Vgstudiomax32 ReferenceManual en

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Printed in Germany, August 2018.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 WELCOME 1
About this Product 1
Before First Usage 2
System Requirements 2
Running More Than One Program Instance 2
Preparations/Warnings 3
Conventions Used in the Documentation 3
Notes for Mac OS Users 4
Additional Information and Support 4
Training 5
2 WORKSPACE 6
Introduction 6
3D Window 7
Controls in the 3D Window 8
Preview Spin Box 8
Rotate/Move Mode 8
Rotate Mode 9
Move Mode 10
Show scale bar 11
Show tripod 12
Show box 12
Default Camera Views 12
Center and focus camera 12
Freeze rendering 12
Toggle fullscreen state 12
Context Menu of the 3D Window 13
Color bar preferences Menu Item 13
Edit color lookup table Menu Item 13
Color bar position Menu Item 13
Annotation result Menu Item 13
Annotations Menu Item 13
Clipping Menu Item 13
Tripod/Box Menu Item 14
Scale bar Menu Item 14
Text overlay Menu Item 14
Background color... Menu Item 14
Reset Menu Item 15
Freeze rendering 16
3D image quality Menu Item 16
Copy to clipboard Menu Item 16
Properties Menu Item 16
Rotate/Move Menu Items 16
Set rotation center Menu Item 16
Reset rotation center Menu Item 17
Configuring a Color Bar 17
2D Windows 17
Controls in the 2D Windows 18
Slice Position Spin Box 18
Lock slice position 19
Set brightness 19
Toggle transform mode 19
Rotate Mode 19
Move Mode 20
Transforming an ROI 20
Original display mode 20
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Color mode/Color and opacity mode 20

Create/Replace clipping plane 20
Navigation plane mode 21
Configure... 21
Rotation View 22
Custom Path View 23
Non-planar View 24
Show scale bar 26
Surface lines 26
Region of interest lines 27
Surface fill 27
Scroll Bars 27
Zoom in/out 27
Reset zoom 28
Focus selected object 28
Toggle fullscreen state 28
Configuring a Color Bar 28
Context Menu of the 2D Window 28
Color bar preferences Menu Item 28
Edit color lookup table Menu Item 29
Color bar position Menu Item 29
Annotation result Menu Item 29
Region of interest Menu Item 29
Clipping > Create/replace clipping plane Menu Item 29
Zoom Menu Item 29
Coordinate system Menu Item 30
Display mode 30
Thick slab... Menu Item 30
Configure slice view Menu Item 30
Slice step width... Menu Item 30
Non-planar resampling... Menu Item 30
Level/Window mode Menu Item 30
Background Menu Item 30
Text overlay Menu Item 31
Interpolation mode Menu Item 31
Scale bar Menu Item 31
Tripod overlay Menu item 31
Reset Menu Item 32
Profile Window 32
Profile Window Controls 33
Zoom in/out 33
Distance Field 33
Material mode 33
Lock 34
Profile Window Context Menu 34
Reset zoom level Menu Item 34
Create interval Menu Item 34
Delete interval Menu item 35
Export as CSV Menu Item 35
Icon Bars 35
Unit Icon bar 35
Tool Dock 36
Status Bar 36
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3 FILE MENU 38
Introduction 38
Overview of the File Menu Items 39
New Menu Item 40
Open... Menu Item 40
Save Menu Item 40
Save as... Menu Item 41
Export as mvgl... Menu Item 42
Import Menu Item 42
Image Stack... Menu Item 42
Raw volume... Menu Item 42
Import Options 43
File Selection Dialog for Image Stacks 43
File Selection Dialog for Volume Files 44
Data type Dialog 45
Size Dialog 45
Load as Dialog 46
ROI and Skip selection Dialog 49
Manipulation Dialog 50
Scanner manufacturer info Dialog 50
Scan info Dialog 51
Component info Dialog 51
Import histogram Dialog 51
Histogram Tab 51
Calibration Tab 52
Import preview Dialog 54
CAD... Menu Item 55
Standard CAD import Dialog 56
Advanced CAD import Dialog 56
Mesh... Menu Item 60
Point cloud... Menu Item 60
Specify file format Dialog 61
Select scans Dialog 63
Generate triangle mesh Dialog 64
Integration mesh... Menu Item 66
CT Reconstruction... Menu Item 66
Export Menu Item 66
Volume... Menu Item 66
Image stack... Menu Item 67
Movie Menu Item 68
Export aligned/multiple volumes Menu Item 69
CAD... Menu Item 71
Mesh... Menu Item 72
Export as Digimat file Menu Item 73
Export defects as MAGMA Menu Item 73
Export application settings ... Menu Item 73
Merge Object... Menu Item 74
Save Object... Menu Item 74
Pack and go... Menu Item 74
Batch Processing... Menu Item 76
Setup Tab 76
Status Tab 78
Save Image(s)... Menu Item 78
Save movie/image stack... Menu Item 80
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Print Image(s)... Menu Item 83

Quit Menu Item 84
4 EDIT MENU 85
Introduction 85
Overview of the Edit Menu Items 85
Undo/Redo Menu Items 86
Free memory/Clear undo queue Menu Item 86
Cut/Copy/Paste Menu Items 86
Paste Pattern of ROI(s) Menu Item 87
Transformation Tab 87
Multi-apply Tab 88
Copy/Paste transformation Menu Items 89
Delete Menu Item 89
Preferences Menu Item 89
Preset selection Section 89
General Preferences 90
General Settings 90
Window Settings 91
Import Settings 94
Language Settings 94
CT reconstruction Settings 95
myVGL privileges Settings 96
Reporting Settings 97
Snap frame Settings 98
Unit Settings 98
Expert Settings 99
Colors & Styles Preferences 102
Animation Settings 102
Analysis annotations Settings 102
Annotation layout Settings 102
Color bars Settings 103
Coordinate measurement Settings 104
Features > General Settings 104
Features > Color, selected instrument Settings 105
Features > Color, unselected instrument Settings 105
Geometry elements > 2D display settings/3D display settings > General Settings 105
Geometry elements > 2D display settings/3D display settings > Color Settings 106
Instruments > General Settings 106
Instruments > Color, selected Settings 107
Instruments > Color, unselected Settings 107
Coordinate system display Settings 107
Box Settings 107
Scale bar Settings 107
Tripod Settings 107
Isosurface Settings 108
Region of interest Settings 108
Text overlay Settings 108
5 OBJECT MENU 109

Introduction 109
Overview of the Object Menu Items 109
Rotate/Move Menu Items 111
Clipping Menu Items 112
Clipping plane Menu Item 112
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Clipping box Menu Item 114

Clipping polyline 3D Menu Item 115
Aligned clipping box Menu Item 117
Clipping sphere Menu Item 118
Surface determination... Menu Item 119
Isosurface Determination 120
Material definition Section 121
Histogram Section 122
Advanced Surface Determination 123
Remove surface determination Menu Item 126
Unload/Reload volume data Menu Items 126
Create synthetic volume data Menu Item 126
Remove volume data Menu Item 126
Register object Menu Item 127
3-2-1 Registration... Menu Item 128
Feature-based registration... Menu Item 131
Best fit registration... Menu Item 134
Sequential registration Menu Item 138
RPS registration... Menu Item 142
Best fit against several geometry elements... Menu Item 145
Simple 3-2-1 registration... Menu Item 149
Simple registration... Menu Item 150
Lock/Unlock Menu Items 151
Group/Ungroup objects Menu Items 151
Convert to Menu Item 151
Convert to > Volume... 151
Convert to > Mesh... 155
Converting a Volume to a Mesh 156
Converting a CAD Model to a Mesh 163
Convert to > Golden surface... 164
Draw Menu Item 165
Pick color Menu Item 165
Fill Menu Item 166
Top-level reporting... Menu Item 166
General Tab for Volume Objects 168
General Tab for CAD/Mesh Objects 171
Registration Tab 174
Morphometrics Tab 175
File list Tab 176
Source list Tab 176
Reconstruction Tab 176
Scanner manufacturer Tab 177
Diconde tags Tab 177
Scan Tab 177
Component Tab 178
Instruments Tab 178
General Table Controls 180
Table Context Menu 183
Images Tab 185
Report Tab 185
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6 SELECT MENU 189

Introduction 189
Overview of the Select Menu Items 189
Selection modes Menu Item 191
Selection modes > Draw 192
Selection modes > Rectangle 193
Selection modes > Round rectangle 194
Selection modes > Ellipse 196
Selection modes > Polyline 197
Selection modes > Polygon lasso 199
Selection modes > Region growing 200
Selection modes > Material region growing 202
Selection modes > Gray value range 203
Selection modes > Adaptive rectangle 204
Selection modes > Adaptive polygon 205
Selection modes > Adaptive line 206
Selection modes > Polyline 3D 207
Selection modes > Crack segmentation 208
Selection modes > Erode/dilate 209
Selection modes > Refinement 210
Selection modes > Smoothing 211
ROI from surface Menu Item 211
ROI from clipping object Menu Item 212
ROI from defect mask Menu Item 212
ROI from wall thickness mask Menu Item 212
ROI from CAD/mesh Menu Item 212
ROI from CAD selection... Menu Item 214
ROI from geometry element(s)... Menu Item 214
Enable ROI render settings Menu Item 216
Disable ROI render settings Menu Item 216
Add ROI(s) to ROI Menu Item 216
Subtract ROI(s) from ROI Menu Item 216
Intersect ROI(s) with ROI Menu Item 216
Split ROI Menu Item 216
Merge ROIs Menu Item 217
Invert ROI Menu Item 217
Change ROI bit depth Menu Item 217
Extract ROI Menu Item 218
Import ROI template(s) Menu Item 218
Export ROI template(s) Menu Item 218
7 INSTRUMENTS MENU 219

Introduction 219
Overview of the Instruments Menu Items 219
General Information 220
Handling Instruments 220
Displaying Instruments 221
Instrument Labels 221
Indicator Instrument 222
Distance Instrument 222
Angle (4 points) Instrument 223
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Angle (3 points) Instrument 224

Polyline length Instrument 225
Min/max distance Instrument 227
Caliper Instrument 228
Import instrument template... Menu Item 229
Export instrument template... Menu Item 230
Import indicator(s)... Menu Item 230
Export indicator(s)... Menu Item 230
Activate/Deactivate navigation cursor Instrument 230
Snap modes Menu Item 231
Resnap instrument handles Menu Item 232
Status Messages 233
8 FILTER MENU 234

Introduction 234
Overview of the Filter Menu Items 234
User Interface Common to All Filter Dialogs 235
Status information Section 235
Preview Section 235
Source data Section 236
Destination data Section 236
Adaptive gauss... Menu Item 236
Options Section 236
Iterative method Section 237
Non-local means... Menu Item 237
Options Section 237
Convolution... Menu Item 237
Filter size Section 237
Filter kernel section 238
Filter data range Section 238
Gauss... Menu Item 238
Deviation... Menu Item 239
Median... Menu Item 239
Erosion... Menu Item 240
Dilation... Menu Item 240
Apply opacity mapping... Menu Item 241
FIB-SEM correction... Menu Item 241
Preview Section 241
Local contrast prefiltering Section 241
Registration Section 242
Merge volumes... Menu Item 242
9 CAD/MESH MENU 245

Overview of the CAD/Mesh Menu Items 245
Simplify mesh... Menu Item 245
Remove isolated components... Menu Item 246
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Flip surface orientation Menu Item 247

Recalculate CAD mesh... Menu Item 247
Merge mesh objects Menu Item 247
10 MEASUREMENTS MENU/CM MODULE 248

Introduction 248
License Information 248
Overview of the Measurements Menu Items 248
Types of Geometry Elements 251
Types of Features 252
Types of Dimensioning Features 252
Types of Tolerance Features 254
Fit geometry element Dialog 257
Creation Tab 260
Constraints Tab 269
Refit Tab 271
Fit points Tab 273
Columns of the Fit points Table 274
Controls of the Fit points Tab 274
Context Menu of the Fit points Tab 276
Define fit point Dialog 277
Define geometry element Menu Item 277
Geometry element properties Dialog 280
Properties Tab 281
Fit points Tab 283
Columns of the Fit points Table 283
Controls of the Fit points Tab 283
Context Menu of the Fit points Tab 284
Histogram Tab 285
Controls of the Histogram Tab 285
Context Menu 286
Cumulated Tab 286
Controls of the Cumulated Tab 286
Context Menu 287
Colors Tab 287
Dimensioning Menu Item 288
CM Reporting Menu Item 292
Features Tab 292
Columns of the Feature List 293
Controls of the Feature List 297
Geometry elements Tab 298
Columns of the Geometry Element List 298
Controls of the Geometry Element List 300
Images Tab 305
Report Tab 305
Adjust resolution Menu Item 308
Remove unused CM objects Menu Item 311
Resize geometry elements Menu Item 311
Tolerancing Menu Item 313
Geometry element actions Menu Item 321
Show/hide fit points Menu Items 321
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Save fit point information Menu Item 321

Replace geometry element Menu Item 321
Extract medial axis Menu Item 322
ROI from geometry element(s)... Menu Item 322
Update CM object(s) Menu Item 324
Mesh from geometry element(s) Menu Item 324
CAD from geometry element(s) Menu Item 325
Export geometry element(s) as CAD Menu Item 325
Export geometry element(s) as mesh Menu Item 325
Geometry element manipulation Menu Item 325
Intersect Menu Item 326
Combine Menu Item 330
Projection Menu Item 331
Symmetry element Menu Item 332
Transformation Menu Item 333
Extract min./max. point Menu Item 333
Edit geometry element manipulation Dialog 335
General tolerance presets Menu Item 336
Import measurement template Menu Item 337
Transformation Tab 337
Multi-apply Tab 338
Geometry Elements Tab 339
Features Tab 340
Groups Tab 341
Coordinate systems Tab 341
Options Tab 341
Export measurement template Menu Item 342
Geometry Elements Tab 342
Features Tab 343
Groups Tab 344
Coordinate systems Tab 344
Coordinate system editor Menu Item 344
Available coordinate systems Section 345
Properties Section 347
General Tab 348
Settings Tab for Alignment Coordinate Systems 349
Settings Tab for Manual Coordinate Systems 349
Settings Tab for Registration Coordinate Systems 350
Settings Tab for Datum Coordinate Systems 350
Store transformation/Apply transformation Menu Items 353
Status Messages 353
Status Messages for Geometry Elements 353
Status Messages for Dimensioning Features 355
Status Messages for Tolerance Features 355
11 ANALYSIS MENU 357

Introduction 357
Overview of the Analysis Menu Items 357
Update all analyses Menu Item 359
Create analysis annotation Menu Item 360
Create regular integration mesh... Menu Item 362
Create integration mesh from geometry element... Menu Item 363
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12 ANIMATION MENU 365

Introduction 365
Overview of the Animation Menu Items 365
Keyframer mode Menu item 366
Render animation Menu Item 367
Load camera trajectory Menu Item 369
Save camera trajectory Menu Item 369
Copy current state Menu Item 369
Paste state Menu Item 369
Paste sub-state Menu Items 370
Default curves Menu Items 370
Default curves: circle Menu Item 370
Default curves: spiral Menu Item 371
Default curves: clip Menu Item 371
Object exploder Menu Item 372
13 TOOLS MENU 374

Introduction 374
Overview of the Tools Menu Items 374
14 WINDOW MENU 376

Introduction 376
Overview of the Window Menu Items 376
Zoom Menu Item 378
Coordinate system Menu Item 378
Display mode Menu Item 378
Thick slab... Menu Item 379
Configure slice view Menu Item 380
Slice step width... Menu Item 380
Non-planar resampling... Menu Item 380
Level/Window mode Menu Item 381
Background Menu Item 382
Ruler Menu Item 382
Text overlay editor... Menu Item 382
15 HELP MENU 383

Overview of the Help Menu Items 383
About Dialog 383
16 RENDERING TOOL 384

Introduction 384
Preset Selection 384
Voxel Tab 384
Controls of the Voxel Tab 385
Context Menu of the Voxel Tab 389
Solid Tab 392
Wireframe Tab 394
Point cloud Tab 394
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17 LIGHT TOOL 395

Introduction 395
General Tab 396
Advanced Tab 400
18 TRANSFORM TOOL 401

Coordinate system Section 401
Position Tab 401
Rotation Tab 401
Center Tab 402
Resolution Tab 403
Scale Tab 403
19 CAMERA TOOL 404

General Tab 404
Stereo Tab 406
20 CLIPPING TOOL 408

Introduction 408
General Tab 409
Aligned clipping box Tab 409
21 AUTOMATION TOOL 410

Introduction 410
Controls of the Automation Tool 410
Controls of the Automation - Advanced Dialog 412
Play macro with interaction/Step-by step with interaction Buttons 416
Select All Option 416
Controls for Creating a Job 418
Wizard 418
General Dialog 418
Steps Dialog 419
Step dependencies Dialog 420
Step result files Dialog 421
Advanced editor 421
Step properties Dialog 422
Play macro for multiple objects Dialog 425
22 SCENE TREE TOOL 427

Introduction 427
Entries in the Scene Tree 427
Controls in the Scene Tree 427
Icons in the Scene Tree 428
Search Functions 433
Context Menu 434
Reopen CT-reconstruction Menu Item 434
Create > Menu Item 434
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Import > Menu Item 438

Export > Menu Item 439
Align slices to object Menu Item 440
Visibility on/off Menu Item 440
Top-level reporting... Menu Item 440
ROI ... Menu Items 440
Disable ROI render settings Menu Item 440
Enable ROI render settings Menu Item 441
Remove unused CM objects Menu Item 441
Show/hide fit points Menu Items 441
Save fit point information Menu Item 441
Replace geometry element Menu Item 441
Extract medial axis Menu Item 442
Update CM object(s) Menu Item 442
Resnap instrument handles Menu Item 443
Simplify mesh... Menu Item 443
Remove isolated components... Menu Item 443
Flip surface orientation Menu Item 444
Recalculate CAD mesh... Menu Item 444
Related objects Menu Item 445
Cut/Copy/Paste Menu Items 445
Paste Pattern of ROI(s) Menu Item 445
Copy/Paste transformation Menu Items 445
Store transformation/Apply transformation Menu Items 446
Merge mesh objects Menu Item 446
Update all analyses Menu Item 446
Surface determination... Menu Item 446
Remove surface determination Menu Item 446
Unload/Reload volume data Menu Items 446
Register object Menu Item 447
Lock/Unlock Menu Items 447
Convert to volume Menu Item 447
Convert to mesh Menu Item 447
Convert to golden surface Menu Item 447
Delete Menu Item 447
Rename/Rename (multi) Menu Item 448
Group/Ungroup objects Menu Items 448
Reset Menu Item 449
Evaluation properties... Menu Item 449
Set group Menu Item 449
23 ANIMATION TOOL 450

Introduction 450
General Information on the Simple Keyframer Mode 450
General Information on the Classic Keyframer Mode 450
Velocity Curve 451
Controls in the Playback Manipulation Area of the Animation tool 452
Context Menu of the Animation Tool 455
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24 BOOKMARKS TOOL 456
25 BOOKMARK EDITOR 457
26 LAYOUT EDITOR 459
27 TEXT OVERLAY EDITOR 462

2D Windows/3D Window Tabs 462
Default Text Labels 463
28 GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS 465

Introduction 465
Opening the Dialog 465
Settings Tab 466
General Section 467
Local density Section 467
Local density hot spots Section 467
Tolerance settings Section 468
Directional variability Section 469
Integration mesh Section 469
Colors Tab 470
Caption Section 470
LUT – Color Lookup Table 470
Sections Section 470
Annotations Section 472
Color LUT Settings Section 472
Color bar Section 472
Histogram Tab 473
Context Menu of the Histogram Tab 475
Directional variability Tab 475
Controls of the Directional variability Tab 475
Context Menu of the Directional variability Tab 477
Mesh cells Tab 477
Hot spots of density Tab 478
Annotations Tab 479
Rules Tab 486
Rule Dialog 486
Images Tab 488
Report Tab 488
29 POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE 492

Introduction 492
Settings Tab for the VGEasyPore Algorithm 496
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Analysis parameters Section (VGEasyPore Algorithm) 497

Edge distance calculation Section 498
Wall thickness analysis Section 498
Porosity calculation Section 499
Filter result Section 501
Ignore defects caused by CT artifacts Section 502
Active column Section 505
Settings Tab for the VGDefX/Only threshold Algorithms 506
Algorithm Section 507
Analysis mode Section 507
Analysis parameters Section (VGDefX Algorithm) 513
Probability factors Section 516
Settings Tab for the From defect ROI Algorithm 522
Custom defect mask Section 523
Settings Tab for the 2.x Compatibility Algorithms 531
Algorithm Section 532
Analysis mode Section 532
Size range Section 537
Colors/Porosity colors Tab 544
Caption Section 544
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Options Section 546

Other Colors Section 546
Defects Tab 547
Statistics Tab 551
Controls of the Statistics Tab 551
Context Menu of the Statistics Tab 555
Feature plot Tab 555
Controls of the Feature plot Tab 555
Context Menu of the Feature plot Tab 556
Porosity statistics Tab 557
Controls of the Porosity statistics Tab 557
Context Menu of the Porosity statistics Tab 559
Hot spots of porosity Tab 559
Mesh cells Tab 560
Annotations Tab 561
Images Tab 570
Rules Tab 570
Rule Dialog 571
Report Tab 573
30 FOAM STRUCTURE ANALYSIS MODULE 577

Introduction 577
Settings Tab 579
General Section 580
Optional features Section 581
Cell visualization Section 582
Cells Tab 582
Faces Tab 585
Cell feature histogram Tab 590
Controls of the Cell feature histogram Tab 590
Context Menu of the Cell feature histogram Tab 592
Strut thickness histogram Tab 592
Controls of the Strut thickness histogram Tab 593
Context Menu of the Strut thickness histogram Tab 594
Context Menu 595
Feature plot Tab 596
Controls of the Feature plot Tab 596
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Context Menu of the Feature plot Tab 596

Intrinsic volumes Tab 597
Cell/Face/Strut thickness colors Tabs 597
Caption Section 597
Faces Section 600
Images Tab 601
Annotations Tab 601
Report Tab 603
31 FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL ANALYSIS (FCMA) MODULE 607

Introduction 607
Settings Tab 609
General Section 609
Fiber material definition Section 612
Plane projection Section 612
Reference orientation Section 613
Porosity Section 614
Tolerancing Section 614
Visualization of the Analysis Results 615
Visualization in the 2D and 3D Views 615
Colors Tab 616
Plane projection and Reference orientation Modes 616
Caption Section 616
Space orientation Mode 618
Polar color plot Section 618
Spherical color plot Section 618
Settings Section 619
Color definition Section 620
Histogram Tab 621
Plane projection and Reference orientation Modes 621
Space orientation Mode 623
Orientation histogram Section 623
Settings Section 624
Cumulated histogram Tab 624
Controls of the Cumulated histogram Tab 625
Context Menu of the Cumulated histogram Tab 625
Plot Tab 625
Controls of the Plot Tab 626
Context Menu of the Plot Tab 626
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Mesh cells Tab 627

Annotations Tab 628
Orientations Tab 635
Tensors Tab 635
Main directions Tab 636
Statistics Tab 636
Images Tab 637
Report Tab 638
32 ENHANCED POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE 642

Introduction 642
Settings Tab 644
Geometric settings Section 644
Segmentation settings Section 645
Filter Section 646
Code Section 646
Results Tab 647
P 202/P 201 actual code Section 647
Global parameters Section 647
Reference faces Section 648
Pores Tab 649
Images Tab 655
Report Tab 655
33 NOMINAL/ACTUAL COMPARISON MODULE 659

Introduction 659
Settings Tab 661
Calculation parameters Section 662
Options Section 663
Calculate components Section 663
Colors Tab 664
Caption Section 665
Render hairlines Section 667
Visualization options Section 668
Deviation histogram Tab 668
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Controls of the Deviation histogram Tab 668

Context Menu of the Deviation histogram Tab 670
Cumulated histogram Tab 670
Controls of the Cumulated histogram Tab 670
Context Menu of the Cumulated histogram Tab 671
Components Tab 672
Annotations Tab 673
Images Tab 679
Rules Tab 679
Rule Dialog 680
Report Tab 682
34 WALL THICKNESS ANALYSIS MODULE 686

Introduction 686
Settings Tab for the Ray method Algorithm 688
Material Section 689
Wall thickness Section 690
Component analysis Section 691
Algorithm details Section 691
Settings Tab for the Sphere method Algorithm 693
General Section 694
Components Section 694
Colors Tab 696
Caption Section 696
Options Section 698
Histogram Tab for the Ray method Algorithm 700
Histogram Tab for the Sphere method Algorithm 702
Components Tab 704
Annotations Tab 706
Images Tab 712
Rules Tab 712
Rule Dialog 713
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Report Tab 715
35 STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION MODULE 719

Introduction 719
Settings Tab 721
Material parameters Section 722
Fixture definition Section 724
Load definition Section 724
Simulation settings Section 725
Porosity Section 727
Analyzed Volume section 727
Visualization options Section 728
Calculate hot spots Section 729
Compare with reference analysis section 730
Statistics Tab 730
Simulation performance section 730
Geometry of analyzed volume section 731
Von Mises stress/Max. shear stress/Max. principal stress and Magnitude of displacement sections 731
Histograms Tab 732
Controls of the Histograms Tab 732
Context Menu of the Histograms Tab 733
Colors Tab 734
Select Section 734
Caption Section 734
Hot spots Tab 737
Annotations Tab 738
Force lines Tab 743
Images Tab 744
Report Tab 745
Load case definition 748
Simulation results 748
Comparison results 749
Continuing or Recalculating a Structural Mechanics simulation 749
Stopping and Continuing a Calculation 749
Continuing a Finished Calculation 751
Freeing Temporary Memory 751
Partially Recalculating the Simulation 751
How to Obtain Reliable Results 751
Convergence Error 751
Simulation Cell Size 752
Singularities Near the Boundary Conditions 752
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Physics Reference 753

Notation Conventions 753
Mathematical Description 753
Validation 754
Bending a Cantilever Beam 754
Displacement 754
Stress Tensor 754
Twisting a Cylindrical Rod 756
Hollow Sphere Subject to Internal Pressure 758
References 760
36 TRANSPORT PHENOMENA MODULE 761

Introduction 761
Overview of the Create transport phenomena simulation Menu Items 764
Transport Phenomena Simulation Experiment 765
Settings Tab 765
Inlet and outlet Section 766
Physics settings Section 767
Use GPU(s) Section 770
Results Tab 771
Plot Tabs 774
Velocity plot/Current density plot/Molar flux plot/Heat flux plot Tab 774
Void fraction plot Tab 774
Total flow rate plot/Total current plot/Total mass transport plot/Total heat transport plot Tab 775
Convergence Plot 775
Controls of the Plot Tab 775
Context Menu of the Plot Tab 776
Streamlines Tab 776
Continuing the Calculation of an Experiment 778
Stopping and Continuing a Calculation 778
Continuing a Finished Calculation 780
Freeing Temporary Memory 780
Convergence 780
Representative Elementary Volume (REV) 782
Transport Phenomena Simulation Tensor 783
Settings Tab 784
Use GPU(s) Section 787
Results Tab 788
Tensor visualization Tab 795
Continuing the Calculation of Tensors 795
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Capillary Pressure Curve 796

Settings Tab 797
Geometry setup Section 798
Porosity Tab 800
Controls of the Porosity Tab 800
Context Menu of the Porosity Tab 801
Pore size histogram Tab 802
Controls of the Pore size histogram Tab 802
Context Menu of the Pore size histogram Tab 804
Capillary pressure Tab 806
Controls of the Capillary pressure Tab 807
Context Menu of the Capillary pressure Tab 808
Colors Tab 808
Select Section 808
Caption Section 809
Images Tab 811
Report Tab 812
Physics Reference 815
Notation Conventions 815
Absolute Permeability Experiment and Tensor Calculation 816
Molecular Diffusivity Experiment and Tensor Calculation 819
Thermal Conductivity Experiment and Tensor Calculation 820
Electric Conductivity Experiment and Tensor Calculation 822
Capillary Pressure Curve 824
Validation 824
Stokes Flow 824
Inclined Capillaries 825
Cubic Lattice of Spheres 826
Fontainebleau Sandstone 827
Diffusion/Heat Conduction/Electric Conduction 828
Inclined Capillaries 828
Sphere Packings 829
Capillary Pressure 830
References 830
37 CT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES 832

Introduction 832
Reconstruction approach Tab 836
Projection Files Tab 839
Calibration Tab 846
Geometry Tab 847
Required parameters Section 851
Scanner geometry correction Section 852
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xxi

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Further parameters Section 854

Manual result volume specification Section 857
Planar CT Section 859
Helix CT Section 865
Reconstruction options Tab 866
ROI and skip Tab 870
Result Options Tab 871
Scanner Manufacturer Info Tab 874
Scan Info Tab 875
Component Info Tab 875
Previews 875
Projection preview Dialog 875
Sinogram view Dialog 878
Slice preview Dialog 878
38 MANUFACTURING GEOMETRY CORRECTION MODULE 883

Introduction 883
Create CAD geometry correction Menu Item 883
Create component(s) Section 884
Result visualization Section 885
Visualization settings Dialog 885
Construction grid Tab 885
Curvature Tab 886
Draft angle Tab 887
Export Section 888
Buttons in the Export Section 889
CAD export Dialog 889
Components Table 890
Context Menu of the CAD geometry correction Dialog 891
Choose sampling filter Dialog 893
Pull direction Dialog 894
Copy settings Dialog 894
Customize construction grid Dialog 895
Duplicate components Dialog 896
Parameters of the CAD geometry correction Dialog 897
39 EVALUATIONS 902
Introduction 902
Evaluation Criteria 902
Evaluation Dialog 903
Columns of the Rules List 903
Controls in the Evaluation Dialog 904
Export Evaluation(s) 905
Import Evaluation(s) 905
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xxii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
40 VGEXPLORER INTEGRATION 907
41 GLOSSARY 909
42 SHORTCUTS 912
Introduction 912
General 912
Menu Items 912
Tables 912
Charts or Histograms 913
Scene Tree 913
3D Window 914
General 914
Rotate mode: Rotate Object 915
Rotate mode: Rotate Camera 916
Move Mode: Move Object 916
Move Mode: Move Camera 917
2D Windows 918
General 918
Rotate Transformation Mode 919
Move Transformation Mode 919
Transformation Mode for an ROI 920
Profile Window 920
General 920
Analysis Interval 920
Rendering Tool 921
Fitting a Geometry Element 922
Select Functions 923
Selection mode Dialogs 923
Selection Mode: Draw 923
Selection Mode: Rectangle 923
Selection Mode: Round rectangle 924
Selection Mode: Ellipse 925
Selection Mode: Polyline 925
Selection Mode: Polygon lasso 926
Selection Mode: Region growing 926
Selection Mode: Material region growing 927
Selection Mode: Adaptive rectangle 927
Selection Mode: Adaptive polygon 928
Selection Mode: Adaptive line 928
Selection Mode: Polyline 3D 929
Selection Mode: Crack segmentation 929
Selection Mode: Erode/dilate 929
Selection Mode: Smoothing 930
Clipping Functions 930
Clipping Plane: Rotate Mode 930
Clipping Plane: Move Mode 930
Clipping Box: Rotate Mode 931
Clipping Box: Move Mode 932
Clipping Polyline 3D: General 932
Clipping Polyline 3D: Rotate Mode 933
Clipping Polyline 3D: Move Mode 933
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xxiii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Aligned Clipping Box 934

Clipping Sphere: Rotate Mode 934
Clipping Sphere: Move Mode 935
Instruments 935
Distance Instrument 935
Angle Instrument 936
Polyline length Instrument 936
Min/max distance Instrument 937
Caliper Instrument 937
Navigation Cursor 937
Automation Tool 938
Animation Tool 938
2D Windows in Classic Keyframer Mode 938
Velocity Curve in Classic Keyframer Mode 938
Enhanced Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module 939
Draw Mode (Object Menu) 939
43 APPENDIX 940
Data Types 940
File Formats 940
Import File Formats 940
Export File Formats 945
File Formats for Saving an Image, Image Stack, or Movie 949
File Extensions 949
License Conditions of 3rd Party Libraries 951
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xxiv

1 WELCOME
Thank you for choosing Volume Graphics products. This document is the Reference Manual of
VGSTUDIO MAX and serves as a reference to the options, menus and dialogs as well as a guide
to further resources such as help/support options and tutorials.
All documentation is part of the product, please read it carefully. Make sure to have the
complete documentation available throughout the lifetime of this product. In case of change of
ownership (as far as compliant with the terms and conditions) make sure to provide the new
user with the full installation package including all supplementary material. Updating your
software installation might include a new documentation version or additional material. Please
make sure to always use matching versions of both product and supplementary materials.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
VGSTUDIO MAX is a software package for the analysis and visualization of voxel data. It is used
in a variety of application areas such as industrial CT, medical research, life sciences, animation,
and many others.
FEATURE DESCRIPTION
Product name VGSTUDIO MAX
Release 3.2
Optional modulesa • Porosity/Inclusion Analysis

• Enhanced Porosity/Inclusion Analysis (Includes
P 202/VW 50093 and P 201/VW 50097)
• Coordinate Measurement
• Nominal/Actual Comparison
• Wall Thickness Analysis
• Fiber Composite Material Analysis
• Transport Phenomena
• Foam Structure Analysis
• Structural Mechanics Simulation
• Structural Mechanics Cluster Extension
• Manufacturing Geometry Correction
• CT Reconstruction (Cone Beam, Fan Beam, Parallel Beam)
• IARb,c for CT Reconstruction
• Special Algorithms (Helix, ART) for CT Reconstruction
• CT Reconstruction (Planar)
• CAD Importd,e
• CAD Import with PMIf,g
Scope of deliveryh Installation package (download), platform-specific as ordered,

documentation and supplementary material such as example data
Document ID ReferenceManual-97-v002-001-en
a
Available at surcharge. May not be part of your installation. Contact Volume Graphics for details.
b
Technology licensed from Fraunhofer EZRT .
c
Available for Windows operating systems only.
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 1

WELCOME
1 BEFORE FIRST USAGE
d CAD translation technology supplied by Tech Soft 3D. Supported CAD formats are: CATIA V5 (up to V5-6 R2018),
Creo (up to 5.0 Beta). In beta status: CATIA V4 (up to 4.2.5), JT (up to 10.0), Pro/ENGINEER (up to 19.0),
Unigraphics/NX (V11.0 to NX 12.0), Solid Edge (V19–20, ST–ST10), SolidWorks (from 97 up to 2018).
e Available for Windows operating systems only.
f CAD translation technology supplied by Tech Soft 3D. PMI import is supported for CATIA V5 and Creo. In beta status
also for Pro/ENGINEER and Unigraphics/NX.
g Available for Windows operating systems only.
h Refer to the installation instructions to learn how to obtain a license that will activate your product.
TABLE 1-1: PRODUCT DETAILS
VGSTUDIO MAX contains the Volume Graphics Metrology Kernel VGMK 3.2.0 140356 which
passed the PTB test for “Evaluation software based on least-squares method for coordinate
measuring machines” and the PTB test for “Evaluation software based on minimum-zone
method for coordinate measuring machines” and which was verified by the NIST “Algorithm
Testing and Evaluation Program for Coordinate Measuring Systems”. The test results were
obtained under Windows (64 bit).
BEFORE FIRST USAGE
The installation instructions available in your download account will tell you how to install
VGSTUDIO MAX and how to obtain a license.
If you have any questions regarding your download account or licensing, do not hesitate to
contact us:
 For Europe, Australia, Latin America (without Mexico), Africa:
Write an e-mail to sales@volumegraphics.com or call +49 6221 73920 60.
 For Japan:
Write an e-mail to sales@volumegraphics.jp or call +81 52 508 9682.
 For North America (Canada, USA, Mexico):
Write an e-mail to sales-us@volumegraphics.com or call +1 704 248 7736.
 For China, including Mainland China, Hongkong, Macao, and Taiwan:
Write an e-mail to sales@volumegraphics.cn or call +86 10 8532 6305.
 For Singapore and other parts of Asia (except China and Japan):
Write an e-mail to sales@volumegraphics.sg or call +86 10 8532 6305.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
For information about system requirements and troubleshooting, download the current System
Requirements pdf from your download account or from our website:
www.volumegraphics.com/en/support/system-requirements.html.
RUNNING MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM INSTANCE
Problems may arise when running more than one instance of the application.
Typical effects are, e.g., problems with the user interface, such as incomplete or misplaced
interface elements or errors in the display of images. User settings like presets or workspace
layout may inadvertently be overwritten. Processor capacity and main memory will be shared

WELCOME
1 PREPARATIONS/WARNINGS
between instances of the application and may prove insufficient. This may result in a dramati-
cally low system performance or even application crashes, especially if parts of the information
need to be swapped to disk due to high memory consumption.
PREPARATIONS/WARNINGS
Loading and processing data in VGSTUDIO MAX may change the data without the option to
recover their original state. Before using the software with your own data, always make a
backup copy to avoid unintended changes.
Your work may require considerable system resources. Shut down all other applications using
large amounts of main memory or processor power before launching VGSTUDIO MAX.
In case of system breakdowns or overcharge of your system, you may not be able to save or
recover your work. Save your work regularly, especially after time-consuming or elaborate
processes.
Your work with VGSTUDIO MAX may be subject to legal restrictions or company-specific
regulations. Contact your supervisors for details.
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Errors are excepted. Some features
described in this manual may not be available in your software version. Availability of features
may vary with operating system, software version, hardware, license, licensed modules, etc.
CONVENTIONS USED IN THE DOCUMENTATION
Throughout the documentation, you will find the following conventions:

 Each main menu item and tool is described in a separate manual chapter.
 Cross-references like “see chapter 2 Workspace” are highlighted in blue and underlined.
Click the link to follow it.
 Controls of the user interface, such as menu/submenu items, buttons, input fields, keys,
etc., are highlighted in bold with a condensed font face.
 The mouse buttons are abbreviated as follows:
– LMB = left mouse button
– MMB = middle mouse button, often identical with the mouse wheel
Alternatively, you can use Alt + LMB anywhere in the application; this is particularly
useful if your mouse does neither have a middle mouse button nor a mouse wheel.
– MW = mouse wheel
– RMB = right mouse button
 Text in angle brackets <> indicates a placeholder, e.g., <unit>.
 File names, directories, and paths are highlighted in italics.
 The Dark Theme color scheme was used for the screenshots and icons in this documen-
tation; colors in the Bright Theme may differ slightly.
 The following conventions are used for denoting quantities and operations:
– Scalar quantities are denoted with italic letters, e.g., x.
– Vector-valued quantities are marked with an underline, e.g., x.
– The i-th component of a vector-valued quantity is written like xi.
– Tensor-valued quantities are denoted with bold letters, e.g., x.

WELCOME
1 NOTES FOR MAC OS USERS
– The matrix component (i, j) of a tensor-valued quantity is written like xij.

– The partial derivative of a function f(r) with respect to the i-th component of the
vector r is denoted by f,i(r).
– The dependence on the position vector r is sometimes omitted for a clearer appear-
ance of formulas, e.g., instead of sij(r) we also write simply sij.
Throughout the documentation, four types of notes are used. The order of the notes indicates
their increasing importance:
Tip: Provides additional information which helps you to use the software more efficiently.
Note: Provides you with background information.
Important note: Provides you with important information that is required, e.g., to perform an
action correctly.
Warning: Indicates that failure to follow the corresponding advice may entail malfunction or unde-
sired results, e.g., loss of data.
NOTES FOR MAC OS USERS
 As Mac users are accustomed to, the About, Preferences and Quit menu entries are located
in the application menu, i.e., the VGSTUDIO MAX menu. In this Reference Manual, you will find
the corresponding descriptions here:
– About menu: see section About Dialog on page 383 in chapter 15 Help Menu
– Preferences menu: see section Preferences Menu Item on page 89 in chapter 4 Edit
Menu
– Quit menu: see section Quit Menu Item on page 84 in chapter 3 File Menu
 Some operations described in this manual are performed with the Ctrl key. If you are using
Mac OS, use the Cmd key instead.
 Some operations described in this manual are performed with the middle mouse button
(MMB). Alternatively, you can use Alt + left mouse button anywhere in the application; this
is particularly useful if your mouse does neither have a middle mouse button nor a mouse
wheel.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUPPORT
This Reference Manual is part of the documentation of VGSTUDIO MAX. Other documents
address specific tasks or topics. Refer to the installation directory of VGSTUDIO MAX or select
the Help > Show Tutorials menu item from the main menu to browse the tutorials. Go to your
download account to browse other documents, e.g., the installation instructions.
Some documents are available in different languages. In case of differences between the
documents, the English version shall prevail.

WELCOME
1 TRAINING
Holders of an update/service contract receive priority support. Contact Volume Graphics via e-
mail:
support@volumegraphics.com
 For Japan:
support@volumegraphics.jp
support-us@volumegraphics.com
support@volumegraphics.cn
support@volumegraphics.sg
For further questions about our product portfolio, please contact us:
 For Japan:
TRAINING
Volume Graphics provides training in the use of the VG software products. Ask for the next
public course at VG Academy or order on-site training at your premises:
 For Europe, Australia, America, Africa:
academy@volumegraphics.com
 For Japan:
support@volumegraphics.jp
support@volumegraphics.cn
support@volumegraphics.sg

2 WORKSPACE
INTRODUCTION
A workspace is an arrangement of elements, such as the windows for visualizing the data and
the tools that you use for analyzing these data.
The workspace of VGSTUDIO MAX consists of the following elements:
 Title bar: Displays the path and name of the project currently loaded in the workspace.
 Main menu: Provides access to all functions of the software.
 Icon bars: Provide shortcuts to the various functions you need for your tasks (see section
Icon Bars on page 35).
 Tool dock: Provides access to the tool dialogs (see section Tool Dock on page 36).
 Workspace windows: Allow to visualize and analyze the CT data (2D windows, 3D window,
etc.). Each workspace window features a set of controls and a context menu allowing you
to modify the content or the behavior of the window.
 Status bar: Provides information about system usage.
The following figure shows an example of a typical workspace:
FIGURE 2-1: OVERVIEW OF THE WORKSPACE
Clicking inside a workspace window selects this window; this is indicated by a frame around the
window.
In order to resize a workspace window, move the mouse pointer over its borders. The mouse
pointer will change its shape to indicate the directions in which you can drag it to resize the
workspace window.
In order to customize the arrangement of the workspace windows, either apply a layout preset
or use the Layout Editor (see chapter 26 Layout Editor on page 459) which you can access from
the Layout icon bar.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
3D WINDOW
The 3D window shows the image resulting from the rendering process.
The rendering parameters can be defined by using the Rendering tool (see chapter 16 Rendering
Tool on page 384).
The coordinate system tripod in the lower left corner of the 3D window indicates the orientation
of the currently selected coordinate system.
In order to select an object, you can
 highlight its entry in the Scene Tree or
 directly select it in the 3D window.
To select an object in the 3D window, you have the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
double-click with LMB Selects an object.
hold Ctrl key + double-click with Selects multiple objects.

