XOR Tutorial

Surface Modeling: Autosurface

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RapidformXOR User Guide & Tutorial

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Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 3

1. Introduction
Time to Completion: 30 Minutes
Level of Difficulty: Beginner
Created for XOR3
June, 2011

The purpose of this tutorial is to show you how to create a surface model from a set of raw scan data
files.

We will be using Auto Surfacing, which is the fastest and easiest way to create a watertight surface
model from complicated mesh.

If you want to apply Auto Surfacing on a mesh, the mesh might first need to be optimized in order to get
quality results.

The Auto Surfacing function is automated for creating optimized polygon mesh models, as manual
operations used to remove holes and noise are no longer required. The mesh models generated in the
application meet the specific quality requirements needed for FEM (Finite Element Method).

If you need surface data for the purpose of computer graphics or for post processing for
FEM, applying the auto-surfacing command will tightly fit a surface to the mesh model.

Throughout the process of rapidly generating a surface model using Auto Surfacing, the entire model will
remain parametric and editable in every step.

< Raw Scan Data > <Auto Surface>

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 4

2. Data files
For this tutorial you will need to use the teeth.xrl file which is a raw scan data of teeth in a freeform
shape. The file can be accessed at:
http://rapidform.zendesk.com/attachments/token/khhurxmyrmgimls/?name=teeth.xrl

Note: Sample data for the following tutorial is provided by INUS Technology. They are the property of INUS
Technology and are used for informational purposes only. Other than to identify this software and publication,
individuals or organizations purchasing the software are not entitled to use the sample data without INUS
Technology’s prior written consent.

3. Overview
The processes listed below will help you learn how to work with the Auto Surfacing function to create a
high quality mesh from raw scan data:

Step1: Mesh Editing Step2: Create Surfaces Step3: Accuracy

(Auto Surface) Analysis

Step4: Mesh Edit Step5: Update Result

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 5

4. Modeling Process

Step1: Mesh Editing

In this step you will be editing mesh and preparing it for surfacing. Files from scanned parts are
often not perfect, containing many holes and imperfections in the mesh . The object of this step is
to use the many tools that the application offers to quickly and easily get rid of the holes and
imperfections. You will be using the following tools in this step: Fill Hole, Global Remesh, Healing Wizard,
Decimate, Enhance Shape, Optimize Mesh, and Accuracy Analyzer.

1. Choose Insert >Import to import ‘teeth.xrl’ at following location:

http://rapidform.zendesk.com/attachments/token/khhurxmyrmgimls/?name=teeth.xrl. You will
see that the data is full of holes.

2. To enter the Mesh Mode, either double click the imported data or click the Mesh Mode
button.

3. Use the Fill Hole Tool to automatically fill holes in the model by going to Tools>Mesh
Tools>Fill Holes or by clicking the icon in the toolbar. Highlight the model by left clicking the
mouse and dragging the selection square. You will want to de-select the bottom boundary of
the model by Ctrl clicking it as shown in the picture below. Use the settings shown in the picture
and run the tool. You may get an error message stating the application was unable to fill some
holes. Click OK and proceed to the next step.

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 6

4. Use the Global Remesh Tool to further the mesh correction process by making the mesh
water-tight by going to Tools>Mesh Tools>Global Remesh, or by clicking the icon in the toolbar.
Run the Global Remesh using the default settings.

The mesh will be re-formed to try and create as many clean triangles as possible, filling most of the
missed holes.

<Before> <After>

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 7

5. Use the Healing Wizard Tool to fill the remaining holes by going to Tools>Mesh
Tools>Healing Wizard in the menu bar. Use the default settings and run the tool.

Now you should have a model that looks like the image of the “After” model.

< Before> < After>

6. Use the Decimate Tool to reduce the number of triangles while preserving the original shape
of the model by going to Tools>Mesh Tools>Decimate. In this step, use 50% as the Reduction
Ratio.

