MeshMixer

Clean Up

So, you've got your 3D model back from the cloud. But, wait, there are some serious problems. There are hole, disconnected parts and there is no way that model is manifold. Don't panic, there is a quick fix. MeshMixer is a free tool that can fix all your woes, and do it quickly.

  1. MeshMixer works on a PC and OSX 10.7, but seems to particularly buggy on Snow Leopard 10.6. I couldn't install it on a Mac with Snow Leopard, but visit the FAQ page, and maybe you'll have more luck . Download MeshMixer and install it.


  2. Open the application.


  3. Click Import to open your stl or obj file.





  4. Click Inspector.You'll see your model with a number of spheres attached to it.
    Blue spheres represent holes
    Red spheres represent non-manifold areas
    Magenta spheres represent disconnected components






  5. Left clicking on a sphere will repair the problem.





  6. Right clicking on the sphere will select the area and allow you to edit that part of the mesh.



  7. Now you can Smooth Boundary (press Accept).



  8. You can do a brute force fill and use plane cuts to fix:







  9. When you're done, you can export your file as an STL.