Hi,
I have created some geometries(.stl) using CTscan data. I have to import them for CFD or Finite element analysis and surfaces should be very smooth. I have 2 questions:
1- How can I smooth the surfaces in Solidworks?
2- I use another software to creat geometries based on CT data. Is it possible that I import Ct data and make 3D objects directly in solidworks?
Thanks ,
Hani
I was always curious, what does raw CT/MRI data come as?
I know its geometrically based on voxels, but what file format does it have?
I too wonder if it can be brought into Solidworks straight away - or whether it has to be tesselated into an .STL - then ScanTo3D will surely do it, as Mark said.
Well as I said, my main problem for the time being is how to smooth the geometry that I have. I have made a 3D geometry based on CT scan data using "ITK-Snap" software. In their website you can find a set of MRI data. Ouput format of ITK-Snap is .stl file and I want to smooth the rough surfacesby SolidWorks.
Another idea is to do it using CATIA, but i could not open that stl file in CATIA.
No way...you can't open something in CATIA without first buying some obscure module that costs you an arm and a leg...count me amazed
Well, if it's an .STL, you can make use of smoothing groups. I think the free software Blender allows you to do that, it works by interpolating light across the vertices of polygons. That'll make it smooth - but be aware, this is only a visual effect! It's an illusion of light, and the actual underlying geometry will not become smooth to a CNC cutter, rapid prototyping machine or simulation software.
You could also subdivide the mesh, which does make it smooth geometrically, however an .STL is triangles and smoothing algorithms perfer quads - which would be an insane amount of work. If you can find software that works on the Loop alogrithm you might be able to do something: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_subdivision_surface
However, simulation software doesn't like polygonal data because it needs to tesselate itself, and it has a completely different algorithm.
So, best of all, if you have ScanTo3D you can have Solidworks clean up your .STL and semi-automatically generate surfaces that allow you to make it very smooth. What does the scandata contain? Are you looking at a lot of work or is it like a single bone?
Hani and Jeffrey,
The attached images are from a hand that I exported via .obj from PoserPro and into SW ScanTo3D and made solid using the AutoSurfacing function.
Regards
Mark
That looks like what I want to do. I have the .obj file (as well as other formats), but the ScanTo3D crashes SolidWorks every time I try to run the smoother.
I do have SW Premium.
Jeffrey,
Sound like you may be hitting a memory limit; either simplify the mesh with the mesh prep wizard or get on SWx64.
Regards
Mark
Mark,
I'm already on X64. I think this might be a memory limit as well. Need to watch my performance while I'm trying to load this...
Thx,
Jeff.
Thank you very much Mark and Kevin,
Mark,mine is student kit and I do not think it has the ScanTo 3D. As you said it is in permiume version. But I checked the help of SW and it is exactly what I want. Is it possible that I send 2or 3 files and you have a look at them and see whether you can smooth their surfaces or not?
Thanks
Hani,
check your add-in's - Is it listing ScanTo3D ? ScanTo3D should be included with the EDU version.
hani,
Through the use of ScanTo3D which is part of SW Premium. Depending on the part type (organic or product design) you can use auto-surfacing or guided-extracted surface method respectively.
If you want to post the STL, or sample of it, I can show you.
Regards
Mark