Export Selected Shells

[Anonymous]

I have a model made up of a number of different shells.  I would like to export and print only a portion of the shells, not the entire model.  Is there any way of selecting certain shells and only exporting them for printing?  Sorry for the nubbie question, I haven't done much with Meshmixer yet.  Still learning it's capabilities.

[nkloski · Accepted solution]

There is no way I am aware of, of exporting specific/arbitrary shells all at once.  The way you can do it, though, would be to "separate shells" so that they show up as all separate bodies.  You can then export each shell/body individually.

If you want to have the shells be part of the same exported file: once they are separated, you can select as many as desired in the object browser, and then select "combine".  those shells will now be in the same body, and you can export that resulting body as one STL.  Note that if you do this, you will end up with an STL file that has those disconnected shells, and slicers, while good at what they do, might have a problem with those disconnected models.

[MagWeb]

@nkloski :

To split different shells (in one object) to separate files in one go you can use the Complex tool:

- Add some helper object to your multiple shells object (e.g. a MESHMIX primitive in AppendToMesh)

- Create a face group at that helper shell (if there's no group on the part)

- Run GeneratComplex and construct one complex definition for that group to you get one green loop accepting the tool

- Now without splitting the complex export the complex object itself.

> In the export dialog's format you should find the "one file per regions" options

> This splits the helper primitive to two files (ok, you need to find and delete them) AND also all shells to separate files.

[MagWeb · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous :

To separate certain shells only you need to go to SELECT.

Now using a small brush select some tiny area on each shell you want to split off.

Hit E to expand the selections to connected surfaces.

Hit Y to separate them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I just found the combine command and that seems like it works for what I want.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

MagWeb,

Thank you so much.  This helped me tremendously.  I often select a number of shells to combine and sometimes select one I didn't mean to select and it ends up getting combined into a group I did not want.  I didn't know how to separate it from the group until your post.  It works perfectly and is very useful.  Quick question for you.  Is there a manual or guide or something for Meshmixer?  I have tried to look online on the website but the link never works for me.

[MagWeb]

The two links mmManual (at top) and User Manual (at bottom) of meshmixer.com and the item "OnlineHelp" in Meshmixer's menu> Help do work here. But you are linked to the "cover page" of the manual. To access content you need to click on an item in the  left list.

Here's a direct link to the Overview page of the manual.

Doesn't that work on your side? (If No: Which Browser are you on?)

The Manual describes the functionality of the different tools but you will find little information of how to combine them to get this or that final result of a workflow.