Make shading/surface of object smooth

[Rick Bloker]

Hello Everyone,

I am a seasoned user of Adobe products but new to Dimension. I have received an STL file from my modeler but now he has gone MIA. 

However, I was able to open the STL file in Dimension but the big problem is that the surface shows edges. I am figuring that he created a low poly count model. Is there an option or setting that I have not found yet to make the surface appear smooth? I have circled the area to reference the area that is not smoothed out.

Thanks!

[Ares Hovhannesyan]

That can be done in another 3d app as Blender, 3d max but not in Dimension unfortunately.   

[Rick Bloker]

Thank you Ares! Do you know if there is anything that is Free that I can use on a Mac?

[Rick Bloker]

Just tried Blender but when I can't open a STL file and when I try to import it I see nothing.

[Ussnorway]

to import STL in Blender steps:

1 open perferences

2 select add ons and type STL into the search then make sure the tick box is set to on and press refresh

3. inport STL should now be the last option on the import list... and yes import is correct but open is wrong

imo the model shape is more down to the file format used and making it Obj or even Fbx will give a better rendor... what you are actually looking at in Dimension is a preview and STL never preview well

p.s, pleasse share the model

[Rick Bloker]

Thank you for sharing your advice Ussnorway

Unfortunately, I still can not see the STL files in Blender. Also I am not sure what you meant about your last note about "imo the model shape is more down to the file format used and making it Obj or even Fbx will give a better rendor". I am unable to upload STL files so I am sharing the link 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gFMuxz8dd2eqODJ8mBIz8GZu_r1SNptV/view?usp=sharing 

[Ussnorway]

you need to allow access on that file before i can download it

[Rick Bloker]

Sorry, haven't used Google Drive that much. Please try now: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gFMuxz8dd2eqODJ8mBIz8GZu_r1SNptV/view?usp=sharing

[Ussnorway]

with the [only] bot selected press the frame selected option... you are correct about scale being an issue

try export as wavefront Obj, import that to Dimension, increase the scale by at least 10X then ask Dimension to remap the mesh... then export that, reimport into a new scene and add a new material

[Ussnorway]

@davescm would you remesh it in Blender?

I assume those quod lines around the bottle face are at lest 50% of the issue but my skills at remesh are not great

[davescm · Accepted solution]

The topology is causing issues with the shading. Turning on smooth shading in Blender smooths the surface but introduces artifacts around the screw thread.

To be honest - with such a simple shape I would just remake it in Blender using the STL model as a guide rather than fiddling around trying to get a remesh to keep the same shape.

Dave

[Ussnorway · Accepted solution]

yes i had a go at repairing the model but at 300mb its still not correct and I'm over it... hate working on Stl format 😉

thanks Dave