topic Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry in Meshmixer Forum

Converting supports to solid changes geometry

mailWUBFC — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 07:56:20 GMT

I''m trying to generate supports for a model but want to save them as a separate STL from the main object - to do this I'm converting them to a solid.

However, when doing this the shape changes and the supports themselves develop overhangs!

Can anyone explain what I'm doing wrong?Generated supportsAfter converting to solid

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 18:49:51 GMT

Hmm, interesting... no clue yet.

Could you post a screenshot of all Overhangs dropdowns (SupportGenerator and AdvancedSupport)being expanded PLUS the current settings of ANALYSIS/UnitsDimensions?

(maybe you send me the .mix via some file server link by PM)

There seems to be something wrong with the voxel grid used by ConvertToSolid but I can't reproduce your issue.

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

mailWUBFC — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 07:28:36 GMT

Thanks, I tried replacing v3.5.x with the older v3.3.x just to see if it's an issue there, and same problem - this happens with all supports, so may be something about my system?

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:55:14 GMT

Reconstructing your settings here I can't reproduce your issue.

Did you try to delete meshmixer.ini?

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

mailWUBFC — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 09:39:04 GMT

Yes I've tried deleting Meshmixer.ini, and I've tried versions 3.3 and 3.5

This leaves:

Something with my MacOS version?
Some library that meshmixer is using?

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 07:36:23 GMT

I'm on macOS too and ConvertToSolid works properly. Except the stuff shipping with the installer you should not need to install further stuff. Which macOS version? MM needs Qt5 support for the graphic's driver.

I remember an issue with MakeSolid (this is what is used while ConvertToSolid) on Macs where the used language of the OS did crazy stuff: Does your language use a comma instead of a fullstops as a decimal separator?

If so, you might try this (only an experiment):

Go to macOS Preferences/Language. On this dialog click AdvancedOptions and set the decimal separator to fullstops.

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

mailWUBFC — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 13:49:29 GMT

It was already set to that - I'm in English (UK)

Re: Converting supports to solid changes geometry

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 18:10:32 GMT

The dimensions you gave in the the UnitsDimensions screenshot above can't be correct...

I reconstructed your pursa printer and posed a dummy guessing your object:

Now giving it your proportions (X:52.15;Y:118.4;Z:79,67) gives:

Now using 118.4 as its X (means the height of the total sculpture) stuff looks better:

But ConvertingToSolid works fine:

So:

Does your issue happen on other files too?

If yes (I asked that before): Which macOS version do you use?

If no: Does Inspector find any issues on this mesh? Did you already try MakeSolid on it?