Mesh not really mesh?

I have a problem with a 3D-file that I have to work with...

Its originally just full of Proxy objects but with a simple Explode I can get it to a Mesh or with 2 Explodes I can ge it to 3D Faces. But what I really would like is Solids.

What I have gathered is that I need to have it completely enclosed to use the Convert to Solid feature - but then I need to enclose every bloody end of the pipe right?

Does anyone have any idea of how to do this easy?

[ATTACH]27700[/ATTACH]

Tiger,

When I convert it back, I get 43 meshes for some reason.....

Theses meshes do not look like good candidates for m2s.lsp ( mesh to solid )

I can probably extract a center line of the pipe path from the meshes and then you could extrude a circle to make a true solid. Thats probably your best bet. AFAIK -David

I have some scripts that help this type of task – similar to the process David suggested, though in Rhino. Here is that geometry as ACIS solids insertable via ACISIN command.

Pipe.zip

Thanks for looking at it David,

The whole thing is a bit of a mess, the file here is a small part of the whole mesh-mess that I need to convert to something usable. And I will probably get a new file in a few weeks so while I appreciate your help, I need to find a way to handle these files on my own. Really what I need is just the center-line - but it needs to be correctly placed in Z - otherwise it would just be too easy

If it helps, we have access to Civil 3D, MEP and Plant 3D so if there is an easy way to handle this in one of those programs that would also help. Or another program, we have access to lots....

As indicated by David - you will be better off recreating.

I checked in Inventor and there are 3093 faces (much larger file than a simple Sweep would produce) and many errors.

Sean, that looks like something I can use, bummer that its done in Rhino, don't have Rhino apparently...

As indicated by David - you will be better off recreating.

I checked in Inventor and there are 3093 faces (much larger file than a simple Sweep would produce) and many errors.

Thanks JD, I have no idea what program this comes from from the start so I am not surprised that its a crappy file.

Lets pose a new question - If I was to recreate this to a centerline and perhaps two Quadrant-lines (outer edges seen from above) how would one do that easiest? In plain ol' AutoCAD?

Tiger,

This should get you the centerline paths. The problem being is they that must be 3DPOLY lines and 1 for each mesh.

I don't know if:

1. Can ACAD join 3dPOLYs yet?
   
2. Can ACAD extrude a 3DPOLY yet?
   

The center lines will reside on a layer named TEMPnnn

This is kind of a cludge ( could be done completely with mathematics and code ) but I tend to use ACAD as much as possible.

HTH -David

MESHPATH.LSP

That's awesome David, thanks a million!

A 3Dpoly is much easier to manipulate for my non-3D-comfortable hands so that will be a big help

This was an interesting challenge so here is my attempt to make the most of the data presented. The .NET routine analyzes the polygon mesh and reproduces the items as solids Cylinder and Torus sections (see sample).

If the DLL is NETLOADed, the command “MeshPipe” will run the routine.

Edit: Updated code in Post #18

WellAsSolids.dwg

I intended to show the source code in the post above, but it exceeded the character limit. The source is attached to this post.

MeshPipeSource1-1.txt

Sean, I wanted to try your .NET but I can't get it to work. I get a Fatal Error: Unsupported version of Windows Presentation Foundation when I run the program.

I don't know if I do anything wrong, have never used .NET before. I type in NETLOAD, select the DLL and Enter. It seems to load and the program starts but then Fatal Error kicks in.

It's not essential that I try it, so don't feel pressured for my sake, it would just be interesting.

Thanks for showing interest mate

The error may be due to the DLL’s location. An error can occur if it is stored remotely (i.e., on a network drive). It should be run from a local drive; ideally from the AutoCAD Program Files.

Ah, that solved it

It works wonderfully on the straight pipe-meshes, I can't get it to work on the cruved pieces though...

Are you testing on the original “Well” file? If not, could you upload the geometry causing the problem?

If it is still the same file, then that is odd. I may have some localization issues with the tolerance settings. I’ll take another look at it when some time becomes available.

its the same file that I uploaded here.

Usually one would get a error message or something but nothing....it acts as if it completes the command as normal but just nothing comes out.

No rush mate

Tiger,

Like Sean, I thought this was an interesting problem.

With some help from the guys over at the swamp, this will give you single 3dpoly for each pipe in well.dwg. It's precision is on 1 decimal point, but that seemed to be about the as high as I could get it.

HTH -David

It also gave me a routine to combine multiple 3DPOLYs in a single call.

meshpath 1.1

MESHPATH.LSP

You guys....

It's way past going-home-time now but I'll look into your routine tomorrow David, thanks a bunch

Okay, I see the problem now. A method that worked well enough with AutoCAD 2009 32 bit didn’t perform so well on AutoCAD 2012 64 bit. The attached uses a slightly different approach (the one I should have used in the first place) and works on the two aforementioned versions. I can’t test it on AutoCAD 2010 specifically, but I have a good feeling.

Of course, the odd mesh problem may already have resolved itself since last week; this follow up will at least provide some closure to my participation in this thread.

MeshPipe_5-27.zip

Thanks a bunch Sean and David!

The problem is still alive and well but this will take care of it good and proper