LMB
double-click background with LMB Deselects all objects.
TABLE 2-1: SELECTING AN OBJECT IN THE 3D WINDOW
When a volume, CAD model, or mesh is selected in the Scene Tree (and the checkbox in front of
it is checked to make it visible), its bounding box as well as its rotation center are displayed
when you move the mouse pointer into or within the 3D view. When a region of interest (ROI) is
selected, the bounding box and the rotation center of the ROI as well as the bounding box of
the volume are displayed.
By default, the bounding box is displayed only temporarily after you have moved the mouse
pointer into or within the 3D view. The behavior of the bounding box can be changed in the
General > Window > 3D window section of the Preferences dialog (see section General Preferences
on page 90 in chapter 4 Edit Menu).
Most of the corners of the bounding box are bright red when you are in Rotate mode and bright
green when you are in Move mode. The lines that are not in these colors represent the x (dark
red), y (dark green), and z (blue) axes of the object coordinate system.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
Controls in the 3D Window
This section gives an overview of the controls available at the bottom of the 3D window.
The following figure shows an example of a 3D window:
FIGURE 2-2: EXAMPLE OF A 3D WINDOW
Preview Spin Box
The preview factor is a reduction factor by which the rendering of voxel data sets is reduced
while manipulating a scene. Higher reduction factors will lead to a smoother interaction. This is
especially helpful on computers with a low overall performance.
Rotate/Move Mode
An object can be transformed, i.e., rotated or moved within the scene only if it is unlocked in the
Scene Tree. If it is locked, you will change the rotation and location of the camera instead. If
there is only one object visible, you might not notice a difference between the two cases, but it
becomes important when there are multiple objects involved, when you perform measurements,
or when you are in the scene coordinate system.
There are two basic transformation modes for the 3D window:
 Rotate mode
 Move mode
To toggle between Rotate or Move mode, you can
 click or in the icon bar,
 select the corresponding entry from the Object menu,
 select the corresponding entry from the context menu,

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
 press the Ctrl+Shift+R (rotate) or Ctrl+Shift+M (move) keyboard shortcuts, or

 use the MMB to double-click in the 3D window.
You can also transform objects through keyboard input, see chapter 18 Transform Tool on
page 401.
Rotate Mode
 The following table lists the controls available in the 3D window for rotating an object in
the scene (object is unlocked):
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB + drag Rotates the object.
hold Ctrl key + LMB + drag When the Use dynamic rotation center option is set to
Never: Rotates the object more slowly.
hold Shift key + LMB + drag When the Use dynamic rotation center option is set to
Never: Rotates the object around either the vertical
or horizontal screen axis.
hold Ctrl key + Shift key + LMB + When the Use dynamic rotation center option is set to
drag Never: Rotates the object more slowly around either
the vertical or horizontal screen axis.
When the Use dynamic rotation center option is set to
Always or Hotkey: Rotates the object around either
hold MMB + move up/down Rotates the object counterclockwise/clockwise.
scroll MW up/down Zooms the object at the POI (point of interest), i.e.,
at the current mouse pointer position out/in. You
can reverse the zoom direction by checking the
Reverse mouse wheel zoom option in the Preferences
dialog under General > Window > 3D window.
TABLE 2-2: CONTROLS IN ROTATE MODE (ROTATE OBJECT)
 The following table lists the controls available in the 3D window for rotating the camera
around the object (object is locked):
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB + drag Rotates the camera around the object.
Never: Rotates the camera more slowly around the
object.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Never: Rotates the camera around either the vertical
or horizontal screen axis.
Hotkey: Rotates the camera using the current mouse
pointer position as rotation center.
drag Never: Rotates the camera more slowly around
either the vertical or horizontal screen axis.
Always or Hotkey: Rotates the camera around either
hold MMB + move up/down Rotates the camera counterclockwise/clockwise.
press left/right arrow key Rotates the camera around the vertical screen axis.
press up/down arrow key Rotates the camera around the horizontal screen
axis.
TABLE 2-3: CONTROLS IN ROTATE MODE (ROTATE CAMERA)
Move Mode
 The following table lists the controls available in the 3D window for moving an object in the
scene (object is unlocked):
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB + drag Moves the object.
Never: Moves the object more slowly.
Never: Moves the object along either the vertical or
horizontal screen axis.
drag Never: Moves the object more slowly along either
Always or Hotkey: Moves the object along either the
vertical or horizontal screen axis.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold MMB + move up/down Moves the object to the back/to the front.
TABLE 2-4: CONTROLS IN MOVE MODE (MOVE OBJECT)
 The following table lists the controls available in the 3D window for moving the camera
(object is locked):
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB + drag Moves the camera along the object.
Never: Moves the camera more slowly along the
object.
Never: Moves the camera along either the vertical or
horizontal screen axis.
drag Never: Moves the camera more slowly along either
Always or Hotkey: Moves the camera along either the
vertical or horizontal screen axis.
hold MMB + move up/down Moves the camera to the back/to the front.
press left/right arrow key Moves the camera along the vertical screen axis.
press up/down arrow key Moves the camera along the horizontal screen axis.
TABLE 2-5: CONTROLS IN MOVE MODE (MOVE CAMERA)
Show scale bar
Shows/hides the scale bar.

In the 3D window, this option is enabled only if Parallel is selected in the Projection mode field of
the Camera tool.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
Show tripod
Shows/hides the coordinate system tripod.
Show box
Shows/hides the grid box of the coordinate system.
Default Camera Views
These icons provide shortcuts to various default camera views, relative to the selected
coordinate system. They can be used for quickly adjusting the camera point of view. These
default views are along the three major axes (in both directions) as well as from positions along
each of the four diagonals (one position for each corner).
Center and focus camera
Centers the currently selected object and adjusts the zoom level such that the object becomes
fully visible in the 3D window.
When the Spherical navigation mode is selected in the preferences, you can also double-click the
middle mouse button in the 3D window to center the object and adjust the zoom level.
Freeze rendering
Stops the rendering of your object. This can be useful if you want to make changes to your data
without showing the results in the 3D window after each step.
Toggle fullscreen state
Toggles the corresponding window between full screen size and current window layout.
You can also use the F11 key for toggling between full screen size of the selected window and
current window layout.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
Context Menu of the 3D Window
You can access the context menu of the 3D window by right-clicking anywhere in the 3D
window.
Color bar preferences Menu Item
Available only when you right-click the color bar of an analysis.

Opens the Preferences dialog where you can modify the properties of the color bars. For details,
see section Color bars Settings on page 103 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.
Edit color lookup table Menu Item

Opens the Colors tab of the Properties of ... analysis dialog of the corresponding analysis where you
can specify the color-coding scheme used for the representation of the analysis results. For
details, see the “Colors tab” chapter of the corresponding analysis.
You can also double-click the color bar of an analysis in the 2D and 3D windows to open the
Colors tab.
Color bar position Menu Item

Here you can directly specify the location of the color bar for the individual analysis type within
the 2D and 3D windows: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, All - automatic, Left or right - automatic, Top or bottom -
automatic.
Annotation result Menu Item
Available only when you right-click anywhere within the annotation label.
This menu item allows to select the property to be displayed as default result for the annotation.
The selected property is highlighted in bold in the annotation label and displayed in the Scene
Tree next to the annotation name.
If available, the Follow active column option is checked by default, i.e., the property selected as
active column is displayed as default result for the annotation.
Annotations Menu Item
Allows to modify the display of the currently visible analysis annotations. See section Annotations
Menu Item on page 382 in chapter 14 Window Menu.
Clipping Menu Item
For details on the various clipping modes, see section Clipping Menu Items on page 112 in
chapter 5 Object Menu.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
Tripod/Box Menu Item
The Tripod/Box menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show tripod Shows/hides the coordinate system tripod.
Show box Shows/hides the grid box of the coordinate system.
Adjust box to selection Only enabled when the grid box is visible: Adjusts the grid box to
include the currently selected object(s).
Configure... Opens the Preferences dialog where you can modify the properties
for the coordinate system display. For details, see section Colors &
Styles Preferences on page 102 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.
TABLE 2-6: CONTROLS OF THE TRIPOD/BOX MENU
Scale bar Menu Item
The Scale bar menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show scale bar Toggles the display of the scale bar.

In the 3D window, this option is enabled only if Parallel is selected in
the Projection mode field of the Camera tool.
TABLE 2-7: CONTROLS OF THE SCALE BAR MENU
Text overlay Menu Item
The Text overlay menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default/<name of preset> Allows to select the default text overlay preset or a user-defined text
overlay preset. To define a text overlay preset, choose the Configure...
menu item.
Configure... Opens the Configure text overlay dialog where you can define a text
overlay preset. For details see chapter 27 Text Overlay Editor on
page 462.
TABLE 2-8: CONTROLS OF THE TEXT OVERLAY MENU
Background color... Menu Item
The Background color... menu item opens a dialog with the following options:
 Background color settings section

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
OPTION DESCRIPTION
drop-down field • Flat: Fills the background with the color specified in the Back-
ground color field.
• Vertical gradient: Applies a vertical color gradient starting with
the color specified in the Background color field to the color
specified in the Blend color field.
• Horizontal gradient: Applies a horizontal color gradient starting
with the color specified in the Background color field to the
color specified in the Blend color field.
• Radial gradient: Applies a radial color gradient starting with
the color specified in the Background color field to the color
specified in the Blend color field.
Background color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color dialog where you
can specify the color for the flat background or the first color
for the gradient.
Blend color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color dialog where you
can specify the second color for the gradient.
Dither checkbox When this option is checked, a dither is applied to reduce the
appearance of stripes in the gradient.
TABLE 2-9: OPTIONS IN THE BACKGROUND COLOR SETTINGS SECTION
 Radial gradient settings section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Center spin boxes Define the horizontal and vertical position of the center of the
radial gradient within the 3D window. Value range: 0
(left/bottom) to 1 (right/top).
Radius spin box Defines the radius of the gradient.
Invert checkbox When this option is checked, background color and blend color
are interchanged.
TABLE 2-10: OPTIONS IN THE RADIAL GRADIENT SETTINGS SECTION
Reset Menu Item
Resets any transformations applied to the selected object. This menu item is available only if the
padlock in the Scene Tree is open.

WORKSPACE
2 3D WINDOW
Freeze rendering
Stops the rendering of your object. This can be useful if you want to make changes to your data
without showing the results in the 3D window after each step.
3D image quality Menu Item
The 3D image quality menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Full resolution Renders every pixel and leads to the most accurate rendering.
2x reduced Renders every 4th pixel which leads to a faster rendering.
4x reduced Renders every 16th pixel which leads to the fastest rendering.
TABLE 2-11: CONTROLS OF THE 3D IMAGE QUALITY MENU
Copy to clipboard Menu Item
Copies a screenshot of the active window to the clipboard so that you can paste it in another
application.
Properties Menu Item
Opens the Object properties dialog for the selected object. For details see section Properties Menu
Item on page 167 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Rotate/Move Menu Items
Toggle between Rotate mode and Move mode for the selected object(s) in the 3D window. The
current mode can be identified by the color of the bounding box of the object in the 3D window:
A red bounding box indicates Rotate mode, a green bounding box indicates Move mode. For
more details, see section Rotate/Move Mode on page 8 in chapter 2 Workspace.
Set rotation center Menu Item
Sets the camera rotation center to the position you right-clicked at before opening the context
menu. This menu item is available only if the Default navigation mode is selected in the Prefer-
ences dialog under General > Window > 3D window, see section General Preferences in chapter 4
Edit Menu.

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Reset rotation center Menu Item
Resets the camera rotation center to the center of the bounding box of the selected objects.
This menu item is available only if the Default navigation mode is selected in the Preferences
dialog under General > Window > 3D window, see section General Preferences in chapter 4 Edit
Menu.
Configuring a Color Bar
Double-clicking an analysis color bar in the 2D and 3D windows directly opens the Colors tab of
the Properties of ... analysis dialog of the corresponding analysis where you can specify the color-
coding scheme used for the representation of the analysis results.
Right-clicking an analysis color bar opens a context menu providing direct access to the color
bar preferences and the options for the color bar position.
2D WINDOWS
The 2D windows show slices of the currently visible objects as seen from the front (along the y-
axis), top (along the z-axis), or right (along the x-axis) of the current coordinate system. These
are the three views displayed by default. Using the Layout Editor (see chapter 26 Layout Editor on
page 459), you can also add back, bottom, left, rotation, non-planar, custom-path, and gray
value profile views.
Voxel data is shown in gray values, whereas mesh/CAD models and ROIs are displayed as
colored outlines in the 2D windows.

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Controls in the 2D Windows
This section gives an overview of the controls available at the bottom and to the right of the 2D
windows.
The following figure shows an example of a 2D window:
FIGURE 2-3: EXAMPLE OF A 2D WINDOW
Slice Position Spin Box
Allows to scroll through the slices in the corresponding 2D window.

In the rotation view, you can rotate around the specified axis.
In the thick slab mode, a 2D view shows an overlay of several slices instead of only one slice.
The current slice position is the middle of the thick slab.
In order to scroll through the slices, you can
 click the up/down arrows of the slice position spin box,
 move the mouse pointer on the scroll area to the right of the up/down arrows until the
mouse pointer changes its shape and drag the mouse up/down while pressing the left
mouse button,
 position the mouse pointer anywhere on the spin box and scroll the mouse wheel,
 change the value of the text box, or
 position the mouse pointer in the window and scroll the mouse wheel (if the Mouse wheel
option in the 2D windows section of the Preferences > General > Window dialog is set to Scroll
slices), or
 position the mouse pointer in the window, hold the Ctrl key and scroll the mouse wheel (if
the Mouse wheel option is set to Zoom view), or
 press the Page Up or Page Down keyboard keys.

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In order to navigate to the first slice in the data set, hold the Ctrl key and press the Home key; in
order to navigate to the last slice in the data set, hold the Ctrl key and press the End key.
Lock slice position
Locks/unlocks the slice position for this 2D window. When locked, the slice position in this
window will not change when you, e.g., move an instrument or the Navigation Cursor in another 2D
window. However, it is possible to modify the slice position deliberately by changing the value in
the slice position spin box at the bottom left.
Set brightness
The settings for the brightness (Level) and contrast (Window) values affect the display of all
objects in all 2D windows. For details see section Level/Window mode Menu Item on page 381 in
chapter 14 Window Menu.
This button can be shown/hidden by checking/unchecking the Level/Window mode checkbox in
the Preferences dialog under General > Window, see section General Preferences on page 90 in
chapter 4 Edit Menu. It is shown by default. The button is enabled in Original display mode and in
Color mode, it is disabled in Color and opacity mode.
Toggle transform mode
The appearance of the button depends on the currently selected transformation mode (Rotate or
Move mode). When you activate this button, you can rotate or move an object with respect to the
currently chosen coordinate system in the 2D window, provided the object is unlocked in the
Scene Tree.
An object cannot be transformed within its own coordinate system.
To toggle between Rotate or Move mode, you can
 click or in the icon bar,
 select the corresponding entry from the Object menu,
 press the Ctrl+Shift+R (rotate) or Ctrl+Shift+M (move) keyboard shortcuts, or
 use the MMB to double-click in the 2D window.
You can also transform objects through keyboard input, see chapter 18 Transform Tool on
page 401.
Rotate Mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB + drag Rotates the object around the red cross-hairs.
hold MMB + move up/down Rotates the object counterclockwise/clockwise.
TABLE 2-12: CONTROLS IN ROTATE MODE IN A 2D WINDOW

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Move Mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB + drag Moves the object.
hold MMB + move up/down Moves the object to the front/to the back.
hold Shift key + LMB + drag Moves the object along either the vertical or horizontal
axis.
TABLE 2-13: CONTROLS IN MOVE MODE IN A 2D WINDOW
Transforming an ROI
If the selected object is an ROI, the following mouse actions can be performed in both transfor-
mation modes:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Shift key + scroll MW Rescales the ROI.
hold Shift + Ctrl keys + scroll MW Rescales the ROI more slowly.
press X or Y key Mirrors the ROI.
TABLE 2-14: CONTROLS IN TRANSFORM MODE FOR AN ROI
Original display mode
Toggles between showing the slice images in their original brightness, contrast, and color and
showing them in the settings specified in the Rendering tool.
See also section Display mode Menu Item on page 378 in chapter 14 Window Menu.
Color mode/Color and opacity mode
Specifies the user-defined rendering settings to be displayed in the 2D windows: only the colors
or the colors and the opacity settings.
Create/Replace clipping plane
Creates or replaces a clipping plane aligned to the view represented by the selected 2D window.
Use this functionality to show the interior of the object at the current slice position.
For more detailed information on clipping, see section Clipping Menu Items on page 112 in
chapter 5 Object Menu and chapter 20 Clipping Tool on page 408.

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Navigation plane mode
Switches the display of the navigation planes in the 2D and 3D windows. Navigation planes
indicate the position of the currently selected 2D views in the data set.
Clicking the button subsequently switches to the following states:
 automatic: The navigation plane is displayed only temporarily after changing a 2D view.
The time period after which the navigation plane disappears can be specified by the Display
duration option in the 2D windows section of the Preferences > General > Window dialog.
 permanent: The navigation plane is always displayed. The time period how long the navi-
gation plane is highlighted in the 3D window after changing a 2D view can be specified by
the Display duration option in the 2D windows section of the Preferences > General > Window
dialog.
 off: The navigation plane is never displayed.
The navigation planes are color-coded:
ICON COLOR DESCRIPTION
blue xy-plane
red yz-plane
green xz-plane
orange navigation plane for custom path view
magenta navigation plane for non-planar view
yellow navigation plane for rotation view
TABLE 2-15: COLORS OF THE NAVIGATION PLANES
When the Thick slab mode is activated in one of the 2D views, its navigation plane in the other
views consists of three planes: The middle plane is highlighted and displays the slice position
(the middle of the thick slab), while the outer two planes display the edges of the thick slab.
To change the position of the navigation plane, click and drag a navigation plane in a 2D or 3D
window.
The X-Ray and Sum along Ray renderers do not render a true 3D view of the selected object (see
chapter 16 Rendering Tool). Therefore, if one of these renderers is selected in the Rendering tool,
the position of the navigation planes in the 3D view is not informative.
Configure...
This button is available in Rotation view, Custom Path view and Non-planar view (for details on how
to activate these views, see chapter 26 Layout Editor on page 459) and is used for defining the
settings for the corresponding view.

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Rotation View
Click to open the Configure rotation view dialog:
FIGURE 2-4: CONFIGURE ROTATION VIEW DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Choose option Allows to use a coordinate system axis as the rotation axis.
• System: Specifies the coordinate system.
• Offset: Shifts the rotation axis parallel to the selected coordinate
system axis.
• Axis: Specifies the x-, y-, or z-axis of the selected coordinate
system as the rotation axis.
By geometry element Allows to define the rotation axis by selecting an existing geometry
option element of type line, cylinder, or cone from the drop-down list.
Pick in 2D view option Allows to define the rotation axis by clicking any position in one of
the 2D views. Hold the mouse button to drag the red cross-hairs to
the required position. The rotation axis is the normal of the corre-
sponding coordinate system plane at the specified position.
Flip axis direction option Swaps the direction of the currently selected axis.
Reset button Sets all parameters to their default settings.
Cancel button Discards the settings and closes the dialog.
OK button Applies the settings and closes the dialog.
TABLE 2-16: CONTROLS FOR CONFIGURING THE ROTATION WINDOW

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Custom Path View
Click to open the Configure custom path view dialog:
FIGURE 2-5: CONFIGURE CUSTOM PATH VIEW DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reference Specifies an instrument (caliper, distance, min/max distance, or

polyline length) or geometry element (circle, corner circle, cylinder,
or line) to be used as the axis for scrolling through the slices. The
reference will be projected onto a plane defined by the selected
coordinate system and the selected view.
Coordinate system Specifies the coordinate system for the plane used for projection.
View Specifies the plane used for projection:

• Auto: Projects the geometry element to the most suitable plane
(default).
• Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, Back: Allows to select a specific view.
Loop mode Specifies the behavior when you reach the end of the path while
scrolling:
• On: The custom path view jumps back to the start.
• Off: The custom path view stops.
Close button Applies the settings and closes the dialog.
TABLE 2-17: CONTROLS FOR CONFIGURING THE CUSTOM PATH VIEW

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Non-planar View
Click to open the Configure non-planar view dialog:
FIGURE 2-6: CONFIGURE NON-PLANAR VIEW DIALOG
The following modes are available:

 Height marks mode:
Use this mode to define a freeform surface which will be projected onto a plane. To define
the points from which the freeform surface will be calculated, left-click in a 2D view or hold
Ctrl and left-click in the 3D view. The freeform surface will be projected onto a plane defined
by the selected coordinate system and the selected view.
 Unroll mode:
Use this mode to select a geometry element (circle, corner circle, cone, cylinder, line,
sphere, or freeform surface) or an instrument (caliper, distance, min/max distance, or
polyline length) as a source object for defining the shape to be unrolled.
For all source objects except freeform surface: The source object will be cut open and
unrolled in a plane defined by the selected coordinate system and the selected view (if
applicable).
For freeform surfaces as source object: The freeform surface will be unrolled according to
the specified unroll geometry.
The following options and information fields are available for the Height marks mode:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system drop- Specifies the coordinate system of the plane used for projecting the
down list freeform surface.

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CONTROL DESCRIPTION
View drop-down list Specifies the plane used for projecting the freeform surface:
• Auto: Projects the freeform surface to the most suitable plane
(default).
Smoothing spin box Defines a factor to allow the freeform surface to deviate from the
height marks.
Navigation plane size • Auto: Automatically calculates the size of the navigation plane.
drop-down list • Tight: Adjusts the size of the navigation plane to the height marks.
Scrolling through the slices in the non-planar view moves the navi-
gation plane along the axis perpendicular to the projection plane.
Status field Indicates the validity of the configuration: green = valid, red =
invalid, gray = incomplete.
click with LMB in 2D Defines the points from which the freeform surface will be calcu-
view lated.
hold Ctrl key + click Defines the points from which the freeform surface will be calcu-
with LMB in 3D view lated.
TABLE 2-18: CONTROLS FOR CONFIGURING THE HEIGHT MARKS MODE
The following options and information fields are available for the Unroll mode:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system drop- Specifies the coordinate system of the plane used for projecting the
down list source object. Not applicable to freeform surfaces.
Unroll geometry drop- For freeform surfaces: Specifies the unroll behavior.
down list • Automatic: Automatically chooses the geometry which is most
suitable for unrolling the freeform surface.
• Sphere/Plane/Cylinder: Allows to manually specify an unroll geom-
etry.
View Specifies the plane used for unrolling the source object. Not appli-
cable to freeform surfaces.
• Auto: Projects the source object to the most suitable plane
(default).
Available for spheres only.
Angle offset spin box Defines where the circle, cone, cylinder, or sphere will be cut to be
unrolled. The cut line on the cone/cylinder/sphere or the cut point
on the circle is displayed in the 3D view.
For freeform surfaces: When the Automatic option is checked, the
application automatically chooses a suitable position for the cut.

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CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Keep slice size option • On: Projects the source object onto a constant slice size.
• Off: Projects the source object onto a slice with the size calcu-
lated from the size of the unroll navigation plane.
Scrolling through the slices in the non-planar view scales the unroll
navigation plane. Not applicable to freeform surfaces.
Source object drop- You can choose either a geometry element (circle, corner circle,
down list cone, cylinder, line, sphere, or freeform surface) or an instrument
(caliper, distance, min/max distance, or polyline length).
Status field Indicates the validity of the configuration: green = valid, red =
invalid, gray = incomplete.
TABLE 2-19: CONTROLS FOR CONFIGURING THE UNROLL MODE
Show scale bar
Shows/hides the scale bar.

In the 3D window, this option is enabled only if Parallel is selected in the Projection mode field of
the Camera tool.
Surface lines
Clicking this tri-state button toggles between the following states:
ICON OPTION DESCRIPTION
Default Shows the surface line of the selected volume on top

and all other surface lines that are not concealed by
overlying volumes.
All on top Shows all surface lines of all volumes.
Off Shows no surface lines.
TABLE 2-20: OPTIONS FOR SHOWING SURFACE LINES

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Region of interest lines
Clicking this tri-state button toggles between the following states:
ICON OPTION DESCRIPTION
Default Shows the ROI borders of the selected volume on top

and all other ROI borders that are not concealed by
overlying volumes.
All on top Shows all ROI borders of all volumes.
Off Shows no ROI borders.
TABLE 2-21: OPTIONS FOR SHOWING ROI BORDERS
This option only modifies the display of the ROI borders. If ROI render settings are activated, the
settings for, e.g., color or transparency will not be changed when toggling between the region of
interest lines modes.
Surface fill
Clicking this button toggles the display of a constant fill color for the material in the 2D windows.
The volume object must have a determined surface.
When the fill mode is on, the fill color is taken from the 2D Fill color or Color setting on the Solid tab
of the Rendering tool. If ROI render settings are activated for an ROI, the material lying within the
ROI is rendered in the color selected for the ROI.
See also chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384.
Scroll Bars
Scroll the contents in the corresponding 2D window in the horizontal or vertical directions. You
can also use the left/right and up/down arrow keys.
Using the middle mouse button, you can also drag the slice view around in the 2D window.
Zoom in/out
Zooms into or out of the corresponding 2D window. You can also press the +/– key to zoom
in/out.
If you want to zoom in on a POI (point of interest) of the object, set the Navigation Cursor to that
POI and click the Zoom in button.
A very fast and convenient method to zoom in on a POI is to position the mouse pointer over it
and scroll the mouse wheel while holding the Ctrl key (if the Mouse wheel option in the 2D windows

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section of the Preferences > General > Window dialog is set to Scroll slices) or simply scroll the mouse
wheel (if the Mouse wheel option is set to Zoom view).
Reset zoom
Resets the zoom of the 2D window. You can also hold the Ctrl key and press the 0 key to reset
the zoom.
Focus selected object
Centers the slice view of the selected object in the 2D window. When double-clicking, the first
click centers the current slice and the second click centers the data set, i.e., jumps to the slice
in the middle of the data set.
If the selected object is an ROI, the ROI is centered and the slice is zoomed such that the whole
data set is shown within the slice view. If the currently selected slice does not contain the ROI,
the slice in the middle of the ROI is shown. When double-clicking, the first click centers the slice
and the second click jumps to the slice in the middle of the ROI.
When the Spherical navigation mode is selected in the preferences, you can also double-click the
middle mouse button in the 2D window to center the slice view of the object and adjust the zoom
level.
Toggle fullscreen state
Toggles the corresponding window between full screen size and current window layout.
You can also use the F11 key for toggling between full screen size of the selected window and
current window layout.
Configuring a Color Bar
Double-clicking an analysis color bar in the 2D and 3D windows directly opens the Colors tab of
the Properties of ... analysis dialog of the corresponding analysis where you can specify the color-
coding scheme used for the representation of the analysis results.
Right-clicking an analysis color bar opens a context menu providing direct access to the color
bar preferences and the options for the color bar position.
Context Menu of the 2D Window
You can access the context menu of a 2D window by right-clicking anywhere in the 2D window.
Color bar preferences Menu Item

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Opens the Preferences dialog where you can modify the properties of the color bars. For details,
see section Color bars Settings on page 103 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.
Edit color lookup table Menu Item

Opens the Colors tab of the Properties of ... analysis dialog of the corresponding analysis where you
can specify the color-coding scheme used for the representation of the analysis results. For
details, see the “Colors tab” chapter of the corresponding analysis.
You can also double-click the color bar of an analysis in the 2D and 3D windows to open the
Colors tab.
Color bar position Menu Item

Here you can directly specify the location of the color bar for the individual analysis type within
the 2D and 3D windows: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, All - automatic, Left or right - automatic, Top or bottom -
automatic.
Annotation result Menu Item
Available only when you right-click anywhere within the annotation label.
This menu item allows to select the property to be displayed as default result for the annotation.
The selected property is highlighted in bold in the annotation label and displayed in the Scene
Tree next to the annotation name.
If available, the Follow active column option is checked by default, i.e., the property selected as
active column is displayed as default result for the annotation.
Region of interest Menu Item
For detailed information on the region of interest (ROI) functionalities, see chapter 6 Select Menu
on page 189.
Clipping > Create/replace clipping plane Menu Item
Creates or replaces a clipping plane aligned to the view represented by the selected 2D window.
Use this functionality to show the interior of the object at the current slice position.
For more detailed information on clipping, see section Clipping Menu Items on page 112 in
chapter 5 Object Menu and chapter 20 Clipping Tool on page 408.
Zoom Menu Item
Controls the zoom setting of the selected 2D view. See section Zoom Menu Item on page 378 in

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Coordinate system Menu Item
Specifies a reference coordinate system for the selected 2D window. Other 2D windows will not
be affected by this choice. Select Follow global coordinate system to use the coordinate system
active in the Coordinate system icon bar.
Display mode
Here you can choose if you want the display of the 2D windows
 in their original brightness, contrast and color settings,
 overlaid with colors defined in the Rendering tool, or
 overlaid with both colors and opacity settings defined in the Rendering tool.
Thick slab... Menu Item
Opens the Thick slab settings dialog (see section Thick slab... Menu Item on page 379 in chapter 14
Window Menu). In Thick slab mode, a 2D view shows an overlay of several slices instead of only
one slice. The current slice position is the middle of the thick slab.
Configure slice view Menu Item
Opens the Configure window of the current view (available only in non-planar, custom-path, and
rotation view). For details, see section Configure... on page 21.
Slice step width... Menu Item
Opens the Set slice step width dialog where you can define the step width to be used for scrolling
through the slices in the 2D windows. The default value is the resolution of the data set. This
menu item is enabled only when you are not in a grid coordinate system.
Non-planar resampling... Menu Item
Opens the Resample volume dialog. For details, see section Non-planar resampling... Menu Item on
page 380 in chapter 14 Window Menu. This menu item is available only when you are in Non-
planar view.
Level/Window mode Menu Item
Switches the settings dialog for the brightness (Level) and contrast (Window) values on/off. For
details, see section Level/Window mode Menu Item on page 381 in chapter 14 Window Menu.
Background Menu Item
Allows to specify the background color for the selected 2D window either by choosing from a
set of predefined colors or by defining a color in the Select Color dialog (Custom color... menu item).

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Annotations Menu Item
Allows to modify the display of the currently visible analysis annotations. See section Annotations
Menu Item on page 382 in chapter 14 Window Menu.
Text overlay Menu Item
The Text overlay menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default/<name of preset> Allows to select the default text overlay preset or a user-defined text
overlay preset. To define a text overlay preset, choose the Configure...
menu item.
Configure... Opens the Configure text overlay dialog where you can define a text
overlay preset. For details see chapter 27 Text Overlay Editor on
page 462.
TABLE 2-22: CONTROLS OF THE TEXT OVERLAY MENU
Interpolation mode Menu Item
When this option is set to On, the gray values between the voxels are interpolated, thus
providing “soft” transitions between neighboring voxels. When this option is set to Off, the
individual voxels are clearly discernible.
Scale bar Menu Item
The Scale bar menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show scale bar Toggles the display of the scale bar.

In the 3D window, this option is enabled only if Parallel is selected in
the Projection mode field of the Camera tool.
TABLE 2-23: CONTROLS OF THE SCALE BAR MENU
Tripod overlay Menu item
The Tripod overlay menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show tripod Shows/hides the coordinate system tripod.

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TABLE 2-24: CONTROLS OF THE TRIPOD OVERLAY MENU
Reset Menu Item
Resets any transformations applied to the selected object. This menu item is available only if the
padlock in the Scene Tree is open.
application.
Opens the Object properties dialog for the selected object. For details see section Properties Menu
PROFILE WINDOW
In the Profile window you can see the data profile along the line defined by a distance
instrument. See chapter 7 Instruments Menu on page 219 for more information about these
instruments.
The Profile window can be accessed by either selecting the Quad profile preset from the Layout
icon bar or by using the Layout Editor to create such a window.
The Profile window is active only in conjunction with the Distance, the Min/Max Distance or the
Caliper instrument. If neither of them is available, the Profile window will display the message “No
profile available!”.

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Profile Window Controls
This section gives an overview of the controls available at the bottom of the Profile window.
The following screenshot shows an example of a Profile window:
FIGURE 2-7: EXAMPLE OF A PROFILE WINDOW
The position of the handles of the instrument is displayed by a vertical green dashed line (A) for
the start point of the distance and a vertical red dashed line (B) for the end point of the distance.
Lines A and B directly correspond to the start and end points of the respective distance
instrument in the slice window, i.e., moving the points in the slice view moves the lines in the
Profile window and vice versa. You can left-click each line and drag it to an arbitrary position
(exception: you cannot drag a line above or beyond the other line).
The number next to each line denotes the gray value or opacity at this point.
Between both lines, the measured distance is displayed together with the name of the
respective instrument.
Zoom in/out
Zooms into or out on the x- or y-axis.
Distance Field
Shows the distance measured by the instrument. You can edit this value to create a customized
scale bar.
Material mode
Toggles between the gray value profile and the opacity profile.
Changing the material mode deletes all intervals.

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Lock
Prevents the histogram from updating when the current instrument is deselected in the Scene
Tree.
Using the lock functionality deletes all intervals.
Profile Window Context Menu
You can access the context menu of a Profile window by right-clicking anywhere in the Profile
window.
Reset zoom level Menu Item
Resets the zoom of the Profile window.
Create interval Menu Item
Creates a new analysis interval.

On the right hand side of a selected analysis interval, statistical information about the voxels lying
within its borders is displayed:
ITEM DESCRIPTION
min Indicates the minimum gray or opacity value within the interval.
max Indicates the maximum gray or opacity value within the interval.
mean Indicates the mean gray or opacity value within the interval.
cor Indicates the correlation of the gray or opacity values within the interval.
dev Indicates the standard deviation of the gray or opacity values within the
interval.
slope Indicates the slope of the regression line.
TABLE 2-25: STATISTICAL INFORMATION IN AN ANALYSIS INTERVAL
The following controls are available for the analysis interval:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag interval Moves the interval.
use LMB to click and drag interval Moves the interval border thus increasing or decreasing
border the interval width.
scroll MW Uniformly resizes the interval.
hold Shift key + scroll MW Resizes the interval faster.
hold Ctrl key + click inside several Displays the values of all selected intervals.
intervals
TABLE 2-26: CONTROLS FOR THE ANALYSIS INTERVAL

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When toggling between gray value and opacity mode, all user-defined intervals disappear.
Delete interval Menu item
Deletes the currently selected analysis interval.
Export as CSV Menu Item
Exports the values as a .csv (comma separated values) file.
application.
ICON BARS
The icon bars are docked in the icon docks. Icon bars consist of one or more icons that
represent shortcuts to functions most of which are also accessible via the menus.
You can distribute the icon bars in the icon docks. You can open further icon docks below, on
the left or right hand side of the workspace by dragging and dropping an icon bar there. Apart
from that, you can undock an icon bar and position it anywhere in the workspace as floating
icon bar.
By right-clicking an icon dock, a context menu opens where you can choose which icon bars
should be visible and which not by checking or unchecking the boxes in front of them.
Apart from that, the following options are available in the context menu:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Hide all Hides all icon bars.
Show all Shows all icon bars.
Reset all Resets all icon bars to their position at the beginning of the current session.
Auto mode Rearranges all icon bars such that they remain completely visible when the
window is resized. For example, new lines may be added to the icon dock
when reducing the window size to provide sufficient space for displaying
all icons.
TABLE 2-27: CONTROLS IN THE ICON DOCK CONTEXT MENU
Unit Icon bar
In the icon dock, you can find the Unit icon bar which consists of the following drop-down
menus:
 Change more display units drop-down menu: Allows to select the units for length, area,
volume, angle, time, storage, and ratio values.

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 Show unit preferences button: Opens the Preferences > General > Unit dialog, see section Unit
Settings on page 98 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.
TOOL DOCK
The tool docks are used for docking the various tool windows.
By default, there is one tool dock located on the right-hand side of the workspace, but you can
open another tool dock on the left-hand side of the workspace by dragging & dropping tool
windows there.
Due to its shape, the Animation tool is the only tool located in the horizontal tool dock below the
workspace.
The Animation tool is by default hidden in a minimized tool dock below the workspace. See
chapter 23 Animation Tool on page 450 for further details.
You can resize a tool dock or hide it completely by clicking the border between tool dock and
workspace and moving it to the desired direction.
You can arrange the tool windows in an arbitrary order by dragging & dropping them at the
desired position in the tool dock.
The following icons are available in the title bars of the tool windows:
ICON DESCRIPTION
Automatically minimizes/maximizes the tool window depending on its availability

for the object currently selected in the Scene Tree. To disable this option, click the
icon.
Indicates that the Auto minimize function is currently disabled for the selected tool
window.
Minimizes/maximizes the tool window.
Indicates that the Minimize/Maximize function is currently disabled for the selected
tool window, since the Auto minimize function is active.
Toggles the tool window between floating and docked status.
Closes the tool window. To re-open the tool window, check the corresponding
item in the Tools menu.
TABLE 2-28: ICONS IN THE TITLE BARS OF THE TOOL WINDOWS
STATUS BAR
The status bar is located at the bottom of the workspace and provides the following information:
 Notes on the operation of the currently selected tool.
 Status of the snap mode.
 When colored in red, indicates that a macro is being recorded.
 Graphical indicators showing the current state of CPU and memory usage. Hovering the
mouse pointer over them provides more detailed information.

WORKSPACE
2 STATUS BAR
If the color of the graphical indicators changes to orange or red, make sure to reduce the system
usage (e.g., close other applications, clear the undo queue, etc.).

3 FILE MENU
INTRODUCTION
The File menu of VGSTUDIO MAX provides basic features for loading and saving projects as
well as for importing and exporting objects. Thus, the File menu allows you to handle two basic
file types: data files and project files (and folders).
a) Data files
Contain the data representing your real object—basically the output of the CT scanner
(after scanning and reconstruction) or some other device—or other data representing your
real object, such as CAD models, meshes, or point clouds. You can load one or more
objects into the scene.
The number of files per object varies. You may have one file containing the whole object
(volume file formats) or an image stack (e.g., bitmaps or tiffs) where each file represents
one slice of the scanned object. Scanner settings and additional information might be
included in the data files or in separate files.
Data files may be located somewhere in your file system or in the [vg-data] subdirectory
next to the project file.
b) Project files (and folders)
VGSTUDIO MAX project files have the extension .vgl and contain basic information on the
project including references to the data files and supplementary files belonging to the
project.
The project includes references to all imported objects, modifications such as rotation and
render settings, and analysis results. Items in the Scene Tree (see chapter 22 Scene Tree
Tool on page 427) like GD&T features are saved as well as the layout of the 3D and 2D
windows.
For the supplementary files, a [vg-project] subdirectory is created in the directory in which
you saved the .vgl file.
You can load only one project into the scene.
A .vgl file must always be accompanied by the project folder and the file(s) containing the
object(s). You cannot open a .vgl file without the associated project folder, and you cannot load
an object into the scene without the files containing the object data.
If you need to move your project to another location, use the Pack and go functionality.
In Windows, the details of a project file can be displayed without opening the project. The project
details include a preview of the scene as well as information about the project (e.g., volume
dimensions, resolution, referenced files, etc.).
Select a .vgl, .mvgl, or .vgarchive file in the Windows Explorer, right-click to open the context
menu and select Preview.
.vgl files and project folders replace the .vgi files of earlier versions of VGSTUDIO or VGSTUDIO
MAX containing the scene.
You can load a scene from a .vgi file, but it will be saved as a project (.vgl file and folders) which
cannot be read by 1.x versions of VGSTUDIO MAX.

FILE MENU
3 OVERVIEW OF THE FILE MENU ITEMS
OVERVIEW OF THE FILE MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the File menu items described in the following paragraphs. Menu entries
currently not available are disabled and displayed in gray (e.g., Print image(s) is available only
when a project is open).
ICON ITEM DESCRIPTION
New Creates a new project. See section New Menu Item on

page 40.
Open... Opens an existing project (or scene). See section Open...

Menu Item on page 40.
Save Saves the current project under the same file name.
See section Save Menu Item on page 40.
Save as... Saves the current project under a different file name.
See section Save as... Menu Item on page 41.
Export as mvgl... Saves the current project as a compact .mvgl project

that can be opened in VGMETROLOGY. See section
Export as mvgl... Menu Item on page 42.
Import Imports an object (several format options). See section

Import Menu Item on page 42.
Export Exports an object (several format options). See section

Export Menu Item on page 66.
Merge object... Merges objects from a different project file into the
current scene. See section Merge Object... Menu Item on
page 74.
Save object... Saves the currently selected top-level object to a new

project file. See section Save Object... Menu Item on
page 74.
Pack and go... Gathers all project data dependencies and saves them
into a compact project file plus associated directories
or into an archive file. See section Pack and go... Menu
Item on page 74.
Batch processing... Opens a dialog where you can define a batch which
applies a previously defined macro. See section Batch
Processing... Menu Item on page 76.
Save image(s)... Saves selected views (e.g., slice views) as images

(several format options). See section Save Image(s)...
Save movie/image stack... Saves selected visible items of the scene into an image
stack or .avi/.wmv file. See section Save movie/image
stack... Menu Item on page 80.
Print image(s)... Prints selected views (e.g., slice views) as images. See
section Print Image(s)... Menu Item on page 83.

FILE MENU
3 NEW MENU ITEM
Quit Exits the application.
TABLE 3-1: FILE MENU ITEMS
NEW MENU ITEM
Choose this option if you want to exit the current project and create a new empty scene. You
would typically proceed by importing one or more objects and save them as a project.
If you modified the current project, VGSTUDIO MAX will ask you if you want to save it before
creating the new one. Click Yes to save the current project under the same file name, No to close
this project without saving and Abort to return to the current project without creating a new one.
In order to create an empty scene, you can also press the Ctrl+N keys.
OPEN... MENU ITEM
Opens a project saved in the following file formats:

 .vgl, the project file format of VGSTUDIO MAX,
 .vgarchive, the compact archive format created by using the Pack and Go function of
VGSTUDIO MAX,
 .mvgl, the project file format of VGMETROLOGY, or
 .vgi, the file format of scenes saved with previous versions of VGSTUDIO MAX.
This will load the objects referenced in the file and show the scene as it was when the project
was saved.
When you open a .vgl file (or a .vgi file), make sure the project directory and object file(s) are
available as well.
In order to open the Open project... dialog, you can also press the Ctrl+O keys.
You can also open a .vgl, .vgarchive, .mvgl, or .vgi file by dragging it from a file browser window
onto VGSTUDIO MAX.
SAVE MENU ITEM
Saves the current project under the same .vgl file name and in the associated project folder. If
the project is saved with a newer version of VGSTUDIO MAX, there will be a warning that it
might not be possible to open the file with a previous version.

