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I struggle with making a photogrammetry model a solid. I tried a Solidify modifier, which works quite well until the thickness value is big enough to intersect trough the outer shell and destroy the fine structure. And unfotunately the safe value (for not intersecting the outer shell) is not enough for a desired thickness of my solid to be 3D printed.

Then I just made a solid by intersecting the model with a cube, triangulating the new solid and trying to scrape out the material using sculpt. OK, still I cannot control the distance between the model shell and my digging. This results in occasionaly intersecting the outer shell. And I want to optimize its volume to keep the printing cost lower.

So, is there any way to fill the mesh (viewed from bottom on the attached picture) like "pouring some clay" inside to stick to the faces in a given distance? Any parameters to Sculpt tools that would not affect the outer original shell?

Please, help me to solve this issue as it seems to be out of my Blender experience.

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EDIT: After 10 Replies answer I need to add a visualization of the final result of the recommended transformations. The lighter shaded faces are those of a "shrinked" extruded inner shell.

enter image description here

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2 Answers 2

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Try going into edit mode after selecting the model. Press E and then Z to extend only in the z direction. Now, if you want the bottom to be completely flat, press S, and then Z to only scale in the z direction, and then type 0 on your keyboard.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you 10 Replies, seems to be logical and works as a "shrink" tool. But in case of this complex form eg. window openings got filled / covered with some parts of upper walls scaled down. I will try to add a picture of it. So, the method would be perfect for a less complicated shape. $\endgroup$
    – Marcin Kelm
    Nov 28, 2016 at 23:14
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Based on 10 Replies's insights and some previous trials I found a method like this:

  1. Modifier Solidify, thickness 1 (m), clamp 1.0, offset -1.0
  2. Switch to Sculpt Mode > SculptDraw
  3. Some smoothing added (0.335), Sculpt Plane to "View Plane", "front faces" ticked (!) and "Add" mode on.
  4. From the bottom of the solidified clamped object I use the SculptDraw to add some thickness to the bottom/inside shell. Works like this thermoinsulating foam to insulate rooftops :)

Must be enough so far. Anyway, as a complete rookie in Blender and Python I would direct my inquiry to all of You how are developing some new add-ons. Previously I tried "digging out" some material from intersected solid by sculpting. It was really fine method, but in the end I always cut out the outside shell and spoiled the original structure of the model. Is it possible to add any constraint to sculpt out / subtract until the defined distance from the bottom of the face of external mesh is reached? It would be a great limitation preventing from intersecting of the outer and inner shells.

enter image description here

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