The title of my this topic, may be different but here is the story:
I spent almost three days in trying to import my 3d model from Rhinoceros to SolidWorks Flow simulation for wind pressure analysis of my curved roof.
First I experimented with the export extensions. I tried to export my model from Rhino to: .3ds, .obj .vrml .step .dwg .dxf .sat ... and all other available extensions.
I even tried the trial plugin "3ds to SolidWorks"
Nothing, no succes. Some of above mentioned extensions can be opened in the SolidWorks, some not. But even those that can be opened, can not be used in Flow Simulation, which is my goal (importing my 3d model from Rhino to SolidWorks for wind pressure analysis).
Finally after today I saw that .igs export from Rhino gives best results.
With it, I succeded to import my 3d Rhino model into Solid Works.
Again a new headacke begins: As I read somewhere on this forum, Flow Simulation requires all entities to be solid, not surfaces. Because of that, I had to use the "Extrude" and "Thicken" commands to convert my surfaces to solids. But there comes the headacke: probably because those are not SolidWorks surfaces, but imported ones, I simply can not Extrude or Thicken them. Especially the two way curved ones. I am getting messages:
"The surfaces could not be extruded/thickened" and similar.
After couple of hours I succeeded in thickening all of them. It has something to do with the order by which I thicken them, and by the values (in milimeters). Sounds strange? Yes it does to me also.
When I finally made it to convert all surfaces to solids, then I Created a new Flow simulation project, set general settings, initial mesh, surface goals, went to Solve->Run, and was finally excited that I will get my results, a new dissapointment emerged:
"There is no fluid volume in the project. Please check geometry or boundary conditions."
I tried to search for the soulution in here, but all I got was some tip about adding the "Fluid Subdomain" and the above error message will vanish. Nope, that did not worked neither. Then after more hours and testing, I found out that the problem lies in my two curved surface. When I not choose it as one of the "Surface goals" then the Flow Simulation solves without the problems. Later on I can choose this surface as one of the others in the Surface plots. But NOT BEFORE I SOLVE the Flow Simulation.
Again a new problem emerges - the pressure results in the Surface plots, can not be seen unless you click on those furfaces. But then the blue selection color is appearing as close as you zoom in the project. Take a look:
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/843/28110942.jpg/][IMG]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/3153/28110942.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/68293881.jpg/][IMG]http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/4944/68293881.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/81569327.jpg/][IMG]http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/4928/81569327.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/153/92476316.jpg/][IMG]http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4862/92476316.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Did anybody else have any similar experiences with export of Rhino to SolidWorks?
Thank you
Regards
Legt
P.S.
I saw a tv show on National Geography about the designer from Maserati. He created the 3d model of new Maserati in 3d Studio Max, and then the Engineers did the air pressure analysis in SolidWorks Flow Simulation. So I guess they had to to export the 3d model from 3d Studio Max to SolidWorks.
3d studio max is not a NURBS modelling application, in contrary to Rhinoceros, which is. So if exporting from 3d studio max to SolidWorks is possible, then it has to be much easier to export from Rhino to SolidWorks, right?