FILE MENU
3 SAVE AS... MENU ITEM
In order to save the current file, you can also press the Ctrl+S keys.
SAVE AS... MENU ITEM
Saves the current project under a new file name and therefore creates a new .vgl file, project
directory and—if applicable—data directory. After saving, the application shows the newly
created project and any further changes will apply to the new project.
In order to open the Save project as... dialog, you can also press the Ctrl+Shift+S keys.
The Store referenced data files dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Yes Saves copies of referenced files (such as CT data, CAD

models, meshes) in the [vg-data] directory. When you
open the project next time, the referenced file will be
searched for in the [vg-data] directory.
No No copies will be created and the referenced files will

be searched for at their current location when you open
the project next time.
Be aware that when you choose No and delete the
project containing the referenced files at some later
point in time, these files will be lost.
Referenced files/Object name/Disk space Lists the volume, CAD, and mesh objects of the project
in MB including the corresponding file and path names as well
as the disk space they require. For image stacks, only
the name of the first file is listed explicitly.
If an object references a file located in the [vg-data]
directory of another project, [vg-data] is highlighted in
red to draw your attention to the fact that these files will
be lost if you click No and delete the other project at
some later point in time.
Clicking a column heading sorts the table according to
the values of the column. Clicking subsequently
toggles between ascending and descending. Note that
files located in the [vg-data] directory of another project
will always remain at the top of the list.
TABLE 3-2: CONTROLS OF THE STORE REFERENCED DATA FILES DIALOG
If the currently open project is a .vgarchive file and you use the Save as... command, copies of the
referenced files will always be saved in the [vg-data] directory and the Store referenced data files
dialog will not show up.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT AS MVGL... MENU ITEM
EXPORT AS MVGL... MENU ITEM
Saves the current project in the compact .mvgl file format for VGMETROLOGY such that it
includes all imported objects, modifications such as rotation and render settings, and analysis
results. If required, you can save the project under a new file name.
Volume objects can be saved only if an advanced surface determination has been performed.
Apart from that, any information which is not metrology-related (such as a defect analysis or gray-
value based render settings) will not be saved.
IMPORT MENU ITEM
Imports an object into the current scene. The object can be available as volume data (either an
image stack or a single file) or as CAD, mesh, or point cloud data. You can import an arbitrary
number of objects into a scene.
You can also (re-)import objects referenced in a .vgi or .vgl file. This will import the objects only,
disregarding the scene settings. ROIs contained in the object will be locked. If your CT scanner
automatically generates .vgi files, we recommend using the Import function instead of the Open
function so that you can optimize the data range and other settings.
For importing volume data, a sophisticated import wizard will lead you through the import
process (see section Import Options on page 43).
During import, VGSTUDIO MAX scans the data file(s) (e.g., to provide you with default values and
a preview). It is therefore recommended to copy the files to a local hard disk to speed up the
process and to avoid problems caused by networking or CD/DVD drive lags.
Image Stack... Menu Item
Imports an object represented by a stack of images. Each image corresponds to a slice of the
original object. The images must have identical file formats. File format can be an image format
such as *.bmp (default) or a manufacturer-specific format. For more details on the supported
image formats, see section File Formats on page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix.
It is possible to have images differing in size and resolution, but this will result in resampling of
the data which might be time and memory consuming.
Raw volume... Menu Item
Imports an object represented by a single file. The file containing the volume might be accom-
panied by meta files containing data like resolution, etc. File format can be *.raw (default) or a
manufacturer-specific format. For more details on the supported image formats, see section File
Formats on page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
Import Options
Depending on the file(s) you want to open and the options you have specified so far, the
VGSTUDIO MAX Import Wizard will show you a series of dialogs. The dialogs and their options are
explained below. Note that you will only see the dialogs relevant to your object.
In the Import Wizard, defaults will be set to the values you specified in the last import or, where
applicable, to information automatically retrieved from the files (such as resolution, which is
included in some file formats).
The following controls are available at the bottom of several dialogs of the Import Wizard:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Memory needed/Memory available fields When the wizard has gathered enough information
about the volume to be imported, it displays the
memory required for loading the data based on the
specifications so far and the memory available on your
system.
If the memory available is smaller than the memory
needed, the Memory needed field is highlighted in red. In
this case, reduce the amount of data by mapping to a
“smaller” data type, by defining a region of interest or
by applying a skip factor. These options will be avail-
able during the import and are explained below in the
sections on the respective dialogs (see section Import
Options on page 43). The memory values will be
updated continuously.
If the memory available is larger than the memory
needed, the Memory needed field is highlighted in green
and you can load and display the object. Note,
however, that performing analysis tasks requires addi-
tional memory.
Histogram button Opens the Import histogram dialog showing the gray
values and their numbers of occurrences. For details,
see section Import histogram Dialog on page 51.
Preview button Opens the Import preview dialog showing 2D previews of

your object. For details, see section Import preview
Dialog on page 54.
TABLE 3-3: CONTROLS COMMON TO SEVERAL IMPORT WIZARD DIALOGS
File Selection Dialog for Image Stacks
In the File selection dialog, choose the file type and then click Add and/or Directory to add files to
the list of files to be imported. The list includes information for each file if applicable to this data
format. This includes the full file name with directory, image size, slice position, and resolution.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
File type drop-down list Specifies the type of files to be imported.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Add... button Opens the Select files... dialog. Select all files you wish to import, then
click Open. This will add the selected files to the list of files to be
imported. You can click the Add button again to add further files.
Note that if you add the same file twice, it will be imported twice. If
the file format contains the Z-position, a warning will be issued.
Directory... button Allows to navigate to a directory and add all files with the specified
extension (e.g., .bmp) located in this directory to the list of files to be
imported.
Remove button Removes the currently selected file(s) from the list. This will not
delete files from your disk.
Remove All button Removes all files from the list. This will not delete files from your
disk.
Sort drop-down list The order of the files in the list determines the order in which they
will be loaded. Select the appropriate sort option, or stay with
unsorted to import the files in their current order.
• Alphabetic Up/Alphabetic Down
Sorts the files in ascending/descending alphabetical order. Fits
in most cases, but causes problems if the slice numbers are not
padded to an equal number of digits (such as ...8, 9, 10, ...
instead of 08, 09, 10).
• Canonic Up/Canonic Down
Sorts the files first according to length of the file name, then file
names of the same length in alphabetical order. You will find this
option useful if you have file names like file1, file2, ..., file9,
file10, file11, ..., file99, file100, ...
• Numbers Up/Numbers Down
Use this option if you want to sort only by the trailing numbers
and ignore the rest of the file name. This will scan each file
name from its last symbol until it reaches a letter. All numbers
found so far will be taken into account for sorting.
• Reverse Up/Reverse Down
Sorts the files in reverse numerical order, i.e., for Reverse Up first
all files with last digit 0, then files with last digit 1, ... Files with
the same last number will be sorted according to their second
last digit. Example of Reverse Up: file0, file00, file10, file1, file001,
... You would get the same result if you extracted the trailing
numbers, put their digits in reverse order (123 -> 321) and then
sorted them alphabetically.
TABLE 3-4: CONTROLS IN THE FILE SELECTION DIALOG FOR IMAGE STACKS
File Selection Dialog for Volume Files
Click Browse to select the (single) file containing your object.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
Data type Dialog
Allows you to specify the data type of your object as stored in the file(s). You will later be
prompted for the data type in which your object is to be loaded into the scene (e.g., to minimize
memory consumption). In this step, however, VGSTUDIO MAX needs to know how to read the
data from the file(s).
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Estimate type and size button Automatically determines the parameters in the Data
type and Size dialogs. Alternatively, you can ask the
person who provided you with the data, your CT
service provider, the manufacturer of the scanning
device, etc. This function is not available for
compressed data.
drop-down list Specifies the data type and size.
binary/ASCII checkboxes Specify if the data are available as binary or ASCII files.
Endian section: little/big checkboxes Specify the convention used for interpreting the byte
order.
GNU zip checkbox Check this option, if your data is GZIP compressed, so
there is no need to uncompress it prior to importing.
Note that this will disable the Estimate type and size
button.
TABLE 3-5: CONTROLS IN THE DATA TYPE DIALOG
For an overview of the available data types see section Data Types on page 940 in chapter 43
Appendix.
Size Dialog
Allows to specify the size of the data set.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X-/Y-/Z-Size spin boxes Specify the number of voxels along the x-, y- and (for
importing raw volumes) z-axes. If you clicked the Esti-
mate type and size button in the Data type dialog, these
values will be set to the results of the estimating mech-
anism.
auto header skip checkbox Only available for image stacks: When this option is
checked, the file header is automatically detected
based on the analysis of the files and skipped.
Header spin box Specifies the size of the file header (if applicable).
Estimate button Automatically detects the file header based on the

analysis of the files and enters the value into the spin
box where they can be adapted manually.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
TABLE 3-6: CONTROLS IN THE SIZE DIALOG
Load as Dialog
Several parameters determine how the data is to be loaded. For example, the type of data
loaded can be different from the type of data stored on disk. The dialog will show only the
parameters applicable to your data.
 Resolution section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z fields Specify the voxel size in the x-, y-, and z-direction.
Override resolution checkbox Some data formats provide the information on the
resolution automatically. In this case, the resolution
input fields will be disabled and show the given
numbers.
When this option is checked, the X,Y, Z fields are
enabled and the given numbers can be modified.
Force isotropic resampling If the data has significant differences (e.g., factor 3
checkbox or more) in voxel size for x, y, and z, the resulting
pictures will show elongated steps in the corre-
sponding direction.
Check this option in order to improve the visual
presentation. VGSTUDIO MAX will then interpolate
intermediate slices.
Forcing isotropic resampling might change analysis
results. Use this option only if you want to optimize
the visual presentation of the data for creating
screenshots, .avi files, etc.
No slice interpolation beyond [<length You can import data sets with varying slice
unit>] checkbox and field distances. If the object has been scanned with
small slice distances in certain areas only, the reso-
lution has wide differences. In this case you would
probably not want to resample the data set.
Use this option to prevent slice distances larger
than the number specified from being padded with
interpolated slices.
TABLE 3-7: CONTROLS IN THE RESOLUTION SECTION
 Data raw range section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Automatic data range checkbox Checking this option enables the Lower/Upper
boundary at spin boxes.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Lower/Upper boundary at spin boxes Specify the percentage of voxels that should lie
outside the relevant gray value range. The lowest
and highest gray values of the relevant gray value
range are automatically calculated.
Lowest gray value/Highest gray value Specify the lowest and highest values of the rele-
spin boxes vant gray value range. All voxels will be loaded, but
gray values below the lowest gray value and gray
values above the highest gray value will be set
according to the mapping type setting in the Map to
field. For details, see Table 3-9: Controls in the Load
as section.
As an alternative, you can specify the relevant gray
value range by clicking and dragging the red lines
in the histogram (for details, see section Import histo-
gram Dialog on page 51). Shifting a line to a new
position will adapt the values in the Lowest gray
value/Highest gray value fields and vice versa.
TABLE 3-8: CONTROLS IN THE DATA RAW RANGE SECTION
 Load as section
Specifies the data type and the range the gray values are to be mapped to.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Map to field: data type drop-down Specifies the data type the data is to be mapped to
list on import, thus defining the maximum number of
different gray values for the object. The corre-
sponding values will be automatically entered into
the Lowest gray value and Highest gray value fields.
Selecting a lower data type (i.e., a data type with a
lower number of gray values) than the type in which
the files are available may reduce accuracy
because the object will be described by a lower
number of gray values. In contrast, it is not possible
to increase accuracy by selecting a higher data
type.
For an overview of the available data types, see
section Data Types on page 940 in chapter 43
Appendix.
Loading floating data requires a lot of main
memory. If your scanner has 32 bit float as output
and your system is not capable of dealing with this
amount of data, choose a data type mapping (e.g.,
16 bit unsigned).

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Map to field: mapping type drop- Specifies how the values outside the gray value
down list range are to be handled:
• Ramp
The gray values below the lower limit will be set
to the value of the lower limit, the gray values
above the upper limit will be set to the value of
the upper limit. The values inside the gray value
range will be imported with their original gray
values.
This is the default setting.
Shape:
• Inverse Ramp
The gray values below the lower limit will be set
to the value of the lower limit, the gray values
above the upper limit will be set to the value of
the upper limit. In addition, the gray values are
mirrored, e.g., a gray value of 0 will be set to
255, whereas a gray value of 255 will be set to
0.
Apply this option to obtain high gray values for
material and low gray values for air if your data
has low gray values for material and high gray
values for air.
Shape:
• Sawtooth
Both the gray values below the lower limit and
the gray values above the upper limit will be set
to the lower limit. The values inside the gray
value range will be imported with their original
gray values.
Shape:
• Inverse Sawtooth
Both the gray values below the lower limit and
the gray values above the upper limit will be set
to the lower limit. In addition, the gray values
are mirrored, e.g., a gray value of 0 will be set to
255, whereas a gray value of 255 will be set to
0.
Apply this option to obtain high gray values for
material and low gray values for air if your data
has low gray values for material and high gray
values for air.
Shape:

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Lowest gray value/Highest gray value Allow to additionally specify the lower and upper
spin boxes limits of a gray value range to which the gray value
range specified in the Data raw range section is to be
mapped.
This option can be used for applying an offset to the
gray value range, e.g., in order to achieve the same
gray value range for different scans. If this gray
value range is smaller than the range specified in
the Data raw range section, several consecutive gray
values may be mapped to a single gray value,
resulting in lower accuracy. If this gray value range
is larger than the range specified in the Data raw
range section, gaps may occur in the gray values.
TABLE 3-9: CONTROLS IN THE LOAD AS SECTION
 Reset button
Discards any changes to the settings in the Data raw range and Load as sections and restores
the original values.
ROI and Skip selection Dialog
Offers options to reduce the memory needed to load the object.

 Region of Interest section
The scanned object will usually be surrounded by air. Reducing (but not eliminating) the
surrounding air by applying a region of interest (ROI) reduces the memory needed.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Min/Max X/Y/Z Imports only the slices from Min to Max (in the x-, y-
, and z-directions). You can also click the Preview
button for defining the ROI graphically (see section
Import preview Dialog on page 54).
Auto region of interest mode Check this option to automatically define an ROI.
checkbox
TABLE 3-10: CONTROLS IN THE REGION OF INTEREST SECTION
Using the Auto region of interest mode option requires high-contrast data. If the data set contains a
lot of noise or artifacts, this option might not give optimal results. Always check the ROI in the
preview before finishing import.
Make sure to import the object including some surrounding air. The borders of the ROI should
not lie on the object surface or within the object. This would destroy the partial volume effect and
thus cause imprecise measurement results.
 Skip section

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
When your object is surrounded by a large number of background (air) voxels, applying an
ROI reduces the memory needed very efficiently without negative effects on the quality. In
other cases you may have to apply the Skip option to be able to load a very large object
into a low capacity system.
The X, Y, and Z spin boxes specify the number of voxels to be skipped in the respective
direction. A skip rate of 0 applies no skipping. A skip rate of 1 for one axis will load only
every other slice so that the memory needed is reduced by half. A skip rate of 5 will skip 5
slices, load one slice, then again skip 5 slices, etc.
Applying a skip factor will reduce the resolution of the voxel data and thus lead to significantly
less accurate analysis results.
Manipulation Dialog
Allows to swap or mirror the axes in order to display the object in a preferred or real-world orien-
tation.
 Mirror axes checkboxes
Mirror the object along the chosen axis or axes (e.g., activating the checkbox for the x-axis
will place the voxel with the highest value for x at the origin of the x-axis). You can select
more than one axis for mirroring.
 Swap axes drop-down list
Changes the axes in the coordinate system so that instead of xyz, the coordinates will be
interpreted in the chosen sequence. E.g., selecting xzy instead of xyz will keep the position
on the x-axis but change the y-coordinate to z and vice versa. The result is a rotation by
90° around the x-axis followed by a mirroring along the y-axis.
Scanner manufacturer info Dialog
Shows the manufacturer information supported by the imported data (e.g., Name, Address,
Homepage, Device name, Acquisition software, manufacturer logo).
 Scanner manufacturer info section
Allows to add a description to an existing tag or add a new tag and description.
By default, these fields are editable. If the .vgl file is created directly from the CT scanner soft-
ware, these fields may already be filled to ensure a continuous flow of information. In this case,
the CT manufacturer can block the contents of these fields.
 Set scanner manufacturer info read-only checkbox

When this option is checked, this data cannot be changed within VGSTUDIO MAX.
 Browse manufacturer logo... button
Opens the Browse scanner manufacturer logo file dialog where you can select a graphics file to
be added to the scanner manufacturer info.
The logo must have a height of 80 pixels and an aspect ratio of less than 15:4.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
Scan info Dialog
Shows the scan information supported by the imported data (e.g., Tube voltage, Tube current, Scan
line, Reconstruction time, Total process time, Reconstruction algorithm, Scan method, Geometry, Integration
time, Filter, Number of projections, Date time, User).
 Scan info section
 Set scan info read-only option

Component info Dialog
Shows the information on the scanned part supported by the imported data (e.g., Description, Lot
number, Serial number).
 Component info section
 Set component info read-only option

Import histogram Dialog
Clicking the Histogram button in the Load as dialog opens the Import histogram dialog which
consists of two tabs, the Histogram tab and the Calibration tab.
Histogram Tab
The Histogram tab shows the gray values of the voxels of the object on the x-axis and the
number of voxels on the y-axis.
Two vertical red lines are initially positioned at the very left (at the lowest gray value) and the very
right (at the highest gray value) of the diagram. Each red line is labeled with two numbers, the
first indicating the gray value at the current position of the line, the second showing the number
of voxels in the object which have this gray value.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
FIGURE 3-1: IMPORT HISTOGRAM DIALOG: HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag vertical Moves the line to a new position, thus adapting the
gray value lines in histogram corresponding gray value entry in the Data raw range
section of the Load as dialog and vice versa. You can
also change the mapping type in the Load as dialog
while the histogram is displayed.
Use either of the methods to define an interval of signif-
icant gray values, i.e., the interval in which there is a
high probability of gray values varying in accordance
with a variation of the material. A typical histogram has
one peak for each material in the data set plus one peak
for the air. Make sure not to cut out any of these peaks.
Always keep the air peak, since the software needs the
surrounding air for the interpretation of the partial
volume effect which is the basis for analysis results.
/ Zoom in/out Zooms the corresponding axis in/out.
TABLE 3-11: CONTROLS IN THE PREVIEW TAB
Calibration Tab
The Calibration tab allows you to perform a gray value calibration within the import process by
dynamically selecting material and background gray values and assigning them to destination
gray values. The main area of the Calibration tab shows a single slice of the object.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
FIGURE 3-2: IMPORT HISTOGRAM DIALOG: CALIBRATION TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
slice position spin box Specifies the slice number.
T/R/F buttons Select the axis along which to slice:

• T = top view
• R = right view
• F = front view
C button Automatically enhances the contrast. By default, the

preview will be rendered taking into account the data
range settings. Activating auto contrast will analyze the
data set and apply a ramp mapping to the data range
covered by the voxels in the current slice.
Define background/Define material Allow to draw a rectangle with the mouse button in the
buttons preview window. The area inside the rectangle is
considered for background or material selection,
respectively.
Apply button Applies the acquired values to the data range mapping
of the Load as dialog.
Background/Material fields Display the mean of the gray values selected by the
rectangle.
Map to spin buttons Allow to specify the target gray values.
TABLE 3-12: CONTROLS IN THE CALIBRATION TAB

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
Import preview Dialog
Clicking the Preview button, which is available in a number of import dialogs, opens the Import
preview dialog.
This dialog provides 2D previews and projections of your object so you can:
 Control the parameters specified so far
If you only see black and white stripes or a grainy image, check the data type and/or size
specified earlier.
 Define a Region of Interest (ROI)
Use the left mouse button to modify the ROI settings by adapting the blue frame in the slice
preview or one of the projections. You can also modify the settings in the ROI and Skip selec-
tion dialog (see section ROI and Skip selection Dialog on page 49).
FIGURE 3-3: IMPORT PREVIEW DIALOG: PREVIEW TAB
The preview does not take into account the position of the slices. This is to be considered when
importing data sets with varying slice distances. Varying slice distances are supported by BIR,
DICOM, DICONDE, Toshiba, and YXLON image stacks.
The following tabs are available:

 Preview tab
The main area of the Preview tab shows a single slice of your object. The following controls
are available on this tab:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
slice position spin box Specifies the slice number.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
T/R/F buttons Select the axis along which to slice:

• T = top view
• R = right view
• F = front view
C button Automatically enhances the contrast. By default,

the preview will be rendered taking into account the
data range settings. Activating auto contrast will
analyze the data set and apply a ramp mapping to
the data range covered by the voxels in the current
slice.
Reset zoom Resets the zoom of the histogram.
TABLE 3-13: CONTROLS IN THE PREVIEW TAB
 Top projection tab

Click this tab for a projection along the z-axis. All xy-planes of your object will be projected
into one 2D view.
 Right projection tab
Click this tab for a projection along the x-axis. All yz-planes of your object will be projected
into one 2D view.
 Front projection tab
Click this tab for a projection along the y-axis. All xz-planes of your object will be projected
into one 2D view.
CAD... Menu Item
Imports a CAD file into the scene. The CAD model is imported along with its components, sub-
components, patches, and—if available—color settings, and displayed in the Scene Tree. For
details on the supported CAD file formats, see section File Formats on page 940 in chapter 43
Appendix. Some file formats may require additional licensing.
We recommend using STEP file format for importing CAD models.
If your CAD system supports PMI (Product and Manufacturing Information), these data can also
be imported. This functionality is available as an optional add-on module for VGSTUDIO MAX
and requires additional licensing.
Selecting this menu item opens the Import CAD... dialog. Depending on the file format you select,
the standard or the advanced CAD import dialog opens.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
Standard CAD import Dialog
The standard CAD import dialog includes the following controls:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Join surfaces and unify face orientations IGES files only: When this option is checked, the edges
checkbox of neighboring faces are sewed together and the face
orientations are unified. Closed surfaces can be trans-
formed into solids.
Mesh accuracy drop-down list Specifies the accuracy of the mesh: Extra low, Low,
Medium, High, Extra high.
Import button Starts importing the CAD model.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without importing the CAD model.
TABLE 3-14: CONTROLS OF THE STANDARD CAD IMPORT DIALOG
Advanced CAD import Dialog
The advanced CAD import dialog includes the following controls:

 General tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Geometry import option • Direct: Directly translates the geometry data into
internal CAD format.
• Indirect: Translates the geometry data into
internal CAD format using STEP as an interme-
diate format. Usually, the direct translation is to
be preferred, but in some cases the translation
via STEP can be more reliable.
• Mesh only: Translates the geometry data into a
mesh. This option is feasible for some CAD
formats supporting a geometry representation
solely consisting of mesh data (e.g., JT).
Import hidden objects checkbox When this option is checked, objects that are
hidden in the CAD model will also be imported.
Medium, High, Extra high.
Import coordinate systems option • All: Imports all coordinate systems.

• Depending on features: Imports only coordinate
systems which are actually used by GD&T
features.
Import construction geometries • All: Imports all construction geometries (planes,

option axes, etc.).
• Depending on features: Imports only construction
geometries which are actually used by GD&T
features.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
View data option • All: Imports both annotations and camera posi-
tions.
• Annotations only: Imports only annotations.
• Camera only: Imports only camera positions.
Switches the import of camera positions, annota-
tion views and geometry elements on/off. The radio
buttons allow to define the kind of views to be
imported.
Show geometry elements option • All: Shows all geometry elements in the imported
views.
• Depending on features: Shows only geometry
elements which are actually used by GD&T
features.
• None: No geometry elements are shown.
TABLE 3-15: CONTROLS OF THE ADVANCED CAD IMPORT DIALOG, GENERAL TAB
 PMI tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Import driving dimensions and depen- This is a special filter option for files created with
dent geom. tolerances checkbox ProE/Creo. Driving dimensions are part of a sketch
and are generally unsuitable for measuring because
they do not reference parts of the object surface.
These dimensions usually have the sequence
“DRV_DIM_D” as a prefix.
Target coordinate system section This option affects the behavior of the measure-
ment plan when copied to another object such as a
volume.
• CAD coordinate system: The GD&T features are
created within the coordinate system of the
imported CAD geometry.
• Scene coordinate system: The GD&T features are
created within the global scene coordinate
system.
Auto-completion section Activates the completion of missing information in

ambiguous cases. These are informed estimates
and therefore come with a certain risk of creating
misinterpretations.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Replace edge references by face inter- Like with tactile measurement techniques,
sections option geometric references to edges cannot be directly
evaluated. Instead, it is possible to measure the
adjacent surfaces and apply the feature to their
theoretical intersection. This option tries to replace
edges for the following combinations of shapes:
plane-plane, plane-cylinder, plane-cone, cylinder-
cone, or cone-cone.
Infer references from tolerances to When material conditions are applied, geometric
dimensions option tolerances need references to dimensions.
Depending on the originating CAD system, these
dependencies are not explicitly modeled. If the
dependency for a material condition is missing, this
option tries to find the corresponding dimensions
by checking their common geometric references.
Replace distance by diameter if appro- Some CAD systems do not define the type of
priate option dimensions explicitly. Therefore, a diameter dimen-
sion can appear to be a distance dimension which
might look identical to a traditional measurement
plan. This option identifies cases of distance
dimensions attached to cylinders or circles that can
correctly be reinterpreted as diameters.
Interpret multipliers on dimensions In some cases, dimensions or tolerances are drawn

and geometric tolerances option once and re-used for a number of features. Usually,
these are marked with a prefix such as “4x”. If such
a prefix exists and corresponds to the number of
referred geometries, the dimensions or geometric
tolerances are multiplied by this option.
Replace non-semantic datums in Depending on the way geometric tolerances were

geometric tolerances option modeled in the source CAD system, their datum
reference system can consist of datum labels only
instead of semantic references. In this case, the
auto-completion function tries to match the datum
labels with existing datum objects.
Replace construction geometries by Depending on the originating CAD system, there

fittable geometry elements option can be a connection between construction
elements (planes, axes) and their corresponding
object surfaces. Since only the object geometry is
suitable for measuring, this mode tries to redirect
references to construction planes to object
surfaces and references to construction axes to
corresponding cylindrical or conical surfaces.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Expand fit points on partial cylinders In CAD data, rotational surfaces such as cylinders
and cones option and cones are often modeled as consisting of two
or more parts. After the translation into geometry
elements in VGSTUDIO MAX, this can lead to bad
fitting results because the actual surface is only
partly covered with fit points. This option tries to
identify connected parts of rotational surfaces in
order to spread the fit points over the complete
surface.
Grouping option For a clear arrangement of the imported GD&T

features, it is possible to automatically create
groups according to type (datums, geometry
elements, dimensions, geometric tolerances) or
subtype (e.g., planes and cylinders for geometry
elements).
• By type and subtype: Creates groups according to
both type and subtype.
• By type only: Creates groups according to type
only.
Create additional groups for different This is an advanced option for creating more
properties checkbox detailed groups according to the following proper-
ties: construction only, created by symmetry oper-
ation, created by intersection, referring to
construction element, driving dimension, non-
semantic geometric tolerance, result of auto-
completion, added by auto-completion.
Feature name section Specifies the name of the features:

• ID: When this checkbox is checked, the feature
name includes the ID specified in the CAD file.
• Name: When this checkbox is checked, the
feature name includes the name specified in the
CAD file.
• Prefix and suffix (if available): When this checkbox
is checked, prefixes and suffixes (e.g., diameter
symbol, opening and closing brackets) speci-
fied in the CAD file, are included in the feature
name.
TABLE 3-16: CONTROLS OF THE ADVANCED CAD IMPORT DIALOG, PMI TAB
 Fitting tab

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use default options checkbox When this checkbox is checked, the settings for
fitting a geometry element during CAD import are
the same as the default settings for creating a new
geometry element.
When this checkbox is unchecked, the CAD selection
options/Fit point sampling options/Fit point filter options
sections become enabled. For details on these
options, see section Creation Tab on page 260 in
chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM Module.
Datum fit method radio buttons Specify the fit method for datum elements:
• Contacting: Automatically selects an appropriate
fit method (Chebyshev (minimum zone) outer,
Minimum circumscribed, or Maximum inscribed).
• Gauss (least squares): Uses the least squares fit
method.
For details on the fit methods, see section Creation
Tab on page 260 in chapter 10 Measurements
Menu/CM Module.
Apply direction from CAD planes This option is especially suited for small planes on
checkbox the object surface where it is difficult to determine
the orientation because there are not many fit
points. For all planes smaller than specified by the
Maximum plane size parameter, fitting is carried out
with a directional constraint corresponding to the
normal of the plane.
TABLE 3-17: CONTROLS OF THE ADVANCED CAD IMPORT DIALOG, FITTING TAB
 Import button
Starts importing the CAD model.
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog without importing the CAD model.
Mesh... Menu Item
Imports a mesh file into the scene. Mesh files are typically used in VGSTUDIO MAX or
VGMETROLOGY for nominal/actual comparisons.
For details on the supported mesh file formats, see section File Formats on page 940 in chapter
43 Appendix.
Selecting this menu item opens the Mesh import dialog where you have to specify the unit to be
applied to the dimensionless coordinates in the file in order to properly scale the mesh.
Point cloud... Menu Item
Imports a point cloud from a text file or a FARO® file and generates a triangle mesh in the scene.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
For details on the supported file formats, see section File Formats on page 940 in chapter 43
Appendix.
Selecting this menu item opens the Import point cloud dialog where you can select the required
file.
The upcoming import wizard consists of the Specify file format dialog (for text files) or the Select
scans dialog (for FARO files), respectively, and the Generate triangle mesh dialog. These dialogs are
described in the following.
Specify file format Dialog
When you select a text file for import, the Specify file format dialog opens where you can manually
adapt the automatically detected file format:
FIGURE 3-4: SPECIFY FILE FORMAT DIALOG
 File preview
Displays how the import wizard interprets the coordinates, normals, and colors/grayscale
values of the points in the input file. The import wizard tries to automatically assign a
meaning to the columns. Clicking the column header with the right mouse button opens a
context menu allowing you to assign a different meaning to the column. Cells that cannot
be parsed are shown in red.
 File format section

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Start in line spin box Specifies the first line of the text file to be used for
import. The lines above this line will be grayed out
in the file preview and not be considered for import.
Comments begin with field Allows to enter a text string used for preceding
comments in the text file.
Delimiter options The software scans the text file and suggests the
character(s) used as separator. You can manually
change this setting.
• Space, Tabulator, Comma, Semicolon: Specifies the
separator used for delimiting the individual cells.
• Other: Allows to manually enter a separator.
• Merge consecutive delimiters: When this option is
checked, the software merges two or more
consecutive delimiters and treats them as one.
When this option is unchecked, consecutive
delimiters are interpreted as empty cells.
Encoding drop-down list Specifies the character encoding of the text file.
Decimal point drop-down list Specifies the decimal mark: period or comma.
TABLE 3-18: CONTROLS IN THE FILE FORMAT SECTION
 Import settings section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Unreadable cells drop-down list Specifies the behavior when lines with errors occur
in the text file:
• Ignore line: Continues importing the file with the
next line and issues a warning with the number
of invalid lines.
• Abort import: Aborts import and issues an error
message.
Unit drop-down list Specifies the unit for the point coordinates.
Color range spin boxes Enabled only when the Automatic checkbox is
unchecked.
Allow to manually specify the start and end values
for the color range mapping. Negative values are
permitted. To invert colors, you can swap the start
and end values.

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Automatic checkbox When this option is checked, the values for the Color
range fields are automatically estimated during
import from the values in the color columns or gray-
scale column. The color range is then set to
commonly used start and end values, e.g., 0-1, 0-
255, 0-2047.
TABLE 3-19: CONTROLS IN THE IMPORT SETTINGS SECTION
 Import button
Accepts the settings and opens the Generate triangle mesh dialog (see section Generate
triangle mesh Dialog on page 64).
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog and aborts the import wizard.
Select scans Dialog
When you select a FARO file for import, the Select scans dialog opens:
FIGURE 3-5: SELECT SCANS DIALOG
 Selection section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
file list section Checking/unchecking the checkbox in front of an

entry selects/deselects the file for import.
Select all/Deselect all button Selects/deselects all files in the file list.
TABLE 3-20: CONTROLS IN THE SELECTION SECTION

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
 Import settings section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Unit drop-down list Specifies the unit for the point coordinates.
Colors options Allows to select the color channels stored in the

scan file(s): RGB, Grayscale, or None. The color chan-
nels available depend on the scanner type.
TABLE 3-21: CONTROLS IN THE IMPORT SETTINGS SECTION
 Import button
Accepts the settings and opens the Generate triangle mesh dialog (see section Generate
triangle mesh Dialog on page 64).
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog and aborts the import wizard.
Generate triangle mesh Dialog
Allows to set the parameters for the generation of the triangle mesh:
FIGURE 3-6: GENERATE TRIANGLE MESH DIALOG
 Basic parameters section

FILE MENU
3 IMPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop-down list • Automatic: Calculates the parameter settings

from the point cloud.
When running a macro, the parameters are
automatically determined for each data set
individually.
• Manual: In this mode, absolute values must be
specified for all parameters. Click the Estimate
from point cloud button to calculate the parame-
ters from the point cloud and modify the esti-
mated values, if required.
When running a macro, the manually entered
parameter set is applied to all data sets.
Minimum point distance spin box Specifies the minimum distance between two
points to be considered as separate points for
creating the triangle mesh. Redundant points will
be discarded.
Maximum edge length spin box Specifies the maximum length of the edges of the
triangle mesh to be created. This value should be
slightly larger than the distance between the points
in the point cloud.
Maximum deviation from surface spin Indicates the maximum deviation of a point from
box the actual surface in order to be able to distinguish
between features and noise and create a mean-
ingful surface. Note that the noise will not be
removed.
Estimate from point cloud button Manual mode only: Calculates the values for the
above parameters from the point cloud and enters
them into the corresponding fields.
TABLE 3-22: CONTROLS IN THE BASIC PARAMETERS SECTION
 Advanced parameters section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use point cloud normals for surface Check this option if the point cloud file includes
orientation checkbox surface normals, so they can be used as a hint for
the orientation of the surface.
It is recommended to check this option for
importing FARO files.
Edge quality improvement drop- Provides two quality levels to improve the align-
down list ment of the triangle edges with the shape of the
surface.
TABLE 3-23: CONTROLS IN THE ADVANCED PARAMETERS SECTION

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
 Generate button
Accepts the settings and starts import.
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog without starting import.
Integration mesh... Menu Item
Imports an integration mesh. For more details on the supported file formats, see section File
Integration meshes are used, e.g., for fiber-composite material analyses or for the simulation of
transport phenomena. They are no typical top-level objects. If you want to align a volume object
to an imported integration mesh, you will therefore also have to load the CAD or mesh model
used for creating the integration mesh.
CT Reconstruction... Menu Item
Reconstructs volume data from projection files. This is an optional add-on module. See chapter
37 CT Reconstruction Modules on page 832 for details.
EXPORT MENU ITEM
Exports a single object, parts of an object, or multiple objects of the current scene as data files.
The object(s) will be converted to the selected format.
The menu entries for exporting to voxel data formats are enabled for voxel objects, that for
exporting to mesh formats for mesh objects, and that for exporting to CAD formats for CAD
models.
If you want to create a mesh model from a voxel object, use the Convert to Mesh functionality
instead (see section Convert to > Mesh... on page 155 in chapter 5 Object Menu).
Volume... Menu Item
Opens the Export volume dialog for exporting an object into a volume file for a given orientation.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
FIGURE 3-7: EXPORT VOLUME DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Orientation drop-down list Specifies the orientation of the object for the volume
file. Available orientations are Top (xy-plane), Right (yz-
plane), and Front (xz-plane).
Grid size x/y/z fields Indicates the dimensions (in voxels) of the volume to be
exported in the x, y, and z directions, depending on the
selected orientation.
Sampling distance x/y/z fields Indicates the resolution of the volume to be exported in
the x, y, and z directions.
Save... button Opens the Export dialog where you can specify the path,
file name, and file format. For details on the supported
file formats, see section File Formats on page 940 in
chapter 43 Appendix.
Cancel button Closes the Export volume dialog without exporting.
TABLE 3-24: CONTROLS IN THE EXPORT VOLUME DIALOG
Image stack... Menu Item
Opens the Export image stack dialog for exporting an object to a series of numbered files for a
given orientation.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
FIGURE 3-8: EXPORT IMAGE STACK DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Orientation drop-down list Specifies the orientation of the object for the image
stack. Available orientations are Top (xy-plane), Right (yz-
plane), and Front (xz-plane).
Cancel button Closes the Export image stack dialog without exporting.
TABLE 3-25: CONTROLS IN THE EXPORT IMAGE STACK DIALOG
Movie Menu Item
Opens the Export movie dialog for creating an AVI or ASF movie for the selected object by
scrolling through the object grid coordinate system.
Creating AVI or ASF movies is possible on Microsoft Windows systems only.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
FIGURE 3-9: EXPORT MOVIE DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Orientation drop-down list Specifies the orientation of the object for the movie.
Available orientations are Top (xy-plane), Right (yz-plane),
and Front (xz-plane).
Cancel button Closes the Export movie dialog without exporting.
TABLE 3-26: CONTROLS IN THE EXPORT MOVIE DIALOG
Only the data itself is considered for the images. If you also need to capture analysis results or
any kind of overlay, choose the Save movie/image stack menu item instead (see section Save
movie/image stack... Menu Item on page 80).
Exporting an AVI or ASF movie using the Movie menu item is restricted to a single object with a
given orientation. Choosing the Save > AVI movie or Save > ASF movie option of the Aligned/multiple
volume export dialog, however, allows you to use more than one object and furthermore an arbi-
trary destination coordinate system (see section Export aligned/multiple volumes Menu Item on
page 69).
Export aligned/multiple volumes Menu Item
Opens the Aligned/multiple volume export dialog for exporting multiple volumes as one volume
according to their alignment in the scene to an image stack or to a single volume file.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
Use this export functionality to create one volume data set from the partial scans of your object,
e.g., if the object was too large for scanning it as a whole or if parts of your object were scanned
with different resolutions.
Creating AVI and ASF movies is only possible on Microsoft Windows systems.
FIGURE 3-10: ALIGNED/MULTIPLE VOLUME EXPORT DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Source volume(s) section Displays the object(s) currently selected for export. You
can use any combination of volumes and ROIs selected
in the Scene Tree, but no CAD or mesh objects.
When the scanned objects have overlapping areas and
the Replace option is selected from the Combine mode
drop-down list, the order of the objects determines
their priority regarding the gray values at a certain posi-
tion in the overlapping area: The gray value of the
bottom object in the list overwrites that of the previous
objects at that position. You can change the order of
the objects in the list by drag and drop.
Destination system drop-down list Specifies the target coordinate system for the volume
to be exported. When exporting multiple volumes, it is
recommended to select the volume coordinate system
of one of the volumes so that the voxels of the other
object need to be resampled only.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Destination orientation drop-down list Specifies the major axis of the destination coordinate
system along which the volume is to be exported.
Possible orientations are Top, Right, and Front.
Destination grid size spin boxes Specify the resolution for resampling the volume in the
x, y, and z directions: A larger grid size results in more
sample points and thus a smaller sampling distance, a
smaller grid size results in less sample points and thus
a larger sampling distance. Changing the values in
these fields will also affect the values in the Destination
sampling distance fields.
Destination sampling distance fields Specify the resolution for resampling the volume in the
x, y, and z directions: A larger sampling distance results
in less sample points and thus a smaller grid size, a
smaller sampling distance results in more sample
points and thus a larger grid size. Changing the values
in these fields will also affect the values in the Destination
grid size fields.
Destination data type drop-down list Specifies the data type of the resulting volume. For an
overview of the available data types see section Data
Types on page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix.
Combine mode drop-down list When the scanned objects have overlapping areas, the
gray values to be assigned to the corresponding voxels
of the new data set during resampling have to be
defined.
• Replace: The gray value at a certain position in the
overlapping area is defined by the order of the
objects in the Source volume(s) section (see above).
• Maximum: The gray value at a certain position in the
overlapping area is the maximum of the gray values
of all objects at this position.
Save button Opens the Export volume dialog where you can specify
the path, file name, and file format. For details on the
TABLE 3-27: CONTROLS IN THE ALIGNED/MULTIPLE VOLUME EXPORT DIALOG
CAD... Menu Item
This menu item is enabled only when a CAD model is selected in the Scene Tree.
The CAD export dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system drop-down field Specifies the coordinate system that defines the origin
and orientation for the exported CAD model.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
CAD component tree • Checkbox of component: Clicking it checks/

unchecks the component including all child compo-
nents.
• Select all button: Selects all components of the CAD
model.
• Deselect all button: Deselects all components of the
CAD model.
• Apply visibility button: Selects all components which
are set visible in the Scene Tree.
Result section • Single file: Creates one CAD file with the selected
components. The tree structure is preserved.
• Multiple files: Creates a CAD file for each of the
selected “leaves” of the tree structure.
• Flatten structure: Creates one CAD file with the
selected components without preserving the tree
structure.
OK button Opens the Export CAD... dialog where you can specify the
path and file name for saving the selected CAD model
as *.stp file.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without exporting the CAD model.
TABLE 3-28: CONTROLS OF THE CAD EXPORT DIALOG
Mesh... Menu Item
This menu item is enabled only when a mesh is selected in the Scene Tree.
Opens the Export mesh... dialog where you can specify the path and file name for saving the
selected mesh in the selected file format (for details on the supported file formats, see section
File Formats on page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix). The Mesh export dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system drop-down list Specifies the coordinate system that defines the origin
and orientation for the exported coordinates.
Physical unit drop-down list Specifies the unit for recalculating the coordinates such
that the exported object is properly scaled. The unit will
be included in a comment so that you can retrieve it
from the file when needed.
Mode section Specifies the file format to be used: Binary or ASCII.

FILE MENU
3 EXPORT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Properties section The following options are supported only when

exporting to Polygon File Format (*.ply) or Wavefront
Object File Format (*.obj).
• Vertex colors: If the mesh provides color information
for the vertices, this option becomes enabled such
that you can export the mesh including the vertex
colors.
• Textures: If the mesh provides information on
textures, this option becomes enabled such that
you can export the mesh including the textures.
TABLE 3-29: CONTROLS OF THE MESH EXPORT DIALOG
Export as Digimat file Menu Item
Opens the Export as Digimat file... dialog where you can specify the path and file name for saving
the results of the selected fiber composite material analysis as a .csv file that can be loaded into
the Digimat modeling software.
The fiber composite material analysis must have been performed using one of the integration
mesh modes.
Export defects as MAGMA Menu Item
Opens the Export as MAGMA file dialog where you can specify the path and file name for saving the
results (voxel grid and defects) of the selected porosity/inclusion analysis in the
MAGMA/Volume Graphics file exchange format (*.emv). The Select mode for MAGMA export... dialog
opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop-down list • Defect porosity: Tries to determine for each defect
voxel the percentage to which it belongs to the
defect. This option is suitable for the Only threshold
algorithm.
• Defect mask: Each defect voxel belongs 100 % to the
defect.
TABLE 3-30: CONTROLS IN THE SELECT MODE FOR MAGMA EXPORT... DIALOG
Using .emv files for MAGMA requires MAGMA 4.4 P31 and a license for the MAGMAlink module.
Export application settings ... Menu Item
Opens the Export applications settings ... dialog where you can specify the path and file name for
the .vgsettings file containing all presets and settings in VGSTUDIO MAX. This application

FILE MENU
3 MERGE OBJECT... MENU ITEM
settings file can then be loaded in VGinLINE, the Volume Graphics software package for
advanced in-line or at-line CT inspection and analysis.
MERGE OBJECT... MENU ITEM
Merges objects (including analyses and settings) from another project into the current scene.
Supported file formats are .vgl and .mvgl.
Upon choosing this menu item, a file open dialog opens where you can select the project from
which to import the object(s).
If the selected project contains more than one object, the Merge objects dialog opens where you
can select the object to be imported. The available objects are top-level objects in the Scene
Tree and can be volume objects or CAD or mesh models. If another object, such as a
nominal/actual comparison, is associated with the object to be merged, a message box will
appear indicating the name and type of the associated object.
SAVE OBJECT... MENU ITEM
Creates a new project with a new file name containing the object currently selected in the Scene
Tree (see chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool on page 427) including associated items such as analysis
results and GD&T features, if available.
The object must be a top-level object in the Scene Tree and can be a volume object or a CAD,
mesh, or point cloud model. If another object is associated with the selected object, it will also
be included in the new project. When, e.g., a volume object is selected for which a
nominal/actual comparison to a mesh model exists (see chapter 33 Nominal/Actual Comparison
Module on page 659), both the volume object and the mesh model will be included in the saved
project, as will be the nominal/actual comparison.
This option allows you to export one single top-level object only with its associated objects and
is not available for more than one otherwise independent top-level objects selected in the
Scene Tree.
PACK AND GO... MENU ITEM
Saves the current project including objects

a) either to a project file (.vgl) plus [vg-project] and [vg-data] directories
b) or to a single archive file (.vgarchive).
This ensures that you take all necessary files with you when you, e.g., forward the project to a
customer or copy it to a laptop for demonstration purposes. Just copy the project file and its
associated directories or the archive file, respectively, to the new destination.
When you choose the project file format, the project and data directories are automatically
created next to the project file (*.vgl) and named [vg-project] <project file name> and [vg-data]
<project file name>, respectively. The former contains all supplementary data belonging to the
project, while the latter contains the object data in object-specific subdirectories.

