CFD Online Logo CFD Online URL
www.cfd-online.com
[Sponsors]
Home > Forums > Software User Forums > ANSYS > FLUENT

STL File - Mesh Surface Problems

Register Blogs Community New Posts Updated Threads Search

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old   June 8, 2004, 15:04
Default STL File - Mesh Surface Problems
  #1
Harmeet
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Hi Everyone!

My first time here, and I like what I see! Great stuff!

I'm having major problems using Gambit. I've been trying to import an STL file into Gambit, which can read and open the file, but the faces are labelled as f_face. These are not real faces, and there are no vertices or lines. The STL file is a surface mesh file. I need to manipulate the file such that I can obtain a "real" surface or solid. Stitching the faces didn't help, 'cos the faces are not "real". I'm at a loss.

I got the STL files from CT scans. But Gambit can't seem to read them as real surfaces or as a solid. Does anyone know anything about this? Is there a converter I can use? Please help, as I'm completely stuck and have not been progressing for ages, and I'm getting a bit depressed. Thanks people!

Harmeet.
  Reply With Quote

Old   June 9, 2004, 17:20
Default Re: STL File - Mesh Surface Problems
  #2
George
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Well, should you be using ICEM or Pro*am, it would be easy to give you an answer. But geometry reconstruction using STL data in Gambit - I can't imagine how that could be done.

You see, compared to what you need, Gambit uses a completely different strategy for meshing - first you must define geometry (kind of block structure of your mesh) and you then create the mesh for the individual pieces of the geometry. I can hardly imagine how you could create some logical volumes from the almost random triangulation which is typical for STL format.

Sorry for the bad news and good luck,

George
  Reply With Quote

Old   June 11, 2004, 00:34
Default Re: STL File - Mesh Surface Problems
  #3
Harmeet
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Hi George,

Thanks for the reply. I'm considering switching to ICEM to get this done. I've never used it before. My problem involves importing an STL file. I suppose that the software will recognise the surfaces right? Basically I need to import the STL image, nd then create a geometry around it and then do the flow analysis.

I've never used ICEM before or CFX. Can you please advise as to how I should proceed? Where would be a good place to start? Any recommended sequence of what I should do? Thanks a million George!

***Would it be possible to contact you via E-mail please? My E-mail add is g0301488@nus.edu.sg .
  Reply With Quote

Old   June 14, 2004, 08:30
Default Re: STL File - Mesh Surface Problems
  #4
George
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Hi Harmeet,

I didn't say CFX, I talked just pre-processor stuff. And I'm sorry, I'm currently only Gambit user, though I know pro*am (advanced preprocessor of Star-CD) from previous experience and ICEM as well. They use a different strategy, compared to Gambit, which makes it well suited for the kind of problem you have.

I hope this helps,

George
  Reply With Quote

Old   April 16, 2010, 06:15
Default
  #5
Super Moderator
 
bigphil's Avatar
 
Philip Cardiff
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 1,097
Rep Power: 34
bigphil will become famous soon enoughbigphil will become famous soon enough
Hi,

Obviously this is a old thread but I came across it searching for something else,
but I use gambit to mesh STL geometry and it works fine.

So for anyone else who may come across this thread with a similar problem:

I import the STL (or STLs) into gambit,
then delete the surface mesh,
I can then split these surfaces anyway I like (using split faces(virtual)),
a virtual volume can then be created from these faces using stitch faces.

This volume (or volumes) can then be meshes any way you like (well obviously it typically takes a bit of manual splitting before mapped hex is possible).

Then you can define your boundaries and export the mesh!


Any problems, just ask.


Philip


BTW: "GEOMETRY.FACE.VIRTUAL_FACE_FACE_SPLIT" in "Edit -> Defaults" should be set to "1" to perform the face/surface splitting operations.
bigphil is offline   Reply With Quote

Old   May 2, 2010, 15:00
Default
  #6
New Member
 
Miroslav Soos
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2
Rep Power: 0
MiroS is on a distinguished road
Hi Philip
I just read your commnet about import of STL surface mesh in Gambit. I am at this moment facing similar problem. I would like to simulate flow field inside a porous 3D object. I received geometry frm nanotomography in STL format. I was succesful in importing STL surfaces and costruction of virtual volume ut of them. Now I am stack with subtraction of this virtual volume from a cube around it (to get only volume of voids). Gambit is complaining about working with non-real geometry. Do you have any idea how can I make this subtraction?

Many thanks

MiroS
MiroS is offline   Reply With Quote

Old   May 3, 2010, 19:54
Default
  #7
Super Moderator
 
bigphil's Avatar
 
Philip Cardiff
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 1,097
Rep Power: 34
bigphil will become famous soon enoughbigphil will become famous soon enough
Hi MiroS,

OK I think I understand your problem. I think Gambit does not like performing boolean operations with un-real geometry so you will not be able to subtract your volume from a cube volume, but I think it should be possible to create the voids volume in Gambit some other way.

Hmmnn I am not sure but if you have the the faces of the void and the faces of the surrounding cube, it should be possible to create a volume from these faces (stitching them together). Also you would probably have to split the cube faces with the STL face before stitching so as the inner STL and outer cube faces stitch together.

Let me know how you get on,
If you would like you could upload the STL here or email to me and I could have a look at it when I have some free time. My email is philipcardiff AT gmail DOT com.

Philip
bigphil is offline   Reply With Quote

Old   May 4, 2010, 02:53
Default
  #8
New Member
 
Miroslav Soos
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2
Rep Power: 0
MiroS is on a distinguished road
Many thanks Philip
I am now trying procedure as you described. Let us see how far I can go. Unfortunately STL files are quite big.

MiroS
MiroS is offline   Reply With Quote

Old   May 13, 2010, 22:59
Default booleans
  #9
New Member
 
paul buscemi, ph.d.
Join Date: May 2010
Location: minneapolis, mn
Posts: 1
Rep Power: 0
pbuscem is on a distinguished road
You can do a boolean with the cad package Rhinoceros ( Rhino to most ). Import the stl, convert it to a Rhino mesh ( MeshtoNurbs) , construct the outer block and presto...Save that subtracted block as a new stl.
pbuscem is offline   Reply With Quote

Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
[Gmsh] 2D Mesh Generation Tutorial for GMSH aeroslacker OpenFOAM Meshing & Mesh Conversion 12 January 19, 2012 04:52
1.7.x Environment Variables on Linux 10.04 rasma OpenFOAM Installation 9 July 30, 2010 05:43
DxFoam reader update hjasak OpenFOAM Post-Processing 69 April 24, 2008 02:24
fluent add additional zones for the mesh file SSL FLUENT 2 January 26, 2008 12:55
[blockMesh] Axisymmetrical mesh Rasmus Gjesing (Gjesing) OpenFOAM Meshing & Mesh Conversion 10 April 2, 2007 15:00


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:49.