Any way to remove only _internal_ holes?

[invu 0]

Hi, I am trying to print some model of a protein part (3mf file attached) that I extracted from a PDB model, and the protein contains a lot of internal spaces which would make the print take longer and waste filaments.

When I set the "Remove all holes" flag on, it seems to successfully remove internal holes, but it also removes "dips" on the top surface, filling them in (see screenshots below).

 

Is there any way to remove only the internal holes, leaving those on the surface?

 

Without "Remove all holes":

 

With "Remove all holes":

stl-sdAb-H-blu-rescale110-reoriented.3mf

[gr5 2,331]

There are a lot of model repair services that should be able to do this.  Try googling "remove internal holes" and add to that "meshmixer" or "meshlab" or "cad".  I did just that and this is one of many suggestions - it looks like it might do what you want:

http://meshlabstuff.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-remove-internal-faces-with.html

 

(both meshmixer and meshlab are free and easy to use - if meshlab can do it then I'd use that as it tends to be a more reliable product in my opinion)

[invu 0]

1 hour ago, gr5 said:

There are a lot of model repair services that should be able to do this.  Try googling "remove internal holes" and add to that "meshmixer" or "meshlab" or "cad".  I did just that and this is one of many suggestions - it looks like it might do what you want:

http://meshlabstuff.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-remove-internal-faces-with.html

 

(both meshmixer and meshlab are free and easy to use - if meshlab can do it then I'd use that as it tends to be a more reliable product in my opinion)

 

Thanks, gr5.

Trying things with Meshlab, also with more googling.

What's suggested in that page doesn't seem to work for my model, though.

I also tried "Close Holes" as explained here: https://vovaprivalov.medium.com/filling-holes-in-3d-mesh-using-meshlab-fea6849ab7a1

but it doesn't seem to affect my model, either.

 

I noticed that Mechlab doesn't seem to take a 3mf file, so I am uploading an stl file for my model as well, in case someone might want to try things on their own.

stl-sdAb-H-blu.stl

[gr5 2,331]

Don't confuse the word "hole" with the word "hole".  It's the same word but different meanings.

 

"repair holes in your mesh" mean that the wall of your part is missing a triangle.  That's not your issue.  You have a volume of space in your model that you want to fill in.  Different issue.

 

What you want is very common for example for people who print models of automobiles.  The model may have all kinds of details like stick shift and steering wheel that you prefer to just fill in solid since you plan to make the windows opaque anyway.  So that might be a good thing to google - something like "how to get rid of interior detail of my car 3d model".

[GregValiant 1,489]

Hello to both of you.

The "Remove All Holes" setting will not affect the outside of a model.  On the other hand, "Make Overhangs Printable" will definitely affect the outside of a model.

So enable "Remove All Holes" and make sure "Make Overhangs Printable" is disabled.

 

Your model has some errors and some of those errors could also be what is affecting the outside of the model.

This is from https://formware.co/OnlineStlRepair
--> 1 Non-manifold edges (?)
--> 2 Inverted faces (?)
--> 18 Degenerate faces (?)
-> Vertex count changed from 10819 to 9852 (-967)
-> Triangle count changed from 21628 to 19700 (-1928)

 

 

 

[invu 0]

On 8/21/2022 at 1:28 AM, gr5 said:

Don't confuse the word "hole" with the word "hole".  It's the same word but different meanings.

 

"repair holes in your mesh" mean that the wall of your part is missing a triangle.  That's not your issue.  You have a volume of space in your model that you want to fill in.  Different issue.

 

What you want is very common for example for people who print models of automobiles.  The model may have all kinds of details like stick shift and steering wheel that you prefer to just fill in solid since you plan to make the windows opaque anyway.  So that might be a good thing to google - something like "how to get rid of interior detail of my car 3d model".

Thanks again, gr5!

Yes, I am a 3D printing novice and I was confused about some of the words and the ways things were described.

Your car interior example is spot-on. I will look more. Thanks!

[invu 0]

On 8/21/2022 at 11:15 AM, GregValiant said:

Hello to both of you.

The "Remove All Holes" setting will not affect the outside of a model.  On the other hand, "Make Overhangs Printable" will definitely affect the outside of a model.

So enable "Remove All Holes" and make sure "Make Overhangs Printable" is disabled.

 

Your model has some errors and some of those errors could also be what is affecting the outside of the model.

This is from https://formware.co/OnlineStlRepair
--> 1 Non-manifold edges (?)
--> 2 Inverted faces (?)
--> 18 Degenerate faces (?)
-> Vertex count changed from 10819 to 9852 (-967)
-> Triangle count changed from 21628 to 19700 (-1928)

 

 

 

 

Hi, GregValiant,

 

Thanks for your suggestion. I checked my settings and looks like I did have the "Make Overhangs Printable" option turned off (by default, I guess, as I never touched it), and enabling "Remove All Holes" still fills in the surface dips as I mentioned above.

 

Thanks for finding out the errors that my model file contains. Not sure what the source is (it's a molecular model based on the actual structure discovered), but will look into how I could fix them. Thanks!