FILE MENU
3 PACK AND GO... MENU ITEM
The Pack and go dialog opens where you can choose an export mode and optimize the overall
project size by selecting a compressed file format:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Original project size field Indicates the uncompressed project size.
Estimated result project size field Indicates an estimate of the compressed project size.
The estimated result project size for Compressed JPG2000
can be calculated accurately, while for Compressed ZIP
the actual resulting project size might differ from the
estimate.
Export mode option Specifies the export mode:

• Uncompressed RAW: Resamples the volume data
(uncompressed and lossless). CAD and mesh data
are exported in an internal format.
• Compressed ZIP: Resamples the volume data
(compressed and lossless). The compression level
is determined automatically. CAD and mesh data
are exported in an internal format.
• Compressed JPG2000: Resamples the volume data
(compressed and lossy). You can use the Compres-
sion level slider to choose a compression level. CAD
and mesh data are exported in an internal format.
• Collect data only: Collects all original volume data
without resampling. CAD and mesh data are
exported both in an internal and in their original
format (if available).
Note that for image stacks with varying slice
distances (BIR, DICOM, DICONDE, Toshiba,
YXLON) the compressed/uncompressed modes
are not supported. Use the Collect data only mode
instead.
Compression level slider For Compressed JPG2000 only. Adjusts the compression
level. The higher the compression level, the smaller the
overall project size. The compression level only affects
the volume data of your packed project, it does not
affect mesh objects or analyses.
Pack... button Opens the Save pack-and-go as... dialog where you can
specify the path and file name of the project file (*.vgl)
or archive file (*.vgarchive), respectively.
TABLE 3-31: CONTROLS IN THE PACK AND GO DIALOG
After packing, the application will still show the original project. In contrast to Save as..., Pack and
go does not switch to the newly created project. Any changes after packing apply to the original
project, not to the packed project.
Except for the Collect data only export mode in conjunction with the Do not write to disk, reference
projection data option (see section Result Options Tab on page 871 in chapter 37 CT Reconstruction
Modules), a project saved with Pack and go does not include any projection files. If the original

FILE MENU
3 BATCH PROCESSING... MENU ITEM
project referenced projection files, the project saved with Pack and go will reference and include
the reconstructed data instead.
BATCH PROCESSING... MENU ITEM
Opens the Batch processing dialog which allows you to run a macro that has previously been
defined using the Automation tool (see chapter 21 Automation Tool on page 410) on several data
sets without opening them manually.
It is not possible to run macros created with VGSTUDIO MAX 2.2 or earlier.
Setup Tab
 Play section
Select the macro you want to use by clicking the Browse button next to the Batch job field.
 Project section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Add project(s) button Opens a file selection dialog. Select all project files
you wish to process, then click Open. This will add
the selected project files to the list of files to be
processed. You can click this button again to add
further project files. Note that if you add the same
file twice, it will be processed twice.
Add directory button Allows you to navigate to a directory and add all
project files located in this directory to the list of
files to be processed.
Add directory/subdirectories button Allows you to navigate to a directory and add all
project files and all subdirectories located in this
directory to the list of files to be processed.
Remove button Removes the selected project files from the list.
TABLE 3-32: CONTROLS IN THE PROJECT SECTION
 Input file name replacement section

If the macro uses templates or presets, you can replace the path and file names of the files
saved in the macro.
FIELD CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Path Path as used in macro Uses the original path.
Project folder of source vgl file Replaces the original path with the
path to the [vg-project] directory.

FILE MENU
3 BATCH PROCESSING... MENU ITEM
FIELD CONTROL DESCRIPTION
vgl/vgi source file path Replaces the original path with the
path to the .vgl/.vgi file.
User defined path Enables a field where you can enter

or choose any other path.
File name File name as used in macro Uses the original file name.
vgl/vgi source file name Replaces/amends the original file

name with the name of the .vgl/vgi
file.
Serial number Replaces/amends the original file

name with a serial number (0, 1, 2,
...).
Serial number as letter Replaces/amends the original file

name with a letter in alphabetical
order (a, b, c, ...).
<enter your text here> Allows you to type in any text.
TABLE 3-33: CONTROLS IN THE INPUT FILE NAME REPLACEMENT SECTION
 Output file name replacement section

If the macro exports to or saves files, you can replace the path and file names used for
exporting/saving specified in the macro. For details on the options see Table 3-33:
Controls in the Input file name replacement section above.
 Replacements section
This window lists all replacements defined for input/output files. Both the original and the
new (After Replacement) file name as well as the file type (Input or Destination) and status infor-
mation are displayed.
 Allow interaction section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Allow interaction checkbox Check this option to stop the batch processing in
case of errors.
Warn on selection mismatch When this option is checked, a dialog opens if

checkbox differences in the selection are detected at the
beginning of batch processing.
Warn on object substitution When this option is checked, a dialog opens if the
checkbox objects in the currently processed project cannot
be unambiguously mapped to those in the original
project.
TABLE 3-34: CONTROLS IN THE ALLOW INTERACTION SECTION
 Write log file checkbox

Check to continue the batch processing in case of errors and write the errors to a log file.
Click Browse to specify the file name and directory in which to save the log file.

FILE MENU
3 SAVE IMAGE(S)... MENU ITEM
 Start batch processing/Abort/Close buttons

Select Start batch processing to start the process, Abort to stop the current process prema-
turely and Close to leave the Batch processing dialog.
Status Tab
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Duration field Indicates the time the current batch processing has
been running.
Current project field Indicates the name of the file which is currently being
processed.
Status field Indicates how much of the current project has already
been processed.
Overall field Indicates how much of the total batch has already been
processed.
Warnings/Errors fields Indicates the number of warnings and errors which

have occurred so far.
Window Provides additional information about the current

status, warnings and errors while running the batch.
TABLE 3-35: INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE STATUS TAB
SAVE IMAGE(S)... MENU ITEM
Captures the current workspace area into an image.

 Preview section
Shows a preview of the image according to the current settings.
 Views section
Lists the currently available workspace windows. To select the window to be taken into
account for the final image, check the checkbox of the corresponding entry.
 Slice position indicator section
When this option is checked, an additional 2D or 3D image is displayed either within the
selected 2D view or next to it.
This function is available only for 2D and if exactly one 2D view is selected in the Views section.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
View drop-down field Selects the additional 2D or 3D image.

FILE MENU
3 SAVE IMAGE(S)... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Side by Side checkbox Displays the selected 2D view and the additional
image of the same size next to each other.
Picture in Picture checkbox Displays the additional image within the selected
2D view.
• Position checkboxes: Specify the position of the
additional image within the selected view.
• Size slider: Changes the size of the additional
image (10 % ..100 % of the slice image size).
As seen in 2D/3D view checkbox When this option is checked, the additional image
has the same aspect ratio and displays all overlays,
analyses, annotations, etc. as seen in the original
view.
TABLE 3-36: CONTROLS IN THE SLICE POSITION INDICATOR SECTION
 Decorations section
Provides options for displaying additional information within the image.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show logo in headline option Allows to define a custom logo that will appear
above the text specified in the headline text field if
the Show headline option is checked.
Show legend option When you check this option, the current slice posi-
tion, the current coordinate system and the window
type will be added below the image for the respec-
tive window.
Show headline option When you check this option, the text entered in the
text field will appear above the image.
TABLE 3-37: CONTROLS IN THE DECORATIONS SECTION
 Overlays section
Allows to enable/disable graphical overlays like analysis results, geometry elements and
measurements for the image to be saved.
 Custom image size section
Allows to specify an image size different from the default size.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Width/Height spin boxes Allow to change the size of the image in pixels.

FILE MENU
3 SAVE MOVIE/IMAGE STACK... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
/ button • Button is pressed : The image is scaled

uniformly, i.e., the width/height ratio is main-
tained.
• Button is released : The image width and
height can be changed independently of each
other.
R button Resets the width/height values.
TABLE 3-38: CONTROLS IN THE CUSTOM IMAGE SIZE SECTION
 DPI/Font size section

Use the Scale spin box to control the size of handles, fonts and other display-relative
elements. You can use it for saving images at higher resolution and still maintain the
proportions of these elements. This will affect all overlays (e.g., the text overlay, the tripod,
the surface, the ROI borders).
 Save... button
Opens the Save image dialog. For the supported file formats, see section File Formats on
page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix.
SAVE MOVIE/IMAGE STACK... MENU ITEM
Saves the slices of one of the 2D views to a movie or image stack.
Creating movies is possible on Microsoft Windows systems only.
Due to the lower gray value resolution, this functionality is especially suitable for documentation
purposes. If you want to create an image stack for further processing, such as performing anal-
yses, use the File > Export > Image stack... menu item.
 Preview section
The Preview section shows the slices according to the current settings.
If you do not want the movie/image stack to contain the complete data set, use the slice
position spin box at the bottom left to navigate to the desired slice. The background color
of the slice position spin box changes to red if the value lies outside the range specified in
the Slice range section. Clicking the s or e button defines the Start or End slice, respectively,
of the Slice range section.
 2D view section
Select the 2D view to specify the orientation. The images will be created parallel to this
view.
 Display mode section
Allows to specify the coloring of the resulting image (for details on display modes see
section Display mode Menu Item on page 378 in chapter 14 Window Menu).

FILE MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
2D view.
additional image within the selected 2D view.
view.
measurements for the image stack/movie to be saved.
 Image size section
Allows to specify an image size different from the default size.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Width/Height spin boxes Allow to change the size of the images in pixels.
If you want to save a movie in .wmv format, the
width and height values have to be a multiple of
four.
/ button • Button is pressed : the image is scaled

uniformly, i.e., the width/height ratio is main-
tained.
• Button is released : the image width and
height can be changed independently of each
other.
TABLE 3-40: CONTROLS IN THE IMAGE SIZE SECTION

 Boundary option

FILE MENU
Allows to apply an additional offset to the original image. It does not change the image
size, instead it enables you to zoom into or out of the current viewport.
 Stack settings section
The stack settings apply to the complete data set in the current orientation.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Unit option Specifies the unit for the Dist field.
No. of slices field Specifies the number of slices for the movie or
image stack. Modifying the number of slices will
recalculate the slice distance and vice versa:
distance x (number of slices – 1) = height of
complete data set.
Dist field Specifies the distance between the slices for the
movie or image stack. Modifying the slice distance
will recalculate the number of slices and vice versa:
distance x (number of slices – 1) = height of
complete data set. The unit for the distance can be
defined in the Unit field.
POI wait field Specifies the time (in seconds) during which the
slice with the label of the selected Indicator instru-
ment or analysis annotation will be shown in the
movie. Make sure the Indicator visible in all slices or
Annotation visible in all slices option is not checked in
the preferences for the instrument or analysis anno-
tation, respectively (see section Coordinate measure-
ment Settings on page 104 and section Analysis
annotations Settings on page 102 in chapter 4 Edit
Menu).
TABLE 3-41: CONTROLS IN THE STACK SETTINGS SECTION
 Slice range section

The slice range parameters specify the part of the slices to be exported. The slices will be
resampled, applying the stack settings such that one of the slices will be positioned at the
start value. The first slice to be exported is defined by the Start value, the second slice is
at position (start value + slice distance). The End value specifies the last slice.
You can change the direction of the movie/image stack by swapping the Start and End
values.
You can also set the Start and End values by navigating to the desired position in the Preview
and clicking the s button for Start or the e button for End.
Modifying the slice range will change the number of slices but not the slice distance. The
No. of slices and Dist parameters specify how fine the data should be sampled within the
given slice range.
If a rotation view is selected in the 2D view field, you can define the angle range instead of
the slice range.
 Viewport section

FILE MENU
3 PRINT IMAGE(S)... MENU ITEM
Select the As seen in 2D view option to create a movie/image stack according to the display
in the selected 2D view, if you do not want the movie/image stack show the complete
object(s).
 Save... button
Opens the Save movie/image stack dialog. For the supported file formats, see section File
 Reset button
Clicking this button resets all fields to their initial values.
PRINT IMAGE(S)... MENU ITEM
Sends a snapshot of the current workspace for documentation purposes to a printer.

 Preview section
Shows a preview of the image according to the current settings.
 Views section
Lists the currently available workspace windows. To select the window to be taken into
account for the final image, check the checkbox of the corresponding entry.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
2D view.
additional image within the selected 2D view.
view.
 Decorations section
Provides options for displaying additional information within the image.

FILE MENU
3 QUIT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show logo in headline option Allows to define a custom logo that will appear
above the text specified in the headline text field if
the Show headline option is checked.
Show legend option When you check this option, the current slice posi-
tion, the current coordinate system and the window
type will be added below the image for the respec-
tive window.
Show headline option When you check this option, the text entered in the
text field will appear above the image.
TABLE 3-43: CONTROLS IN THE DECORATIONS SECTION
measurements for the image to be printed.
 Print... button
Opens a Print dialog where you can:
– select a printer
– define the page range to be printed
– specify the number of copies to be printed
QUIT MENU ITEM
Closes the application.
You can also press the Alt+F4 keyboard shortcut to close the application.

4 EDIT MENU
INTRODUCTION
Through the Edit menu of VGSTUDIO MAX you can access the undo/redo and cut/copy/paste
functions. The menu also enables you to edit general application settings.
OVERVIEW OF THE EDIT MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the Edit menu items described in the following paragraphs. Menu entries
currently not available are disabled and displayed in gray (e.g., Paste is available only after having
copied an object to the buffer).
Undo Undoes the latest action/command. See section

Undo/Redo Menu Items on page 86.
Redo Redoes the latest action/command. See section

Undo/Redo Menu Items on page 86.
Free memory/Clear undo Deletes all entries stored in the undo queue. See
queue section Free memory/Clear undo queue Menu Item on
page 86.
Cut Copies the currently selected object(s) into the buffer

and removes it/them from the scene. See section
Cut/Copy/Paste Menu Items on page 86.
Copy Copies the currently selected object(s) into the buffer.

See section Cut/Copy/Paste Menu Items on page 86.
Paste Copies the object(s) from the buffer into the scene. See
section Cut/Copy/Paste Menu Items on page 86.
Paste pattern of ROI(s) Defines the position of a pasted ROI or pastes multiple
copies of an ROI. See section Paste Pattern of ROI(s) Menu
Item on page 87.
Copy transformation Copies the transformation information of a volume,

CAD, mesh, or light object.
Paste transformation Pastes the previously copied transformation informa-

tion from a volume, CAD, mesh, or light object to one
or more volume, CAD, mesh, or light objects.
Delete Removes the currently selected object(s) from the

scene (with partial buffering, see Undo/Redo). See
section Delete Menu Item on page 89.
Preferences... Opens a dialog for setting general application parame-

ters and options. See section Preferences Menu Item on
page 89.
TABLE 4-1: EDIT MENU ITEMS

EDIT MENU
4 UNDO/REDO MENU ITEMS
UNDO/REDO MENU ITEMS
Most actions can be undone (and then redone to reestablish the situation before undo). Actions
which change the underlying data or otherwise require a lot of memory (e.g., filtering) may not
be available for undo/redo.
The amount of memory allocated for the undo queue can be set by editing the preferences as
described below in this chapter (see section Preferences Menu Item on page 89). Should the last
issued command require more storage space in the undo queue than currently available, then
VGSTUDIO MAX will start deleting entries in the queue beginning with the oldest command in
the queue and proceed chronologically until enough storage space becomes available. If a
command requires more space than available for the undo queue, then the command will not be
stored and the current command history will be erased.
If you think you might want to undo an action which requires a lot of memory, save your project
prior to the action. You will then be able to restore the previous state by reverting to the saved
project.
In order to undo an action, you can also press the Ctrl+Z keys.
In order to redo an action, you can also press the Ctrl+Y keys.
FREE MEMORY/CLEAR UNDO QUEUE MENU ITEM
The command history of the current VGSTUDIO MAX session is stored in the undo queue. Free
memory/Clear undo queue will erase the accumulated command history.
The command history will be deleted automatically if an action requires more memory than is
available to the undo queue.
CUT/COPY/PASTE MENU ITEMS
These commands allow to cut or copy the selected object(s) and then paste them to a new
parent object in the Scene Tree (see chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool on page 427).
When you copy/paste geometry elements and/or features from one volume, CAD, or mesh
object to another in the Scene Tree, the CM template import dialog opens (see section Import
measurement template Menu Item on page 337 in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM Module on
page 248). Geometry elements will be refitted to their new parent object and the associated
features will be recalculated.
When you perform a copy action while an analysis is selected in the Scene Tree, the parameters
used for this analysis (but not the actual result of the analysis) will be copied.
To reuse parameter settings of an analysis, select the analysis result in the Scene Tree and then
perform a copy and paste action. The Scene Tree will show a new analysis entry. Double-click
this entry to open the Properties dialog, adapt the parameters if necessary, and run the analysis.

EDIT MENU
4 PASTE PATTERN OF ROI(S) MENU ITEM
If you need more than one alignment for the same part, consider creating copies of the part and
register them individually. Copies of a volume object will have nearly no effect on project size or
memory consumption.
In order to cut the selected object(s), you can also press the Ctrl+X keys.
In order to copy the selected object(s), you can also press the Ctrl+C keys.
In order to paste the selected object(s), you can also press the Ctrl+V keys.
PASTE PATTERN OF ROI(S) MENU ITEM
Only available after having copied an ROI. Opens the Paste pattern of ROI(s) dialog where you can
define the position for the copy of the ROI or specify a pattern for pasting multiple copies of an
ROI.
The source ROI is copied along with its attached analyses and render settings. The analyses
attached to the pasted ROIs must be recalculated.
Transformation Tab
Allows to translate or rotate the copy of the ROI before it is pasted. A highlighted preview is
shown in the 2D windows.
 Coordinate system section
Specifies the coordinate system to which the transformation is to refer.
 Translation section
The X, Y, and Z spin boxes specify an offset for the ROI in the corresponding directions.
 Rotation section
The X, Y, and Z spin boxes specify a rotational offset for the ROI in the corresponding axes.
By default, the center of rotation is the origin of the selected coordinate system, but it can
be modified in the Rotation center section.
 Rotation center section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z spin boxes Specify the center of rotation to be used for rota-

tion.
Set to origin button Sets the center of rotation to the origin of the
selected coordinate system.
Set to centroid button Sets the center of rotation to the geometric center
of the source ROI.
TABLE 4-2: CONTROLS IN THE ROTATION CENTER SECTION
 Ok button

EDIT MENU
4 PASTE PATTERN OF ROI(S) MENU ITEM
Pastes the ROI.
Multi-apply Tab
Allows to paste several copies of the ROI at a time by defining the position of each copy.
The patterns specified on the Multi-apply tab are applied after the transformations specified on the
Transformation tab. On the Transformation tab, the specified translation is applied after the specified
rotation. All the transformations refer to the coordinate system specified on the Transformation tab.
 Offset list section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z When Translation is selected as Multi-apply mode:

Specify the offset for each copy in the X, Y, and Z
directions.
Angle When Rotation is selected as Multi-apply mode: Spec-

ifies the angle for pasting the ROIs in the specified
plane (XY, XZ, or YZ).
Depth When Rotation is selected as Multi-apply mode: Spec-

ifies the third dimension for pasting the ROIs (Z, Y,
or X).
Multi-apply mode drop-down list • Translation (XYZ): Pastes one or more copies of
the ROI in the X,Y, and Z directions.
• Rotation (XY): Pastes one or more copies of the
ROI at a specified angle in the XY plane.
• Rotation (XZ): Pastes one or more copies of the
ROI at a specified angle in the XZ plane.
• Rotation (YZ): Pastes one or more copies of the
ROI at a specified angle in the YZ plane.
Clear all button Removes all entries from the Offset list.
Create pattern button When Translation is selected as Multi-apply mode:

Opens the Create grid pattern dialog where you can
specify a regular grid for pasting the copies.
When Rotation is selected as Multi-apply mode: Opens
the Create rotational pattern dialog where you can
specify a rotational pattern for pasting the copies
based on the specified plane.
• Count: Specifies the number of copies to be
pasted in the corresponding direction or plane.
• Spacing: Specifies the distance between the indi-
vidual copies.
• Initial offset: Specifies an offset for the copies
with respect to source ROI.
TABLE 4-3: CONTROLS IN THE OFFSET LIST SECTION

EDIT MENU
4 COPY/PASTE TRANSFORMATION MENU ITEMS
The previews of the entries on the Offset list are shown in the 2D views according to the selected
Multi-apply mode.
COPY/PASTE TRANSFORMATION MENU ITEMS
These commands allow to copy the transformation information of a volume, CAD, mesh, or light
object and then paste it to one or more volume, CAD, mesh, or light objects in the Scene Tree.
The Copy/paste transformation functionality does not affect the common Cut/Copy/Paste functionality.
DELETE MENU ITEM
Deletes the selected object(s) from the scene. The object(s) can be (partially) restored using Edit
> Undo. Analysis results (e.g., from a nominal/actual comparison) are not restored.
In order to delete the selected object(s) from the scene, you can also press the Del key.
PREFERENCES MENU ITEM
Allows to set general application parameters and options according to your preferences. These
settings apply to VGSTUDIO MAX in general and not only to a specific project.
You can save these settings as presets in order to load them at a later time. Presets can also be
deleted, exported, and imported. You can select an existing preset from the drop-down list next
to the Preferences icon in the icon bar and thus apply it to the current project.
Preset selection Section
drop-down list Specifies the preset to be applied, to be edited or to be

taken as a basis for a new preset. The following icons are
used:
• default preset
• customized preset
• appears next to the icon of a preset that has been
modified but not yet saved
Save preset Saves the selected preset under the specified name.
Remove preset Removes the selected preset from the preset drop-down
list.

EDIT MENU
4 PREFERENCES MENU ITEM
Import preset Imports a preset from the specified location.
Export preset Exports the selected preset to the specified location.
TABLE 4-4: CONTROLS IN THE PRESET SELECTION SECTION
General Preferences
General Settings
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Print/Save image(s), Save movie/image • Store user settings: When this option is checked,
stack section changes in the Save image(s), Print image(s), and Save
movie/image stack dialogs will be saved.
Auto save section • Auto save: When this option is checked, VGSTUDIO
MAX will automatically save your project. The direc-
tory for the automatically saved project can be
specified in the Directory settings section of the Expert
settings (see section Expert Settings on page 99).
• Auto save interval: Specifies how often your project
will be saved.
• Auto save modified data grids: When this option is
checked, changes to the volume data set will also
be saved. For CT reconstruction this option will take
effect only when Import mode Write to disk later is
selected in the Result options dialog.
Undo section • Max. memory: Specifies how much memory can be

used by the Undo function.
Application user interface section • Icon size: Choose a scale factor from the drop-down
list to use larger icons in the icon bar and for the
controls at the bottom and to the right of the 2D and
3D windows.
• Dark theme: Switches the style of the user interface to
the dark theme.
• Bright theme: Switches the style of the user interface
to the bright theme.
• Show once message box settings: Click the Clear button
if once message boxes should be displayed again
after you have checked the Never show this dialog again
checkbox in the message box.
• Number of recent files: Specifies the number of
recently used files shown in the File menu.
Region of interest section • Precision: Specifies the mask precision for newly
created ROIs: 1 bit, 2 bit, 4 bit, or 8 bit.

EDIT MENU
TABLE 4-5: OPTIONS FOR THE GENERAL SETTINGS
Window Settings
 3D window section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Background blend mode drop-down • Flat: Fills the background with the color specified
list in the Background color field.
• Vertical/Horizontal/Radial gradient: Applies a
vertical, horizontal or radial color gradient
starting with the color specified in the Background
color field to the color specified in the Background
blend color field.
Background color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can specify the color for the flat
background or the first color for the gradient.
Background blend color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can specify the second color for
the gradient.
Show bounding box in offscreen Defines the visibility of the bounding box when the
rendering drop-down list 3D view is written to a file or copied to the clip-
board.
• Off: Never shows the bounding box.
• Follow: The visibility of the bounding box
depends on its visibility in the 3D view.
Show rotation center option When this option is checked, the rotation center of
the selected object/ROI is shown when moving the
mouse pointer into or within the 3D view.
Use dynamic rotation center drop- Available for Default navigation mode.
down list • Always: Uses the position you click at as rotation
center.
• Hotkey (Shift): Uses the position you click at while
holding the Shift key as rotation center.
• Never: Uses the center of the bounding box of
the selected objects as rotation center.
Rotate around navigation cursor Available for Default navigation mode.

option When this option is checked and the Navigation
Cursor is activated, the position of the Navigation
Cursor is used as rotation center. This setting will not
be effective if a dynamic rotation center is used.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Navigation mode drop-down list Specifies the mode for viewing an object in the 3D
window:
• Default: When this option is selected, the Rotate
and Move buttons at the bottom of the 3D
window and in the icon bar are enabled. If the
object is not locked in the scene (padlock in
front of the object is open), interaction with the
mouse changes the orientation and position of
the object in the scene. If the object is locked,
interaction with the mouse changes the rotation
and location of the camera instead.
• Spherical (experimental): This mode is a rather intu-
itive approach of viewing an object by zooming
in and out, rotating, and moving it. This does not
transform the object in the scene (i.e., this mode
is effective only if the object is locked in the
scene), but changes the position of the camera.
Use LMB to click and drag the object in order
to rotate it in all degrees of freedom around a
sphere as center of rotation.
Use MMB to click and drag the object in order
to move it in the desired direction.
Rotation speed slider Specifies the rotation speed of the camera in the 3D
window.
Adjust rotation center depth in long Available for Spherical navigation mode.
shot option When this option is checked, the rotation center of
a long, narrow object is placed approximately in the
middle of the bounding box when viewing it from a
distance (long shot). This is helpful, e.g., when
repeatedly rotating the camera around the object
while changing between detailed view (close-up)
and overall view (long shot) to ensure that the
object is rotated at the point of interest (close-up) or
as a whole (long shot).
Long shot distance slider Available for Spherical navigation mode.

Specifies the distance between camera and object
for a view to be considered a long shot. Moving the
slider to the left decreases the distance, moving it
to the right increases it.
Show camera sphere option Available for Spherical navigation mode.

When this option is checked, the sphere indicating
the rotation center is displayed in the 3D window
while the camera is being rotated or moved.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Bounding box mode drop-down list • Automatic: The bounding box is displayed only
temporarily after moving the mouse pointer into
or within the 3D view.
• Permanent: The bounding box is always
displayed.
Display duration spin box Specifies how long the bounding box and the rota-
tion center are displayed in Automatic mode after
moving the mouse pointer.
Reverse mouse wheel zoom option Reverses the mouse wheel zoom for the 3D
window. When this option is checked, scrolling the
mouse wheel up will zoom in and scrolling the
mouse wheel down will zoom out.
TABLE 4-6: OPTIONS FOR THE 3D WINDOW SETTINGS
 2D windows section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Medical mode option When this option is checked, the slices in the 2D
window showing the xy-plane are looked upon
from the bottom instead from the top. This only
becomes effective if the window is in one of the
standard layouts.
Level/Window mode option When this option is checked, the Set brightness
button is available in the slice views.
Background color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can set the default background
color of the 2D views. Clicking the Reset button
resets the color to the default color of the selected
theme (Bright or Dark Theme).
Fixed navigation plane size option When this option is checked, the size of the naviga-
tion planes is based on the largest edge of the
bounding box. When this option is unchecked, the
size of the navigation planes is defined by the size
of the corresponding 2D view.
Display duration spin box Defines how long the navigation planes are
displayed (Automatic mode) or highlighted (Permanent
mode) after changing a slice view.
Reverse mouse wheel zoom option Reverses the mouse wheel zoom for the 2D
windows. When this option is checked, scrolling
the mouse wheel up will zoom in and scrolling the
mouse wheel down will zoom out.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Mouse wheel drop-down list • Scroll slices: When this option is selected,
scrolling the mouse wheel in a 2D window
scrolls through the slices and scrolling the
mouse wheel while holding the Ctrl key zooms
in/out.
• Zoom view: When this option is selected, scrolling
the mouse wheel in a 2D window zooms in/out
and scrolling the mouse wheel while holding the
Ctrl key scrolls through the slices.
TABLE 4-7: OPTIONS FOR THE 2D WINDOW SETTINGS
Import Settings
 Import wizard
When you check the Reset on file selection option, the import parameters are reset to the
default values when selecting a new file for import.
 Rendering settings for imported data
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Default preset drop-down list Specifies the rendering preset to be applied to

newly imported volume data sets. This option over-
rides the Default 3D renderer setting. Independently of
this default setting, you can at any time change the
rendering presets for each volume object in the
Rendering tool.
Default 3D renderer drop-down list Specifies the rendering algorithm to be applied to

newly imported volume data sets. Independently of
this default setting, you can at any time change the
3D renderer for each volume object in the Rendering
tool.
Shadow on side light source When this option is checked, a shadow is by default
checkbox enabled for the lateral light source Light source 2.
This option will take effect only after having created
a new scene. You can at any time switch off the
shadow for Light source 2 in the Light tool.
TABLE 4-8: OPTIONS FOR THE RENDERING SETTINGS FOR IMPORTED DATA
Language Settings
Specifies the language to be used in the user interface.
Changes will not take effect until the next start of VGSTUDIO MAX.

EDIT MENU
CT reconstruction Settings
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Temporary directory field Click the ... button to specify the directory into which
the log files are written by the CT reconstruction when
the Write log files option is checked. Apart from that, this
directory will also be used for temporarily saving parts
of image stacks that are too large to fit into the memory
at a time.
Write log files option When this option is checked, the CT reconstruction
writes log files to the directory specified in the Temporary
directory field.
Reset on projection file selection option When this option is checked, the system-independent
reconstruction parameters are reset to the default
values when selecting new files for reconstruction.
Calculation mode option • User/VGL file defined: Settings defined by the user or in
the .vgl file should be used for each reconstruction.
• Force CPU: The reconstruction is always to be calcu-
lated on the CPU.
• Force GPU (OpenGL, only single GPU): The reconstruction
is always to be calculated on the graphics card
using OpenGL.
• Force GPU (OpenCL, single and multiple GPU): The recon-
struction is always to be calculated on the graphics
cards using OpenCL.
Export mode option For the import modes Write to disk onlyand Write to disk
and import:
• Slices: Writes the reconstructed volume to an image
stack.
• One data block, if possible: Writes the reconstructed
volume to a single file.
Unit for pre-processing drop-down list Specifies the calculation mode for pre-processing the
original projection images.
Note that choosing GPU as unit for pre-processing is not
supported if calculation mode GPU (OpenGL, only single
GPU) is selected in the Reconstruction approach tab of the
CT reconstruction dialog.
Detected GPU type field Displays the main GPU device detected.
GPU memory override option For OpenGL only:

When this option is checked, the GPU memory field is
enabled for setting the GPU memory to the correct
value if it is not automatically detected correctly.
GPU memory field Specifies the GPU memory to be used.
TABLE 4-9: OPTIONS FOR THE CT RECONSTRUCTION SETTINGS

EDIT MENU
If you work under Linux, you always need to manually set the correct value for the GPU memory.
myVGL privileges Settings
Specify the rights for myVGL users opening a .vgl file created with your copy of VGSTUDIO MAX.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Allow render settings modifications When this option is checked, myVGL users are
permitted to modify the render settings.
Allow raw import When this option is checked, myVGL users are
permitted to only import the raw data referenced by the
.vgl file.
Allow unload/reload volume data When this option is checked, myVGL users are
permitted to unload and reload the gray values of the
volume(s). This option is available in myVGL only if an
advanced surface determination has been calculated
for the volume(s).
Allow annotation movement/creation When this option is checked, myVGL users are
permitted to move and create annotations. This option
also controls the behavior of reference faces of a P201
analysis.
TABLE 4-10: OPTIONS FOR THE MYVGL PRIVILEGES SETTINGS

EDIT MENU
Reporting Settings
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Style for CSV export section Allows to specify the number format and table column
separator when using the Export as CSV... command. The
number format is also applicable to the Copy to clipboard
function.
• Use system settings: When this option is checked, the
List separator, Decimal symbol, and Digit grouping symbol
settings of the operating system are used for
exporting CSV files. When this option is unchecked,
you can manually specify these settings using the
drop-down lists below.
• Use digit grouping symbol: When this option is
checked, the exported numbers include a digit
grouping symbol.
• List separator: Specifies the column separator (semi-
colon (“;”), comma (“,”), or Tab).
• Decimal symbol: Specifies the decimal symbol (point
(“.”) or comma (“,”)).
• Digit grouping symbol: Specifies the digit grouping
symbol (point (“.”) or comma (“,”)).
• Example: Provides a preview of the specified format.
Reporting section • Show unit in tables if ambiguous: When this option is

checked, units will be displayed in table cells if they
cannot be identified unambiguously.
Reporting via Excel section • Reporting template file: Indicates the path and file
name of the currently used reporting template file. If
the entry is truncated due to its length, hover the
mouse pointer over the field to get a tooltip with the
complete information. By default, the reporting
template file VG_Report_Format.xlsx is located in
the Reporting subdirectory of the application direc-
tory of VGSTUDIO MAX. If you have customized the
template and saved it to a different location, click
the Browse button to specify the new path.
• Enable Excel Add-In: Click the Enable button once for
each Windows user to enable the Excel Add-In for
VG reporting.
TABLE 4-11: OPTIONS FOR THE REPORTING SETTINGS
Using the Excel Add-In for reporting is currently only supported for Windows.

EDIT MENU
Snap frame Settings
Specify the default settings for the snap mode.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Default mode drop-down list Defines the default snap mode. For details on the snap
modes, see section Snap modes Menu Item on page 231
in chapter 7 Instruments Menu.
Area size spin box Specifies the size of the snap frame; the unit depends
on the mode selected in the Area size mode field.
Area size mode drop-down list Defines the mode for specifying the size of the snap
frame:
• Display relative: The size (in pixels) of the snap frame
is relative to the screen, i.e., the size remains the
same when zooming in or out.
• Scene relative: The size (in physical units, e.g., mm) of
the snap frame is relative to the scene, i.e., the size
changes when zooming in or out.
TABLE 4-12: OPTIONS FOR THE SNAP FRAME SETTINGS
Unit Settings
 Basic settings
Specify the number format for displaying the length, area, volume, angle, time, and storage
values.
 Scientific settings
Specify the number format for displaying ratio values, normalized vectors (e.g., normal or
direction vectors) as well as some physical values used for the Transport Phenomena module.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Show values with ... decimal places spin Specifies the number of decimal places.
box
Show values with precision up to ... spin Specifies an absolute precision value and the corre-
box and drop-down list sponding unit.
Show values in scientific mode with ... Specifies the number of significant digits to be
significant digits spin box displayed, either in decimal style (-000.000) or in expo-
nential style (-0.000e-00). Exponential style is used if
the exponent is less than -4 or greater than or equal to
the number of significant digits.
Examples of numbers displayed with three significant
digits:
• 0.00345
• 34.5
• 3.45e15

EDIT MENU
TABLE 4-13: OPTIONS FOR THE UNIT SETTINGS
Expert Settings
 Directory settings section

Click the Browse... button next to the Temporary files field to specify the directory for all log
and temporary files written by VGSTUDIO MAX. To see the currently set path completely
in a tooltip, hover the mouse pointer over the field.
Make sure there is at least 1 GB free space in this storage location.
 OpenCL devices section

If your computer has several OpenCL devices of different speed, click the Auto optimize load
balancing button to optimally distribute the performance to the available graphics cards via
the System information and performance dialog. You need to execute the load balancing only
once after the installation of VGSTUDIO MAX or after a driver update. All available GPU
and accelerator devices usable via OpenCL will be displayed in the field below the Auto opti-
mize load balancing button. When a device is checked, VGSTUDIO MAX may use it to accel-
erate certain calculations.
The following controls are available in the System information and performance dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
System information section • General section: Displays information about the

hardware configuration of the computer.
• OpenCL section: Displays information about the
OpenCL devices of the computer.
Benchmark section CT reconstruction section: Displays information about

the backprojection performance of the available
graphics cards for the CT reconstruction.
Update Opens the Run tests dialog where you can select an
option for testing the system configuration. The
calculated performance index, measured in Mbp/s
(millions of back projections per second), will then
be displayed. It will affect only the CT reconstruc-
tion and lead to considerably shorter reconstruc-
tion times.
Export Opens the Save report dialog for saving the informa-
tion as a .html file.
TABLE 4-14: CONTROLS OF THE SYSTEM INFORMATION AND PERFORMANCE DIALOG
 Structural mechanics cluster extension section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Scheduler hostname field Specifies the hostname or IP address of the

Scheduler in the network. This information is
required in order to connect to the cluster.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Scheduler port field Specifies the TCP port of the Scheduler in the
network. This information is required in order to
connect to the cluster. The port number was spec-
ified by the administrator who set up the cluster.
The default port number is 13022.
status line Provides status information about the connection

to the Scheduler.
Refresh button Updates the status line.
Cluster administration button Opens the Cluster administration dialog that lists all
the jobs that are currently running on the selected
cluster.
• Job list:
– My computer's description: Indicates the
description that was entered in the My
computer's description field of the computer
that started the respective job.
– User: Indicates the user login name of the
computer that started the respective job.
– Start time: Indicates the date and time the
respective job was started.
• End job button: Terminates the selected job.
• Connection status line: Provides status information
about the connection to the Scheduler.
• Close button: Closes the dialog.
My computer's description field Allows to enter a description for the computer. This
field cannot be empty.
TABLE 4-15: OPTIONS FOR THE STRUCTURAL MECHANICS CLUSTER EXTENSION SECTION
Please make sure that the TCP connection from VGSTUDIO MAX to Scheduler and Workers is
not blocked by your firewall.
 Hardware renderer section

Displays the graphics card used by the hardware renderer. When the Memory override option
is checked, the Memory field becomes enabled where you can determine how much
memory of the graphics card can be used for rendering.
If you work under Linux, you always need to manually set the correct value for GPU memory.
 Offscreen renderer settings section

Check the Use framebuffer object extension option if certain OpenGL features should be used.
 File dialog settings section
The Search path mode field specifies the search path to be used for opening or saving files.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Individual Allows to use separate search paths for each file

format.
Global Uses the last search path for all file formats.
VG Project Uses the path to the currently open project file.
TABLE 4-16: OPTIONS FOR THE FILE DIALOG SETTINGS
 Multithread settings section

When the Thread count override option is checked, the Thread count field becomes enabled
where you can manually restrict the number of threads to be used.
If your computer uses hard disk drives, set the value in the Image stack import thread count
field to 1 for optimum performance. If your computer uses solid-state drives, increase the
value to increase the performance.
 Dump core file section
When the Write core dump option is checked, a core dump is executed when the program
terminates unexpectedly.
 License settings section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Current license file field Indicates the path and file name of the currently
used license file. If the entry is truncated due to its
length, hover the mouse pointer over the field to get
a tooltip with the complete information.
User defined license path checkbox When this option is checked, the user-defined path
is used instead of a dongle or the installation direc-
tory of VGSTUDIO MAX.
Browse... button Opens the Choose license file location dialog for spec-
ifying the path where the license file is located.
User defined license path field Indicates the path of the license file to be used
when the User defined license path checkbox is
checked. If the entry is truncated due to its length,
place the mouse pointer on the field to get a tooltip
with the complete information.
TABLE 4-17: OPTIONS FOR THE LICENSE SETTINGS
Using a different license path may be useful when temporarily using a different license, e.g., for
evaluating an add-on module or for using a node-locked or floating license instead of a dongle
license.
License change will not take effect until the next start of VGSTUDIO MAX.

EDIT MENU
Colors & Styles Preferences
Animation Settings
Specify the look of the animation trajectory and of the trajectory handles.
Analysis annotations Settings
Specify the look of annotations of the various analyses.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Cursor size mode drop- Defines the mode for specifying the size of the annotation cursor:
down list • Display relative: The size (in pixels) of the annotation cursor is
relative to the screen, i.e., the size remains the same when
zooming in or out.
• Scene relative: The size (in physical units, e.g., mm) of the anno-
tation cursor is relative to the scene, i.e., the size changes
when zooming in or out.
Cursor size spin box Specifies the size of the annotation cursor; the unit depends on
the mode selected in the Cursor size mode field.
Cursor color follows overlay 3D only: When this option is checked, the annotation cursor is
checkbox colored according to the color coding of the analysis result at this
position.
Default annotation size • Full size: Maximizes a newly created annotation.

drop-down list • Minimal: Minimizes a newly created annotation.
Annotation visible in all slices 2D display settings only: If checked, the annotations are visible in
checkbox all slices. If unchecked, the annotations are visible just at their
cursor position.
TABLE 4-18: OPTIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS ANNOTATIONS SETTINGS
Annotation layout Settings
Determine the behavior of the Annotations > Arrange function.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Allow overlap drop-down list Specifies which objects may be concealed by the
annotations: Object only, Color table only, Both or None.
Strategy drop-down list Specifies where the annotations should be positioned:

at the Window border or Around the object.
Alignment X/Y drop-down lists Specify how annotations of non-uniform size should be
positioned with respect to each other.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Center drop-down list Specifies if the distribution of the annotations should be

determined by the center of the Object, of the Window or
Automatically.
Margin spin boxes Specify the spacing between annotations. The first
setting determines the x-value and the second setting
the y-value.
Border spin boxes Specify the minimum distance between window border
and annotations. The first setting determines the x-
value and the second setting the y-value.
Grid snap checkbox Specifies whether the annotations should snap to a grid
when you shift them manually.
Grid snap step spin boxes When the Grid snap checkbox is checked, you can
specify the grid spacing. The first setting determines
the x-value and the second setting the y-value.
Grid snap offset spin boxes When the Grid snap checkbox is checked, you can
specify the grid origin. The first setting determines the
x-value and the second setting the y-value.
Max. visible annotations spin box Specifies the maximum number of visible annotations
in a window. If this value is exceeded, all annotations
are hidden.
Font option Opens the Select Font dialog where you can specify the
font type and size for all annotations.
TABLE 4-19: OPTIONS FOR THE ANNOTATION LAYOUT SETTINGS
Color bars Settings
Specify the settings for the color bars for the analysis results and for the fit points.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Color bar thickness spin Specifies the thickness of the color bar.
box
Color bar stretch spin box Specifies the length of the color bar with respect to the 2D or 3D
window.
Default analysis color bar Specifies the default location of the analysis color bars within the
position drop-down list 2D and 3D windows for newly created projects: Left, Right, Top,
Bottom, All - automatic, Left or right - automatic, Top or bottom - automatic.
You can change the location of the color bar for the individual
analysis types by modifying the settings in the Color bar section on
the Colors tab of the Properties of ... analysis dialog.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Default fit point color bar Specifies the default location of the fit points color bar within the
position drop-down list 2D and 3D windows for newly created projects: Left, Right, Top,
Bottom, All - automatic, Left or right - automatic, Top or bottom - automatic.
You can also change the location of the color bar by modifying the
settings in the Color bar section on the Colors tab of the Geometry
element properties dialog.
Font, Font color, Font outline, Specify the look of the color bar headline and scale legend.
Font outline color options
Restore defaults button Resets all color bar settings to their default values.
TABLE 4-20: SETTINGS FOR THE COLOR BAR
Coordinate measurement Settings
Features > General Settings
 General section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Handle size mode drop-down list Defines the mode for specifying the size of the
feature handles, e.g., arrows:
• Display relative: The size (in pixels) of the feature
handles is relative to the screen, i.e., the size
remains the same when zooming in or out.
• Scene relative: The size (in physical units, e.g.,
mm) of the feature handles is relative to the
scene, i.e., the size changes when zooming in or
out.
Handle size spin box Specifies the size of the feature handles; the unit
depends on the mode selected in the Handle size
mode field.
Handle display type drop-down list Specifies the look of the feature arrows.
Snap to grid option When this option is checked, the feature handles
snap to the grid specified by the Grid distance.
Grid distance spin box Specifies the grid spacing for the Snap to grid option.
GD&T annotation: Hide default datum When this option is checked, the label of a Position
option tolerance is displayed without the default datum
object(s) Base XY, Base XZ, and Base YZ.
TABLE 4-21: OPTIONS FOR THE FEATURE SETTINGS
 Text section

EDIT MENU
Specifies the font type, color, size, and outline for feature descriptions. Apart from that, the
Status icon option can be used for switching the display of the evaluation indicator in front
of the dimension in the 2D windows and in the 3D window on or off.
Features > Color, selected instrument Settings
Specifies the look of selected projected features or of features that belong to a selected
instrument: You can specify the color and width of the respective subsidiary lines, handles, the
selected feature itself, and unselected features belonging to the same selected instrument.
Each subsection allows you to set a specific style for items in the slice plane, behind the slice
plane, and in front of the slice plane.
Features > Color, unselected instrument Settings
Specifies the look of unselected projected features or of features that do not belong to a
selected instrument: You can specify the color and width of the respective subsidiary lines,
handles, and features belonging to the same instrument.
Geometry elements > 2D display settings/3D display settings > General Settings
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Point size mode drop-down list Defines the mode for specifying the size of points, such
as fit points and auxiliary points, for example, the
center points of cylinders:
• Display relative: The size (in pixels) of the points is
relative to the screen, i.e., the size remains the same
when zooming in or out.
• Scene relative: The size (in physical units, e.g., mm) of
the points is relative to the scene, i.e., the size
changes when zooming in or out.
Point size spin box Specifies the size of the points; the unit depends on the
mode selected in the Point size mode field.
Point display type drop-down list Specifies the look of the points.
Geometry element grid spacing spin 3D display settings only: Specifies the grid spacing for
box the visual representation of the geometry element in the
3D window.
Display annotations (when selected) When this option is checked, the label of the selected
checkbox geometry element is displayed in the 2D or 3D
windows.
Shaded geometry elements checkbox 3D display settings only: When this option is checked,
the representation of the geometry elements is filled
with color (effective only if the Fill mode option in the
Color subsection is set to On).