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 8

7. Use the Enhance Shape Tool improve the surface quality of the mesh by going to Tools>Mesh
Tools>Mesh Tools>Enhance Shape or by clicking the icon in the toolbar.
This tool is useful for removing bumpy surface noise and reconstructing sharp edges.

< Before Enhance Shape> <After Enhance Shape>

8. Use the Optimize Mesh Tool to get a highly enhanced mesh from the scan data by going to
Tools>Mesh Tools>Optimize Mesh or by clicking the icon in the toolbar.
The resulting mesh will be good enough for FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis.

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 9

 < Before Optimize Mesh > < After Optimize Mesh>

9. Check the deviation between the original mesh and the optimized mesh by using the
Accuracy Analyzer. Red and blue means that the meshes deviate from each other past a set
tolerance range and green means that the tolerances fall within the limits.

10. Exit from the Mesh mode by clicking the Apply button in the bottom right corner of the
model view.

<Apply/Exit Button>

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 10

 Step2: Create Surfaces (Auto Surface)
Now that your mesh is free of holes and errors and has been optimized to remove noise and
unwanted polygons, you will create polygon-fit surfaces on the optimized mesh using the Auto
Surfacing tool. You will be using the following tool in this step: Auto Surfacing.

1. Use the Auto Surfacing Tool to automatically create solid surfaces on the mesh by going to
Insert>Surface>Auto Surfacing or by clicking the icon in the toolbar. Input 500 as the No. Of
Surfaces.
You may get an error message stating that “One or more surface patches could not be fitted.”
Click OK.

Note: If you have a closed volumetric mesh, a sewed surface body (Solid) will be created as shown in the
image above.

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 11

 Step3: Accuracy Analysis
In this step you will be using the Accuracy Analyzer function. It is the built-in analysis tool that
can help fine-tune your model by eliminating mistakes and deviations. The function compares
the original scan data to the user-created model. While using the function, all changes made to
the model will reflect in real-time in any of the deviation analyzing modes.

The values for the maximum and minimum deviations are completely customizable and are
represented by the yellow to red color range for the maximum deviation, and the turquoise to
blue color range for the minimum deviation. The goal is to create your model to have as much
of the model in the green color range as possible, so when the part is created it is as true-to-
the-original as possible. Accuracy Analyzer can be used at any step in the creation process to
ensure that your model is being created as correctly as possible.

1. Use the Find Defect Tool to search for erroneous faces on the surface body by going to
Tools>Body Tools>Find Defect. Select the Auto Surfaced body as your body and run the tool.

3. View the deviation between the auto-surfaced model and the original mesh by using the
Accuracy Analyzer.

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 12

 Step4: Mesh Edit
In this step you will use tools to alter the mesh in a way that you want. Unlike the last step you
will be actively changing particular parts of the mesh instead of eliminating holes and noise. You
will be using the following tool in this step: Defeature.

1. Use the Defeature Tool to change the shape of a tooth on the model by going to Tools>Mesh
Tools>Defeature. When you double-click the mesh in the project tree, you will enter the editing
mode of the previously used mesh.

Select one tooth by using the paintbrush tool as seen in the picture below.

The result will be a de-featured tooth model as shown in the picture below.

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 13

 Step5: Update Result
In this step you will cut the bottom of the tooth model off to create a flat base. The base up
until now has had all the automated tools applied to it and is not flat . You will be using the
following tool in this step: Split.

1. Use the Split Tool to cut the mesh and cap the section ends by going to Tools>Mesh
Tools>Split. Choose the By Drawing Polyline On Screen option and draw a polyline parallel to
the bottom area as shown in the pictures below.

Click the next stage icon to go to the following step of the tool. Click the Inner Region as the
Remaining Region. Your model should look similar to the example below. Click the next stage
button.

2. The result should be as follows:

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 14

3. Exit from the Mesh mode. An updated surface model will be created without having to apply
any additional operations. You can see that the tooth you defeatured is no longer there and that
the base of the model has been cut in the picture below:

<Before> <After>

Tutorial: Surface Modeling - AutoSurface 15