3D catia models to gambit

doki · July 10, 2010, 07:37

I am trying to import a 3D catia model into gambit using .igs or .stp formats.
when I intend to mesh the geometry, I realize that there are a lot of small edge/faces in the geometry; which makes it impossible to generate a suitable mesh.
how can I fix the problem so that I could get proper mesh?

Hari Prasad · July 10, 2010, 09:05

Hi Doki,
It sometimes happens that when you import geometries to gambit there is a duplication of edges and faces particularly edges common to several faces and faces common to several volumes. Click on every edge and face individually and check if there are several duplicates overlapping. Retain only one edge or face and remove the rest that are overlapping and try meshing it.It should work hopefully.Good Luck!!

doki · July 10, 2010, 11:00

thanks
face or edge duplication sure does have effect on the geometry, but another source of problem is (I think) some tolerance problems or even the nature of such formats.
I tried to check the geometry and I realized that there are many "broken" edges/faces in the volume. to repair all of these edges, is a time consuming task; and I do not know what to do.

Hari Prasad · July 11, 2010, 10:37

If your model is not too complex you can try modelling it on gambit itself.

kdrbrk · July 13, 2010, 04:10

Hi doki, can you share your CATIA model here? or at least some photos?
Make display "shading with edges" option.

doki · July 13, 2010, 07:42

unfortunately because of internet issues it is impossible for me to do so.
But as far as I have checked, the model has no problems in native software.
I have also tried to use a 3rd software (e.g. solidworks) to get a .sat geometry file. but there still remain some problems.

kdrbrk · July 13, 2010, 08:20

Maybe CATIA created some little faces.
ex: when I try to make a fillet of an airfoil, sometimes it creates very small faces depending on the fillet radius. its very annoying but there is nothing to do. I try making geometries as simple as I can.

http://img97.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=63398557.jpg
http://img199.imageshack.us/i/73590640.jpg/
http://img97.imageshack.us/i/63398557.jpg/

arash_7444 · July 13, 2010, 11:07

Hi
Try to clean up your geometry (i.e. click pad "tools" )

I use ProEngineer to create geomtery because it is easier to import them to GAMBIT. I mean gambit can read *.prt and you don't need to convert it to *stl *.igs

good luck

doki · July 16, 2010, 08:57

I did indeed do so. but the problem still remains in the geometry

Chris D · July 16, 2010, 11:20

Have you tried to clean up the geometry with your cad program before importing it into gambit? You might be able to simplify your geometry by removing small features that unnecessarily complicate your cfd model. By doing this, you give gambit a smaller chance of screwing up, which is always a good thing!

doki · July 16, 2010, 13:44

sure I have checked it. But as I mentioned above, the geometry does not show any problems in the native software.
And Ofcourse I have performed some simplifications in order to get a simpler model for grid generation. it seems there should be something related to the extension.

Chris D · July 16, 2010, 15:00

Is there a reason you're limited to .igs and .stp? I've had pretty good luck importing parasolid into gambit.

doki · July 17, 2010, 02:44

I have used .sat extensively for such cases. but catia does not support that extension in its normal interface, so I tied other extensions.
So which extension would you recommend me to use? the model is developed in catia v5r18.

Chris D · July 17, 2010, 09:41

The extension for parasolid is .x_t. I'm not sure if you can save as parasolid with catia, but I know you can with solidworks.

doki · July 17, 2010, 12:21

you are right.
solidworks can export the .sat (ACIS) extension too. but I can not find any suitable extension to send catia geometry to solidworks. the stp and igs extensions do affect the geometry the same way as what they do in Gambit.

July 10, 2010, 07:37	3D catia models to gambit	#1
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	I am trying to import a 3D catia model into gambit using .igs or .stp formats. when I intend to mesh the geometry, I realize that there are a lot of small edge/faces in the geometry; which makes it impossible to generate a suitable mesh. how can I fix the problem so that I could get proper mesh?

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July 10, 2010, 09:05		#2
Hari Prasad New Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 16	Hi Doki, It sometimes happens that when you import geometries to gambit there is a duplication of edges and faces particularly edges common to several faces and faces common to several volumes. Click on every edge and face individually and check if there are several duplicates overlapping. Retain only one edge or face and remove the rest that are overlapping and try meshing it.It should work hopefully.Good Luck!!

July 10, 2010, 11:00		#3
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	thanks face or edge duplication sure does have effect on the geometry, but another source of problem is (I think) some tolerance problems or even the nature of such formats. I tried to check the geometry and I realized that there are many "broken" edges/faces in the volume. to repair all of these edges, is a time consuming task; and I do not know what to do.

July 11, 2010, 10:37		#4
Hari Prasad New Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 16	If your model is not too complex you can try modelling it on gambit itself.

July 13, 2010, 04:10		#5
kdrbrk Member Burak Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 90 Rep Power: 17	Hi doki, can you share your CATIA model here? or at least some photos? Make display "shading with edges" option.

July 13, 2010, 07:42		#6
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	unfortunately because of internet issues it is impossible for me to do so. But as far as I have checked, the model has no problems in native software. I have also tried to use a 3rd software (e.g. solidworks) to get a .sat geometry file. but there still remain some problems.

July 13, 2010, 08:20		#7
kdrbrk Member Burak Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 90 Rep Power: 17	Maybe CATIA created some little faces. ex: when I try to make a fillet of an airfoil, sometimes it creates very small faces depending on the fillet radius. its very annoying but there is nothing to do. I try making geometries as simple as I can. http://img97.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=63398557.jpg http://img199.imageshack.us/i/73590640.jpg/ http://img97.imageshack.us/i/63398557.jpg/

July 13, 2010, 11:07		#8
arash_7444 Member Arash Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Denmark Posts: 37 Rep Power: 17	Hi Try to clean up your geometry (i.e. click pad "tools" ) I use ProEngineer to create geomtery because it is easier to import them to GAMBIT. I mean gambit can read .prt and you don't need to convert it to stl *.igs good luck

July 16, 2010, 08:57		#9
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	I did indeed do so. but the problem still remains in the geometry

July 16, 2010, 11:20		#10
Chris D Senior Member Chris Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 169 Rep Power: 17	Have you tried to clean up the geometry with your cad program before importing it into gambit? You might be able to simplify your geometry by removing small features that unnecessarily complicate your cfd model. By doing this, you give gambit a smaller chance of screwing up, which is always a good thing!

July 16, 2010, 13:44		#11
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	sure I have checked it. But as I mentioned above, the geometry does not show any problems in the native software. And Ofcourse I have performed some simplifications in order to get a simpler model for grid generation. it seems there should be something related to the extension.

July 16, 2010, 15:00		#12
Chris D Senior Member Chris Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 169 Rep Power: 17	Is there a reason you're limited to .igs and .stp? I've had pretty good luck importing parasolid into gambit.

July 17, 2010, 02:44		#13
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	I have used .sat extensively for such cases. but catia does not support that extension in its normal interface, so I tied other extensions. So which extension would you recommend me to use? the model is developed in catia v5r18.

July 17, 2010, 09:41		#14
Chris D Senior Member Chris Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 169 Rep Power: 17	The extension for parasolid is .x_t. I'm not sure if you can save as parasolid with catia, but I know you can with solidworks.

July 17, 2010, 12:21		#15
doki Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 17	you are right. solidworks can export the .sat (ACIS) extension too. but I can not find any suitable extension to send catia geometry to solidworks. the stp and igs extensions do affect the geometry the same way as what they do in Gambit.