EDIT MENU
TABLE 4-22: GENERAL OPTIONS FOR THE 2D AND 3D DISPLAY SETTINGS
Geometry elements > 2D display settings/3D display settings > Color Settings
In the Color subsection of both the 2D and 3D display settings sections, you can define the look
of selected, highlighted, and unselected geometry elements. Highlighted geometry elements are
those that belong to a selected feature.
In the 2D display settings section, you can set a specific style for items in the slice plane, behind
the slice plane, and in front of the slice plane.
Instruments > General Settings
 Instruments section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Handle size mode drop-down list Defines the mode for specifying the size of the
instrument handles:
• Display relative: The size (in pixels) of the handles
is relative to the screen, i.e., the size remains the
same when zooming in or out.
mm) of the handles is relative to the scene, i.e.,
the size changes when zooming in or out.
Handle size spin box Specifies the size of the instrument handles; the
unit depends on the mode selected in the Handle
size mode field.
Indicator visible in all slices When this option is checked, the currently selected
checkbox Indicator instrument is displayed independently of
the current slice.
TABLE 4-23: OPTIONS FOR THE INSTRUMENT SETTINGS
 Navigation cursor section
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Size mode drop-down list Defines the mode for specifying the size of the Navi-
gation Cursor:
• Display relative: The size (in pixels) of the Navigation
Cursor is relative to the screen, i.e., the size
mm) of the Navigation Cursor is relative to the
scene, i.e., the size changes when zooming in or
out.

EDIT MENU
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Size spin box Specifies the size of the Navigation Cursor; the unit
depends on the mode selected in the Size mode
field.
Set size automatically option Clicking the Auto button automatically calculates
the Scene relative size of the Navigation Cursor.
Show center point checkbox When this option is checked, the center of the Navi-
gation Cursor is displayed as a dot.
TABLE 4-24: OPTIONS FOR THE NAVIGATION CURSOR SETTINGS
Instruments > Color, selected Settings
Specifies the look of selected instruments (without features), selected instruments with features,
and their handles.
Instruments > Color, unselected Settings
Specifies the look of unselected instruments (without features), unselected instruments with
features, and their handles.
Coordinate system display Settings
Box Settings
Specify the look of the coordinate system box: You can modify the font, color, outline, alignment
and style of the labels. Furthermore, you can specify if you want to show the box frame, ticks,
labels, grid and background. You can also extend the box by a certain distance in each
direction. The color of the box background, box frame, ticks and grid can also be specified.
Scale bar Settings
Specify the look of the scale bar. You can modify the font, font color, font outline and the font
outline color. You can also specify the distance of the scale bar from the bottom of the window
(Cell border), the approximate relative size of the scale bar with regard to the window size and the
number of ruler sections.
Tripod Settings
Specify the colors of the tripod axes.

EDIT MENU
Isosurface Settings
The Line color attenuation spin box specifies the attenuation of the line color for displaying the
surface of unselected objects in the 2D views.
Region of interest Settings
Specify the look of the ROI lines in the 2D views, both for selected and unselected ROIs as well
as for the ROIs of unselected volumes.
Text overlay Settings
Specify the look of the text overlays.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Font, Font color, Font outline, Font outline Define the font properties.
color options
Cell border spin box Specifies the distance between text overlay and border
of the 2D/3D window.
Text Clicking the Configure... button opens the Text Overlay

Editor (see chapter 27 Text Overlay Editor on page 462).
TABLE 4-25: OPTIONS FOR THE TEXT OVERLAY SETTINGS

5 OBJECT MENU
INTRODUCTION
The Object menu of VGSTUDIO MAX allows you to manipulate the objects in the scene, such as
voxel objects or mesh models, but also clipping planes, etc.
OVERVIEW OF THE OBJECT MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the Object menu items described in the following paragraphs. Menu entries
currently not available are disabled and displayed in gray.
Rotate Enables rotating the object in 3D. See section

Rotate/Move Menu Items on page 111.
Move Enables moving the object in 3D. See section

Rotate/Move Menu Items on page 111.
Clipping plane Creates a clipping plane for the selected object. See
section Clipping Menu Items on page 112.
Clipping box Creates a clipping box for the selected object. See
Clipping polyline 3D Creates a clipping polygon for the selected object. See
Aligned clipping box Creates an aligned clipping box for the selected object.
See section Clipping Menu Items on page 112.
Clipping sphere Creates a clipping sphere/ellipsoid for the selected

object. See section Clipping Menu Items on page 112.
Point/Directional/Spot light Creates an additional light source of the respective type

for the selected object. See also chapter 17 Light Tool
on page 395.
Surface determination Defines the material boundary. See section Surface

determination... Menu Item on page 119.
Remove surface determi- Deletes the surface determination information. See

nation section Remove surface determination Menu Item on
page 126.
Unload/Reload volume Unloads/reloads the voxel data of a volume object. See

data section Unload/Reload volume data Menu Items on
page 126.
Create synthetic volume Creates artificial volume data for a surface-only volume
data object. See section Create synthetic volume data Menu
Item on page 126.
Remove volume data Removes the voxel data of a volume object for which
an advanced surface determination has been
performed. See section Remove volume data Menu Item
on page 126.

OBJECT MENU
5 OVERVIEW OF THE OBJECT MENU ITEMS
Register object... > Registers the selected object in the scene or against
another object in the scene. See section Register object
> 3-2-1 registration... Allows to register an object according to a primary (e.g.,

a plane), a secondary (e.g., a line) and an optional
tertiary datum reference (e.g., a point). See section 3-2-
1 Registration... Menu Item on page 128.
> Feature-based registra- Allows to align a scan covering only a portion of a part
tion to, e.g., the CAD model of the entire part. See section
Feature-based registration... Menu Item on page 131.
> Best fit registration... Allows to register against a volume object, a region of
interest (ROI) or a CAD/mesh/point cloud object using
a Gaussian best fit. See section Best fit registration...
> Sequential registra- Allows a step-wise registration of the actual part (the
tion... object to be registered) against the nominal part (the
object to be fitted against) where each step imposes a
number of constraints on the following steps by fixing
some degrees of freedom. Remaining degrees of
freedom may be fixed by an optional best fit. See
section Sequential registration Menu Item on page 138.
> RPS registration... Allows to register an object using positional matching

of similar geometry elements or points with directions
(vector points). See section RPS registration... Menu Item
on page 142.
> Best fit against several Allows to specify arbitrary geometry elements against
geometry elements... which to register using a Gaussian best fit. See section
Best fit against several geometry elements... Menu Item on
page 145.
> Simple 3-2-1 registra- Allows to register an object by selecting points in the
tion... 2D or 3D window to define a plane, a line, and a point.
See section Simple 3-2-1 registration... Menu Item on
page 149.
> Simple registration... Allows to register an object using free-hand rotation

and/or translation of the object in the 2D window. See
section Simple registration... Menu Item on page 150.
Lock Locks the selected object in the scene. See section

Lock/Unlock Menu Items on page 151.
Unlock Unlocks the object in the scene and deletes the regis-
tration information, if the object has been registered.
See section Lock/Unlock Menu Items on page 151.

OBJECT MENU
5 ROTATE/MOVE MENU ITEMS
Convert to > Volume... Opens the Object conversion dialog to convert a CAD or
mesh object or an ROI on a CAD or mesh object to a
volume object. See section Convert to > Volume... on
page 151.
Convert to > Mesh... Opens the Object conversion dialog to convert a volume
or CAD object or an ROI on a volume to a mesh object.
See section Convert to > Mesh... on page 155.
Convert to > Golden Opens the Object conversion dialog to create a “golden”
surface... surface object from a minimum of two objects (volume
object, CAD model, or mesh), i.e, a surface that
represents the mean of all input surfaces. See section
Convert to > Golden surface... on page 164.
Group objects Combines objects of the same or a compatible type

which then behave like a single object. See section
Group/Ungroup objects Menu Items on page 151.
Ungroup objects Dissolves a group back to separate objects. See

section Group/Ungroup objects Menu Items on page 151.
Draw Draws the selected gray value directly to the voxels in

freehand mode. See section Draw Menu Item on
page 165.
Pick color Samples the selected voxel for its gray value and
shares the value with the Gray value selection tool. Only
available in the 2D windows. See section Pick color
Fill Fills the selected ROI with the current gray value. See
section Fill Menu Item on page 166.
Top-level reporting... Allows to create a report of several analyses or objects

without opening the Report tabs of the individual Proper-
ties dialogs. See section Top-level reporting... Menu Item
on page 166.
Properties Opens the Properties window of the selected object. See

section Properties Menu Item on page 167.
TABLE 5-1: OBJECT MENU ITEMS
ROTATE/MOVE MENU ITEMS
Toggle between Rotate mode and Move mode for the selected object(s) in the 3D window. The
current mode can be identified by the color of the bounding box of the object in the 3D window:
A red bounding box indicates Rotate mode, a green bounding box indicates Move mode. For
more details, see section Rotate/Move Mode on page 8 in chapter 2 Workspace.

OBJECT MENU
5 CLIPPING MENU ITEMS
CLIPPING MENU ITEMS
Create a clipping plane, a clipping box, a clipping polyline 3D, an aligned clipping box, or a
clipping sphere for the selected object(s).
Using clipping objects enables you to render parts of a volume, CAD, or mesh object trans-
parent, independently of the render settings of the object. This is done by cutting away parts of
the object using a geometric object, such as a plane or box.
The clipping sphere and the clipping polyline 3D are not available when using the Hardware
renderer (Scatter HQ).
In order to create a clipping object,

 select the Object > <clipping object> menu item,
 select the Clipping > <clipping object> menu item from the context menu of the 3D window, or
 select the Create > <clipping object> menu item from the context menu of the Scene Tree.
In order to create a clipping plane that is automatically located at the current slice location in the
2D window from which the clipping plane is created,
 click the icon at the bottom of the 2D window, or
 select the Clipping > Create/replace clipping plane menu item from the context menu of the 2D
window.
The Clipping tool provides additional functionality, see chapter 20 Clipping Tool on page 408.
In order to reset the transformation and scaling of a clipping object to its default values, select
the Reset menu item from the context menu of the Scene Tree, a 2D window or the 3D window.
Multiple clipping objects can be combined to achieve more complex clipping regions.
To share a clipping object between multiple volume/CAD/mesh objects, group these objects and
define the clipping object for the group. To clip all objects, create a clipping object for the scene.
Clipping plane Menu Item
Defines a planar geometry for clipping. Any parts of the volume/CAD/mesh object lying above
the plane in the direction of its surface normal will be clipped.
 Rotate mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping plane around its origin.
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click When the Use dynamic rotation center option in the 3D
and drag window section of the Preferences > General > Window
dialog is set to Never:
Slowly rotates the clipping plane around its origin.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use MMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping plane around its origin and the
viewing direction.
hold Ctrl key + use MMB to click When the Use dynamic rotation center option in the 3D
Slowly rotates the clipping plane around its origin
and the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-2: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING PLANE IN ROTATE MODE
 Move mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Moves the clipping plane relative to the 3D view,
i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Moves the clipping plane relative to the 3D view,
and drag i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
restricting the movement to the horizontal or
vertical direction.
Slowly moves the clipping plane relative to the 3D
view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction.
hold Shift + Ctrl keys + use LMB to When the Use dynamic rotation center option in the 3D
click and drag window section of the Preferences > General > Window
Slowly moves the clipping plane relative to the 3D
view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
vertical direction.
use MMB to click and drag Moves the clipping plane in/out relative to the 3D
view, i.e., along the viewing direction.
Slowly moves the clipping plane in/out relative to
the 3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-3: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING PLANE IN MOVE MODE

OBJECT MENU
Clipping box Menu Item
Specifies a box for clipping. Any parts of the volume/CAD/mesh object outside the box will be
clipped.
 Rotate mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag yellow Resizes the clipping box perpendicularly to the
handles sides of the clipping box.
use LMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping box around its origin.
Slowly rotates the clipping box around its origin.
use MMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping box around its origin and the
viewing direction.
Slowly rotates the clipping box around its origin and
the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-4: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING BOX IN ROTATE MODE
 Move mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag yellow Resizes the clipping box perpendicularly to the
handles sides of the clipping box.
use LMB to click and drag Moves the clipping box relative to the 3D view, i.e.,
perpendicularly to the viewing direction.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Moves the clipping box relative to the 3D view, i.e.,
and drag perpendicularly to the viewing direction, restricting
the movement to the horizontal or vertical direction.
Slowly moves the clipping box relative to the 3D
view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Slowly moves the clipping box relative to the 3D
view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
vertical direction.
use MMB to click and drag Moves the clipping box in/out relative to the 3D
Slowly moves the clipping box in/out relative to the
3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-5: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING BOX IN MOVE MODE
Clipping polyline 3D Menu Item
Creates a polygonal clipping object in the 3D window by connecting multiple control points with
line segments and extending the polygon in the third dimension.
The clipping polyline 3D is only available for volume objects. It is not available if the scene or a
CAD/mesh/point cloud object is selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl key + click with LMB Creates control points for the polyline. A new point is
connected to the previous point by a line segment.
hold Alt key + use LMB to click a Removes the control point.
control point
use LMB to click and drag red Moves the control point to a new position.
control point
use LMB to click and drag yellow Moves the line segment to a new position.
line segment
use LMB to click and drag yellow Moves the polyline to a new position.
polyline area

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
click with MMB Closes the polyline and extends it to the third dimen-
sion along the view direction in the 3D window, thus
creating the clipping polygon. The clipping region will
be inverted automatically, so the part of the object
inside the clipping polygon will be clipped.
The shape of the clipping polygon along the view direc-
tion depends on the Projection Mode selected in the
Camera tool.
use LMB to click and drag yellow Resizes the polygon perpendicularly to the top and
handles at top and bottom of clip- bottom faces.
ping polygon
TABLE 5-6: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING POLYLINE 3D
The clipping polygon can be created only if the line segments do not cross each other. If the
polyline includes crossed line segments, they will be displayed in blue instead of yellow.
The following controls are available for the clipping polygon in the corresponding transformation
mode:
Since the clipping polygon is automatically locked on creation, make sure to open the padlock
before you apply any of the mouse actions below.
 Rotate mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping polygon around its origin.
Slowly rotates the clipping polygon around its
origin.
use MMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping polygon around its origin and
the viewing direction.
Slowly rotates the clipping polygon around its
origin and the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-7: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING POLYGON IN ROTATE MODE
 Move mode

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Moves the clipping polygon relative to the 3D view,
i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction.
hold Shift key and use LMB to Moves the clipping polygon relative to the 3D view,
click and drag i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
vertical direction.
Slowly moves the clipping polygon relative to the
3D view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direc-
tion.
Slowly moves the clipping polygon relative to the
tion, restricting the movement to the horizontal or
vertical direction.
use MMB to click and drag Moves the clipping polygon in/out relative to the 3D
Slowly moves the clipping polygon in/out relative to
the 3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-8: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING POLYGON IN MOVE MODE
Aligned clipping box Menu Item
Specifies an aligned box for clipping. The box is aligned to the axes of the bounding box. Any
parts of the volume object outside the box will be clipped.
The aligned clipping box is only available for volume objects. It is not available if the scene or a
CAD/mesh object is selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag yellow Resizes the clipping box perpendicularly to the sides of
handles the aligned clipping box.
TABLE 5-9: CONTROLS FOR THE ALIGNED CLIPPING BOX

OBJECT MENU
The aligned clipping box cannot be rotated or moved nor can it be scaled to be any larger than
the original volume object on which it was defined.
Clipping sphere Menu Item
Creates a spherical/ellipsoid object for clipping. Any parts of the volume object outside the
sphere/ellipsoid will be clipped.
The clipping sphere/ellipsoid is only available for volume objects. It is not available if the scene
or a CAD/mesh object is selected.
 Rotate mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag yellow Resizes the clipping sphere/ellipsoid.
handles
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click Resizes the clipping sphere/ellipsoid proportionally.
and drag yellow handles
hold Alt key + use LMB to click Forces a clipping sphere and resizes it proportion-
and drag yellow handles ally.
use LMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping sphere/ellipsoid around its
origin.
Slowly rotates the clipping sphere/ellipsoid around
its origin.
use MMB to click and drag Rotates the clipping sphere/ellipsoid around its
origin and the viewing direction.
Slowly rotates the clipping sphere/ellipsoid around
its origin and the viewing direction.
TABLE 5-10: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING SPHERE/ELLIPSOID IN ROTATE MODE
 Move mode
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag yellow Resizes the clipping sphere/ellipsoid.
handles

OBJECT MENU
5 SURFACE DETERMINATION... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click Resizes the clipping sphere/ellipsoid proportionally.
and drag yellow handles
hold Alt key + use LMB to click Forces a clipping sphere and resizes it proportion-
and drag yellow handles ally.
use LMB to click and drag Moves the clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative to the
tion.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Moves the clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative to the
and drag 3D view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direc-
tion, restricting the movement to the horizontal or
vertical direction.
Slowly moves the clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative
to the 3D view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing
direction.
Slowly moves the clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative
to the 3D view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing
direction, restricting the movement to the horizontal
or vertical direction.
use MMB to click and drag Moves the clipping sphere/ellipsoid in/out relative
to the 3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction.
Slowly moves the clipping sphere/ellipsoid in/out
relative to the 3D view, i.e., along the viewing direc-
tion.
TABLE 5-11: CONTROLS FOR THE CLIPPING SPHERE/ELLIPSOID IN MOVE MODE
SURFACE DETERMINATION... MENU ITEM
The surface determination defines the material boundary. This boundary is displayed as an
outline in the 2D windows (except for Original display mode).
Perform measurements and analyses only after having determined the surface of the object. Re-
determine the surface of your object for specific measurement/analysis tasks if necessary.

OBJECT MENU
In order to perform a surface determination, highlight the volume object in the Scene Tree and
 select the Object > Surface determination... menu item or
 click the icon in the icon bar.
FIGURE 5-1: SURFACE DETERMINATION DIALOG
The isosurface determination can be based on the histogram or on sample background and
material areas. The Advanced mode options include local thresholding and surface determination
based on a region of interest or on the contour of a CAD or mesh model.
Advanced surface determination requires additional licensing. Contact Volume Graphics for
details.
Isosurface Determination
The result of the isosurface determination is a material boundary defined by one gray value
globally applied to the object. This surface is referred to as isosurface. In the histogram area of
the Rendering tool, the gray value of the surface is marked by a red vertical line, the isosurface

OBJECT MENU
line. This gray value serves as a threshold: Brighter areas are considered as material, darker
areas are considered as background. The surface determination calculates the material
boundary in subvoxel accuracy by trilinear interpolation.
Material definition Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list • Manual: Allows to define the background and mate-

rial gray values as well as the iso value by using the
spin boxes or by clicking and dragging the corre-
sponding lines in the histogram (blue lines = back-
ground and material gray values, red line = iso
value), or by defining sample areas (Define material by
example area button).
• Automatic wit ROIs: Allows to specify the background
and material gray values by selecting previously
defined ROIs from the Background ROI and Material ROI
drop-down lists, respectively. The iso value is calcu-
lated from the mean gray value in the background
ROI and the mean gray value in the material ROI.
• Automatic with intervals: Allows to define an interval for
the background and material gray values by either
entering the upper and lower interval boundaries
into the Background interval and Material interval fields
or by clicking and dragging the borders of the inter-
vals in the histogram. The iso value is automatically
calculated from the peaks in the background and
material intervals.
• Automatic: Automatically determines the background
peak and the material peak in the histogram and
then calculates the gray value of the material
boundary. Automatic surface determination is suit-
able for volumes containing object(s) with one mate-
rial.
Background spin box Specifies the gray value for the background.
Material spin box Specifies the gray value for the material.
Iso value spin box In Automatic and Automatic with intervals mode, this value
is automatically calculated from the background and
material gray values. It is used as starting contour for
the surface determination.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Define material by example area button For Manual mode: Allows to specify sample areas for
background and material.
You will be prompted to draw a typical background area
with the mouse in a 2D window. This will create a selec-
tion. The standard selection mode for the surface
determination is the rectangle. See chapter 6 Select
Menu on page 189 for detailed information on how to
change the selection mode and how to add or subtract
from a selection to create an optimal sample.
Click Next to proceed with a similar selection of a typical
material area. Click Finish to actually perform the
surface determination based on your selections. You
can click Cancel to close the Material definition dialog
without applying the changes or click Back to go to the
preceding step.
Background interval spin boxes For Automatic with intervals mode: Specify the upper and
lower boundaries for the background gray value
interval.
Material interval spin boxes For Automatic with intervals mode: Specify the upper and
lower boundaries for the material gray value interval.
Background ROI drop-down list For Automatic with ROIs mode: Specifies the ROI for the
background gray value.
Material ROI drop-down list For Automatic with ROIs mode: Specifies the ROI for the
material gray value.
TABLE 5-12: CONTROLS IN THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION
Histogram Section
The histogram shows the gray value distribution of the voxels in the scanned volume. Usually
the left-most peak represents the background (air) voxels. The red line indicates the iso gray
value used as starting contour for advanced surface determination. The two blue lines are
positioned in the peaks of what has been defined or detected as background and material.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
scroll MW in chart area or x-axis Zooms the x-axis of the chart out/in.
up/down
scroll MW in y-axis up/down Zooms the y-axis of the chart out/in.
use LMB to click and drag x-axis to Scrolls the x-axis to the left/right.
left/right
use LMB to click and drag y-axis Scrolls the y-axis up/down.
up/down

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag red Manual mode only: Moves the isosurface line and
isosurface line updates the slice views accordingly. Shifting the line to
the right will fit the isosurface tighter to the object.
use LMB to click and drag blue Manual mode only: Moves the background/material line
background or material line as well as the isosurface line such that the latter is
always exactly positioned in the middle of the two blue
lines, and updates the slice views accordingly.
use LMB to click and drag the Automatic with intervals mode only: Moves the upper or
borders of the background or mate- lower interval boundaries of the background or material
rial interval interval, respectively, and changes the values in the
corresponding Background interval or Material interval
fields.
use LMB to click and drag the entire Automatic with intervals mode only: Moves the entire
background or material interval background or material interval, respectively, and
changes the values in the corresponding Background
interval or Material interval fields.
Reset zoom Resets the zoom of the histogram.
TABLE 5-13: CONTROLS IN THE HISTOGRAM
Advanced Surface Determination
The result of the advanced surface determination is a material boundary defined by locally
adapted gray values. The same gray value will be interpreted differently depending on the
surrounding voxels. Advanced surface determination reconstructs the component geometry
more closely compared to isosurface determination because local deviations originating from
beam hardening or other artifacts will largely be compensated for.
An advanced surface determination is a re-evaluation of the material boundary on the basis of
one of the following options:
a) the gray value defined by the red isosurface line in the histogram of the Surface determination
dialog or
b) the geometrical outline of the object, given by an ROI or a CAD/mesh object.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Advanced mode checkbox Activate this checkbox to enable the corresponding

options.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Starting contour drop-down list • As defined in histogram: Performs an advanced surface

determination based on the gray values for the
different materials. This is a useful approach if your
volume data is flawed, e.g., by beam hardening arti-
facts.
• ROI/CAD/Mesh “<name>”: Performs an advanced
surface determination based on a region of interest
(ROI) or a CAD/mesh object. This option is available
only if the scene contains an ROI or CAD/mesh
object.
Components... button This button is enabled when you select a CAD model
with components in the Starting contour field. Clicking it
opens a dialog box where you can specify the compo-
nents to be used as starting contour:
• Checkbox of component: Clicking it checks/
nents.
model.
CAD model.
Starting contour healing drop-down list Use this option for specific measurement tasks which
require the object to have a surface determined such
that voids inside or small particles outside the object
are not considered surface areas of the object.
• Remove noise particles: Removes noise outside the
object.
• Remove small voids: Removes small voids inside the
object.
• Remove all voids: Removes voids inside the object,
regardless of their size.
• Remove particles and small voids: Removes noise
outside the object as well as small voids inside the
object.
• Remove particles and all voids: Removes noise outside
the object as well as all voids inside the object,
regardless of their size.
Search distance spin box Specifies the default search distance used for
analyzing local deviations of the gray value from the iso
value. You can either enter a value as a physical unit or
in a number of voxels (default = 4 voxels).
Expert mode button Toggles the visibility of additional options for the
Advanced Mode. This button is enabled only if the
Advanced mode option is checked.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Select an entry from the list... drop- Specifies the preset to be applied, to be edited or to be
down list taken as a basis for a new preset. The following icons
are used:
• default preset
Remove preset Removes the selected preset from the preset drop-
down list.
Single material/Multi material option • Single material: Determines the surface for a material
contacting a “darker” material (with a lower gray
value).
• Multi material: Determines the surface for a material
contacting a “lighter” material (with a higher gray
value) and/or a “darker” material (with a lower gray
value).
Starting contour smoothing spin box Smoothens the starting contour to optimize the
gradient orientation, e.g., around edges.
Edge threshold spin box Allows to specify the minimum gray value difference for
locally correcting the starting contour. If the gray value
difference is below this value, the starting contour will
be used as determined surface. Use the spin button for
manual input or click the Calculate button to have the
value calculated automatically.
Edge void spin box Specifies the number of voxels for extending the area
within which the starting contour will be used as
defined by the Edge threshold value.
Use starting contour for gradient Uses the starting contour for defining the local search
checkbox orientation. When this option is checked, the search
orientation is perpendicular to the starting contour
instead of following the local gray value gradients.
Iterative surface determination Extends the search distance depending on the local
checkbox gray value gradient.
Auto limit search distance checkbox Limits the search distance depending on the local gray
value gradient.
Oversampling checkbox For anisotropic data sets: Uses the smallest resolution
of the data set for all directions.
TABLE 5-14: CONTROLS IN THE ADVANCED MODE SECTION OF THE SURFACE DETERMINATION DIALOG

OBJECT MENU
5 REMOVE SURFACE DETERMINATION MENU ITEM
Updating the preview of the advanced surface determination might be time-consuming. Observe
the status information at the bottom right of the workspace.
REMOVE SURFACE DETERMINATION MENU ITEM
Deletes the surface determination information.

After the surface determination information has been removed, the line delineating the material
boundary is no longer visible and the material boundary is no longer defined. Measurements
based on the surface determination are invalidated.
If you want to view your object without the surface line, switch to Original display mode ( icon)
or click the Surface lines tri-state button. Accordingly, if you do not see the line, the object
might still have a surface line, but is currently viewed in Original display mode or with the surface
lines switched off.
UNLOAD/RELOAD VOLUME DATA MENU ITEMS
Unloads/reloads the voxel data of a volume object for which an advanced surface determination
has been performed. This option is useful to reduce memory consumption.
details.
CREATE SYNTHETIC VOLUME DATA MENU ITEM
Creates artificial volume data for a surface-only volume object, e.g., an object that was created
through conversion from a CAD or mesh object. This may be useful, e.g., if you would like to use
this object as a basis for performing analyses that will be saved as evaluation templates for
loading them in macros for automation purposes.
REMOVE VOLUME DATA MENU ITEM
Removes the voxel data of a volume object for which an advanced surface determination has
been performed. This option is useful to reduce memory consumption.
The voxel data files will not be deleted, but any reference to the voxel data files will irrevocably
be removed from the project.
details.

OBJECT MENU
5 REGISTER OBJECT MENU ITEM
REGISTER OBJECT MENU ITEM
Registration might require additional licensing. Contact Volume Graphics for details.
Registering an object changes its position in the scene. Reasons for registering an object
include aligning it in an upright position, setting it up for GD&T tasks in a given coordinate
system, or aligning it to another part for geometric comparison.
For volume objects, the surface needs to be determined prior to registration (except for simple
registration and simple 3-2-1 registration). See section Surface determination... Menu Item on
page 119.
You can register a volume via a region of interest (ROI), i.e., only the determined surface of the
volume inside the ROI will be used in the calculation of the registration, but registration will be of
the complete volume. Using this method, excess material or deformed geometry can be
excluded and thus will not negatively affect the registration result.
VGSTUDIO MAX offers the following registration approaches:
3-2-1 registration... Allows to register an object according to a primary (e.g.,

a plane), a secondary (e.g., a line) and an optional
tertiary datum reference (e.g., a point). See section 3-2-
1 Registration... Menu Item on page 128.
Feature-based registra- Allows, e.g., to align a scan covering only a portion of a

tion... part to the CAD model of the entire part. See section
Feature-based registration... Menu Item on page 131.
Best fit registration... Allows to register against a volume object, a region of

interest (ROI) or a CAD/mesh/point cloud object using
a Gaussian best fit. See section Best fit registration...
> Sequential registra- Allows a step-wise registration of the actual part (the
tion... object to be registered) against the nominal part (the
object to be fitted against) where each step imposes a
number of constraints on the following steps by fixing
some degrees of freedom. Remaining degrees of
freedom may be fixed by an optional best fit. See
section Sequential registration Menu Item on page 138.
RPS registration... Allows to register an object using positional matching

of similar geometry elements or points with directions
(vector points). See section RPS registration... Menu Item
on page 142.
Best fit against several Allows to specify arbitrary geometry elements against
geometry elements... which to register using a Gaussian best fit. See section
Best fit against several geometry elements... Menu Item on
page 145.

OBJECT MENU
Simple 3-2-1 registration... Allows to register an object by selecting points in the

2D or 3D window to define a plane, a line, and a point.
See section Simple 3-2-1 registration... Menu Item on
page 149.
Simple registration... Allows to register an object using free-hand rotation

and/or translation of the object in the 2D window. See
section Simple registration... Menu Item on page 150.
TABLE 5-15: REGISTER OBJECT MENU ITEMS
The icon in front of an object in the Scene Tree indicates that the object has been registered
(see also chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool on page 427). The color of the R indicates the tolerance
status of the registration:
 black: No tolerance has been applied.
 green: The registration has been toleranced and meets its tolerance.
 red: The registration has been toleranced and does not meet its tolerance.
3-2-1 Registration... Menu Item
With this registration method, you can register an object according to a primary (e.g., a plane), a
secondary (e.g., a line) and an optional tertiary datum reference (e.g., a point). For each step,
you have to select a geometry element and the axis/origin coordinate specified by that
geometry element.
After finishing a step, the controls for the next step become available, provided the input so far
is complete and consistent.
 Object to be registered drop-down list
Specifies the object to be aligned.
 Settings tab

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-2: 3-2-1 REGISTRATION DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Target coordinate system drop- Specifies the target coordinate system in which the
down list object is to be registered.
Primary datum reference (main axis) Use one of the following options:
section • Single element option:
– Element field: Selects the geometry element
which defines the primary datum reference
(main axis) of the coordinate system either by
its axis or normal.
• Multi points option:
– Element fields: Select three geometry
elements to specify a plane which defines
the primary datum reference (main axis) of
the coordinate system by its normal.
– Offset fields: Allow to specify an offset of the
individual geometry elements to the plane.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Secondary datum reference (auxiliary Use one of the following options:

axis) section • Single element option:
– Element field: Selects the geometry element
which defines the secondary datum refer-
ence (auxiliary axis) of the coordinate system
either by its axis or normal.
• Multi points option:
– Element fields: Select two geometry elements
to specify a line which defines the secondary
datum reference (auxiliary axis) of the coordi-
nate system.
– Offset fields: Allow to specify an offset of the
individual geometry elements to the line.
Apart from that, you can specify a rotation for
the line using the Secondary rotation field in the
Additional settings section.
Origin datum reference 1, 2 (optional), Specifies a geometry element which defines the
3 (optional) sections origin. Optionally, you can select a second and/or
third geometry element.
Axis +/– button Defines the orientation of the corresponding axis.
Axis / / button Specifies the coordinate system axis along which

the axis or the normal of the geometry element is to
point.
Origin coordinate / / Define the coordinate of the corresponding geom-

buttons etry element to be set to the value “0”.
Additional settings section • Secondary rotation [deg]: Specifies an optional

rotation angle for the auxiliary axis.
• Origin offset X/Y/Z [mm]: Specifies an optional
offset for the origin.
If both options are used, the object is first rotated
and then moved along the new axis directions.
TABLE 5-16: CONTROLS OF THE 3-2-1 REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
 Tolerancing tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance registration checkbox Checking this option activates tolerancing the

registration and enables the corresponding spin
boxes.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Status of relevant geometry elements  OK: All geometry elements relevant for regis-
field tration are properly fitted to the object
surface.
 Element(s) in undefined state: At least one
geometry element relevant for registration
indicates a warning status. See also section
Status Messages for Geometry Elements on
page 353 in chapter 10 Measurements
Menu/CM Module.
TABLE 5-17: CONTROLS OF THE 3-2-1 REGISTRATION DIALOG, TOLERANCING TAB
 Reset button
Discards all changes.
 Finish button
Performs the registration. This button is enabled only if sufficient information has been
provided.
 Cancel button
Discards all changes and closes the dialog.
Feature-based registration... Menu Item
The feature-based registration approach determines significant points on the actual part (the
object to be registered) and matches them to corresponding significant points on the nominal
part (the object to be fitted against). This is useful, e.g., for aligning a scan covering only a
portion of a part to the CAD model of the entire part.
It is useful to align the larger object to the smaller one.

Specifies the actual part.
 Settings tab

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-3: FEATURE-BASED REGISTRATION DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object to be fitted against drop- Specifies the nominal part.

down list
Components... button This button is enabled when you select a CAD

model with components from the Object to be fitted
against list. Opens a dialog box where you can
specify the components against which the registra-
tion is to be performed:
unchecks the component including all child
components.
• Select all button: Selects all components of the
CAD model.
• Deselect all button: Deselects all components of
the CAD model.
• Apply visibility button: Selects all components
which are set visible in the Scene Tree.
Registered object field Indicates the status of the actual part regarding
surface determination. If the surface of a volume
object has not been determined, the Finish button is
disabled.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reference object field Indicates the status of the nominal part regarding
disabled.
Quality level drop-down list Allows to select a preset for the Max. iterations field:
Fast (50 iterations), Normal (200 iterations), or Precise
(500 iterations). This also affects the number of
selected features and combinations that are
considered for final registration.
Reverse surface orientation Check this option if the actual part is the negative
checkbox of the nominal part or vice versa.
Improved refinement checkbox Check this option to use an advanced refinement

algorithm which may improve the registration
quality.
Expert mode button Toggles the visibility of the Expert options section.
Usually, the default parameter settings yield good
results, but in some cases, e.g., when the objects
differ considerably in size, it may be necessary to
adjust the parameters manually.
Manual feature definition section • Approx. feature size slider and spin box: Specifies
the approximate size of significant features on
the objects, e.g., the diameter of a bore, which
should be used for matching. If the default value
does not yield good results, it is recommended
to increase this parameter.
• Min. feature distance slider and spin box: Specifies
the minimum distance between pairs of signifi-
cant features on the nominal part. Increasing the
feature distance results in fewer selected
features and a potentially faster registration, but
the registration may fail if the number of features
is too small. If the default value does not yield
good results, it is therefore recommended to
gradually decrease this parameter.
Max. iterations for refinement spin • Automatic: Uses the settings defined by the
box Quality level option.
• Manual: Allows to manually specify the maximum
number of iterations for the refinement of the
registration.
TABLE 5-18: CONTROLS OF THE FEATURE-BASED REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
 Tolerancing tab

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Distance measure field Indicates a measure for the distance between

actual and nominal part.
Surface overlap field Indicates the percentage of coverage between


boxes.
Max. distance measure spin box Specifies the maximum permissible value for the
distance measure between actual and nominal
part.
Min. surface overlap spin box Specifies the minimum permissible percentage of
coverage between actual and nominal part.
Max. surface overlap spin box Specifies the maximum permissible percentage of
TABLE 5-19: CONTROLS OF THE FEATURE-BASED REGISTRATION DIALOG, TOLERANCING TAB
 Reset button
 Finish button
provided.
 Cancel button
Best fit registration... Menu Item
With this registration method, you can align an object to another object, such as a volume, CAD,
mesh, or point cloud object, using a Gaussian best fit. A best fit registration can be performed
with the entire object or with a region of interest (ROI).
 Settings tab

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-4: BEST FIT REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object to be fitted against drop- Specifies the object against which to register.
down list

model with components in the Object to be fitted
against field. Opens a dialog box where you can
specify the components against which the registra-
tion is to be performed:
components.
CAD model.
the CAD model.
Registered object field Indicates the status of the actual part regarding
disabled.
Reference object field Indicates the status of the nominal part regarding
disabled.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Quality level slider Specifies the compromise between accuracy and

performance.
Consider current transformation Check this option to have the software perform a
checkbox fine registration based on the current position of the
objects. This is useful, e.g., if the scanned object is
only a portion of the CAD/mesh/point cloud model
against which you want to register.
Consider surface orientation Check this option if the match of two objects
checkbox causes problems that might be related to misinter-
pretation of surfaces. If the objects are, for
example, very flat with minimal surface structure,
the Best fit registration might erroneously match the
lower surface of one object with the upper surface
of the other object so that they are positioned on
top of each other. In this case, the superposed
surfaces differ only in their surface orientation.
Checking this option ensures that this difference
will be taken into account for the match.
Improved refinement checkbox Check this option to use an advanced refinement

algorithm which may improve the registration
quality.
Reverse surface orientation This option is enabled only if Consider surface orienta-
checkbox tion is checked. Check this option if one of the
objects to be matched has reverse surfaces, e.g., if
it describes the surface of a hollow space in the
other object.
TABLE 5-20: CONTROLS FOR THE BEST FIT REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
 Constraints tab
Provides constraint options which allow to freeze unwanted degrees of freedom.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
No constraints radio button When this option is checked, no constraints will be

applied. Existing constraints will be removed when
clicking the No constraints radio button.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system constraints radio Allows to select a coordinate system and specify an
button axis and/or plane constraints.
Possible combinations are:
• Specifying one axis. This restricts the registra-
tion to a rotation around and a translation along
the axis.
• Specifying one axis and the perpendicular
plane. This restricts the registration to a rotation
around the axis.
• Specifying one axis and a non-perpendicular
plane. This restricts the registration to a transla-
tion along the axis.
• Specifying one plane. This restricts the registra-
tion to a rotation around the perpendicular axis
and a translation in the plane.
• Specifying two planes. This restricts the regis-
tration to a translation along the common axis.
All other combinations (two or three axes, three
planes) are invalid.
Geometry element constraints radio Allows to select a geometry element, thereby

button defining the type of constraint.
• Geometry element drop-down list: Specifies the
geometry element to be used as a basis for the
constraint. Selecting a plane results in a plane
constraint, while selecting a line, a cylinder, or a
cone results in an axis constraint.
• Use selection from scene tree button: Uses the
geometry element currently selected in the
Scene Tree as a basis for the constraint.
• Filter by scene object drop-down list: Allows to
filter the geometry elements listed in the Geom-
etry element drop-down list according to their
parent object in the Scene Tree.
• Filter by geometry element type checkboxes: Allows
to filter the geometry elements listed in the
Geometry element drop-down list according to
their types.
TABLE 5-21: CONTROLS FOR THE BEST FIT REGISTRATION DIALOG, CONSTRAINTS TAB
 Tolerancing tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


boxes.
part.
TABLE 5-22: CONTROLS OF THE BEST FIT REGISTRATION DIALOG, TOLERANCING TAB
 Reset button
 Finish button
provided.
 Cancel button
Sequential registration Menu Item
This registration method allows a step-wise registration of the actual part (the object to be regis-
tered) against the nominal part (the object to be fitted against) where each step imposes a
number of constraints on the following steps by fixing some degrees of freedom. Each regis-
tration step is defined by one or more mappings of geometry elements. The remaining degrees
of freedom may be fixed by an optional best fit. Except for the best fit, a preview shows the
effect of each registration step.
 Settings tab

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-5: SEQUENTIAL REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object to be fitted against drop- Specifies the object against which to register.
down list
Nominal drop-down list Specifies a geometry element on the nominal part.
Actual drop-down list Specifies a geometry element on the actual part.
Add primary/Add secondary/Add Adds the currently specified nominal/actual

tertiary buttons mapping to the primary, secondary, or tertiary
registration step, respectively.
Remove mapping button Removes the mappings selected in the Primary,

Secondary, or Tertiary section.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Primary/Secondary/Tertiary sections • > button: Adds the geometry elements currently

selected in the Scene Tree to the primary,
secondary, or tertiary registration step. This
button is enabled only if permissible geometry
elements are selected.
• Align geometries option: Maps the direction
and/or position of the geometry element on the
actual part to that on the nominal part. When
this option is selected, only one mapping can be
used in the corresponding registration step.
• Align positions option: Only available for points,
spheres, circles or tori. Maps the positions (i.e.,
centers) of the geometry elements on the actual
part to those on the nominal part using the mini-
mization criterion specified by the drop-down
list below. When this option is selected, one or
more mappings can be used in the corre-
sponding registration step.
• Gauss (least squares) option: Only enabled if the
Align positions option is checked. Minimizes the
sum of the squared distances of the positions of
the geometry element pairs.
• Chebyshev option: Only enabled if the Align posi-
tions option is checked. Minimizes the maximum
distance of the positions of the geometry
element pairs.
• Flip orientation checkbox: Inverts the direction of
the geometry element on the actual part, if avail-
able.
Degrees of freedom section • Translation X/Y/Z fields: Indicate whether the

corresponding translational degree of freedom
is Free or Fixed. When the degree of freedom is
fixed, a P (for primary), an S (for secondary), or a
T (for tertiary) in parentheses indicates the
mapping that fixed the degree of freedom.
• Rotation X/Y/Z fields: Indicate whether the corre-
sponding rotational degree of freedom is Free or
Fixed. When the degree of freedom is fixed, a P
(for primary), an S (for secondary), or a T (for
tertiary) in parentheses indicates the mapping
that fixed the degree of freedom.
Best fit section • Fix remaining degrees of freedom with best fit
checkbox: When this option is checked, a best
fit is performed based on the remaining degrees
of freedom when the Finish button is clicked.
TABLE 5-23: CONTROLS FOR THE SEQUENTIAL REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
 Tolerancing tab

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Distance measure field Only available when the Fix remaining degrees of
freedom with best fit option is checked. Indicates a
measure for the distance between actual and
nominal part.
Surface overlap field Only available when the Fix remaining degrees of
freedom with best fit option is checked. Indicates the
percentage of coverage between actual and
nominal part.

boxes.
Max. distance measure spin box Only available when the Fix remaining degrees of
freedom with best fit option is checked. Specifies the
maximum permissible value for the distance
measure between actual and nominal part.
Min. surface overlap spin box Only available when the Fix remaining degrees of
minimum permissible percentage of coverage
between actual and nominal part.
Max. surface overlap spin box Only available when the Fix remaining degrees of
maximum permissible percentage of coverage
between actual and nominal part.
Status of relevant geometry elements • OK: All geometry elements relevant for registra-
field tion are properly fitted to the object surface.
• Element(s) in undefined state: At least one geometry
element relevant for registration indicates a
warning status. See also section Status
Messages for Geometry Elements on page 353
in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM Module.
TABLE 5-24: CONTROLS OF THE SEQUENTIAL REGISTRATION DIALOG, TOLERANCING TAB
 Reset button
 Finish button
provided.
 Cancel button

OBJECT MENU
RPS registration... Menu Item
The RPS (Reference Point System) registration method is usually applied when the object to be
registered has registration marks.
With this registration method, you can use arbitrary combinations of planes, lines, and points to
register your object. The center point of the geometry element on the actual part (the object to
be registered) is translated in a direction defined by the normal/axis of the geometry element on
the nominal part (the object to be fitted against) until it lies on a plane orthogonal to the trans-
lation direction going through the center point of the geometry element on the nominal part. See
the figure below for an illustration of this registration method.
FIGURE 5-6: RPS REGISTRATION METHOD
This registration method can, e.g., be used for registering objects based on datums. The first
coordinate direction must be specified by at least three points, the second coordinate direction
by at least two points and the third coordinate direction by at least one point.
Pre-align the two objects by a best fit registration, fit the geometry elements to one of the objects
and copy & paste them to the other.

