Hi Fluent and Gambit users,

I have an issue with gambit. I am trying to convert a virtual volume to real volume in gambit. I have an STL file produced by other software that I input into gambit to carry out subsequent grid operations. The problem I have at the first place is that gambit recognizes the STL input file as a virtual volume and not as a real volume. This is not desirable, as I cannot carry out volume subtraction and splitting operation that is a necessary step before I proceed further.

Any suggestion to overcome this problem is welcome.

Thanks

Bharat, I have not used stl format many times but one thing is sure when you transfer ant cad file to gambit or any mesher you have th eoption of real or virtual geometry transfer. if it is not available with stl o the following to get the real from virtual 1) delete all voulme keeping faces (lower topology on) 2) delete virtual fases keeping lower geom on and the lower geometry also consists real faces 3) hide the real faces and delete the v curves and points 3) creat volume from real facses

this will work if stl gives you geometry history

let me know if this work for you

If you have the option, go back to the original software and try an IGES or STP file. If you don't have that option, then try what Sach recommended.

Good luck, Jason

Thanks very much.I had exactly tried that option but is very tediuous. Each of my volumes has more than 5000 volumes and forming the real faces in place of virtual faces is very tedious. Also, the automatic conversion in gambit is not very efficient if the grid is arbirarily shaped, meaning, the standrd conversion operation does convert only a small fraction of the available virtual faces.

Find a different format to convert the STL file to... Parasolid is pretty bulletproof in my experience.

Andy