3dSynth

Tutorials / Mesh Sculptor

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Tutorial 1: Your First Mesh

Welcome to the Mesh Sculptor! Unlike the G-code Sculptor which generates G-code toolpaths directly, the Mesh Sculptor creates high-resolution 3D meshes that you export as STL files and slice in your favorite slicer. In this tutorial you will create your first mesh, understand the pipeline, and see the result in the 3D viewport.

What you'll learn

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create a new Mesh Sculptor project

Step 1

Open the Mesh Sculptor module

On the start screen (or via File → New), click Mesh Sculptor. A new project opens with a default cylindrical profile and a circular cross-section. The 3D viewport shows a solid cylindrical mesh.

The dock panel on the left now shows two tabs:
- Sculpt — profile spline, cross-section, quality, and shell settings
- Effects — displacement effects stack (empty by default)

Step 2: Understand the pipeline

Every Mesh Sculptor design passes through five stages:

  1. Profile Spline — A Bézier curve defines the radius-over-height silhouette (the same editor as the G-code Sculptor module).
  2. Cross-Section — A 2D closed shape (circle, polygon, sine, Koch, or custom Bézier) defines the horizontal profile.
  3. Base Mesh Generation — The cross-section is swept along the profile spline, creating a dense grid of vertices with UV coordinates.
  4. Effects Stack — Displacement effects push vertices along surface normals to create textures and deformations.
  5. Shell and Export — Optional inner wall for hollow objects. The final mesh exports as a watertight STL file.

Step 3: Explore the Sculpt tab

Step 2

Open the Sculpt tab

Click the Sculpt tab in the dock panel. You will see several cards:
- Quality — controls mesh resolution (Draft, Standard, High, Ultra)
- Shape Curve — the profile G-code Sculptor with Total Height
- Cross-Section — shape preset buttons and parameters
- Shell — inner wall and thickness settings

Step 4: Modify the profile spline

Step 3

Shape the profile

The profile spline works exactly like in the G-code Sculptor. Try:
1. Drag the top control point outward to flare the rim
2. Add a point (double-click) at mid-height and drag it inward to create a waist
3. Set the Total Height to 80 mm

The 3D mesh updates in real time as you edit the spline.

Step 5: Change the quality

Step 4

Try different quality levels

In the Quality card, switch between the presets:
- Draft (128×128) — fast, slightly faceted mesh. Great for iterating on designs.
- Standard (256×256) — good balance. Use for most design work.
- High (512×512) — fine detail. Switch here for final preview.
- Ultra (1024×512) — maximum resolution. Use sparingly, mainly for export.

Watch the mesh smoothness change in the viewport. The triangle count estimate updates next to the quality selector.

Step 6: Orbit and inspect the mesh

Step 5

Explore the 3D preview

Click and drag in the 3D viewport to orbit around the mesh. Notice:
- The mesh has smooth, lit surfaces with visible geometry
- The shape matches your profile spline silhouette
- At lower quality, you may see subtle faceting — this disappears at higher quality

Step 7: Understand Z clipping

Step 6

Use the layer slider

If available, use the layer slider on the viewport to clip the mesh at different heights. This slices through the mesh, letting you see the cross-section at any height and verify the wall shape and thickness.

Outcome

You have created your first Mesh Sculptor project and understand the fundamental workflow:
- The profile spline defines the silhouette
- The cross-section defines the horizontal shape
- Quality controls mesh resolution
- The 3D viewport shows a real-time preview of the mesh

What's Next

Tutorial 2: Cross-Section Shapes — Discover how to change the horizontal profile from circles to polygons, sine waves, Koch snowflakes, and custom Bézier shapes.