 Settings tab

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-7: RPS REGISTRATION DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mapping list section Click New mapping to create a new mapping, or click
an existing entry to modify the mapping.
Auto pairs button Automatically creates paired mappings of geom-

etry elements of the same name.
Mapping details section Allows to specify the parameters of each mapping.

• Elementdrop-down list: Specifies a geometry
element on the actual part.
• Reference drop-down list: Specifies a compatible
geometry element on the nominal part.
Reference details section Indicates the position and effective direction of the
selected geometry element on the nominal part.
You can edit these fields to manually define points
for the RPS registration.
• Position fields: Specify the X, Y, and Z coordi-
nates of the point to be used for registration.
• Eff. direction fields: Specify the direction of the
point to be used for registration.

OBJECT MENU
TABLE 5-25: CONTROLS OF THE RPS REGISTRATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
 Constraints tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

the axis.
around the axis.

Scene Tree as basis for the constraint.
their types.
TABLE 5-26: CONTROLS FOR THE RPS REGISTRATION DIALOG, CONSTRAINTS TAB

OBJECT MENU
 Tolerancing tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


boxes.
part.
TABLE 5-27: CONTROLS OF THE RPS REGISTRATION DIALOG, TOLERANCING TAB
 Reset button
 Finish button
provided.
 Cancel button
Best fit against several geometry elements... Menu Item
With this registration method, you can use arbitrary combinations of planes, lines and points to
register your object by defining mappings between corresponding geometry elements on the
actual part (the object to be registered) and on the nominal part. In contrast to the 3-2-1 regis-
tration, this registration approach leaves you a higher degree of freedom as to the types of
geometry elements, their usage and priority.
 Settings tab

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-8: BEST FIT AGAINST SEVERAL GEOMETRY ELEMENTS DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mapping list section Click New mapping to create a new mapping, or click
an existing entry to modify the mapping.
Auto pairs button Automatically creates paired mappings of geom-

etry elements of the same name.
Mapping details section Allows to specify the parameters of each mapping.

• Element drop-down list: Specifies a geometry
element on the actual part.
• Reference drop-down list: Specifies a compatible
geometry element on the nominal part.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Match option • Automatic: Automatically decides whether to use

position and/or orientation of the geometry
element.
• Orientation: Discards the position information and
only considers the orientation of the geometry
element.
• Exact: Considers both position and orientation.
Weight field Specifies the importance of a mapping relative to

the other mappings.
Reference details section Indicates the position and direction (axis)/normal of

the selected geometry element on the nominal part.
You can edit these fields to manually define geom-
etry elements to be used for registration.
• Position fields: Specify the X, Y, and Z coordi-
nates of the geometry element to be used for
registration.
• button: Sets the position to the origin of the
coordinate system.
• Orientation fields: Specify the direction vector of
the axis (Direction) or the normal vector (Normal),
respectively, of the geometry element to be
used for registration.
• Norm button: Normalizes the direction vector of
the axis or the normal vector, respectively, of the
geometry element.
• Flip button: Reverses the orientation of the direc-
tion vector of the axis or the normal vector,
respectively.
TABLE 5-28: CONTROLS OF THE BEST FIT AGAINST SEVERAL GEOMETRY ELEMENTS DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
 Constraints tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
the axis.
around the axis.

Scene Tree as a basis for the constraint.
their types.
TABLE 5-29: CONTROLS FOR THE BEST FIT AGAINST SEVERAL GEOMETRY ELEMENTS DIALOG, CONSTRAINTS
TAB
 Tolerancing tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

boxes.
part.
TABLE 5-30: CONTROLS OF THE BEST FIT AGAINST SEVERAL GEOMETRY ELEMENTS DIALOG, TOLERANCING TAB
 Reset button
 Finish button
provided.
 Cancel button
Simple 3-2-1 registration... Menu Item
With this registration method, you can register your object in the scene coordinate system in
three steps against a plane, a line and a point (in this order). For each step, select points in the
2D or 3D window to specify the plane, line or point, respectively.
After a step has been finished, the controls for the next step become available, provided the
input so far is complete and consistent.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object to be registered Specifies the object to be registered.
Plane mapping section In the first step, define the plane by holding the Ctrl key
and clicking in a 2D or the 3D window to select three
points. The 2D windows will be aligned to the plane.
• x-y-/x-z-/y-z-plane: Specifies if this plane is to repre-
sent the x-y-, x-z-, or y-z-plane.
• Reverse orientation: If necessary, use this option to flip
the orientation of the plane normal.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Line mapping section In the second step, define the line by holding the Ctrl
key and clicking in a 2D or the 3D window to select two
points. The 2D windows will be aligned to the plane as
well as to the line.
• x-, y- or z-axis: Specifies the axis this line is to repre-
sent. Depending on the plane you selected in the
first step, only two out of the three axes are available
for selection.
• Reverse orientation: If necessary, use this option to flip
the orientation of the axis.
Point mapping section In the third step, define the position of the origin by
holding the Ctrl key and clicking in a 2D or the 3D
window.
Reset button Discards all changes.
Finish button Performs the registration. This button will be enabled

only if sufficient information has been provided.
Cancel button Discards all changes and closes the dialog.
TABLE 5-31: CONTROLS FOR THE SIMPLE 3-2-1 REGISTRATION
To only partially register your object, click the Finish button after defining the plane or the line.
Simple registration... Menu Item
With this registration method, you can register an object in the scene coordinate system by
moving or rotating the object in the 2D windows.
In the 2D windows, the color-coded axes of the coordinate system are shown. Clicking the area
inside the red square at the center allows to move the object, while clicking the area outside the
red square allows to rotate it. The mouse pointer will change its shape to show whether moving
or rotating the object is possible.
The rotation axis is always in the middle of the 2D window and perpendicular to the monitor
plane.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object to be registered Selects the object to be registered.
Finish button Performs the registration.
Cancel button Discards all changes and quits the registration wizard.
use LMB to click the area outside Rotates the object.

the red square and drag

OBJECT MENU
5 LOCK/UNLOCK MENU ITEMS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click the area inside the Moves the object.
red square and drag
TABLE 5-32: CONTROLS FOR THE SIMPLE REGISTRATION
LOCK/UNLOCK MENU ITEMS
Choosing the Lock menu item for a selected object locks the object in the scene, i.e., rotating
the object will rotate the camera, while the relative position of the object within the scene will
not be changed.
Choosing the Unlock menu item for a selected object unlocks the object in the scene, i.e.,
rotating the object will change the relative position of the object within the scene. If the object
has been registered (i.e., an R is visible in the padlock icon in front of the object in the Scene
Tree), the registration information will be deleted.
Analysis results based on the registered position become invalid after unlocking an object.
You can also lock/unlock an object by clicking the padlock icon of its entry in the Scene Tree.
GROUP/UNGROUP OBJECTS MENU ITEMS
Groups several top-level objects or several child objects of the same level of a top-level object.
You can group objects of the same type (e.g., two volume objects) or of compatible type (e.g., a
volume object and a mesh model, a volume object and a clipping plane) or you can create
groups of groups.
For transformation operations (move, rotate), a group behaves like a single object. The rotation
center is the center of the group.
CONVERT TO MENU ITEM
Convert to > Volume...
Opens the Object conversion dialog to convert a CAD or mesh object or an ROI on a CAD or mesh
object to a volume object.

OBJECT MENU
5 CONVERT TO MENU ITEM
FIGURE 5-9: OBJECT CONVERSION DIALOG FOR CONVERTING TO A VOLUME OBJECT
 Source section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Source drop-down list Specifies the CAD or mesh object or the ROI to be
converted to a volume object.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

model with components in the Source field. Clicking
it opens a dialog box where you can specify the
components to be converted:
components.
CAD model.
the CAD model.
TABLE 5-33: CONTROLS IN THE SOURCE SECTION
 Target section
CONTROLS DESCRIPTION
Target drop-down list Specifies the target object type to which the source
is to be converted.
This option is available for CAD models which can
be converted to either a volume or a mesh. If you
select the object type Mesh, the dialog changes
accordingly, see section Convert to > Mesh... on
page 155.
Name field Allows to enter a name for the target object.
TABLE 5-34: CONTROLS IN THE TARGET SECTION
 Resolution section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Dimensions [<length unit>] fields Indicates the dimensions of the object in length
units.
Resolution [<length unit>] spin Specifies the resolution of the target object in the
boxes x-, y-, and z-directions. Changing the resolution
values automatically calculates the number of
voxels for the given dimensions of the object. Apart
from that, the resolution values are automatically
calculated when the number of voxels is changed.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Dimensions [voxel] spin boxes Specifies the number of voxels of the target object
in the x-, y-, and z-directions. Changing the number
of voxels automatically calculates the resolution for
the given dimensions of the object. Apart from that,
the number of voxels is automatically calculated
when the resolution is changed.
/ button • Button is pressed : The resolution/dimension

values in the x-, y-, and z-directions are
changed uniformly by entering a value in the first
field.
• Button is released : The resolution/dimension
values in the x-, y-, and z-directions can be
changed independently of each other.
TABLE 5-35: CONTROLS IN THE RESOLUTION SECTION
 Options section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Data type drop-down list Specifies the data type of the target object (8 bit or
16 bit).
Conversion mode drop-down list Only enabled when the source object is a CAD
model.
• Mesh: Uses the visualization mesh of the CAD
model for conversion.
• CAD: Uses an approximation of the CAD geom-
etry of the source object for conversion.
• Exact CAD: Uses the exact CAD geometry of the
source object for conversion. Note that
depending on the object this mode may be very
time-consuming.
Compensate for mesh problems When this option is checked, the inner/outer
checkbox discrimination is improved to compensate for, e.g.,
incorrect or missing normal information, holes in
the mesh, parts with adjacent surfaces.
Create volume data checkbox When this option is checked, the volume will be
created with artificial gray values.
TABLE 5-36: CONTROLS IN THE OPTIONS SECTION
 Convert button
Converts the source object.
 Cancel button
Discards all settings and closes the dialog.

OBJECT MENU
Convert to > Mesh...
Opens the Object conversion dialog to convert a volume or CAD object or an ROI on a volume to a
mesh object.
The mesh object may be exported as a .stl file (or other supported file formats, see section
Mesh... Menu Item on page 72) which can be used in further processing steps and applications,
e.g., in the construction of physical replicas through the use of rapid prototyping machinery.
A nominal/actual comparison does not require the creation of a mesh. Use the Nominal/Actual
comparison module to work directly on the CT data (see chapter 33 Nominal/Actual Comparison
Module on page 659).
When converting an ROI to a mesh, maintaining the precision of an ROI (2, 4, or 8 bit) requires
licensing the Coordinate Measurement module, otherwise a precision of 1 bit will be used for the
extraction process.
While the options available in the Settings section of the Object conversion dialog depend on the
type of source object to be converted, the following options are common to both source object
types:
 Source section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Source drop-down list Specifies the volume or CAD object or the ROI to
be converted to a mesh object.

model with components in the Source field. Clicking
it opens a dialog box where you can specify the
components to be converted:
components.
CAD model.
the CAD model.
TABLE 5-37: CONTROLS IN THE SOURCE SECTION
 Target section

OBJECT MENU
Target drop-down list Specifies the target object type to which the source
is to be converted.
This option is available for CAD models which can
be converted to either a volume or a mesh. If you
select the object type Volume, the dialog changes
accordingly, see section Convert to > Volume... on
page 151.
Name field Allows to enter a name for the target object.
TABLE 5-38: CONTROLS IN THE TARGET SECTION
 Convert button
Converts the source object.
 Cancel button
Converting a Volume to a Mesh
If the object to be converted to a mesh is a volume or an ROI on a volume, the following options
are available in the Settings section:

OBJECT MENU
FIGURE 5-10: OBJECT CONVERSION DIALOG FOR CONVERTING A VOLUME TO A MESH
 Preset selection section

used:
• default preset

OBJECT MENU
list.
The following default presets are available for converting a volume object to a mesh; they
include all settings in the Object conversion dialog.
– Ray-based - points only: point cloud without any meshing or simplification steps
– Ray-based - very fast: half volume resolution with more point reduction
– Ray-based - fast: half volume resolution
– Ray-based - fast with simplification: half volume resolution with mesh simplification
– Ray-based - normal: full volume resolution
– Ray-based - normal with simplification: full volume resolution with mesh simplification
– Ray-based - precise: full volume resolution with less point reduction
– Ray-based - precise with simplification: full volume resolution with less point reduction
and with mesh simplification
– Grid-based - precise and watertight: full volume resolution and watertight
The preset Grid-based - precise and watertight in combination with the Simplification option provides
good results.
 Surface definition section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use determined surface option When this option is checked, the determined
surface of the voxel data set is applied. For details
on the surface determination, see section Surface
determination... Menu Item on page 119.
This option will typically define the surface more
precisely than a surface manually defined using the
Gray value option.
Gray value option When this option is checked, you can use the
corresponding spin box to manually specify the
gray value of the surface.
TABLE 5-40: CONTROLS IN THE SURFACE DEFINITION SECTION
 Extraction parameters section

The extracted surface is represented through a set of points (point cloud) which can be
connected with each other to form a triangle mesh. In the extraction process, the points
which lie on the surface of the input data set are determined.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop-down list • Grid-based: Applies a conversion algorithm which

is suitable for working with full resolution and
which yields high-quality, watertight meshes.
• Ray-based: Applies a conversion algorithm which
is suitable for working with reduced resolution.
Create triangle mesh checkbox When this option is checked, a triangle mesh repre-
sentation of the object surface is created. When
this option is unchecked, a point cloud representa-
tion of the object surface is created.
Swap inner/outer areas checkbox Check this option to swap the inside with the
outside, i.e., to interchange material and void.
Create closed surface checkbox When this option is checked, a mesh model
extracted from an ROI or from an object which
touches the bounding box of the voxel data set is
extracted such that the mesh model is closed at the
borders of the ROI/voxel data set.
When this option is unchecked, the mesh model is
left open since the surface at the border can be
regarded as an artificial surface.
TABLE 5-41: CONTROLS IN THE EXTRACTION PARAMETERS SECTION
 Resampling section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Resampling checkbox Check this option to activate the resampling func-

tion.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop-down list Specifies the sampling distance used in the

extraction process. The finer the sampling
distance, the more points will be generated.
• Fast: The resolution is lower than the resolution
of the data set.
• Standard: The resolution is the same as the data
set resolution.
• Manual: Enables the Resolution spin boxes which
allow to specify a customized sampling distance
for each axis.
Resolution [<length unit>] spin Specify a customized sampling distance for each
boxes axis.
TABLE 5-42: CONTROLS IN THE RESAMPLING SECTION
 Point reduction section

Only enabled when the Ray-based mode is selected in the Extraction parameters section.
During the process of determining which points are on the surface, it is possible to exclude
points from the final point cloud.
FIGURE 5-11: POINT REDUCTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop down list Specifies the Tolerance value for the point reduction.
• Fast, Normal, Precise: Apply a predefined Tolerance
value.
• Manual: Enables the Tolerance spin box to specify
a customized Tolerance value.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance spin box Allows to reduce the number of initially generated

points by applying a tolerance value larger than
zero. The larger the tolerance value, the more
points can be excluded. As a consequence, the
overall dimensions of the resulting model might
slightly vary from the original object within the
specified tolerance. A tolerance value of zero
means no reduction at all.
TABLE 5-43: CONTROLS IN THE POINT REDUCTION SECTION
 Simplification section
The mesh simplification algorithm combines groups of triangles that are aligned in one
plane (within a specified tolerance) to larger triangles, thus reducing the number of trian-
gles. As a consequence, the overall dimensions of the resulting model might slightly vary
from the original object within the specified tolerance. The amount of simplification can be
controlled by specifying either the tolerance or the maximum number of triangles in the
final mesh.
FIGURE 5-12: MESH SIMPLIFICATION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Simplification checkbox Check this option to reduce the number of triangles

in the mesh.
Mode drop-down list Specifies the Simplification settings.

• High simplification, High precision: Apply predefined
settings.
• Manual: When this mode is selected, you can
choose between the Tolerance and the Maximum
number of triangles option to remove triangles
from the mesh that do not provide significant
shape information.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance [<length unit>] option and Allows to specify a customized Tolerance value to
spin box reduce the point cloud.
The simplification algorithm stops when no more
triangles can be removed without deviating approx-
imately this far from the initial mesh.
Maximum number of triangles option Specifies the maximum number of remaining trian-
and spin box gles when removing triangles for simplification.
TABLE 5-44: CONTROLS IN THE SIMPLIFICATION SECTION
 Result destination section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Place in scene checkbox When this option is checked, the mesh is placed in
the current scene.
Export checkbox When this option is checked, the Export mesh...

dialog opens where you can choose a file name and
path as well as a file format to save the mesh. For
details on the supported file formats, see section
File Formats on page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix.
TABLE 5-45: CONTROLS IN THE RESULT DESTINATION SECTION

OBJECT MENU
Converting a CAD Model to a Mesh
If the object to be converted to a mesh is a CAD model, the following options are available:
FIGURE 5-13: OBJECT CONVERSION DIALOG FOR CONVERTING A CAD MODEL TO A MESH
 Mesh accuracy drop-down list

Specifies the accuracy of the mesh.
– Extra low, Low, Medium, High, Extra high: Default presets for the mesh accuracy.
– Custom: Enables the Mesh deflection section for customizing the mesh accuracy.
 Mesh deflection section
This section is enabled only when Custom is selected from the Mesh accuracy drop-down list.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Linear [<length unit>] spin box Specifies a quality hint for the maximum distance
between the mesh and the CAD surface.
Angular [<angle unit>] spin box Specifies a value for approximating curved CAD
edges. A lower value results in a better approxima-
tion.

OBJECT MENU
TABLE 5-46: CONTROLS IN THE MESH DEFLECTION SECTION
Convert to > Golden surface...
Opens the Golden surface determination dialog to create a “golden” surface object from a minimum
of two objects (volume object, CAD model, or mesh), i.e, a surface that represents the mean of
all input surfaces.
 Available objects section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
object list section Checking/unchecking the checkbox in front of an

entry selects/deselects the object as input for the
golden surface calculation.
Select all/Deselect all button Selects/deselects all objects in the list.
TABLE 5-47: CONTROLS IN THE AVAILABLE OBJECTS SECTION
 Settings section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Max. distance spinbox Specifies the maximum distance between any of

the input objects and the determined golden
surface. For areas in which the determined golden
surface lies outside this distance, an ROI is created
and shown by default in red. This area is not well
defined and is not suitable for metrology purposes.
Precision drop-down list Specifies the resolution for the calculation of the
golden surface:
• Oversampling: The resolution is higher than the
mean resolution of the data sets.
• Standard: The resolution is the same as the mean
resolution of the data sets.
• Fast: The resolution is lower than the mean reso-
lution of the data sets.
This setting affects the time and system memory
required for performing the analysis.
TABLE 5-48: CONTROLS IN THE SETTINGS SECTION
 OK button
Creates the golden surface object.
 Cancel button
A Golden surface volume object is a surface object that does not have any gray values. If you
would like to use this object as a basis for performing analyses that will be saved as evaluation

OBJECT MENU
5 DRAW MENU ITEM
templates for loading them in macros for automation purposes, it is possible to generate
artificial volume data via the Object > Create synthetic volume data menu item.
DRAW MENU ITEM
Directly draws into the data using a spherical brush. To deselect this function, again choose
Object > Draw or click the icon in the Modify Data icon bar.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
button Closes the Select: Draw to data floating toolbar.
Radius spin box Specifies the radius of the brush.
Smoothing spin box Specifies a transitional area around the spherical brush
in which a smooth gray value transition is drawn.
Color spin box Specifies the gray value written to the data.
2D window: use LMB to click and Adds the painted area to the data. The position and size
drag of the sphere are shown in the 3D window.
hold Shift + Ctrl keys + scroll MW Changes the gray value in the Color field.
hold Shift key + scroll MW Changes the radius of the brush.
hold Alt key + scroll MW Changes the value for smoothing.
hold Ctrl key + click with LMB Picks the gray value from the data and enters it into the
Color field. The color is also indicated in the square box
on the right-hand side in the Modify Data icon bar.
TABLE 5-49: CONTROLS FOR THE DRAW TO DATA FUNCTION
This function will change the gray values of the volume data set.
PICK COLOR MENU ITEM
Samples the gray value of the picked voxel(s) in any of the 2D windows. The sampled gray value
is used for the Draw and Fill functions.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
button Closes the Select: Pick color from data floating toolbar.
Color spin box Specifies the gray value for the Draw and Fill functions.
The color is also indicated in the square box on the
right-hand side in the Modify Data icon bar.

OBJECT MENU
5 FILL MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB and drag in 2D window Picks the gray value at the position of the mouse
pointer from the data and enters the gray value into the
Color field. The color is also indicated in the square box
on the right-hand side in the Modify Data icon bar.
TABLE 5-50: CONTROLS FOR THE PICK COLOR FROM DATA FUNCTION
FILL MENU ITEM
Launches the region filling tool and changes the mouse pointer to a brush. Any region of interest
picked with the brush is flooded with a constant gray value as defined by the current gray value
setting. The current gray value setting is shown in the square box next to the Fill icon in the
Modify Data icon bar. To modify the gray value setting, double-click the box and adjust the slider
or use the Pick color function (see section Pick color Menu Item on page 165).
To deselect this function, again choose Object > Fill or click the icon in the Modify Data icon bar.
TOP-LEVEL REPORTING... MENU ITEM
Opens the Reporting dialog showing a tree view of all objects of the currently open project that
contain data for reporting such as analysis results or object properties.
With this function you can create a report of several analyses or objects without opening the
Report tabs of the individual Properties dialogs. The contents reported depend on the selection
made in the Report sections section of the Report tab of an analysis or object and apply to all
analyses and objects of the same type (section Report Tab on page 185).
In the Reporting dialog, the object currently highlighted in the Scene Tree and its associated child
elements are preselected. Click the checkbox in front of a tree item to select or deselect the
item (including its child items) in order to include it in or exclude it from the report.
 Save button
Opens the Save report... dialog where you can save the report in the following formats:
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
– VG report format
The report formats XLSX via Excel and PDF via Excel require an Excel Add-In being enabled in the
preferences. See section Reporting Settings on page 97 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.

OBJECT MENU
5 PROPERTIES MENU ITEM
The report formats XLSX via Excel and PDF via Excel currently do not support transport phenomena
simulations and structural mechanics simulations.
 Print button
Opens the Print preview dialog.
ICON CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Page <x> of <y> field Allows to enter a page number to directly navi-
gate to a certain page.
Previous page/Next page Navigate from page to page through the report
buttons preview.
Previous section/Next Navigate from section to section through the

section buttons report preview. The sections correspond to the
items selected in the Reporting dialog of the Top-
level reporting function.
Layout button Opens the Print layout dialog where you can
specify the orientation (portrait or landscape)
and the paper size (A4 or letter) for the printout.
Print button Opens a standard Print dialog.
Close button Closes the Print preview dialog.
/ Zoom in/Zoom out button Zooms the print preview in/out. You can also
move the mouse pointer on the image area and
turn the mouse wheel.
Fit to window button Resets the zoom such that the print preview fits
into the window.
TABLE 5-51: CONTROLS IN THE PRINT PREVIEW DIALOG
 Close button
Closes the Report dialog.
PROPERTIES MENU ITEM
Displays information about the object selected in the Scene Tree.
You can also open the Properties dialog by double-clicking the object in the Scene Tree.
The type of properties dialog depends on the type of object selected:

 If the selected object is a geometry element, the Geometry element properties dialog opens.
For details, see section Geometry element properties Dialog on page 280 in chapter 10
Measurements Menu/CM Module.
 If the selected object is a dimensioning feature, the CM Reporting dialog opens. For details,
see section CM Reporting Menu Item on page 292 in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM
Module.

OBJECT MENU
 If the selected object is a tolerance feature, the Geometric Tolerancing dialog opens. For
details, see section Tolerancing Menu Item on page 313 in chapter 10 Measurements
Menu/CM Module.
 If the selected object is an analysis, the Properties dialog of the pertaining analysis opens.
For details, see the chapter about the corresponding analysis.
 If the selected object is a volume object, a CAD/mesh object, or an ROI, the Object properties
dialog opens.
The Object properties dialog consists of several tabs. The tabs available as well as the infor-
mation provided on the General tab depend on the selected object, i.e., volume object or
CAD/mesh object.
General Tab for Volume Objects
FIGURE 5-14: GENERAL PROPERTIES OF VOLUME OBJECTS OR ROIS
 Object name section

Indicates the name of the selected object. The field can be edited to rename the object.

OBJECT MENU
 Data info section

Provides information about the endianness and the data type of the CT data.
 Data set / Region of interest info section
Provides information on the data set or on the ROI, delimited by the bounding box along
the voxel grid. Generally, the bounding box also comprises the area (e.g., air) surrounding
the scanned object or the ROI.
If applicable, the values are indicated in the unit specified for the scene (e.g., in mm, in2,
etc.).
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Dimensions [voxel] fields Indicate the dimensions of the bounding box of the
selected object in the x, y, and z directions of the
volume object coordinate system in voxels.
Dimensions [<length unit>] fields Indicate the dimensions of the bounding box of the
selected object in the x, y, and z directions of the
volume object coordinate system in length units.
Resolution x-/y-/z-axis [<length unit>] Indicate the resolution of the data set, i.e., the size
fields of a voxel, on the x, y, and z axis.
Voxel count field Indicates the total number of voxels in the

bounding box of the selected volume object or in
the selected ROI.
Total volume [<length unit>³] field Indicates the total volume of the bounding box of
the selected volume object or of the selected ROI.
ROI surface [<length unit>²] field For ROIs only: Indicates the surface of the selected
ROI.
ROI data type field For ROIs only: Indicates the mask precision of the
ROI: 1 bit, 2 bit, 4 bit, or 8 bit.
button Opens the Change bit depth dialog where you can
change the ROI mask precision. See section Change
ROI bit depth Menu Item on page 217 in chapter 6
Select Menu.
TABLE 5-52: CONTROLS IN THE DATA SET / REGION OF INTEREST INFO SECTION
 Object info section

Provides information on the scanned object based on the surface determination. If there
is no surface determination available, the information is calculated using the manually set
isosurface value.
etc.).
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object volume [<length unit>³] field Indicates the volume of the material of the selected
object, based on the surface determination or the
manually set isosurface value.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Total volume - object volume [<length If the selected object is a volume object: Indicates
unit>³] field the volume of the area surrounding the material, by
subtracting the Object volume from the Total volume.
If the selected object is an ROI: Indicates the
volume of the area surrounding the material in the
ROI, by subtracting the Object volume from the Total
volume.
Surface area [<length unit>²] field Indicates the actual material surface of the entire
data set or of the ROI.
FIGURE 5-15: SURFACE AREA
Closed surface area [<length unit>²] For ROIs or partially scanned objects only: Indi-
field cates the material surface as well as the ROI
surface or data set boundary in the material.
FIGURE 5-16: CLOSED SURFACE AREA
Surface area difference [<length For ROIs or partially scanned objects only: Indi-
unit>²] field cates the difference between the Closed surface area
and the Surface area.
Dimensions [<length unit>] fields Indicates the smallest possible bounding box
around the object in the x, y, and z directions in the
Isosurface value field Indicates the manually set isosurface value used for
calculation, if there is no surface determination
available.
TABLE 5-53: CONTROLS IN THE OBJECT INFO SECTION

OBJECT MENU
 Update button
Re-calculates the parameters.
 Close button
Closes the Object properties dialog.
General Tab for CAD/Mesh Objects
FIGURE 5-17: GENERAL PROPERTIES OF CAD/MESH OBJECTS
 Object name section

Indicates the name of the selected object. The field can be edited to rename the object.
 Mesh info section
etc.).

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Vertex count field Indicates the number of vertices defining the

CAD/mesh object.
Triangle count field Indicates the number of triangles defining the

CAD/mesh object.
Surface area [<unit>] field Indicates the surface area of the CAD/mesh
object.
Dimensions [<unit>] fields Describe the smallest possible bounding box

around the selected object in the x, y, and z
directions.
TABLE 5-54: CONTROLS IN THE MESH INFO SECTION
 Histogram section
The following table gives an overview of the controls in the histogram section:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Update button Displays a histogram in the histogram section.
drop-down list For CAD models only: Specifies the type of

histogram:
• Interior angle histogram: Analyzes the angles in
the triangles and displays the number of
occurrences of the angles.
• Mesh-to-CAD deviation histogram: Analyzes the
distance between CAD surface and gener-
ated mesh and displays the deviation over
the surface.
• Cumulated mesh-to-CAD deviation histogram:
Displays the deviation values over the
percentage of the surface. This indicates,
e.g., how many percent of the surface have a
certain deviation value.
Deviation [<unit>] spin box Indicates the deviation value that corresponds to
the cumulated percentage of the surface with
this deviation indicated in the Surface field. You
can also specify a deviation value for which you
want to obtain the corresponding percentage of
the surface. This control is synchronized with the
green cross-hairs which indicate the corre-
sponding position on the curve.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Surface [%] spin box Indicates the percentage of the surface area that
corresponds to the maximum deviation value
indicated in the Deviation field. You can also
specify the percentage of the surface for which
you want to obtain the maximum deviation value.
This control is synchronized with the green
cross-hairs which indicate the corresponding
position on the curve.
Cumulated 90%/95%/98% fields Indicate the maximum deviation values for 90 %,

95 %, or 98 % of the surface, respectively.
use LMB to click and drag green Moves the green cross-hairs along the curve,
cross-hairs lines indicating the percentage of the surface within a
given deviation (or alternatively the maximum
deviation for a given percentage).
use RMB to click the chart area Displays a context menu, see below.
up/down
use LMB to click and drag the x- Scrolls the x-axis.

axis
use LMB to click and drag the y- Scrolls the y-axis.

axis
Reset zoom Fits the entire chart to the current window size.
TABLE 5-55: CONTROLS IN THE HISTOGRAM SECTION
Right-clicking anywhere in the chart area shows a context menu with the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Copy to clipboard Copies a screenshot of the chart to the system

clipboard so you can paste it in another applica-
tion.
Hide/Show x/y grid Toggles the visibility of the grid lines for the
corresponding axis.
TABLE 5-56: CONTEXT MENU IN THE HISTOGRAM SECTION
 Close button
Closes the Object properties dialog.

OBJECT MENU
Registration Tab
Provides information on the registration method and corresponding tolerance settings, if

available.
 Registration information section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Registration approach Indicates the method used for aligning the actual
part.
Registered object Indicates the name of the actual part.
Reference object Indicates the name of the nominal part, if appli-

cable.
TABLE 5-57: CONTROLS IN THE REGISTRATION INFORMATION SECTION
 Tolerance settings section

Available only if a tolerance can be applied to the registration. The information provided
depends on the registration method used.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION



boxes.
part.
TABLE 5-58: CONTROLS IN THE TOLERANCE SETTINGS SECTION

OBJECT MENU
Morphometrics Tab
Shows information about morphometric indices and anisotropy.

Calculation of morphometric indices depends on the material (bone) surface (BS), the material
(bone) volume BV and the total volume (TV). If available, this information is calculated using the
surface determination. If there is no surface determination available, the information is calcu-
lated using the manually set isosurface value.
For the calculation of the morphometric indices, the surface area will be considered only, see
section General Tab for Volume Objects on page 168.
The morphometric indices are useful only for sponge-like objects (e.g., bones).
 Morphometric indices section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
BV/TV, material to total volume Indicates the ratio of material (bone) volume to total
volume.
BS/BV, material surface to material Indicates the ratio of material (bone) surface (BS) to
volume material (bone) volume (BV).
TbTh, mean trabecular thickness Indicates the mean thickness of trabecular

(column-like) structures in the material (bone),
calculated from
TbN, mean trabecular number Indicates the mean number of trabecular (column-
like) structures per unit length, calculated from
TbSp, mean trabecular spacing Indicates the mean distance between trabecular
(column-like) structures, calculated from
Isosurface value Indicates the manually set isosurface value used for
calculation, if there is no surface determination
available.
Update button Re-calculates the parameters.
TABLE 5-59: CONTROLS IN THE MORPHOMETRIC INDICES SECTION
 Anisotropy section
The calculation of the anisotropy parameters depends on the number of angles and the
number of lines along each angle (Y/Z).

OBJECT MENU
Calculation might be time-consuming, especially when using a large number of angles/lines. For
optimum performance, create an ROI including the relevant areas and then calculate the anisot-
ropy for this ROI instead of for the complete volume.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Number of angles spin box Allows to specify the number of directions along
which the mean intercept length (MIL) will be calcu-
lated.
Number of lines along each angle (Y/Z) Allows to specify the number of lines in each direc-
spin boxes tion along which the MIL will be calculated.
Suggest button Click this button if you are not sure about the
parameters.
Compute button Starts calculating the anisotropy parameters.
Anisotropy field Indicates the anisotropy calculated from the largest

and smallest eigenvalue. Anisotropy values lie
between 0 (isotropic) and 1 (anisotropic).
Eigenvalues field Indicates the eigenvalues of the matrix calculated

from the MIL.
Main direction of orientation field Indicates the direction of the eigenvector of the
largest eigenvalue in the scene coordinate system.
TABLE 5-60: CONTROLS IN THE ANISOTROPY SECTION
File list Tab
Displays a list of the files containing the data of the selected object. The information refers to
the data as stored in the file. Thus the volume size can vary from the volume size of the object in
the scene if the object has, e.g., been imported applying an ROI.
Source list Tab
Indicates the source objects of the selected volume object if it was created by object
conversion.
Reconstruction Tab
Shows information about the reconstruction settings (e.g., Projection, Geometry, Files, Clamping,
Skip, Calibration, etc.).
This information is available only if the volume data has been reconstructed using the one of the
optional CT Reconstruction modules of VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO.

OBJECT MENU
Scanner manufacturer Tab
 List section
Shows the scanner manufacturer information available in the project file (e.g., Name,
Address, Homepage, Device name, Acquisition software, manufacturer logo).
All information contained in this tab can be searched for using the Windows search func-
tion.
By default, these fields can be edited. If the project file is created directly from the CT scanner
software, these fields may already be filled in to ensure a continuous flow of information. In this
case, the CT manufacturer can block the contents of these fields. Additionally, the user can block
these fields during import of the data.
 Import button
You can import the information to be provided on the Scanner manufacturer, Scan, and Compo-
nent tabs from a .csv file. Clicking the Import button opens the Sections dialog where you can
specify the information to be imported by checking or unchecking the corresponding
checkboxes. Content that is already available in a field will be overwritten.
 Export button
You can export the information provided on the Scanner manufacturer, Scan, and Component
tabs to a .csv file. Clicking the Export button opens the Sections dialog where you can
specify the information to be exported by checking or unchecking the corresponding
checkboxes.
Diconde tags Tab
Shows the information available in a DICONDE data set.
Scan Tab
 List section
Shows the scan information available in the project file (e.g., Tube voltage, Tube current, Scan
time, Reconstruction time, Total process time, Reconstruction algorithm, Scan method, Geometry, Inte-
gration time, Filter, Number of projections, Date time, User).
tion.
 Import button
 Export button

OBJECT MENU
checkboxes.
Component Tab
 List section
Shows the information on the scanned part available in the project file (e.g., Description, Lot
tion.
 Import button
 Export button
checkboxes.
Instruments Tab
Lists all instruments of the selected object and their properties.

The individual columns of the Instruments table are:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Group Indicates the name of the group the instrument belongs

to.
Name Indicates the name of the instrument. This column can

be edited.
Type Indicates the instrument type: Distance, Min/max distance,

Polyline, Angle, Caliper, or Indicator.

OBJECT MENU
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Value Indicates the numerical value of the instrument.

For an angle instrument, the value is displayed in the
current angle unit, while for all other instrument types it
is displayed in the current length unit.
For an indicator, you can double-click the annotation in
a 2D or 3D window to enter a customized text that will
be shown in this column.
Nominal [<length unit>/<angle unit>] Indicates the nominal value for the measurement
instrument. This cell can be edited. Together with the
Tolerance (lo)/(hi) settings, the software will determine
whether the feature is within the specified tolerance
range and set the feature status accordingly. The eval-
uation will be performed only if both the nominal value
and the tolerance values are set.
Tolerance (lo)/(hi) [<length unit>/<angle Specifies the allowed tolerance of the actual value
unit>] towards the given nominal value of the measurement
instrument. These cells can be edited. When both
values have not yet been set, you can create a
symmetric tolerance range by entering a Tolerance (hi)
value. Tolerance (lo) will automatically be set to the same
value, but with a negative sign. Similarly, you can enter
a negative Tolerance (lo) value; Tolerance (hi) is then auto-
matically set to the same value, but with a positive sign.
You can also change both tolerances independently,
e.g., to enter two negative or two positive tolerances,
respectively.
Status Provides status information about the feature.

• Ok: No errors or warnings. The instrument handles
have snapped to the surface. A tolerance range has
been defined and the measurement instrument
meets the tolerance. The evaluation indicator in the
Scene Tree is shown in green.
• Out of tolerance: The instrument handles have
snapped to the surface, but the actual value of the
measurement instrument lies outside the specified
tolerance range. The evaluation indicator in the
Scene Tree is shown in red.
• Handles not snapped: One or more instrument handles
have not snapped to the surface. No evaluation is
possible. The evaluation indicator in the Scene Tree
is shown in gray and has a warning sign.
• n/a: No tolerance range has been defined. The eval-
uation indicator in the Scene Tree is shown in gray.
Position X/Y/Z [<length unit>] Indicates the position of the instrument. For indicators,
these fields can be edited.

OBJECT MENU
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Direction X/Y/Z Available for distance and caliper instruments. Indi-

cates the direction of the instrument (from the start to
the end point).
Image Allows to add a detailed 2D image and object descrip-

tion on a separate page of the report.
• Off: No image is created (default).
• Orthographic projection: Creates three orthogonal
views.
• Top/Bottom/Left/Right/Front/Back: Creates a single 2D
view in the specified orientation.
The image orientation corresponds to the currently
The generated image will only contain the reported
instrument and its parent volume/mesh. All other
instruments, geometry elements, GD&T features, anal-
yses etc. will be hidden. The instrument is always
shown in a “highlighted” visual state. The 2D slice posi-
tion used for taking the image is determined by the
position of the instrument. The zoom factor of the
image is chosen such that the entire parent
volume/mesh is visible.
Focused image This option is almost identical to the Image option, but
will generate an image that is focused on the respective
item and additionally zoomed in by the Zoom factor
specified on the Report tab.
Captures Indicates the number of images captured for this object

using the Capture from button in the Screenshots section.
TABLE 5-61: COLUMNS OF THE INSTRUMENTS TABLE
General Table Controls
 List section
The following table provides an overview of the general controls available in the various list
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
button Opens a submenu for selecting the filter/search

mode.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Filter Clicking the Click to add a filter or search criteria field to

the right of the icon opens a series of drop-down
lists from which you can select a table column, an
operator, and—depending on the column—a value.
If a column does not offer a value drop-down list,
you can type in a value. When the selection is
complete, the table shows the rows matching the
filter criterion.
Clicking the + button or the Click to add a filter or
search criteria field allows to specify more filter
criteria.
Clicking the x button removes the filter.
Search Clicking the Click to add a filter or search criteria field to

complete, the table rows matching the search crite-
rion are highlighted.
search criteria field allows to specify more search
criteria.
Pressing F3 jumps to the next search result in the
list.
Clicking the x button removes the search.
Full-text filter Entering a value or text string into the input field to
the right of the icon filters the table accordingly and
shows the rows matching the filter criterion.
Full-text search Entering a value or text string into the input field to
the right of the icon searches the table accordingly
and highlights the rows matching the search crite-
rion.
use LMB to click on a table row Selects the row and the corresponding object in the
Scene Tree. In analysis result lists, the result, e.g.,
the component, is marked by a cross-hairs cursor
in each of the 2D views.
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click Selects the rows and the corresponding objects in
on several table rows the Scene Tree.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Selects the two rows including all rows between the
on two separate table rows two as well as the corresponding objects in the
Scene Tree.
hold Shift key + use up/down Selects the rows and the corresponding objects in
arrow keys the Scene Tree.
press Ctrl+A Selects all table rows.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use up and down arrow keys Steps up and down through the table rows.
use RMB to click into the table Displays a context menu, see below.
area
use LMB to click a column Sorts the table according to the values of the
heading column. Clicking subsequently toggles between
ascending and descending.
use LMB to click and drag Inserts the column at the new position.
column heading to new position,
then release LMB
use LMB to double-click cell If applicable: Allows to edit the contents of the cell.
highlighted in white (Bright
Theme) or medium gray (Dark
Theme)
TABLE 5-62: CONTROLS IN THE LIST SECTION
A filter applied to a table will remain active as long as the program is running, but it will not be
saved with the project.
If you applied a filter to a table of analysis results, the filter remains active even when you recal-
culate the analysis. This is indicated by a watermark across the table.
 Screenshots section
The Screenshots section below the list section allows to capture images from one of the 2D
or 3D views for the currently selected item in the table. Only available if exactly one row is
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Capture from button Adds the image of the view selected from the drop-
down list to the preview area above.
use LMB to click and drag one or Moves the image(s) to the new position.
more images, then release LMB
double-click the image Opens the Snapshot display window showing the
image:
• Zoom in/ Zoom out button: Zooms the image
in/out. You can also move the mouse pointer on
the image area and turn the mouse wheel.
• Fit to window button: Resets the zoom such
that the image fits into the window.
double-click the <no description> Allows to label the image.

placeholder
Delete selected button Deletes the selected image from the preview area.
TABLE 5-63: CONTROLS IN THE SCREENSHOTS SECTION

OBJECT MENU
Table Context Menu
Right-clicking anywhere in the table area shows a context menu with the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Columns • Allows to toggle the visibility of each column by

checking/unchecking the respective checkbox.
• Trim columns: Resizes all columns to their smallest
possible size.
Original column layout Restores the original table layout and discards any
modifications applied by the user. The original table
layout is predefined and cannot be modified by the
user.
Save as default column layout Saves any modifications applied to the table—e.g., the
sorting order of a column, the visibility of a column or
the order in which the columns appear—as default
column layout. This layout will be applied when you
create a new project.
Remove entries If applicable: Deletes the selected row(s) from the table.
ROI from wall thickness mask If applicable: Creates a new ROI without rendering
settings based on the mask supplied by the current wall
thickness analysis. See also section ROI from wall thick-
ness mask Menu Item on page 212 in chapter 6 Select
Menu.
ROI from defect mask If applicable: Creates a new ROI without rendering
settings based on the mask supplied by the current
porosity/inclusion analysis. See also section ROI from
defect mask Menu Item on page 212 in chapter 6 Select
Menu.
Create annotations If applicable: Creates annotations for the selected

items.
Export as CSV... Opens the Export as CSV... dialog for exporting the table
values as *.csv file.
This option always exports the complete table even if a
filter was applied. In order to export only the filtered
rows, press Ctrl+A to highlight all filtered rows and use
the Copy to clipboard menu item.
Copy to clipboard Copies the selected rows as well as the column

heading into the system clipboard. The clipboard infor-
mation is provided both as plain text and rich-text
table, so when pasting into a rich-text-capable applica-
tion like a word processor, you will see a proper table
with cell borders and bold headings.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Paste For annotation tables: Pastes previously copied coordi-

nates and—optionally—snap directions to create new
annotations in the table. The information will be inter-
preted as scene coordinates; if a different coordinate
system is currently selected, the coordinates will be
recalculated accordingly.
The information in the clipboard must have the
following structure:
• x, y, and z coordinate of the annotation or
• x, y, and z coordinate of the annotation as well as x,
y, and z vector component for the snap direction
The parameters can be separated by space, tab, semi-
colon, or comma (unless used as decimal mark).
Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
You can also copy the information directly from the
cells of a spreadsheet.
In order to paste the annotation information, you can
also press the Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut.
Set as active column If applicable: Makes the current column the active
column, i.e., the results of this column are color-coded
according to their values as defined by the color lookup
table and the colors specified in the Sections section of
the Colors tab.
Unset active column If applicable: Deselects the currently active column and
sets the Active column drop-down list on the corre-
sponding Settings tab to Uncoded, i.e., removes any color
coding.
Set all entries in column If applicable: Sets all entries in the Image/Focused
image/Histogram image column to the selected option.
Set selected entries in column If applicable: Sets all selected entries in the
Image/Focused image/Histogram image column to the
selected option.
Enter/change value (all) If applicable: Opens a dialog where you can enter the
desired value for the selected field. This value will be
applied to all entries in the table.
Enter/change value (selected) If applicable: Opens a dialog where you can enter the
applied to all selected entries in the table.
TABLE 5-64: CONTEXT MENU ITEMS

OBJECT MENU
Images Tab
Allows to take screenshots of the selected workspace views. The captured images are listed
separately within the final report apart from screenshots created on other tabs.
 Capture from button
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
Delete selected button Deletes the selected image(s) from the preview
area.
TABLE 5-65: CONTROLS IN THE CAPTURE FROM SECTION
 Automatic 3D images section (if available)

Check the corresponding checkbox to include the desired 3D view (e.g., Top, Front, Top-Left-
Front, Current camera settings, ...) in the report without changing the 3D view.
Report Tab
Specifies the content and layout of the final report.

