12th December 2018, 02:00 AM | #1 |
Junior Member
Junior member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 6
|
Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
As it says on the tin. I'm working on a 3D print that will be holding an acrylic sphere, I'm trying to make the fit as snug as possible, and I want to subtract the imprint of the sphere from the claw that will be holding it, but keep getting errors using 'Boolean > Subtract' and 'Cut Away' with the final object having missing and duplicate surfaces and vertices from object B just hanging in mid air.
What's the better way to do this? Drop the poly count? Use a different technique? Do I have too many close calls between surfaces/vertices? Should I just start over? |
12th December 2018, 09:47 AM | #2 |
Administrator
Professional user
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,565
|
Re: Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
Try running Tools->select-leaky-surfaces on it and see if any areas have holes.
Also try running Object->Optimize-vertices&surfaces and see if anything gets removed. Press 'n' to check normals are facing out. Another quick way to check is to set all surfaces to 1S (single sided) (control panel, bottom) and spin the model to see if any surfaces 'vanish'. If so, they need flipping - select one surface that you know is correct and use Surface->Unify-normals. Once you get the objects right, you have a better chance of Boolean ops working but a non-leaky object with correct normals is a minimum requirement. Looks good - let us know how you get on. Last edited by Andy; 12th December 2018 at 09:49 AM. |
19th December 2018, 03:07 AM | #3 |
Junior Member
Junior member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 6
|
Re: Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
Thanks for the feedback Andy. I did manage to find the problem, there were orphaned surfaces and vertices inside the model because of how it had been put together. in the end I had to go back to working with the separate pieces, fix the issues there, combine them, then perform my boolean operations in a specific order.
It's sliced and ready to print right now. |
19th December 2018, 09:49 AM | #4 |
Administrator
Professional user
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,565
|
Re: Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
Excellent - please post a pic when it's done.
|
2nd January 2019, 08:40 PM | #5 |
Junior Member
Junior member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 6
|
Re: Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
The sphere in the claw was dyed red with acrylic fabric dye. Image 1, Image 2 Finally back home after the Christmas break. Have to say that AC3D performed flawlessly with the Lulzbot. I broke the model into several pieces, printed it in PLA and glued them together. The base was added to the cane body and is entirely friction fit, I have no hope in hell of getting it off again. Now that is precision. Likewise the spherical subtraction from the hand. I gave myself two tenths of a millimetre to play with, anticipating a few burs from support material, and some expansion from painting and gilding (which didn't end up happening because I couldn't make it stick), and the sphere rolls freely without any hint of wobble. Coming from a Photoshop background to 3D modelling I had a hard time wrapping my head around every other CAD and modeling program I tried. With AC3D I was doing what I wanted to do within minutes, and learning more about the program and better techniques as I worked on my project. Well worth every penny I spent, and I'm already working on my next 3D printing project. |
4th January 2019, 08:02 AM | #6 |
Administrator
Professional user
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,565
|
Re: Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
Excellent!
|
7th January 2019, 11:13 AM | #7 |
Member
Advanced member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: CYHM
Posts: 33
|
Re: Boolean Subtract/Cut Away generating Errors
Wow! That looks amazing!
|
|
|