3DS Max = Hollow Models

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gajtguy
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3DS Max = Hollow Models

Post by gajtguy »

So I've got 3DS Max, had it a while now and thought it would be great for creating models to print. Well it seems those models are "hollow" and that is weird for the Slic3r. Or maybe not. I'm looking for guidance on how to handle a hollow model, and get it to print with at least a honeycomb on the inside. Any help would be appreciated.


This is my next attempt, once I get my other settings dialed in. Actually I created a Mothers day plaque just for a fun gift.. That I want to be my next print.
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Jimustanguitar
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Re: 3DS Max = Hollow Models

Post by Jimustanguitar »

I thought that an STL fil only defined the outside skin of an object with a triangle/polygon mesh. Aren't they all hollow?

What are your infill settings in slicer?
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gajtguy
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Re: 3DS Max = Hollow Models

Post by gajtguy »

Oh ok. Then I should be ok. Hell I'll give it a try and see what happens.
HarvesteR
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Re: 3DS Max = Hollow Models

Post by HarvesteR »

3Ds MAx has a mesh modifier called 'Shell', which creates inner walls for a solid object (for a cube primitive, it would turn it into a closed box).

The shell modifier has parameters where you can configure the width of the shell walls, so you could probably use that to make your mesh into a more printer-friendly solid.

Other than that, there's probably several other ways on exporting the max model into printable format to convert meshes for printing, but the shell scheme could work to give you control over that at design time.

Also, you might want to add a weld modifier on top of the shell (perhaps targeted only at the extruded verts) to fuse any geometry that would create non manifold surfaces (happens when the wall width is greater than the space available, especially inside tight corners and such).

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Polygonhell
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Re: 3DS Max = Hollow Models

Post by Polygonhell »

As long as the model is well formed and closed it will be fine. All the slicer sees is a set of triangles, it assumes winding order defines the direction of the face.
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