 Report sections section
Specifies the information to be included or excluded from the report by checking or
unchecking the corresponding checkboxes.
Excluding contents in the Report sections section of the Report tab of an individual object or analysis
will affect all analyses or objects of the same type selected in the Reporting dialog of the Top-level
reporting function.
Object properties dialog only: When selecting the File list on the Report tab of the Object prop-
erties dialog, the Condense consecutive rows checkbox becomes available. When this option
is checked, the report will only list the first three and the last file of the image stack.
 General render settings section
Allows to customize the display of all automatically created images.

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Image size spin box Specifies the number of pixels for the larger side of the image.
The other side is calculated to keep the aspect ratio.
This option does not affect the screenshots created using the
Capture from button.
Font size spin box Specifies the font size in points for the report text.
Visibility drop-down list Available for analyses:

• Automatic: Only the selected analysis and its parent objects
are included in the images. All other Scene Tree items,
such as geometry elements, GD&T features, other anal-
yses, will be hidden.
• From Scene Tree: All objects currently set to visible in the
Scene Tree are included in the images.
TABLE 5-66: CONTROLS IN THE GENERAL RENDER SETTINGS SECTION
 Custom render settings section

This option does neither affect the screenshots created using the Capture from button nor the auto-
matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Custom render settings When this option is checked, the options in the Custom render
checkbox settings section become enabled and you can customize the
display of all automatically created images. When this option
is unchecked, the settings of the selected 2D window will be
used for all automatically created images.
Display mode field Specifies the coloring of the images (for details on the display
modes see section Display mode Menu Item on page 378 in
chapter 14 Window Menu).
Background color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color dialog where
you can set the background color of the images.
Show text overlay/Show Check any of these options to include the corresponding
tripod/Show scale bar information in the images.
options
TABLE 5-67: CONTROLS IN THE CUSTOM RENDER SETTINGS SECTION
 Focused image section

OBJECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Zoom factor spin box Sets the zoom level for the focused images you specified in
the respective tables.
Grouping option For the Objects properties dialog only: When the option is set to
On, all instruments with an image of the same view (e.g., Top)
and in the same slice are displayed together in one screen-
shot.
TABLE 5-68: CONTROLS IN THE FOCUSED IMAGE SECTION
 Cells section
Allows to define the title block which will be printed on each report page. Click on a cell
and select an attribute from the drop-down menu to the right. Either assign the attribute to
the cell title or the cell content by clicking the corresponding assign (<) button. It is
possible to assign more than one attribute to a cell.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cell title field Allows to enter a text or select a variable from the drop-down
list to the right and accept it by clicking the assign (<) button.
Cell content field Allows to enter a text or select a variable from the drop-down
Preview field Displays a preview of the content of the selected cell.
Logo field Allows to specify an image file to be utilized for the logo vari-
able by clicking the File open button to the right.
Clear cells button Deletes the content of all cells.
TABLE 5-69: CONTROLS IN THE CELLS SECTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel

OBJECT MENU
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.
 Set as default button

Stores the current settings of the Report tab as default settings for the current dialog.
 Reset to default button
Sets the contents of the Report tab to the default settings for the current dialog.

6 SELECT MENU
INTRODUCTION
The Select menu of VGSTUDIO MAX allows you to create and manipulate 3-dimensional region
masks from an object.
A region is a mask covering part(s) of an object which is of special interest, hence the term
region of interest (ROI). A region mask simply marks an area of interest and as such does not
contain any actual volume data. Besides the possibility of specifying separate rendering
settings (see chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384), an ROI can be used for calculating an
analysis only on the volume covered by the ROI.
VGSTUDIO MAX supports ROI mask precisions of 1 bit, 2 bit, 4 bit, and 8 bit. For some of the
selection functions, the ROI bit depth can be specified in the corresponding dialog while creating
the ROI. If the corresponding dialog does not offer this option, the ROI bit depth specified in the
preferences is taken (Edit > Preferences > General > General > Region of interest > Precision). After an ROI
has been created, the ROI bit depth can be changed using the Change ROI bit depth function.
OVERVIEW OF THE SELECT MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the Select menu items described in the following sections. Menu entries
currently not available are disabled and displayed in gray.
Selection modes > Opens a submenu with various modes for creating a
new selection. Includes simple drawing tools as well as
advanced modes with automatic adaptation. See
section Selection modes Menu Item on page 191.
> Draw Creates a selection mask using a cylindrical or spher-

ical brush. See section Selection modes > Draw on
page 192.
> Rectangle Creates a rectangular selection in the chosen 2D view.

See section Selection modes > Rectangle on page 193.
> Round rectangle Creates a rectangular selection with rounded corners in

the chosen 2D view. See section Selection modes > Round
rectangle on page 194.
> Ellipse Creates an elliptical selection in the chosen 2D view.

See section Selection modes > Ellipse on page 196.
> Polyline Creates a polygonal selection in the chosen 2D view

(discrete control points). See section Selection modes >
Polyline on page 197.
> Polygon lasso Creates a polygonal selection in the chosen 2D view

(continuous control points). See section Selection modes
> Polygon lasso on page 199.

SELECT MENU
6 OVERVIEW OF THE SELECT MENU ITEMS
> Region growing Creates a selection using a region growing (flooding)

algorithm. See section Selection modes > Region growing
on page 200.
> Material region growing Creates a selection using a region growing (flooding)
algorithm. See section Selection modes > Material region
growing on page 202.
> Gray value range Creates a selection of voxels with gray values within the
selected gray value interval. See section Selection modes
> Gray value range on page 203.
> Adaptive rectangle Finds the edges of an object inside a rectangular

search region using the edges of the rectangular region
as initial estimate. See section Selection modes > Adaptive
rectangle on page 204.
> Adaptive polygon Fits an arbitrarily shaped polygon to the edges of/within
an object. See section Selection modes > Adaptive polygon
on page 205.
> Adaptive line Fits a line of a given width to the edges of/within an
object. See section Selection modes > Adaptive line on
page 206.
> Polyline 3D Creates a polygonal selection in the 3D view. See

section Selection modes > Polyline 3D on page 207.
> Crack segmentation Grows inside dark crack structures based on an

existing ROI. See section Selection modes > Crack
segmentation on page 208.
> Erode/dilate Performs a morphological operation on the ROI:

Expands or contracts it. See section Selection modes >
Erode/dilate on page 209.
> Refinement Adjusts the selected ROI according to the local gray
value gradients. See section Selection modes > Refinement
on page 210.
> Smoothing Creates a new selection from the selected ROI by

smoothing the ROI border. See section Selection modes
> Smoothing on page 211.
ROI from surface Creates an ROI from the surface determination. See
section ROI from surface Menu Item on page 211.
ROI from clipping object Creates an ROI from a clipping object. See section ROI
from clipping object Menu Item on page 212.
ROI from defect mask Creates an ROI based on the defect mask. See section
ROI from defect mask Menu Item on page 212.
ROI from wall thickness Creates an ROI based on the wall thickness mask. See
mask section ROI from wall thickness mask Menu Item on
page 212.

SELECT MENU
6 SELECTION MODES MENU ITEM
ROI from CAD/mesh Creates an ROI from a CAD, mesh, or point cloud
model. See section ROI from CAD/mesh Menu Item on
page 212.
ROI from CAD selection Creates one or more ROIs from one or more faces,
wires, edges, or vertices selected on a CAD object. See
section ROI from CAD selection... Menu Item on page 214.
ROI from geometry Creates one or more ROIs from the selected geometry
element element(s). See section ROI from geometry element(s)...
/ Toggle/Enable/Disable ROI Adds/removes render settings to/from the current ROI.

render settings See section Enable ROI render settings Menu Item on
page 216.
Add ROI(s) to ROI Adds one or more ROIs to another ROI. See section Add
ROI(s) to ROI Menu Item on page 216.
Subtract ROI(s) from ROI Subtracts one or more ROIs from another ROI. See
section Subtract ROI(s) from ROI Menu Item on page 216.
Intersect ROI(s) with ROI Performs a logical AND between the selected ROIs.
See section Intersect ROI(s) with ROI Menu Item on
page 216.
Split ROI Splits the selected ROI. See section Split ROI Menu Item
on page 216.
Merge ROIs Combines ROIs to one ROI. See section Merge ROIs
Invert ROI Inverts the selected ROI. See section Invert ROI Menu
Item on page 217.
Change ROI bit depth Changes the bit depth of the selected ROI. See section
Change ROI bit depth Menu Item on page 217.
Extract ROI Extracts the selected ROI as a new object. See section
Extract ROI Menu Item on page 218.
Import ROI template(s) Imports ROIs. See section Import ROI template(s) Menu
Item on page 218.
Export ROI template(s) Exports ROIs. See section Export ROI template(s) Menu
Item on page 218.
TABLE 6-1: SELECT MENU ITEMS
SELECTION MODES MENU ITEM
The selection modes of VGSTUDIO MAX are used for creating and modifying region of interest
(ROI) masks. Except for the Draw tool, which directly creates or modifies an ROI, using one of
the other selection modes creates a temporary selection. From this temporary selection, a new

SELECT MENU
ROI can then be directly created or it can be added to, subtracted from, or replace the currently
selected ROI.
Except for the Polyline 3D mode, the contour of the selection can be created in any of the
available 2D views. The selection can then be extended into the third dimension by dragging the
contour across the data set in any of the other 2D views.
The keyboard shortcuts supported by the respective tool are displayed in the status bar at the
bottom of the application window.
Selection modes > Draw
Depending on the object highlighted in the Scene Tree, either creates a new ROI on the selected
object or directly paints into the selected ROI using a spherical or cylindrical brush.
Make sure to highlight the object or the ROI to be modified in the Scene Tree.
The Selection mode: Draw dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Radius spin box Allows to change the radius of the brush. To change the
radius, you can also scroll the mouse wheel in one of
the 2D windows while holding down the Shift key.
Smoothing spin box Only available for ROIs with a bit depth of 2, 4, or 8 bit.
Allows to adjust the smoothness of the drawing tool. To
change the value, you can also scroll the mouse wheel
in one of the 2D windows while holding down the Alt
key.
2D disc mode checkbox Checking this option uses the cylindrical brush,
unchecking this option uses the spherical brush.
Thickness spin box Allows to specify the height of the cylinder. This option
becomes enabled when the 2D disc mode option is
checked.
Gray value interval spin boxes Specify a gray value interval. Voxels having gray values
within this interval will be included in the ROI when
painting on them with the brush.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Draw dialog.
2D window: hold LMB and drag Adds the painted area to the ROI.
2D window: hold Shift key + LMB Subtracts the painted area from the ROI.
and drag
2D window: hold Shift key + scroll Changes the radius of the brush.
MW
2D window: hold Alt key + scroll MW Changes the value for smoothing.
TABLE 6-2: CONTROLS FOR THE DRAW SELECTION MODE

SELECT MENU
Selection modes > Rectangle
Creates a rectangular selection in a 2D window. Depending on the object highlighted in the

Scene Tree, a new ROI can be created on the selected object or an existing ROI can be
modified.
The Selection mode: Rectangle dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Pivot point section Clicking a radio button specifies the location of the
pivot point, i.e., the point on the bounding box of the
ROI that serves as reference when changing the posi-
tion and/or dimensions.
Position section The X, Y, and Z spin boxes specify the position of the
pivot point.
Dimensions section The Width, Height, and Depth spin boxes specify the
dimensions of the bounding box of the ROI relative to
the pivot point position.
Holding the Ctrl key when modifying the values in the
Width or Height spin boxes maintains the ratio between
width and height.
Holding the Ctrl+Alt keys when modifying the values in
the Width, Height, or Depth spin boxes maintains the ratio
between width, height, and depth.
Make slice views follow pivot point This option controls the behavior of the 2D windows
option when changing the selection by using the controls in
the dialog.
When this option is checked, the 2D windows are
updated to follow the position of the pivot point.
Note that changing the selection by clicking and drag-
ging it directly in a 2D window will always update the
other 2D windows, independently of this option.
Create new region of interest button Creates a new ROI from the current selection.
or Alt+Shift+N keys
Replace button or Alt+Shift+R keys Replaces the ROI currently selected in the Scene Tree
with the selection.
Add button or Alt+Shift+A keys Adds the selection to the ROI currently selected in the
Scene Tree.
Subtract button or Alt+Shift+S keys Subtracts the selection from the ROI currently selected
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Rectangle dialog and discards
the selection.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
2D window: hold LMB and draw Click to define the first corner of the rectangle, drag
rectangle across the 2D window and release the mouse button to
set the opposite corner.
To create a square, additionally hold the Alt key.
2D window: use LMB to click and Resizes the rectangular selection.

drag red cross in corner To obtain a square, additionally hold the Alt key.
2D window: use LMB to click and Repositions the selection.

drag yellow selection
any of the other 2D windows: use Extends the selection into the third dimension.
LMB to click and drag red marker
lines
any of the other 2D windows: hold Extends the selection equidistantly in both directions
Shift key + scroll MW into the third dimension.
2D window: Esc key Discards the selection without closing the dialog.
Pressing the Esc key again closes the dialog.
TABLE 6-3: CONTROLS FOR THE RECTANGLE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Round rectangle
Creates a rectangular selection with rounded corners in a 2D window. Depending on the object
highlighted in the Scene Tree, a new ROI can be created on the selected object or an existing
ROI can be modified.
The Selection mode: Round rectangle dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
pivot point.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
width and height.
the dialog.
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Round rectangle dialog and
discards the selection.
2D window: hold LMB and draw Click to define the first corner of the rectangle, drag
rectangle across the 2D window and release the mouse button to
set the opposite corner.
To create a square, additionally hold the Alt key.
2D window: use LMB to click and Resizes the rectangle.

drag red cross in corner To obtain a square, additionally hold the Alt key.
2D window: use LMB to click and Changes the radius of the rounded corners.
drag red cross at the end of an arc

lines

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
TABLE 6-4: CONTROLS FOR THE ROUND RECTANGLE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Ellipse
Creates an elliptical selection defined by the corners of an inscribed rectangle in a 2D window.

Depending on the object highlighted in the Scene Tree, a new ROI can be created on the
selected object or an existing ROI can be modified.
The Selection mode: Ellipse dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
pivot point.
width and height.
the dialog.
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Ellipse dialog and discards the
selection.
2D window: hold LMB and draw Click to define the first corner of the inscribed rect-
rectangle angle, drag across the 2D window and release the
mouse button to set the opposite corner.
To create a circle, additionally hold the Alt key.
2D window: use LMB to click and Resizes the ellipse.

drag red cross in corner To obtain a circle, additionally hold the Alt key.

lines
TABLE 6-5: CONTROLS FOR THE ELLIPSE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Polyline
Creates a polygonal selection in a 2D window by connecting multiple control points with line
segments. Depending on the object highlighted in the Scene Tree, a new ROI can be created on
the selected object or an existing ROI can be modified.
The Selection mode: Polyline dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
pivot point.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
width and height.
the dialog.
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Polyline dialog and discards
the selection.
2D window: click with LMB Sets the control points in the 2D window at the desired
positions, automatically connecting the new and
previous points by a line segment.
2D window: hold Alt key + click with Adds a control point.

LMB on line segment
2D window: hold Alt key + click with Removes the control point.
LMB on control point
2D window: use LMB to click and Moves the control point/line segment.
drag red control point or yellow line
segment
2D window: hold Alt key + use LMB Repositions the selection.

to click and drag yellow selection
lines

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
TABLE 6-6: CONTROLS FOR THE POLYLINE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Polygon lasso
Creates a polygonal selection in a 2D window by connecting multiple automatically created

control points with line segments. Depending on the object highlighted in the Scene Tree, a new
ROI can be created on the selected object or an existing ROI can be modified.
The Selection mode: Polygon lasso dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
pivot point.
width and height.
the dialog.
or Alt+Shift+N keys

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
with the selection.
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Polygon lasso dialog and
2D window: hold LMB and drag Sets the control points in the 2D window at the desired
positions as long as you hold the mouse button and
drag the mouse, automatically connecting the new and
previous points by a line segment. Finishes the polygon
when you release the mouse button.

LMB on line segment
segment
2D window: hold Alt key + use LMB Repositions the selection.

to click and drag yellow selection
lines
TABLE 6-7: CONTROLS FOR THE POLYGON LASSO SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Region growing
Creates a selection using a region growing (flooding) algorithm. After an initial seed point in any
of the 2D views has been selected, the algorithm will expand the selection. The expansion
continues as long as new voxels are found which are connected to the growing selection and
have gray values within the specified tolerance relative to the gray value of the initial seed point.

SELECT MENU
The Selection mode: Region growing dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Region growing dialog and
Tolerance spin box Specifies how much the gray value of a voxel to be
included in the selection may differ from the gray value
of the seed point. The default value is 25 % of the gray
value range of the currently selected data set. To
change this value, you can also hold the Shift key and
scroll the mouse wheel in a 2D window.
Mode drop-down list • Static: Adds voxels to the growing region if they are
connected to the region and their gray values do not
differ by more than the Tolerance value from the gray
value of the seed point.
• Dynamic: Adds voxels to the growing region if they
are connected to the region and their gray values do
not differ by more than the Tolerance value from the
average gray value of the voxels within the growing
region.
• Adaptive: Adds voxels to the growing region if they
are connected to the region and their gray values do
not differ by more than the Tolerance value from the
average gray value of the local voxels of the growing
region around the candidate voxel.
Max. radius spin box Changes the radius of the limiting sphere and restarts
region growing using the last seed point.
2D checkbox When this option is checked, region growing is limited

to within the slice of the selected 2D window.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
ROIs drop-down list • Ignore ROIs: Does not restrict region growing by any
present ROIs.
• Avoid other visible ROIs: Performs region growing in all
voxels except for those belonging to any visible ROI
which is not selected in the Scene Tree.
• Stay in ROI: Performs region growing in the currently
selected ROI.
• Stay in ROI and avoid other visible ROIs: Performs region
growing in the currently selected ROI, avoiding
voxels that belong to any other visible ROI.
2D window: click with LMB on Selects the seed point for region growing. Once you
desired location release the mouse button, region growing starts auto-
matically.
2D window: hold LMB on desired Defines the radius of a sphere for limiting region
location and drag growing. When you release the mouse button, region
growing starts automatically. Once in this mode,
pressing the Shift key and clicking at a different voxel
will apply a region growing sphere of the same radius
and with the selected voxel at the center.
2D window: hold Shift key and scroll Changes the Tolerance value (see above).
MW
Esc key Discards the selection and closes the dialog.
TABLE 6-8: CONTROLS FOR THE REGION GROWING SELECTION MODE
Changing any of the region growing parameters via the Selection mode: Region growing dialog will
restart the process using the new values/settings and the last seed point.
Selection modes > Material region growing
Creates a selection using a material region growing (flooding) algorithm. After an initial seed
point in any of the 2D views has been selected, the algorithm will expand the selection until it
reaches the outline of the surface. Depending on where the initial seed point has been selected,
the outline of the surface is reached from either side.
Material region growing is available only if an isosurface determination with volume data loaded
or an advanced surface determination has been calculated.
The Selection mode: Material region growing dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Material region growing dialog
and discards the selection.
Max. radius spin box Changes the radius of the limiting sphere and restarts
material region growing using the last seed point.
2D checkbox When this option is checked, material region growing is

limited to within the slice of the selected 2D window.
ROIs drop-down list • Ignore ROIs: Does not restrict material region growing
by any present ROIs.
• Avoid other visible ROIs: Performs region growing in all
voxels except for those belonging to any visible ROI
which is not selected in the Scene Tree.
• Stay in ROI: Performs material region growing in the
currently selected ROI.
• Stay in ROI and avoid other visible ROIs: Performs mate-
rial region growing in the currently selected ROI,
avoiding voxels that belong to any other visible ROI.
2D window: click with LMB on Selects the seed point for material region growing.
desired location Once you release the mouse button, material region
growing starts automatically.
2D window: hold LMB on desired Defines the radius of a sphere for limiting the material
location and drag region growing. Once you release the mouse button,
material region growing starts automatically.
TABLE 6-9: CONTROLS FOR THE MATERIAL REGION GROWING SELECTION MODE
Changing any of the material region growing parameters via the Selection mode: Material region
growing dialog will restart the process using the new values/settings and the last seed point.
Selection modes > Gray value range
Creates a selection of the voxels that have gray values within the specified gray value interval.
The Selection mode: Gray value range dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Upper/Lower spin boxes Specify the upper and lower boundaries of the gray
value interval to be used for creating the ROI. You can
also click and drag the vertical lines in the histogram to
specify the interval boundaries.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Histogram section Shows a gray value histogram of the current data set.
You can click and drag the vertical lines in the histo-
gram to specify the interval boundaries; this will auto-
matically update the values in the Upper/Lower spin
boxes.
or Alt+Shift+N keys
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Gray value range dialog and
TABLE 6-10: CONTROLS FOR THE GRAY VALUE RANGE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Adaptive rectangle
Creates a selection of voxels based on an iterative procedure to find the edges of an object
within a rectangular search region using the edges of the rectangular region as initial estimate.
Initially, the full rectangular volume is selected. After each iterative step, background material is
removed. The algorithm individually searches each of the selected 2D slices for the surface of
the object using the Iso, Depth, and Void settings (see table below).
This function can be used only when the selected coordinate system is parallel to the voxel grid.
The Selection mode: Adaptive rectangle dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Adaptive rectangle dialog and
Iso spin box Specifies a threshold to define the gray value for the
isosurface.
Depth spin box Specifies the number of iterations to be used in the

search.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Void spin box Specifies the maximum size of voids to be considered

for the edge search, i.e., voids that are smaller than the
specified size will not be penetrated.
2D window: hold LMB and draw Define the first corner of the rectangle, drag across the
rectangle 2D view and release the mouse button to set the oppo-
site corner.
2D window: use LMB to click and Resizes the rectangle.

drag red cross in corner
lines
TABLE 6-11: CONTROLS FOR THE ADAPTIVE RECTANGLE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Adaptive polygon
Fits an arbitrarily shaped polygon to the edges of/within an object.

The Selection mode: Adaptive polygon dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Adaptive polygon dialog and
Search distance spin box Searches and snaps to edges within the given distance
from the current mouse pointer position.
Edge threshold spin box Specifies the measure for the gray value gradient
defining an edge. With high threshold values, only
steep gradients are selected.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Smoothing spin box Specifies the measure for the stiffness of the individual
line segments. With low values, each line segment will
try to follow the local gradients. With higher values, the
line segments become straight lines connecting the
control points.
2D window: hold LMB and drag Set the first point of the polygonal area and drag the
pointer along the edge that you want to trace to create
further points.
2D window: Backspace key Deletes points in the reverse order of definition.
2D window: press LMB Adds individual points.
2D window: press MMB Connects the first and last points, thus closing the
polygonal shape.
2D window: use LMB to click and Moves the control point.

drag red control point
lines
TABLE 6-12: CONTROLS FOR THE ADAPTIVE POLYGON SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Adaptive line
Fits a line of a given width to the edges of/within an object.

The Selection mode: Adaptive line dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
button Closes the Selection mode: Adaptive line dialog and


SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Search distance spin box Searches and snaps to edges within the given distance
from the current mouse pointer position.
Edge threshold spin box Specifies the measure for the gray value gradient
defining an edge. With high threshold values, only
steep gradients are selected.
Smoothing spin box Specifies the measure for the stiffness of the individual
line segments. With low values, each line segment will
try to follow the local gradients. With higher values, the
line segments become straight lines connecting the
control points.
Radius spin box Specifies the width of the fitted line.
2D window: hold LMB and drag Set the first point of the line and drag the pointer along
the edge that you want to trace to create further points.
2D window: Backspace key Deletes points in the reverse order of definition.
2D window: press LMB Adds individual points.
2D window: use LMB to click and Moves the control point.

drag red control point
lines
TABLE 6-13: CONTROLS FOR THE ADAPTIVE LINE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Polyline 3D
Creates a polygonal selection in the 3D view by connecting multiple control points with line
segments. Depending on the object highlighted in the Scene Tree, a new ROI can be created on
the selected object or an existing ROI can be modified.
The Selection mode: Polyline 3D dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scene Tree.
in the Scene Tree.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Polyline 3D dialog and discards
the selection.
3D window: hold Ctrl key + click with Sets the control points in the 3D view at the desired
LMB positions, automatically connecting the new and
previous points by a line segment.

LMB on line segment
segment

TABLE 6-14: CONTROLS FOR THE POLYLINE 3D SELECTION MODE
The polygon will automatically be extended into the third dimension along the view direction in
the 3D window when creating the ROI.
The shape of the 3D window polygon along the view direction depends on the Projection mode
selected in the Camera tool.
Selection modes > Crack segmentation
Grows inside dark crack structures based on an existing region of interest.

This selection mode requires an existing region of interest describing one or more (small) “seed
areas” inside the crack to be segmented. Based on this region, the crack segmentation uses a
specialized region growing method to fill the crack. Region growing is always three-dimen-
sional.
When crack segmentation is active, you can see the current segmentation result as a yellow
preview in the 2D views. The red rectangles indicate a limiting box for the growing process. The
initial box is determined by the extent of the seed areas.

SELECT MENU
The Selection mode: Crack segmentation dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
with the selection.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Crack segmentation dialog and
Threshold spin box Controls the sensitivity of the growing process. A lower
threshold prevents the segmentation process from
growing into regions of low probability. This threshold
does not denote gray values, but an abstract “quality
number”.
Type drop-down list Controls the gradient criterion to be checked during the
growing process.
• Free: No gradient check is performed.
• Planar: Suitable for cracks that have a two-dimen-
sional structure with neighboring local gradients
pointing roughly in the same direction.
• Linear: Suitable for cracks that have a one-dimen-
sional structure, thus neighboring local gradients
have a rotational degree of freedom along the crack
axis.
Region of interest X/Y/Z spin boxes Resize the limiting box by specifying the start and end
voxels in the corresponding direction.
Set as default checkbox When this option is checked, the default size of the
limiting box is set to the values specified by the Region
of interest spin boxes.
2D window: use LMB to click and Resizes the limiting box. This is possible only in the
drag red rectangle borders volume coordinate system or the volume grid coordi-
nate system. For resizing the limiting box in the scene
coordinate system, use the Region of interest spin boxes.
Esc key Closes the dialog.
TABLE 6-15: CONTROLS FOR THE CRACK SEGMENTATION SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Erode/dilate
Expands or contracts the current ROI by the specified number of voxels.

The Selection mode: Erode/dilate dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys

SELECT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
with the selection.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Erode/dilate dialog and

Radius spin box Specifies the number of voxels by which the ROI is to
be expanded (positive number) or contracted (negative
number). You can also hold the Shift key and scroll the
mouse wheel up/down to increase/decrease this value.
Mode drop-down list • ErodeDilate:

– Positive number of voxels: Expands the ROI.
– Negative number of voxels: Contracts the ROI.
• OpeningClosing:
– Positive number of voxels: First expands the ROI
(“Opening”) and then immediately contracts it
(“Closing”). This is useful for closing small voids
in an ROI.
– Negative number of voxels: First contracts the
ROI (“Closing”) and then immediately expands it
(“Opening”). This is useful for eliminating small
particles outside an ROI.
Geometry drop-down list Specifies the shape for the erode/dilate command: Box
or Sphere.
Depth drop-down list Specifies the bit depth of the resulting ROI.
2D window: hold Shift key and scroll Changes the Radius value (see above).
MW
TABLE 6-16: CONTROLS FOR THE ERODE/DILATE SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Refinement
Adjusts the borders of the selected ROI using the local gray value gradients within the search
distance if the gradient is higher than the threshold.
The Selection mode: Refinement dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Refinement dialog and


SELECT MENU
6 ROI FROM SURFACE MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Search distance spin box Specifies the area around the ROI border to be consid-
ered for refinement.
Threshold spin box Specifies the threshold for the gray value gradient. If
the gray value gradient is above this threshold, the ROI
border is adjusted.
Depth drop-down list Specifies the bit depth and thus the precision of the
resulting ROI: 1 bit, 2 bit, 4 bit, or 8 bit.
TABLE 6-17: CONTROLS FOR THE REFINEMENT SELECTION MODE
Selection modes > Smoothing
Smooths the border of the selected ROI.

The Selection mode: Smoothing dialog opens, offering the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or Alt+Shift+N keys
with the selection.
Cancel button Closes the Selection mode: Smoothing dialog and discards
the selection.
Smoothing strength spin box Specifies the smoothing level: the larger this value, the
smoother the ROI border. You can also hold the Shift
key and scroll the mouse wheel up/down to
increase/decrease this value.
Depth drop-down list Specifies the bit depth and thus the precision of the
resulting ROI: 1 bit, 2 bit, 4 bit, or 8 bit.
2D window: hold Shift key and scroll Changes the Smoothing strength value (see above).
MW
TABLE 6-18: CONTROLS FOR THE SMOOTHING SELECTION MODE
ROI FROM SURFACE MENU ITEM
Creates a new ROI without render settings based on the surface determined for the selected
object (for details on surface determination, see section Surface determination... Menu Item on
page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu). The ROI will include all voxels with at least 50 % coverage
of material.

SELECT MENU
6 ROI FROM CLIPPING OBJECT MENU ITEM
The bit depth and thus the precision of the newly created ROI depends on the settings in the
Preferences > General > General dialog (see section General Preferences on page 90 in chapter 4
Edit Menu).
If a bit depth of 1 bit is selected, the region follows the contours of the current surface to within
the accuracy of one voxel, i.e., any voxel which is more than 50 % covered by the surface is
included in the region, otherwise it is excluded from the mask.
If a higher bit depth is selected (2 bit, 4 bit, 8 bit), the new ROI follows the contour with this
higher precision.
ROI FROM CLIPPING OBJECT MENU ITEM
Creates a new region of interest without rendering settings based on the selected clipping
object (except for clipping planes). The new ROI will include all voxels visible in the 3D window
after the clipping object has been created and/or modified.
Preferences > General > General dialog (see section General Preferences on page 90).
ROI FROM DEFECT MASK MENU ITEM
Creates a new region of interest without rendering settings based on the defect mask supplied
by the selected defect analysis. The new ROI will include all defect areas, i.e., all voxels which
are part of a defect.
ROI FROM WALL THICKNESS MASK MENU ITEM
Creates a new ROI without rendering settings based on the mask supplied by the selected wall
thickness analysis. The new ROI will include all regions where the wall thickness could be
measured.
ROI FROM CAD/MESH MENU ITEM
Creates a new ROI without render settings from the specified CAD or mesh object on the
volume, CAD, or mesh object currently selected in the Scene Tree.

SELECT MENU
6 ROI FROM CAD/MESH MENU ITEM
On choosing the Select > ROI from CAD/mesh menu item, the Create ROI from CAD/mesh dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create ROI(s) option • from solid:

When this option is checked, the new ROI(s)
represent the volume of the CAD model, CAD
component(s), or mesh selected from the drop-
down list.
• from surface:
When this option is checked, the ROI thickness spin
box becomes enabled where you can specify the
thickness of the newly created ROI(s). The new
ROI(s) represent(s) the outline of the CAD model,
CAD component(s), or mesh with the specified
thickness.
ROI thickness [<length unit>] spin box Specifies the thickness of the newly created ROI(s).
ROI precision drop-down list Specifies the bit depth and thus the precision of the
newly created ROI(s): 1 bit, 2 bit, 4 bit, or 8 bit.
drop-down list Lists all CAD and mesh objects loaded in the scene.
Select the desired CAD or mesh object. The part of the
volume object which is defined by the selected CAD or
mesh object is segmented as an ROI.
CAD component tree When creating an ROI from a CAD model, its compo-
nents are listed as well.
nents.
model.
CAD model.
Process each component individually By default, a single ROI is created from all components.
option Check this option to create an ROI for each compo-
nent.
Parent component names will be used for Specifies the number of parent components that will be
ROI naming spin box used for creating the names of the individual ROIs
when the Process each component individually option is
checked.
TABLE 6-19: CONTROLS IN THE CREATE ROI FROM CAD/MESH DIALOG
If the CAD or mesh object has no closed surface, the shape of the created ROI might slightly
differ from the CAD or mesh object.

SELECT MENU
6 ROI FROM CAD SELECTION... MENU ITEM
ROI FROM CAD SELECTION... MENU ITEM
Creates one or more new ROIs without render settings from one or more faces, wires, edges, or
vertices selected on the CAD object highlighted in the Scene Tree. The new ROI(s) represent the
outline of the topological entities with the specified thickness.
On choosing the Select > ROI from CAD selection... menu item, the Create ROI from CAD selection dialog
opens.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Process each element individually By default, a single ROI is created from all topological
option entities selected on the CAD model. If the ROIs of the
individual topological entities would intersect each
other, the new single ROI is the union of the individual
ROIs.
When this option is checked, an individual ROI is
created for each selected topological entity.
Clear button Resets any selection made on the CAD model.
TABLE 6-20: CONTROLS IN THE CREATE ROI FROM CAD SELECTION DIALOG
Depending on the selected options, a preview of the new ROI(s) is shown in the 2D windows.
ROI FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT(S)... MENU ITEM
Creates one or more new ROIs without render settings from the geometry element(s) selected in
the Scene Tree.

SELECT MENU
6 ROI FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT(S)... MENU ITEM
On choosing the Select > ROI from geometry element(s)... menu item, the Create ROI from geometry
element(s) dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Only available for sphere, cylinder, cone, and torus
geometry elements.
represent the volume of the selected geometry
element(s).
• from surface:
ROI(s) represent the outline of the geometry
element(s) with the specified thickness.
Extend option Only available for plane, freeform surface, cylinder,

cone, and line geometry elements and if the Create ROI(s)
from surface option is checked.
• in all directions: The ROI extends in all directions.
• perpendicularly only: The ROI only extends perpendic-
ularly to the geometry element.
Close holes option Only available for freeform surface, cylinder, and cone
and if the ROI(s) from surface option is checked.
When this option is checked for creating an ROI from a
freeform surface, the ROI is created according to the
representation of the freeform surface in the 3D view.
When this option is not checked, the ROI created will
not include areas within the freeform surface where no
fit points have been set.
cylinder or cone, the ROI also includes the circular
faces at the top and bottom.
Process each element individually By default, a single ROI is created from all geometry
option elements selected in the Scene Tree. If the ROIs of the
individual geometry elements would intersect each
ROIs.
created for each selected geometry element.
TABLE 6-21: CONTROLS IN THE CREATE ROI FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT(S) DIALOG

SELECT MENU
6 ENABLE ROI RENDER SETTINGS MENU ITEM
ENABLE ROI RENDER SETTINGS MENU ITEM
Adds render settings to the selected ROI. Properties like color or transparency can be modified
via the Rendering tool (see chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384).
The render settings of an ROI have higher priority than the settings of the parent object, i.e., the
render settings of the object to which the ROI is attached. Thus it is possible to render an ROI
differently than the parent object without having to extract the ROI first.
DISABLE ROI RENDER SETTINGS MENU ITEM
Removes applied render settings from the selected ROI.
ADD ROI(S) TO ROI MENU ITEM
Adds the selected ROIs (except for the ROI that was selected last) to the ROI that was selected
last. The selected ROIs (except for the ROI that was selected last) remain in the Scene Tree.
SUBTRACT ROI(S) FROM ROI MENU ITEM
Subtracts the selected ROIs (except for the ROI that was selected last) from the ROI that was
selected last. The selected ROIs (except for the ROI that was selected last) remain in the Scene
Tree.
INTERSECT ROI(S) WITH ROI MENU ITEM
Replaces the ROI that was selected last with the intersection of all selected ROIs.
SPLIT ROI MENU ITEM
Splits the selected ROI into its disjoint components creating a new ROI for each of the compo-
nents. Each new ROI is created with an individual copy of the render settings (if present) of the
original ROI. If the selected ROI consists of more than one component, selecting this menu item
opens a dialog with the following controls:

SELECT MENU
6 MERGE ROIS MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Minimum volume [voxel] spin box Specifies the minimum size of an ROI component in
order to be created as an individual ROI. ROI compo-
nents smaller than this value will be ignored.
OK button Creates the indicated number of ROIs in the Scene

Tree.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without creating any ROIs.
TABLE 6-22: CONTROLS IN THE SPLIT ROI DIALOG
MERGE ROIS MENU ITEM
Merges the selected ROIs to a new ROI. If one or more of the ROIs have render settings
attached, then the merged ROI will be created with a copy of the render settings of the parent
volume object.
INVERT ROI MENU ITEM
Creates a new ROI containing the inverse mask of the original ROI. If the original ROI has render
settings attached, then the new ROI is created with a copy of the render settings of the parent
volume object.
CHANGE ROI BIT DEPTH MENU ITEM
Changes the bit depth of the selected ROI(s). Available bit depths are 1, 2, 4, and 8 bit.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Select new bit depth for region of Allows to select the new bit depth: 1, 2, 4, or 8 bit.
interest: <name of ROI> drop-down
field
Apply to all x remaining ROIs button If you have selected more than one ROI, clicking this
button applies the selected bit depth to all selected
ROIs at a time.
Apply button Applies the selected bit depth to the selected ROI. If
you have selected more than one ROI, you can subse-
quently select and assign a bit depth to each selected
ROI individually.

SELECT MENU
6 EXTRACT ROI MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cancel button Closes the dialog without applying any changes.
TABLE 6-23: CONTROLS IN THE CHANGE BIT DEPTH DIALOG
If you reduce the bit depth of an ROI, the ROI will loose information and become less smooth.
EXTRACT ROI MENU ITEM
Creates a new volume object from the selected ROI.

If the original ROI has render settings, the new volume object is created with the render settings
of the original ROI. If the original ROI does not have render settings, the new volume object is
created with the render settings of the parent volume object of the original ROI.
The new volume object is created referencing the volume data of the original volume object.
Thus any changes to the underlying volume data (e.g., by fill or paint), regardless from where,
will affect all the volume objects referencing the data.
IMPORT ROI TEMPLATE(S) MENU ITEM
Imports an ROI template (.xvgr) to create new ROIs on a similar object.

If an ROI template file references only one ROI, it will be directly imported into VGSTUDIO MAX.
If the ROI template file references multiple ROIs, a list of all ROIs referenced by the ROI template
file will be displayed. From this list you can then choose the ROIs to be imported.
In order to import an ROI template, you can also right-click a volume, CAD, or mesh object in the
Scene Tree and select Import > ROI template(s)... from the context menu.
EXPORT ROI TEMPLATE(S) MENU ITEM
Exports a .xvgr file containing the selected ROI(s) including properties such as rendering
settings. This ROI template can be later imported to create ROIs on a similar object.
The Preview information dialog opens showing a preview of the 3D window as well as input fields
for serial number, lot number, and description. This information will be displayed when right-
clicking the file in the Windows Explorer and selecting the Preview menu item from the context
menu.
In order to export an ROI template, you can also right-click the ROI(s) in the Scene Tree and select
Export > ROI template(s)... from the context menu.

7 INSTRUMENTS MENU
INTRODUCTION
With the utilities available in the Instruments menu of VGSTUDIO MAX, you can perform various
measurements like distances, angles, and more on your data. Each new instrument will be
accompanied by a label containing the corresponding measured value(s) and represented by an
entry in the Scene Tree (see chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool on page 427).
For GD&T features, coordinate measurement, and coordinate system options, see chapter 10
Measurements Menu/CM Module on page 248.
OVERVIEW OF THE INSTRUMENTS MENU ITEMS
Measurement instruments are visible in the 2D views and—unless hidden by opaque material—
in the 3D view.
The table below lists the Instruments menu items described in the following paragraphs.
Indicator Measures gray value and position of a single voxel. See

section Indicator Instrument on page 222.
Distance Measures a distance between two points. See section

Distance Instrument on page 222.
Angle (4 points) Creates a new angle instrument defined by 4 points.

See section Angle (4 points) Instrument on page 223.
Angle (3 points) Creates a new angle instrument defined by 3 points.

