are lessor errors that allow a model to slice but cause it to slice incorrectly.  Those are the kind that are difficult to figure out when a model is highly complex.  The third kind are errors that don't matter.  The model slices correctly in spite of them.

 

You don't have the first type of error but the second type requires a close eye on the preview to insure that the model will print as it should.  If it does look as it should then the error is of the third type which just don't matter.

 

@kmanstudios and @cloakfiend do a lot more "fine" work than I do.  Maybe they would have a suggestion on how to print something like this successfully, and what pitfalls to watch out for.

Sorry for the delay in replying. I literally took all this time to figure what I had messed up after clearing a bunch of cookies.

But, yeah, I can look at models if the OP wants. 

 

Now to read the rest of the thread. LOL

[GregValiant 1,251]

Animal?  Oreos?  Oatmeal?

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I am lost on the reference...duhhhhhhh

 

 

Edit: I saw that there was no upload of a file and no resolution as to any potential issues.

Edited August 13, 2022 by kmanstudios

[GregValiant 1,251]

You know I hate having to explain...

Oreo cookies are the best in this arm of the galaxy.

Here is the proper way to eat an Oreo.

Oatmeal cookies are second best (IF they have nuts and raisins).

Animal Crackers may be called crackers but they are actually cookies.

 

And welcome back.

Edited August 13, 2022 by GregValiant

[kmanstudios 1,120]

5 hours ago, GregValiant said:

You know I hate having to explain...

Oreo cookies are the best in this arm of the galaxy.

Here is the proper way to eat an Oreo.

Oatmeal cookies are second best (IF they have nuts and raisins).

Animal Crackers may be called crackers but they are actually cookies.

 

And welcome back.

Toll House and Snickerdoodles for me. Especially with a chocolate kiss inserted right after leaving the oven. 😄

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I was sent the STL File and I noticed a few things right off the bat.

Caveat:

I do not have the same printer so my slicing results will be slightly different. To make sure that someone who evaluates slicing issues receive the Project files as it will save all the printer info as well as the model.

 

OK, first thing, Work at scale you will print at (Print size or 1:1). Or at least close to it. This was the size the raw stl file when I imported it.

 

This makes it very difficult to figure the next part if you are not at print size in design.

 

Second thing: Your planes are too thin for the slicer at 0.1. The grey area is where the slicer cannot slice.

 

The third thing is that is filled with voids. A lot of this could have been made solid. When you stack objects to make details, modeling programs cannot automatically fill voids.

 

There were (most of the object) were stacked objects that formed voids like the one on the left side.

 

If you made an object like the crappy cross section above, The void is wasted everything: Wasted material and time. Just make sure if you have a real undercut that needs to be preserved, you would make the object like the right image.

 

This should get you started. Post again if you have questions.

[ndsugi 3]

Thanks for the assistance Kman!

 

This was my very first finished project in Zbrush so when I was making it at the time, I was not considering all the necessary steps you should take along the way to sculpt a printable model.  I've learned a lot since but I consider myself still very new to all of this.  I have a few questions before I attempt to go back to this file and see if I can fix some of the void issues and adjusting the minimum thickness in those parts you pointed out.

 

1. If the STL is scaled in the slicer, does it matter what size it is?  Is scaling it in Cura degrading the original work?  I can go back and use Scale plugin in zbrush is that's something I have overlooked.

 

2. Should I consider just mounting the mask onto a bust/head and reworking the model to be less front/back and more mostly the front.  As in boolian/fuse the rear of the mask into a solid?  I don't know how I could fill in the other voids, particularly in the feathery blooms.  If the finer long pieces in the bottom portion of the mask are too thin, perhaps fusing it into a face for further work is my only option.

Edited August 16, 2022 by ndsugi

[kmanstudios 1,120]

54 minutes ago, ndsugi said:

1. If the STL is scaled in the slicer, does it matter what size it is?  Is scaling it in Cura degrading the original work?  I can go back and use Scale plugin in zbrush is that's something I have overlooked.

absolutely....By working at print size, you are not guessing about thicknesses and such.

 

55 minutes ago, ndsugi said:

2. Should I consider just mounting the mask onto a bust/head and reworking the model to be less front/back and more mostly the front.  As in boolian/fuse the rear of the mask into a solid?  I don't know how I could fill in the other voids, particularly in the feathery blooms.  If the finer long pieces in the bottom portion of the mask are too thin, perhaps fusing it into a face for further work is my only option.

Edited 51 minutes ago by ndsugi

One thing to keep in mind is that unless you are really sold on that specific model, you will spend much more time fixing rather than just starting over with things being corrected whilst modeling. That is a really complex thing to dig into to find voids. Actually easier to remodel and learn rather than fight, and get frustrated, with a first model. Which by the way is a very nice looking piece. Your modeling will only improve as you look at things during construction phase. Also, you would be surprised at how thick you can make something and it still look 'thin'.

 

I printed a commercial model and had to spend a bit of time removing the voids in very long process....but the print came out a bit better since it did not have extra 'skins' and internal support material (I used PVA which is expensive) that never needed to be there. It also slowed down printing making all that extra stuff too.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I just remembered, set your modeling program's to mm. That way it will stay in proper scale when the stl comes into the slicer.