Can't figure out how to merge the vertices of multiple objects. Please help

[Anonymous]

I am trying to 3D print my house key for a school project, so I've gone and made a model using almost entirely basic polygon shapes. I've got it looking exactly how I want. But when I try to put it into Mudbox an array of errors show up that I don't know how to fix. The model is also really bad for 3D printers and can't print on some of them.

If any of you can give me pointers or open the file and take a look at it, that would be a great help.

Thanks,

Ryan.

P.S. I'm trying to get rid of everything inside the surface, like half of the spheres, the halfway in pyramids, and the joints between the key and connector.

P.S.S I also have no idea how to make it not deform when I add divisions in Mudbox, but that's not the real issue

P.S.S.S I really have no idea what I'm doing in Maya.

[Anonymous]

I can take a look.

In general, you can simply use the "Crease Tool" under "Edit Mesh" to select edges that should not deform after a subdiv/smoothing operation.

Merging vertices of 2 different meshes isn´t possible, you need to combine the meshes first. ("Mesh" -> "Combine")

Can your 3D print software handle high poly object? What´s the problem with using your object for 3D printing?

[Anonymous]

The 3D printing software I'm using can handle the objects, it just needed an update, the whole software was broken.

Ignoring that, thanks for letting me know about crease, but I don't understand, combine doesn't actually stick all the edges together does it? or make the model exterior only... as in, two overlapping spheres will still have parts inside the other one...

[Anonymous]

Here´s a highpoly of your model (400k verts). I have no experience with 3D printing but i guess this object will do it. 

[mspeer]

Hi!

"Mesh -> Combine" only transfers all Components (untouched) into one new single mesh.

This gives you the abilty to merge components like vertices, add faces between edges, ...

You may try Booleans instead:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-9467513F-47C3-4C73-8251-6FF8C0DE4982

To build up a model that works for Mudbox and for 3d printing is not an easy task and needs a lot of experience and time.

Don't expect that just using combine or booleans with simple Polygon Primitives leads you to the desired result.

[Anonymous]

You dont need anything to make your model work in mudbox. I do it all the time, the only thing you need is to actually model your model in a proper way within maya. This means, having a clean mesh, without bad geometry and ngons and so on. If you have that you just export th emodel into mudbox and within mudbox you just increase the steps of subdivision. Thats it. Sometimes, when you see errors in mudbox most of the times you can ignore em. I dont know exactly what could be the problem.

About booleans, avoid em at all costs, SPECIALLY if you plan to work on mudbox or in fact, 3d printing. Well, booleans are bad almost always, but specially in those cases.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, my computer with maya but I'll definitely take a proper look at it when I get my motherboard replaced.

Thanks heaps.

[Anonymous]

That's my main issue, the mesh is not clean and I am unsure how to make it clean

[Anonymous]

What mudbox says exactly?

You can clean (or at least try it) within maya from the clean option in the mesh-> edit (or something like that, cant remember right now) menu. You should click in the options box also to see all the options you have to clean the object.

[Anonymous]

I don't have access to my computer with Maya right now, but thank you for pointing out booleans, they look like a large part of what I needed

[Anonymous]

Nevermind, the very next message says to avoid them... haha...

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

lol, you dont need to avoid em if you dont want to, that depends on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to model hard surfaces, then yes, you can use em. In other words, if you are not doing organic modelling or you dont plan to animate, you can use booleans without problems. That seems to be your case, but again, models with boolean geometry will not really smooth right within mudbox. Honestly, why dont you just use the maya sculpting tools?? in a lot of circunstances, its even better than mudbox itself.

Create a backup of your low poly model, just in case, and then you can smooth your copy to the point where you can start using sculpt. Remember that for you to be able to sculpt, you need to have an object with a lot of geometry, so you need to smooth your model probably 3 or 4 times at least. Keep in mind this will consume a lot of resources from your computer. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

[ray]

I have had some success taking multiple complex intersecting quad polys built in Maya ...into mudbox and retopologise ... then export the several combined retopologised poly shapes into autodesk Meshmixer ( a free software for 3D printing ) and then making a "solid" at high resolution ... then using the inspector to look for holes and flaws and whatnot before going to 3D prototyping. Meshmixer has some nice features for a free software and recently had a update in 2018. I will say that going directly from Maya to meshmixer seems to get questionable results.

I often take the merged retoplogised poly shape from meshmixer back into Maya and use that without any problems. I have also found it very easy at that point to use quad-draw tools in the modeling toolbox to quickly rebuild the new shape with a newer low mesh shape with different topology ...do try quadraw its a simple easy to use tool that is a pleasure to work with and one of the best things Autodesk has put into Maya for years ....Mash is amazing too.

Hope this helps with Booleans which are a pain in the ass in just about any software.