complex surface won’t regenerate

[multin]

2011-05-06_110750_pictures2.zip


2011-05-06_110652_pictures1.zip





Hello everyone,



I also posted this question at the PTC forum,but since I did not get a response yet I figured I could try this site as well.


Here is my problem:


After 3 weeks of trying I'm about ready to give up - although that is not really an option with a paying customer waiting for my work.


Here is what I am trying to do:


I want to make a skeleton model of the top surface of a part. (I'm sorry, I am not allowed to tell you what the function of the part is)


The top surface is very complex. The main features are:


- a hexagonal array of cuts - array has almost 10000 copies


- almost as much protrusions ("burls")


- a (sort of) spiral shaped extrusion


- some features on the edge.


The picture 1-model_OK_hexsize-40.jpg gives an idea. The only problem is: the hexsize in it is 40 mm; I want it to be 3 mm. This means a lot more pattern instances. ProE seems to have a problem with that.


View attachment 5086


I tried several approaches.


A:


created several surfaces, then merged them into a quilt





B:


- a hexagon quilt is created in a separate skeleton model.


- A burl quilt is created in another skeleton model.


- A third skeleton model uses external copy geometry to import both quilts


- These are merged into 1 quilt


The advantage over A: I can have several computers do the work simultaniously since creating such a complex quilt takes many hours.



C:


- I started with a solid disc


- made a hex cut, patterned the hexagons


- built all the other features as solid extrudes


Advantage: no merging neccecary. (merging proved to be a problem in A and B)



D:


- started with a 2d disc


- cut out all hexagons


- added the spriral


- thickened into a solid


- did the same with the burls



In each case, I started with a limited number of hex cuts, either by increasing their size or by limiting their number in the pattern (added a second contour inside the pattern area).


Each method worked.


I then modified the pattern to the correct number and size.


Several things then went wrong:


- all of a sudden, some features started to fail. Quilts won't merge anymore, cuts won't regenerate (2-failed_burl_hexsize-35.jpg).


- some instances of a pattern show up at completely the wrong location (3-hex_pattern_problem1_hexsize-3.jpg).


- the amount of time it takes to regenerate increases to "rediculous" imho. Two days, just to make the hex cuts in a 2d plane!



Maybe some system info would help:


Dell precision T3500, X5650 Xeon 6 core 2,67 GHz, 6 GB Ram, 64 Bit, Win 7, Wildfire 5



Does anyone understand why this is not working?


Or have any tips/tricks/ a better way to model this?





Thanks!


Eelco
Edited by: multin

 

[multin]

By the way, I tried to upload the model, but I will need to reduce it to 2 Mb. I'l try to do so, or find another way to make it available.

 

[tobbo]

regarding reducing the filesize , supress all the features and then zip it, usually works.


Regarding your part, could it be so that you need to adjust your accuracy? Sounds like it. Proe probably creates a lot of tiny edges when you make the changes. And those little tiny edges could be "to small compared to the rest of the modell". So, adjust the accuracy and try again.


//Tobias

 

[multin]

Thanks for the reply Tobbo,


Regarding filesize: I simplified the model a lot and then zipped it, but it is still slightly larger than 2 Mb. I even deleted all the layers and unusedparameters... I will delete some more features and try again.


The accuracy thing sounds like something that could work, so I'll give it a try.

 

[gristle]

Hi,
I have had some experience working on parts with large patterns and reference patterns and it appeared that working in surfaces (including merges) was quicker than solids. Are you patterning a quilt, or features?


Edited by: gristle

 

[multin]

Hi Gristle,


I tried several methods. The first one was actually the way you just described. This worked great until the pattern got too large, and then the merge suddenly failed.

 

[multin]

I am not sure if I can post links here... but I uploaded the part (a bit simplified) to an external filesharing site.


http://www.4shared.com/file/ev4k5yTf/problempartprt.html



All features are suppressed to reduce filesize and the number of hexagons is reduced by enlarging them to 60 mm.


If you change the relation "zeshoek_grootte = 60" into "zeshoek_grootte = 3" you have the correct model

 

[gristle]

Downloaded the part but it is a skeleton part and I only have foundation. I think Tobias might be right, there will be some really small edges in the model compared to the overall size.

 

[faisalmk]

Hi
Dear multin
May you put the part in version WF4.0 so I can open it.
And don't give up I promise that I will try my best to solve your problem.