Tranform a Scan (STL) into a Surface

Maxime Chagnot

29 Mar, 2019 08:39 AM

Video:
https://youtu.be/Qo6hzCDecfg

Article:
https://plmtechnology.no/2016/10/27/transform-a-scan-into-a-surface-with-catia-3dexperience/

How can we reuse the data from a STL file?

With the Automatic Surface feature (Digitized Shape to Surface application) you can easily transform a 3D Scan into a clean surface.

The Reverse Engineering role contains also all the features needed to work with cloud points and scan, such as healing, tesselation, smoothing, surface network and many more...

1. Step 1: Video

   
   

2. Step 2: Importing Data

   * Watch the video for better understanding *

   In order to import a STL or Scan file in the 3DExperience, you need to launch either 3D Printing applications or Digitized Shape applications.

   Then click on "+" icon on top-right screen corner

   Select the small arrow ">" next to import

   and click on Digitized File

   You can now import STL, ASCII or other scan format files

3. Step 3: Analyzing the data

   * in the video case, the file is a model that comes from a CFD Analysis. The model is representing waves generated by a boat in motion *

   Go to Digitized Shape Preparation application

   Use the feature Mesh Preparation feature

   -> this will give you information on the mesh (boundaries, number of triangles, etc.)

   * The mesh in the video contains 600,000 triangles *

   

   * If a scan contains a lot of triangles, it can takes time for your machine to work on the model but the result obtained will be more accurate *

   -

   You can also run a quick Curvature Mapping Analysis on the scan to see where are the sensitive area to convert into a surface.

   

4. Step 4: Triangles to Surface

   Go to Digitized Shape to Surface application

   Use the Automatic Surface feature on the mesh

   

   • The mean surface deviation: If the value is low, then the surface will be sharp. In opposite the higher the value is the smoother the surface is. the software reach a limit if the value is too high, the result will be the same.

   
   

   • The surface detail: The parameter influence the number of patches the surface will be composed. The surface is more accurate with a higher number of patch, but it will take more time to compute.

   
   

5. Step 5: Compare mesh and Surface

   Click on the Deviation Analysis Feature

   Compare your mesh and the automatic surface feature

   -> this will give you the maximum deviation between the scan and the surface you made

   

   
   

   
   

6. Step 6: Verify the result with light (optional)

   Go to Live Rendering or Rendering Scene application.

   Apply a mirror material to the surface.

   Edit the rendering ambiance and change it by an outdoor environment (sky, grass, etc.9

   * You should see how the light reflects on the shape *

   -> if surface is too sharp, edit the automatic surface properties (step 3)

   
   

   • End of tutorial