Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

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Glas
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Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:24 pm

Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

Post by Glas » Sat Jan 28, 2017 4:21 pm

Hi, long time Rhino user first time printer. Rather than make a bunch of test prints I figured I would ask first. My initial thoughts are the max. distance should be at least half my nozzle size for the smoothest curves.

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willnewton
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Re: Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

Post by willnewton » Tue Jan 31, 2017 3:48 pm

The settings will be ever changing to a certain extent. Especially if you change from metric to imperial measurements or close Rhino and reopen it, which resets the mesh settings back to defaults.

The measurement system changes are the most frustrating because a setting like "max. edge length" of 1 inch does not convert to mm it BECOMES 1mm, the change from MM to inch does not auto adjust. So if you work in metric all day, then open a new drawing in imperial, your edge length of 1mm is now 1" so you have to make changes. Then you have to change it again when you switch back.

This is VERY annoying and I have complained to Rhino about it. "It's on the list." is the reply from McNeel. Oh well, but I make due by never closing Rhino for months at a time. :lol:

Basically, you want the mesh to look dark when you are zoomed out, yet start to open up when you are zoomed in. You can also monitor the size of the chunk of memory the mesh takes up on exporting to get a feel for how detailed you need the mesh to be.

Of course the resolution of the mesh should fit the detail level of the design and final print quality, but you don't need to make an insanely tight mesh for 3d filament printing either.

A plain design the size of my hand may make a 500k STL file. A highly detailed STL file of the same size is about 5 megs. A 30 meg STL file that size is probably detailed beyond the level of the printer to reproduce.

I am going to post up a screenshot for you in just a bit to help.
Last edited by willnewton on Tue Jan 31, 2017 6:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I'm finally back to where I started two days ago!

A thread with some stuff in it I update every once in a while. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9
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willnewton
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Re: Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

Post by willnewton » Tue Jan 31, 2017 5:49 pm

OK, here you go. These are the settings I used to make this 40-ish mm sphere. This list has a setting for metric then an equivalent imperial in size and appearance.

Sphere 1 only has the max edge length setting changed to 3mm. It is 800k.
Sphere 1 only has the max edge length setting changed to .05in. It is 806k.
Totally appropriate size for the M2

Sphere 2 only has the max edge length setting changed to 1mm. It is 2.3 megs.
Sphere 2 only has the max edge length setting changed to .025in. It is 3.3 megs.
This size would be good if there were details and texture on this sphere.

Sphere 3 only has the max edge length setting changed to .5mm. It is 13 megs.
Sphere 3 has the max AND min edge length setting changed to .005in. It is 18megs. You have to change both since you can't drop the max below the min.
You are probably at overkill for the M2, unless it contained exceedingly detailed and specific measurements.

Notice how #2 is starting to look a bit dark, but is not blacked out like #3? That is a good looking mesh that will give you a lot of detail for printing, probably a hair more than you need for a filament printer. It is something you have to get a feel for. #3 might be the perfect setting for a resin printer though.

I learned about these basic settings from tutorials at http://www.infiniteskills.com/training/ ... ino-5.html You really need to sign up for a month and watch them all. Top notch vids!

Depending on your object, you may want to have the "Simple Planes" box picked. It builds planar surfaces with the minimal number of triangles it can, regardless of your settings.
rhinograb2.jpg
Last edited by willnewton on Tue Jan 31, 2017 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'm finally back to where I started two days ago!

A thread with some stuff in it I update every once in a while. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9
See some of my stuff http://www.thingiverse.com/willnewton/favorites

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willnewton
Posts: 479
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Re: Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

Post by willnewton » Tue Jan 31, 2017 6:00 pm

In this pic, sphere 1 is the original NURBS object and sphere 2 is a mesh with min and max edge length set to 1 inch or 25mm. It is a measly 2k!

This is where the cool low-poly stuff starts to happen when you do it intentionally, but it obviously not going to give you a very spherical print.

One thing to note here is that it does not matter if these spheres are 40mm across or two miles across. The deal for 3dprinting meshes, is that they should have that slightly dark look when you pull back from it a bit, no matter how big it is.

You simply go in an tweak the edge settings to get the appropriate mesh density.

None of this is set in in stone, but I have found it to be an EXCELLENT rule of thumb on how to get a starting place for meshes for the M2.
meshtest.jpg
I'm finally back to where I started two days ago!

A thread with some stuff in it I update every once in a while. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9
See some of my stuff http://www.thingiverse.com/willnewton/favorites

Glas
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:24 pm

Re: Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

Post by Glas » Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:19 am

Thanks for well written response.

Glas
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:24 pm

Re: Recommened Rhino mesh setting?

Post by Glas » Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:24 am

Thanks for well written response.

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