[JorisMX]

Hey fellows Maxwellians,

Happy New Year first of all!

I was importing some CAD Data earlier today and got a quite nasty mesh which causes the surfaces to be uneven die to wild triangles and messed up mesh topology.
I must admit this is my first try at importing a model like this and that I might be missing something crucial.
But I am in the hopes that there is a a simple way to get even and clean distributed quads that I can triangulate for MW.

Any hints?

Here's an other related question:
How do you go about working with CAD data? Remodel? Translate? Plug-in for mesh optimization?

[Hugh]

What format is the CAD data in? Try re-exporting from the host app.

[Brett Morgan]

Give accutrans3D a try, demo id fully functional and for $20 its a great little program!

http://www.micromouse.ca/

Try the save with options option.

Goodluck

Brett

PS: are you importing straight into studio or using a plugin?

[Polyxo]

CAD programs usually work with Nurbs which get meshed at Export to a program which can't read the native geometry format. All CAD-programs I know have sufficient controls on mesh density and layout for rendering.
You should check the respective options in the source-program. The resulting meshes however typically do not fit the needs of those who want to perform further sds-modeling.

[yanada]

http://www.okino.com/default.htm
http://www.datakit.com/en/

If you are on budget http://moi3d.com/ will give you best results. I have used it with data from NX, SolidWorks and ProE. very satisfactory results....

[JorisMX]

Hi,

The Data was delivered by a client as .obj data.
I've tried opening directly and also converting via okino polytrans.

I'm not very familiar with polytrans but I cant find any options that turn odd triangles in nice and smooth distributed quads.

I tried various export formats like for example 3ds.
Right now im using Cinema4d/Maxwell.

Dunno if that information helps.
I was hoping for some kind of topology-app or plugin that takes the surface and reassigns quads or something.

From the OBJ atm im getting triangulated edges and randomly reversed normals as well as unnecesary tiny triangles surrounded by big triangles without any need for more detailed geometry.

I guess the short answer would be rework your mesh by hand, making triangles quads and using a knife tool to manually add the right sub-ds.
However this is the first CAD data of probably 15 objects with heavy details. I won't have the time to rework them all manually

[KurtS]

Do you know what CAD-program is used to create the geometry?

[Hugh]

Can't you ask the client to resend the data in a more friendly format? Such as .sat or .step that you can mesh within Cinema.

[KurtS]

I agree, most CAD apps are capable of exporting to a descent number of formats. This is what it looks like in my favorite tool, Microstation:

[Hugh]

I've used Inventor, Autocad, Solidworks and Solidedge and they all support multiple output formats. For me .obj would never be the first choice if I were importing into an app with a maxwell plugin. I'd always output to a solid format like .sat .step or .igs and let the app with the Maxwell plugin do the meshing, as this lets you control the mesh resolution.

If you want highres quads from the client you could try asking for .stl output, although the client would probably have to union any separate parts into one solid as I think .stl doesn't support assemblies.

[JorisMX]

Thanks alot for all your answers!

I will be getting a collection of CAD Data today and will hopefully get some iges data that I can mesh in Cinema.

I will keep postings whats going on.

[JorisMX]

Thanks to fellow Boardmember AnkhNEXT letting me in on Npower CAD import software with live mesh editing features. I will try it lateron today.

So far I have kept on using Okino Polytrans and am totally frustrated with it.
I'm pretty sure its just my lack of knowledge with this app and workflow of CAD-Imports.

However I tried using new Data I got today mostly IGES some DXF importing in polytrans in various ways and different outputs. All Scenes in Cinema load empty. With polyobjects but nothing to be seen in either viewport?!?
After watching this video on Power Translator Tools from NPower I have noticed that even this app produces edges with triangles that change direction and therefore create messed up curves on bodies etc.

Which makes me ask once more....how on earth do the rest of you cope with CAD imports?
Do you rework every Mesh untill all the Triangles are good and point in the right direction?

[polynurb]

I got today mostly IGES

then use Rhino.

for price/value better get a copy of rhino than a few translators that don't do a clean job. (haven't used polytrans or such.. guess they are worth it in some cases)

Rhino also let's you import ACAD solids as Nurbs solids into rhino, letting you control the meshing process yourself.

File formats supported: DWG/DXF(AutoCAD 200x, 14, 13, and 12 ), SAT (ACIS), DGN, FBX, X_T (Parasolid), 3DS, LWO, STL, SLC, OBJ, AI, RIB, POV, UDO, VRML, BMP, TGA, CSV (export properties and hydrostatics), uncompressed TIFF, STEP, VDA, GHS, GTS, KML, PLY, SketchUP, SolidWorks.

IGES (Alias, Ashlar Vellum, AutoFORM, AutoShip, Breault, CADCEUS, CAMSoft, CATIA, Cosmos, Delcam, EdgeCAM, FastSurf, FastSHIP, Integrity Ware, IronCAD, LUSAS, Maya, MAX 3.0, MasterCAM, ME30, Mechanical Desktop, Microstation, NuGraf, OptiCAD, Pro/E, SDRC I-DEAS, Softimage, Solid Edge, SolidWorks, SUM3D, SURFCAM, TeKSoft, Unigraphics), NASA GridTool, Yamaha ESPRi, Tebis.

[JorisMX]

There's no rhino for mac though, is there?

[polynurb]

..there is

http://community.irhino3d.com/

..still beta ..but that let's you try it's conversion capabilities real easy...