See section Angle (3 points) Instrument on page 224.
Polyline length Creates a new polyline instrument. See section Polyline

length Instrument on page 225.
Min/max distance Detects a minimum or maximum distance within the

defined frame. See section Min/max distance Instrument
on page 227.
Caliper Measures a distance perpendicular to a surface. See

section Caliper Instrument on page 228.
Import instrument Imports a template (.xvgt) with instruments defined on

template... a similar object and applies the instruments to the
selected object. See section Import instrument template...
Export instrument Exports a template (.xvgt) with instruments which you

template... can later apply to a similar object. See section Export
instrument template... Menu Item on page 230.
Import indicator(s)... Imports a template of indicators (.xvgt) containing infor-

mation about their positions, names and group affilia-
tion.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 GENERAL INFORMATION
Export indicator(s)... Exports a template (.xvgt) of the selected indicators

containing information about their positions, names,
and group affiliation. You can use this template later on
similar objects.
Activate/Deactivate navi- Allows to easily navigate within the scene. See section
gation cursor Activate/Deactivate navigation cursor Instrument on
page 230.
Snap modes > Opens a submenu with options for determining the
snapping behavior when setting points or handles. See
section Snap modes Menu Item on page 231.
> Min Snaps to the lowest gray value in the snap frame.
> Max Snaps to the highest gray value in the snap frame.
> Gradient Snaps to the position with the largest difference in gray
value in the snap frame.
> Surface Snaps to the nearest surface created by the surface

determination in the snap frame. If there is no surface
determination present, this mode works like the Local
snap mode.
> Local Performs a temporary, local surface determination

within the snap frame and snaps the handles to the
resulting temporary surface.
> Off Switches the snap mode off.
Resnap instrument Opens a dialog to resnap the handles of an instrument

handles to the nearest surface within the specified snapping
distance. See section Resnap instrument handles Menu
Item on page 232.
TABLE 7-1: INSTRUMENTS MENU ITEMS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Handling Instruments
To create a new instrument, choose one of the options in the Instruments menu and click with
the mouse into a 2D window. The Polyline length instrument, the Indicator, and the Navigation Cursor
can also be positioned in the 3D window.
To modify an existing instrument, select it in a 2D window, in the 3D window (Polyline length
instrument, Indicator, and Navigation Cursor only) or in the Scene Tree. Use the left mouse button to
drag the handles for resizing the instrument or to drag the baseline for moving the whole
instrument.
Selecting an instrument will change the slice display such that each 2D window displays the
slice in which the instrument is located. To prevent the slice position of a 2D window from
changing, click the Lock slice position icon at the bottom of the corresponding 2D window.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 GENERAL INFORMATION
To create a dimensioning-style feature (see also section Dimensioning Menu Item on page 288 in
chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM Module) from an instrument, click and drag the green
measurement line in 2D while the Dimensioning dialog is open. This functionality is available for
the Distance, Angle (4 points), Angle (3 points), Min/max distance, and Caliper instruments.
Displaying Instruments
An instrument is always displayed in the 2D windows, whether the instrument is located in the
current slice or not. The way the instrument is displayed is subject to its position relative to the
current slice. You can modify the instrument properties in the various subsections of the Prefer-
ences > Color & Styles > Coordinate measurement > Instruments dialog (see section Colors & Styles
Preferences on page 102 in chapter 4 Edit Menu). The default settings are as follows:
 Display of punctiform measurement instruments (Indicator and Navigation Cursor):
– If located in the current slice (Basic style (in the slice plane)), the lines of the cross-hairs
are displayed as solid red lines.
– If located in a lower slice (Near style (in front of the slice plane)), the lines of the cross-
hairs are displayed as dotted red lines.
– If located in a higher slice (Far style (behind the slice plane)), the lines of the cross-hairs
are displayed as dashed red lines.
 Display of linear measurement instruments:
– If located in the current slice (Basic style (in the slice plane)), the measurement line is
displayed as a solid green line with red handles.
– If located in a lower slice (Near style (in front of the slice plane)), the measurement line
is displayed as a dotted green line with red handles.
– If located in a higher slice (Far style (behind the slice plane)), the measurement line is
displayed as a dashed green line with red handles.
This also applies to parts of the line. If a line runs diagonally through the object, the upper
part of it is displayed as dashed and the lower part as dotted line, while the part in the
current slice is shown as solid line.
For the linear instruments, you can view the gray value profile along the measurement line (see
chapter 14 Window Menu on page 376).
Instrument Labels
You can specify the positioning of the instrument labels within the view. Move the mouse over
the label and click the small button above the upper right corner of the label to switch between
the following modes:
 A (automatic positioning mode)
Places the label automatically, thereby avoiding intersections between the label line and
the instrument line. This option is only available for the Distance and Caliper instruments.
 F (fixed positioning mode)
Places the label at a fixed position in the respective 2D window.
 R (relative positioning mode)
Places the label at a position relative to the instrument.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 INDICATOR INSTRUMENT
INDICATOR INSTRUMENT
The Indicator instrument consists of 3D cross-hairs that point to a single voxel. Its label contains
the gray value of the voxel and its x/y/z coordinates in the units of the selected coordinate
system. If the coordinate system is the voxel grid of the object, the position will be given in
voxels. If the Indicator lies within an ROI, the name of this ROI is also displayed in the label. To
enter a customized text, double-click the label in a 2D or 3D window.
The Indicator instrument can be positioned and modified in both the 2D and the 3D windows.
In order to export an indicator template for using the indicators on similar objects, highlight one
or more indicators in the Scene Tree, right-click to open the context menu and select Export >
Indicator(s).
DISTANCE INSTRUMENT
Measures the distance between two points. Activating this instrument opens a floating toolbar
for specifying the parameters listed below.
The Distance instrument can be positioned and modified in the 2D windows only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB and draw Draws a line for measuring the distance between the
start and end points of the line.
To measure another distance with the same Distance
instrument, draw at a new position. To stop modifying
a Distance instrument, select a different object or dese-
lect the instrument in the Scene Tree.
To measure another distance with an additional Distance
instrument, select the Distance menu item again.
use LMB to click and drag handle Modifies the position of the start or end point.
hold Ctrl + Shift keys + use LMB to Modifies the position of the start or end point, allowing
click and drag handle the current direction of the Distance instrument to
change only in steps of 45°.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Modifies the position of the start or end point,
and drag handle restricting the measurement line to the horizontal or
vertical direction in the respective 2D window.
use LMB to click and drag baseline Moves the whole Distance instrument.
between handles
button Closes the floating toolbar.
Nom. checkbox On checking this option, the actual value of the current
measurement instrument is set as nominal value.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 ANGLE (4 POINTS) INSTRUMENT
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tol. (lo)/Tol. (hi) fields Specify the allowed tolerance of the actual value
towards the given nominal value of the feature. When
both values have not yet been set, you can create a
symmetric tolerance range by entering a Tol. (hi) value.
Tol. (lo) will automatically be set to the same value, but
with a negative sign. Similarly, you can enter a negative
Tolerance (lo) value; Tolerance (hi) is then automatically set
to the same value, but with a positive sign. You can also
change both tolerances independently, e.g., to enter
two negative or two positive tolerances, respectively.
status field Provides status information about the instrument. For a

list of possible status messages, see section Status
Messages on page 233.
TABLE 7-2: CONTROLS FOR THE DISTANCE INSTRUMENT
If you want to measure, e.g., the material thickness, activate a snap mode (see section Snap
modes Menu Item on page 231) so that the handles of the Distance instrument are automatically
positioned on the material boundary.
In order to resnap the instrument handles to the surface, select the Resnap instrument handles item
from the Instruments menu (see section Resnap instrument handles Menu Item on page 232).
In order to export an instrument template for using the measurement instruments on similar
objects, highlight the parent object or one or more individual measurement objects in the Scene
Tree, right-click to open the context menu and select Export > Instrument template.
Apart from the Distance instrument, the Caliper instrument (see section Caliper Instrument on
page 228) can also be used for measuring distances.
ANGLE (4 POINTS) INSTRUMENT
Measures the angle between two edges. The Angle (4 points) instrument consists of two lines,
each with two handles. Activating this instrument opens a floating toolbar for specifying the
parameters listed below.
The Angle instrument can be positioned and modified in the 2D windows only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag handle Defines the angle between the two lines which is
displayed in the label of the Angle instrument.
hold Ctrl + Shift keys + use LMB to Changes the current direction of the corresponding line
click and drag handle only in steps of 45°.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Modifies the position of the handle, restricting the
and drag handle movement to the horizontal or vertical direction in the
respective 2D window.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 ANGLE (3 POINTS) INSTRUMENT
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag baseline Moves the whole Angle instrument.
between handles

TABLE 7-3: CONTROLS FOR THE ANGLE (4 POINTS) INSTRUMENT
You can activate a snap mode (see section Snap modes Menu Item on page 231) so that the
handles of the Angle instrument are automatically positioned on the material boundary.
ANGLE (3 POINTS) INSTRUMENT
Measures the angle between two edges. The Angle (3 points) instrument consists of two lines,
each with one handle, and a third handle at the intersection of the two lines. Activating this
instrument opens a floating toolbar for specifying the parameters listed below.
The Angle instrument can be positioned and modified in the 2D windows only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag handle Defines the angle between the two lines which is
displayed in the label of the Angle instrument.
hold Ctrl + Shift keys + use LMB to Changes the current direction of the corresponding line

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 POLYLINE LENGTH INSTRUMENT
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
and drag handle movement to the horizontal or vertical direction in the
respective 2D window.
use LMB to click and drag baseline Moves the whole Angle instrument.
between handles

TABLE 7-4: CONTROLS FOR THE ANGLE (3 POINTS) INSTRUMENT
handles of the Angle instrument are automatically positioned on the material boundary.
POLYLINE LENGTH INSTRUMENT
Measures the outline of an arbitrary shape by fitting a polyline to that shape. The label shows
the distance measured along the polyline. Activating this instrument opens a floating toolbar for
specifying the parameters listed below.
The Polyline length instrument can be positioned and modified in both the 2D and the 3D
windows.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 POLYLINE LENGTH INSTRUMENT
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
2D window: click with LMB Creates control points for the Polyline length instrument.
3D window: hold Ctrl key + click with The new points are added to the start or end of the
LMB polyline, depending on whether the cursor is nearer to
the current start or end point, respectively. The start
and end points are distinguished from the other points
by their different display. Each successive line segment
adds to the total length.
2D window: click with MMB Adds a new point.

between existing points
3D window: hold Ctrl key + click with
MMB between existing points
2D window: click with MMB on Removes the point.

point
3D window: hold Ctrl key + click with
MMB on point
use LMB to click and drag point Moves the point to a new position.
2D window: use LMB to click and Moves the whole Polyline length instrument.
drag baseline between handles
Linear – Bent slider Adjusts the curvature of the polyline:

• Linear: Connects the points with straight lines.
• Bent: Connects the points with a spline.

TABLE 7-5: CONTROLS FOR THE POLYLINE LENGTH INSTRUMENT
handles of the Polyline length instrument are automatically positioned on the material boundary.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 MIN/MAX DISTANCE INSTRUMENT
MIN/MAX DISTANCE INSTRUMENT
Measures the minimum or the maximum distance within a capture frame. Activating this
instrument opens a floating toolbar for specifying the parameters listed below.
The Min/max distance instrument can be positioned and modified in the 2D windows only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Draws a frame to define the capture area. If a
minimum/maximum distance according to the specifi-
cations is detected, a measurement line is displayed. If
no measurement line is displayed, modify the capture
frame or the aperture angle of the search cone.
use LMB to click and drag frame Moves the capture frame to a new position and
border updates the measurement line to show the
minimum/maximum distance within the frame.
use LMB to click and drag frame Resizes the capture frame and updates the measure-
corner ment line to show the minimum/maximum distance
within the new frame.
button Closes the Min/max distance floating toolbar.
Minimum/Maximum options Identifies either the minimum or the maximum distance

within the capture frame.
Material/Background/Both options • Material: Detects the minimum/maximum material

thickness.
• Background: Detects the minimum/maximum gap
between material.
• Both: Detects the minimum/maximum distance
between two material boundaries inside the capture
frame, be it thickness of material or gap between
material.
deg spin box Specifies the aperture angle of the search cone for the
measurement line.
To measure meaningful distances, VGSTUDIO MAX
searches for the opposite surface by sending a
measurement line perpendicular to the current surface.
The surface area of the opposite surface taken into
account for the end point of the measurement line is
defined by a search cone. By default, the search cone
has an aperture angle of 40°. A smaller angle will
measure only near parallel surfaces.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 CALIPER INSTRUMENT
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 7-6: CONTROLS IN THE MIN/MAX DISTANCE FLOATING TOOLBAR
CALIPER INSTRUMENT
Measures the distance between two points. Activating this instrument opens a floating toolbar
for specifying the parameters listed below.
The Caliper instrument can be regarded as a Distance instrument (see section Distance Instrument
on page 222) enhanced by an additional line at each end. The additional lines are at right angles
to the distance measurement line. Use the additional line to position one end of the distance
measurement line perpendicular to a surface. Then position the other end of the distance
measurement line, e.g., onto the opposite surface, to measure the distance.
The Caliper instrument can be positioned and modified in the 2D windows only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB and drag Draws a line for measuring the distance between the
start and end points of the line.
use LMB to click and drag middle Modifies the position of the start or end point.
handle
use LMB to click and drag handle of Resizes the additional line.
additional line
hold Ctrl + Shift keys + use LMB to Changes the current direction of the measurement line

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 IMPORT INSTRUMENT TEMPLATE... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
and drag handle measurement line to the horizontal or vertical direction
in the respective 2D window.
use LMB to click and drag baseline Moves the whole Caliper instrument.
between handles

TABLE 7-7: CONTROLS FOR THE CALIPER INSTRUMENT
handles of the Caliper instrument are automatically positioned on the material boundary. For this
purpose, first have the handles of the additional line of one side of the Caliper instrument snap to
the surface, then hold Ctrl + Shift and have the middle handle of the other side of the Caliper
instrument snap to the surface.
If you change the coordinate system, the additional lines of the Caliper instrument will not be
displayed. They become visible again when you return to the coordinate system in which they
have been created.
IMPORT INSTRUMENT TEMPLATE... MENU ITEM
Imports a template (.xvgt) with instruments defined on a similar object and applies the instru-
ments to the selected object. Measurements will be refitted so that they show the dimensions of
the current object. The Instrument handle adjustment dialog opens where you can specify the

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 EXPORT INSTRUMENT TEMPLATE... MENU ITEM
distance to be used for resnapping the instrument handles, see section Resnap instrument handles
In order to import an instrument template, you can also right-click a volume, CAD, or mesh object
in the Scene Tree and select Import > Instrument template... from the context menu.
EXPORT INSTRUMENT TEMPLATE... MENU ITEM
Exports a template (.xvgt) with instruments which you can later apply to a similar object. The
Instrument handle adjustment dialog opens where you can specify the distance to be used for
resnapping the instrument handles during import, see also section Resnap instrument handles
menu.
In order to export an instrument template, you can also right-click a volume object in the Scene
Tree and select Export > Instrument template... from the context menu.
IMPORT INDICATOR(S)... MENU ITEM
Imports a template of indicators (.xvgt) containing information about their positions, names and
group affiliation.
In order to import an indicator template, you can also right-click a volume, CAD, or mesh object
in the Scene Tree and select Import > Indicator(s)... from the context menu.
EXPORT INDICATOR(S)... MENU ITEM
Exports a template (.xvgt) of the selected indicators containing information about their
positions, names, and group affiliation. You can use this template later on similar objects.
In order to export an indicator template, you can also right-click one or more indicators in the
Scene Tree and select Export > Indicator(s)... from the context menu.
ACTIVATE/DEACTIVATE NAVIGATION CURSOR INSTRUMENT
Allows easy navigation in the scene.

The Navigation Cursor can be positioned and modified in both the 2D and the 3D windows.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 SNAP MODES MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click a Positions the Navigation Cursor at this point. The speci-
point in any (2D or 3D) window fied position is shown in the other three windows; 2D
windows will update their slice position to do so.
use LMB to click and drag Navigation Modifies the position of the Navigation Cursor.
Cursor
TABLE 7-8: CONTROLS FOR THE NAVIGATION CURSOR INSTRUMENT
If you are interested in a specific point located on the surface of the object, position the Navigation
Cursor on this point in 3D. Each 2D window will display the slice for this point so that you can
investigate it further.
SNAP MODES MENU ITEM
Displays a square snap frame to automatically snap the points/handles set for an instrument
within this frame. The snap works for both volume and CAD/mesh objects in the 2D views. If the
surface of a volume object has been determined, the surface can be used for snapping (for
details on surface determination see section Surface determination... Menu Item on page 119 in
chapter 5 Object Menu).
The default snap mode and the snap frame can be defined in the preferences (see section
General Preferences on page 90 in chapter 4 Edit Menu).
The color of an instrument handle that snapped to the surface changes to yellow and a small
line indicates the surface normal vector.
It is also possible to have the instrument handles resnap to the surface when, e.g., the object
has been transformed (see also section Resnap instrument handles Menu Item on page 232).
If you want to set the points/handles exactly where you click, disable the snap mode.
Use one of the following snap modes for the instruments in the 2D view:
Min Snaps to the lowest gray value in the snap frame.
Max Snaps to the highest gray value in the snap frame.
Gradient Snaps to the position with the largest difference in gray

value in the snap frame.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 RESNAP INSTRUMENT HANDLES MENU ITEM
Surface Snaps to the nearest surface created by the surface

determination in the snap frame. The color of an instru-
ment handle that snapped to the surface changes to
yellow and a small line indicates the surface normal
vector.
In this mode, it is also possible to have the instruments
handles resnap to the surface when, e.g., the surface
determination information has changed or the object
has been transformed. See also section Resnap instru-
ment handles Menu Item on page 232.
If there is no surface determination present, this mode
works like the Local snap mode.
Local Performs a temporary, local surface determination

within the snap frame and snaps to the resulting
temporary surface.
Off Switches the snap mode off.
TABLE 7-9: SNAP MODES MENU ITEMS
The different snap modes are relevant only for volume objects; for CAD/mesh objects, the
handles always snap to the surface, independently of the selected snap mode.
RESNAP INSTRUMENT HANDLES MENU ITEM
Opens the Instrument handle adjustment dialog for resnapping the handles of a Distance, Angle,
Polyline length or Caliper instrument to the nearest surface within the specified snapping distance,
either in the direction of the surface normal (for the Polyline length and Angle instruments) or in the
direction of the distance line (for the Distance and Caliper instruments). Resnapping is carried out
in the slice where the instrument is located, except for the Polyline length instrument, which works
also in the 3D window. The color of an instrument handle that snapped to the surface changes
to yellow and a small line indicates the surface normal vector.
Resnapping always works in Surface snap mode, independently of the currently active snap
mode.
The Instrument handle adjustment dialog opens automatically, when copying the selected instru-
ments to another object or when importing an instrument template.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use parameters from template Only when importing an instrument template: When
checkbox this option is checked, the Snapping distance specified in
the template is used. When this option is unchecked,
you can specify a different snapping distance.

INSTRUMENTS MENU
7 STATUS MESSAGES
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Resnap handles to surface checkbox When this option is checked, the handles will be
resnapped to the surface using the specified Snapping
distance. When this option is unchecked, no resnapping
will be performed.
Snapping distance spin box Specifies the distance from the position of the handle
either in the direction of the surface normal (for the
Polyline length and Angle instruments) or in the direction
of the distance line (for the Distance and Caliper instru-
ments) for searching for the surface.
TABLE 7-10: CONTROLS IN THE INSTRUMENT HANDLE ADJUSTMENT DIALOG
STATUS MESSAGES
The following table gives an overview of the possible status messages in the floating toolbar of
an instrument:
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Ok No errors or warnings. The instrument handles have

snapped to the surface. A tolerance range has been
defined and the measurement instrument meets the
tolerance. The background of the field and the evalua-
tion indicator in the Scene Tree are shown in green.
No tolerance No errors or warnings. The instrument handles have

snapped to the surface. No tolerance has been speci-
fied. The background of the field is shown in green and
the evaluation indicator in the Scene Tree is shown in
gray.
Out of tolerance The instrument handles have snapped to the surface,

but the actual value of the measurement instrument lies
outside the specified tolerance range. The background
of the field and the evaluation indicator in the Scene
Tree are shown in red.
Invalid definition The current definition of the instrument does not yield
any values. The background of the field is shown in red.
Handles not snapped One or more instrument handles have not snapped to
the surface. No evaluation is possible. The background
of the field is shown in orange and the evaluation indi-
cator in the Scene Tree is shown in gray and has a
warning sign.
TABLE 7-11: STATUS MESSAGES FOR INSTRUMENTS

8 FILTER MENU
INTRODUCTION
A set of different 2D and 3D filter algorithms is included within VGSTUDIO MAX in order to
reduce noise or accentuate specific areas within a voxel data set. Filters can be applied only to
voxel data sets.
You will not be able to undo a filter operation. (Otherwise a copy of the whole initial data set would
have to be kept in the memory.)
OVERVIEW OF THE FILTER MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the Filter menu items described in the following paragraphs.
Adaptive gauss... Blurs the selected data set without destroying relevant
structures like edges. See section Adaptive gauss... Menu
Item on page 236.
Non-local means... Significantly reduces noise in the selected data set,

while the internal structures and edges are preserved.
See section Non-local means... Menu Item on page 237.
Convolution... Creates custom filters by specifying the filter mask. See

section Convolution... Menu Item on page 237.
Gauss... Blurs the selected data set. See section Gauss... Menu
Item on page 238.
Deviation... Accentuates the areas of contrast and edges in the

data. See section Deviation... Menu Item on page 239.
Median... Reduces noise in a voxel data set by blending the

brightness of voxels within the data set. See section
Deviation... Menu Item on page 239.
Erosion... Performs a morphological operation which contracts

the selected voxel data set. See section Erosion... Menu
Item on page 240.
Dilation... Performs a morphological operation which expands

the selected voxel data set. See section Dilation... Menu
Item on page 240.
Apply opacity mapping... Applies a user-defined opacity mapping to the selected

voxel data set. See section Apply opacity mapping... Menu
Item on page 241.
FIB-SEM correction... Performs a registration slice per slice with an optional

prefiltering to locally enhance contrast and edge defini-
tions. See section FIB-SEM correction... Menu Item on
page 241.

FILTER MENU
8 USER INTERFACE COMMON TO ALL FILTER DIALOGS
Merge volumes... Merges two volume objects to a new volume object.

See section Merge volumes... Menu Item on page 242.
TABLE 8-1: FILTER MENU ITEMS
The memory requirements of certain filter operations may become very large: In some cases you
will need up to five times of the memory of the original data set. This is due to the fact that some
filter routines have to be calculated in floating-point.
USER INTERFACE COMMON TO ALL FILTER DIALOGS
Each filter dialog is subdivided into several sections in which you can view or modify the filter
settings.
Some sections such as status information, a preview area, source data, and destination data as
well as some buttons are common to all dialogs, while others are specific for each selected
filter. For the filter-specific components refer to the manual sections on the individual filters
below.
The following buttons are common to all dialogs:
 Filter button
Executes the filter on the selected voxel data set.
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog without performing any filtering.
Status information Section
Displays the name of the selected voxel data set. Valid selections are either a top level volume
object or a region of interest.
Preview Section
Shows a preview of the filter operation for the selected object. It is recommended to experiment
with different filter settings and see which one fits best for your purposes before triggering the
actual filtering process. Information like the preview mode (either Original or Filtered), the orien-
tation or the current zoom factor are displayed in the title of the Preview section.
The table below lists the controls available in the Preview section:
slice selection spin box Specifies a slice for the preview.
Toggle filtered/original Toggles between filtered and original preview mode.

mode
Original display mode Selects original display mode. See also section Display
mode Menu Item on page 378 in chapter 14 Window
Menu.

FILTER MENU
8 ADAPTIVE GAUSS... MENU ITEM
Color mode/Color and Switches between Color mode and Color and Opacity mode.
Opacity mode See also section Display mode Menu Item on page 378 in
Focus Fits the preview image to the preview area.
Zoom reset Resets the zoom factor.
Zoom in/out Zooms the preview image in/out.
TABLE 8-2: CONTROLS IN THE PREVIEW SECTION
Source data Section
 Apply opacity mapping checkbox

Check this option to apply the opacity mapping defined in the opacity manipulation area
of the Rendering Tool (see chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384) to the source gray values
before filtering. Filtering is then performed on the mapped source gray values.
Destination data Section
 Create new volume checkbox

Check this option to create a new volume which represents the filtered data. This will leave
the source data unmodified. If you leave this option unchecked, filtering will modify your
source data.
ADAPTIVE GAUSS... MENU ITEM
This filter allows blurring the selected data set without destroying relevant structures like edges.
This section describes the options specific to this filter. For details on the user interface
common to all filters, see section User Interface Common to All Filter Dialogs on page 235.
Options Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Run separable option When this option is checked, the filter runs faster. When
the option is unchecked, the filter runs slower but
produces more accurate results.
Smoothing spin box Specifies the amount of smoothing. A higher value

results in smoother and more blurred images.
Edge threshold spin box Specifies to which amount edges are protected from
the smoothing process.

FILTER MENU
8 NON-LOCAL MEANS... MENU ITEM
Iterative method Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Iterations spin box Specifies how many times the filter should be executed
to determine the value of a voxel.
Multiplier spin box Influences the Smoothing and Edge threshold values such
that in each new iteration, the Smoothing value is multi-
plied by the Multiplier value and the Edge threshold value
is divided by the Multiplier value.
TABLE 8-4: CONTROLS IN THE ITERATIVE METHOD SECTION
NON-LOCAL MEANS... MENU ITEM
This filter significantly reduces noise in the data set, while the internal structures and edges are
preserved.
Options Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Smoothing factor spin box Specifies the amount of smoothing. A higher value
results in smoother and more blurred images.
Use GPU option When this option is checked, the GPU is used for
calculation.
CONVOLUTION... MENU ITEM
This filter allows to design a custom filter by specifying its kernel or matrix of weights.
Filter size Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z fields Specify the filter size in the x-, y-, and z-directions.

FILTER MENU
8 GAUSS... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
/ button • Button is pressed : The values are changed

uniformly, i.e., changing the value in the X field also
sets the Y and Z fields to the same value.
• Button is released : The values can be changed
independently of each other.
TABLE 8-6: CONTROLS IN THE FILTER SIZE SECTION
Filter kernel section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z fields Specify the weights of the filter kernel for each axis.
reset button Restores the default values.
TABLE 8-7: CONTROLS IN THE FILTER KERNEL SECTION
Filter data range Section
In order to keep the convolution results in the source data range, they are divided by a certain
value, and another value is added to them afterwards.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Adjustment field • None: No values are applied.

• Automatic: The values are provided by VGSTUDIO
MAX (default).
• Custom: Allows to manually enter the values.
Estimate button Displays the values suggested by VGSTUDIO MAX.

This button becomes enabled when the Custom option
is selected.
TABLE 8-8: CONTROLS IN THE FILTER DATA RANGE SECTION
GAUSS... MENU ITEM
This filter is designed to blur the image. In contrast to the Adaptive Gauss filter, it might destroy
relevant structures like edges in the process.

FILTER MENU
8 DEVIATION... MENU ITEM
Filter size Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z fields Specify the filter size in the x-, y-, and z-directions. By
increasing the filter size, you actually increase the
amount of smoothing.

DEVIATION... MENU ITEM
This filter can be used for accentuating areas of high contrast and edges in the data set.
Filter size Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

MEDIAN... MENU ITEM
This filter is useful to reduce the noise within the voxel data set while preserving its edges. The
gray value of each voxel is replaced by the median of the gray values of the voxels around it.
Voxels that differ too much from the median are discarded and do not count for the result.

FILTER MENU
8 EROSION... MENU ITEM
Filter size Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

EROSION... MENU ITEM
This filter performs a morphological operation which contracts the selected data set.
Filter size Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

DILATION... MENU ITEM
This filter performs a morphological operation which expands the selected data set.

FILTER MENU
8 APPLY OPACITY MAPPING... MENU ITEM
Filter size Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

APPLY OPACITY MAPPING... MENU ITEM
The Apply opacity mapping filter is designed to apply the mapping defined in the Opacity manipulation
area of the Rendering Tool (see chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384) to the source gray values.
You can use this filter to, e.g., invert the data set.
FIB-SEM CORRECTION... MENU ITEM
This filter is designed for the visualization of FIB-SEM data. It enables you to align slices along a
specified axis and offers the option to enhance the contrast and the definition of edges while
limiting the noise amplification.
Preview Section
 Preview quality drop-down list

Allows to select the quality level of the preview. Choose Fast or Fastest for a fast preview, or
Precise for a preview at full resolution.
Local contrast prefiltering Section
 Local contrast prefiltering checkbox

Check this option to activate prefiltering for adapting the local contrast.
Depending on the quality of the data, enabling the local contrast prefiltering may be necessary
to perform the FIB-SEM correction. Once the filter has been applied, the prefiltering cannot be
undone.

FILTER MENU
8 MERGE VOLUMES... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Filter size field Specifies the size of the local areas for the filter. The
size should be larger than the size of structures to be
retained.
Bin count field Specifies the number of bins in the histogram used by
the filter. The number of histogram bins should be
smaller than the number of pixels in the local areas
specified in the Filter size field.
Maximum slope field Specifies the limit of the contrast enhancement. The
higher the value, the higher the contrast. High values
may lead to high noise level. Set 1 to keep the original
contrast.
TABLE 8-14: CONTROLS IN THE LOCAL CONTRAST PREFILTERING SECTION
Registration Section
 Registration direction drop-down list

Allows to specify the axis along which to align.
MERGE VOLUMES... MENU ITEM
Merges two volume objects to a new volume object.

 Operation section
Specifies the two source volume objects to be merged as well as the merge operator.
The operator is applied to the gray values of the two source objects at each position of the
voxel grid where the bounding boxes of the two source objects overlap. For areas where
the bounding boxes do not overlap, the original gray value in the available bounding box
is adopted.
The following merge operators are available:
Min For each voxel of the resulting volume object, the

gray value is calculated as the minimum of the gray
values of the two source objects at this position:
Min (source object 1, source object 2).
Max For each voxel of the resulting volume object, the

gray value is calculated as the maximum of the gray
Max (source object 1, source object 2).

FILTER MENU
Mean For each voxel of the resulting volume object, the

gray value is calculated as the mean of the gray
Mean (source object 1, source object 2).
Add For each voxel of the resulting volume object, the

gray value is calculated by adding the gray values
of the two source objects at this position: source
object 1 + source object 2.
Subtract For each voxel of the resulting volume object, the

gray value is calculated by subtracting the gray
source object 1 – source object 2.
Blend For this operation, the gray values of the source

objects are modified by applying a scale factor and
adding a bias before performing an addition:
(source object 1 * scale factor 1 + bias 1) + (source
object 2 * scale factor 2 + bias 2).
To perform a subtraction, you can apply a minus
sign to one of the scale factors.
TABLE 8-15: OPERATORS FOR MERGING VOLUME OBJECTS
 Result section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Data type drop-down list • Automatic: Automatically determines the data

type from the lowest and highest gray values
available in the result volume after the merge
operation has been carried out.
• Float, 8/16/32 bit signed/unsigned: Allows to manu-
ally specify the data type for the result volume.
Bounding box drop-down list • Union: The merge operation is performed for the
union of the bounding boxes of the source
objects.
• Intersection: The merge operation is performed
for the intersection of the bounding boxes of the
source objects.
• First operand bounding box: The merge operation is
performed in the bounding box of source
object 1 only.
• Second operand bounding box: The merge operation
is performed in the bounding box of source
object 2 only.

FILTER MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reference object drop-down list Specifies the grid including sampling distance for
the bounding box of the result volume.
• Follow first operand: Uses the grid and sampling
distance of source object 1.
• Follow second operand: Uses the grid and
sampling distance of source object 2.
• <volume object>: Uses the grid and sampling
distance of the selected volume object.
TABLE 8-16: CONTROLS IN THE RESULT SECTION
 Change sampling distance section

When this option is checked, the values specified in the New sampling distance fields will be
applied instead of the Original sampling distance values.
This option allows to resample a volume object using a different sampling distance. Choose the
volume object as both source object 1 and 2 and perform a Min, Max, or Mean merge operation on
this object, specifying the new values in the New sampling distance fields.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Original sampling distance fields Indicate the sampling distance of the volume object
selected in the Reference object field to be used for
the result volume.
New sampling distance spin boxes Allows to manually specify the sampling distance to
be used for the result volume.
Reset button Resets the values in the New sampling distance spin
boxes to the Original sampling distance values.
TABLE 8-17: CONTROLS IN THE RESULT OVERRIDE SECTION
 Calculate button
Starts calculating the merge operation.
 Close button
Closes the dialog without calculating the merge operation.

9 CAD/MESH MENU
OVERVIEW OF THE CAD/MESH MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the CAD/Mesh menu items described in the following paragraphs.
Simplify mesh... Opens the Simplify mesh dialog for adapting the preci-
sion of the selected mesh. See section Simplify mesh...
Remove isolated compo- Opens the Remove isolated components dialog for
nents... removing disconnected components from the mesh
according to the specified parameter. See section
Remove isolated components... Menu Item on page 246.
Flip surface orientation Reverses the surface orientation. See section Flip
surface orientation Menu Item on page 247.
Recalculate CAD mesh... Recalculates the selected CAD model with the speci-
fied accuracy. See section Recalculate CAD mesh... Menu
Item on page 247.
Merge mesh objects Merges several mesh objects to a new mesh object.
See section Merge mesh objects Menu Item on page 247.
Create CAD geometry Opens the CAD geometry correction dialog for correcting
correction the geometry of a tool or part based on the deviation of
the scanned actual part as measured against the
nominal part or the inverse mold. See section Create CAD
geometry correction Menu Item on page 883 in chapter 38
Manufacturing Geometry Correction Module.
The CAD geometry correction function is part of the Manu-
facturing Geometry Correction module. This module is an
optional add-on module for VGSTUDIO MAX and
requires additional licensing.
TABLE 9-1: CAD/MESH MENU ITEMS
SIMPLIFY MESH... MENU ITEM
Opens the Simplify mesh dialog for adapting the precision of the selected mesh. The mesh simpli-
fication algorithm combines groups of triangles that are aligned in one plane (within a specified
tolerance) to larger triangles, thus reducing the number of triangles. As a consequence, the
overall dimensions of the resulting model might slightly vary from the original object within the
specified tolerance.

CAD/MESH MENU
9 REMOVE ISOLATED COMPONENTS... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

settings.
• Manual: Enables the Tolerance and the Maximum
number of triangles spin boxes which allow to
customize the Simplification settings.
Tolerance [<length unit>] spin box Allows to specify a customized Tolerance value to
reduce the point cloud.
The simplification algorithm stops when no more trian-
gles can be removed without deviating approximately
this far from the initial mesh.
Maximum number of triangles spin box Specifies the maximum number of remaining triangles
when removing triangles for simplification.
Simplify button Recalculates the mesh.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without recalculation.
TABLE 9-2: CONTROLS OF THE SIMPLIFY MESH DIALOG
Using this option modifies the mesh and may therefore invalidate any existing analysis results,
geometry elements, measurements, etc. that refer to the object surface.
REMOVE ISOLATED COMPONENTS... MENU ITEM
Opens the Remove isolated components dialog for removing disconnected components from the
mesh according to the specified parameter.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Percentage of surface area option Removes disconnected mesh components with a

surface area below the specified percentage.
Number of triangles option Removes disconnected mesh components consisting

of less triangles than specified.
Remove button Removes the disconnected components from the

mesh.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without modifying the mesh.
TABLE 9-3: CONTROLS OF THE REMOVE ISOLATED COMPONENTS DIALOG

CAD/MESH MENU
9 FLIP SURFACE ORIENTATION MENU ITEM
FLIP SURFACE ORIENTATION MENU ITEM
Use this option to reverse the surface orientation for the selected mesh.
RECALCULATE CAD MESH... MENU ITEM
Recalculates the selected CAD model with the specified accuracy. You can choose from a list of
predefined accuracies or customize the accuracy.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Medium, High, Extra high, Custom.
Mesh deflection section Enabled when the Custom option is selected from the
Mesh accuracy drop-down list.
• Linear spin box: Specifies a value for reducing the
distance between mesh and CAD surface.
• Angular spin box: Specifies the maximum angle
between CAD edge and mesh for curved geome-
tries. A lower value results in a better approximation
of curved CAD edges.
Recalculate button Starts recalculating the CAD model.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without recalculating the CAD model.
TABLE 9-4: CONTROLS OF THE RECALCULATE CAD MESH... DIALOG
MERGE MESH OBJECTS MENU ITEM
Merges two or more mesh objects, thereby creating a new mesh object. Use this option if you
want to perform a nominal/actual comparison of an object for which the mesh template is split
across several files.

10 MEASUREMENTS MENU/CM MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Measurements menu provides the Coordinate Measurement (CM) functionality of VGSTUDIO
MAX. It allows you to fit geometry elements to mesh or CAD data or to the determined surface
of volume data and perform measurements on the data based on these geometry elements.
Geometry elements and measurements can be used as templates and applied to other data sets
either by storing and retrieving the template from disk or via copy and paste between the loaded
data sets.
The measurements tools can also be used for readjusting the spatial dimensions of the volume
data or for defining new coordinate systems.
LICENSE INFORMATION
This module is an optional add-on module for VGSTUDIO MAX and requires additional
licensing. If you are interested in evaluating this add-on module, please contact us:
 For Japan:
OVERVIEW OF THE MEASUREMENTS MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the Measurements menu items described in the following paragraphs. Menu
entries currently not available are disabled and displayed in gray.
Automatic... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a geometry

element to the surface of the object. The geometry
element type is automatically determined by the soft-
ware. See section Fit geometry element Dialog on
page 257.
Point... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a point to the
surface of the object. See section Fit geometry element
Dialog on page 257.
Line... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a line to the
Dialog on page 257.

MEASUREMENTS MENU/CM MODULE
10 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASUREMENTS MENU ITEMS
Circle... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a circle to the
Dialog on page 257.
Corner circle... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a corner
circle to the surface of the object. See section Fit geom-
etry element Dialog on page 257.
Plane... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a plane to the
Dialog on page 257.
Sphere... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a sphere to

the surface of the object. See section Fit geometry
element Dialog on page 257.
Cylinder... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a cylinder to

the surface of the object. See section Fit geometry
Cone... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a cone to the
Dialog on page 257.
Torus... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a torus to the
Dialog on page 257.
Freeform line... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a freeform
line to the surface of the object. See section Fit geometry
Freeform surface... Opens the Fit geometry element dialog to fit a freeform
surface to the surface of the object. See section Fit
geometry element Dialog on page 257.
Define geometry Opens the Define geometry element dialog to manually

element... define any type of geometry element with given
geometric parameters. See section Define geometry
element Menu Item on page 277.
Dimensioning... Opens the Dimensioning dialog to create geometric

dimensioning features based on (one or two) geometry
elements. See section Dimensioning Menu Item on
page 288.
CM reporting Opens the CM Reporting dialog to create/edit GD&T

features and create measurement reports. See section
CM Reporting Menu Item on page 292.
Adjust resolution... Opens the Adjust volume resolution dialog where you can
change the voxel resolution of a volume object. See
section Adjust resolution Menu Item on page 308.

10 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASUREMENTS MENU ITEMS
Remove unused CM Deletes all unused CM entries of the currently selected

objects item. See section Remove unused CM objects Menu Item
on page 311.
Resize geometry Opens the Geometry element resize dialog where you can
elements... change the size of an existing geometry element. See
section Resize geometry elements Menu Item on
page 311.
Tolerancing > Opens the Geometric tolerancing dialog where you can
create geometric tolerance features based on one or
more geometry element(s). See section Tolerancing
Geometry element actions Allows to perform miscellaneous actions on selected

> geometry elements. See section Geometry element actions
Geometry element manip- Allows to create a new geometry element based on one
ulation > or more existing source geometry elements. See
section Geometry element manipulation Menu Item on
page 325.
Related objects > Displays a list of all related geometry elements and
GD&T features. When you click one of the related
objects in this list, this item is selected in the Scene
Tree and displayed in the views.
General tolerance presets Opens the Edit tolerance tables dialog where you can
load, create, or edit predefined or user-defined toler-
ance presets. See section General tolerance presets Menu
Item on page 336.
Import measurement Opens the Import measurement template dialog where you
template... can select a template file (.xvgt) to import and refit a
measurement template to a volume/mesh object. See
section Import measurement template Menu Item on
page 337.
Export measurement Opens the CM template export dialog where you can
template... specify the options for exporting the selected geometry
elements and GD&T features as a template file (.xvgt).
See section Export measurement template Menu Item on
page 342.
Coordinate system editor... Opens the Coordinate system editor dialog where you can
create and edit coordinate systems. See section Coordi-
nate system editor Menu Item on page 344.
Apply transformation Applies the transformation to the corresponding

volume object, CAD model, or mesh. See section Store
transformation/Apply transformation Menu Items on
page 353.

10 TYPES OF GEOMETRY ELEMENTS
Store transformation Creates a local coordinate system reflecting the current

object transformation. See section Store transforma-
tion/Apply transformation Menu Items on page 353.
Show coordinate system Toggles the visibility of the origin symbol.

origin
TABLE 10-1: MEASUREMENTS MENU ITEMS
TYPES OF GEOMETRY ELEMENTS
There are various types of geometry elements (see description below), an arbitrary number of
which can be created for mesh objects, for CAD objects, and for volume objects with a deter-
mined surface. In the Scene Tree, the geometry elements are listed in the Coordinate Measurement
> Geometry elements section.
There are three basic ways to define a geometry element:
 Best-fit based on a set of given fit points on the determined surface, see section Fit geom-
etry element Dialog on page 257. The icons of geometry elements created by fit points are
shown in the Scene Tree in orange.
 Directly specified geometric parameters, see section Define geometry element Menu Item on
page 277. The icons of manually defined geometry elements are shown in the Scene Tree
in blue.
 Constructive approach based on existing source geometry elements, see section Geometry
element manipulation Menu Item on page 325. The icons of constructed geometry elements
have additionally a “c” displayed at the bottom left.
Based on existing geometry elements, you can define features to measure positions, distances,
angles, radii and tolerances (see section Dimensioning Menu Item on page 288 and section Toler-
ancing Menu Item on page 313). Features rely on the definition of distinct coordinate systems
(see section Coordinate system editor Menu Item on page 344).
The following list gives an overview of the types of geometry elements:
 Point
Fits a geometry element of type point to the object based on one or more fit points. The
only geometric property of a point is its position.
 Line
Fits a geometry element of type line to the object based on two or more fit points. The
geometric properties of a line are its position and direction.
 Circle
Fits a geometry element of type circle to the object based on three or more fit points. The
geometric properties of a circle are its center position, its orientation normal, and its radius.
 Corner circle
Fits a geometry element of type corner circle to the object based on five or more fit points.
The geometric properties of a corner circle are its center position, its orientation normal,
and its radius.

10 TYPES OF FEATURES
The distance of the outermost fit points away from the corner should be approximately the same
on both legs. This distance should not exceed approximately twice the diameter of the desired
corner circle.
 Plane
Fits a geometry element of type plane to the object based on three or more fit points. The
geometric properties of a plane are its center position and orientation normal.
 Sphere
Fits a geometry element of type sphere to the object based on four or more fit points. The
geometric properties of a sphere are its center position and radius.
 Cylinder
Fits a geometry element of type cylinder to the object based on three or more fit points.
The geometric properties of a cylinder are its center position, its direction, and its radius.
 Cone
Fits a geometry element of type cone to the object based on three or more fit points. The
geometric properties of a cone are its center position, its direction, its center radius, and
its conicity angle.
 Torus
Fits a geometry element of type torus to the object based on four or more fit points. The
geometric properties of a torus are its center position, the direction of its rotational axis,
and its major and minor radii.
 Freeform line
Fits a geometry element of type freeform line to the object based on an arbitrary number
of fit points.
 Freeform surface
Fits a geometry element of type freeform surface to the object based on an arbitrary
number of fit points.
TYPES OF FEATURES
There are two basic types of GD&T features which can be created on the basis of existing
geometry elements:
 dimensioning features
 tolerance features
Types of Dimensioning Features
There are various types of dimensioning features (see description below), an arbitrary number of
which can be created on the basis of existing geometry elements for mesh objects, for CAD
objects, and for volume objects with a determined surface. In the Scene Tree, the dimensioning
features are listed in the Coordinate Measurement > Features section.
The following list gives an overview of the types of dimensioning features:
 Distance
Default distance measuring method. The distance line between the center positions of the
two geometry elements is calculated.
 Angle

Angle between two geometry elements. Angles can be measured between line/axis and
line/axis, line/axis and plane, or plane and plane.
 Distance (mid perpendicular)
Geometry element A is considered as finite, while geometry element B is considered as
infinitely extended. The mean between minimum and maximum distance (orthogonal to
geometry element A) between the two geometry elements is determined.
 Distance (min perpendicular)
infinitely extended. The minimum distance (orthogonal to geometry element A) between
the two geometry elements is determined.
 Distance (max perpendicular)
infinitely extended. The maximum distance (orthogonal to geometry element A) between
 Distance (min finite)
Both geometry elements are considered as finite. The minimum distance between the two
geometry elements is determined.
 Distance (max finite)
Both geometry elements are considered as finite. The maximum distance between the two
geometry elements is determined.
 Distance (min infinite)
Both geometry elements are considered as infinitely extended. The minimum distance
between the infinite geometry elements is determined if they are not intersecting.
 Distance (min)
infinitely extended. The minimum distance (orthogonal to geometry element B) between
 Distance (centroid)
The distance between the geometrical center of all fit points used to fit geometry element
A and geometry element B is determined. Note that the geometrical center of a geometry
element is calculated with respect to the fit point coordinates only. It is not calculated as
the geometrical center of the fitted geometry element A or B.
 Position
Determines the position of a single geometry element in the current coordinate system,
that is its distance to the origin.
 Radius
Radius of a single geometry element. Radii can be measured for circles, corner circles,
spheres, cylinders, cones, and tori (major radius).
 Diameter
Diameter of a single geometry element. Equals twice the radius.
 Minor radius
Minor radius of a torus.
 Minor diameter
Minor diameter of a torus. Equals twice the minor radius.
 Opening angle
Opening angle of a cone. Can be either half or full angle.

Types of Tolerance Features
There are various types of tolerance features (see description below), an arbitrary number of
which can be created on the basis of existing geometry elements for mesh objects, CAD
objects, and for volume objects with a determined surface. In the Scene Tree, the tolerance
features are listed in the Coordinate Measurement > Features section. See also section Tolerancing
The following list gives an overview of the types of tolerance features:
 Angularity
Available for cones, cylinders, lines, freeform lines, and planes.
The Tolerance zone can be planar or cylindrical. The Tolerance defines the distance between
the planes or the diameter of the cylinder, respectively. Depending on the Toleranced
element, the Tolerance target can be selected automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual
element (plane), Fitted element (line, plane), Fitted axis (cone, cylinder, line), or Fitted position
(cone, cylinder, line, plane).
 Coaxiality
Available for circles, cones, cylinders, lines, freeform lines, and points.
The Tolerance zone can be cylindrical or circular. The Tolerance defines the diameter of the
cylinder or circle. Depending on the Toleranced element, the Tolerance target can be selected
automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual element (line), Fitted element (line), Fitted axis
(cone, cylinder, line), or Fitted position (cone, cylinder, line, point).
This option also includes the Concentricity tolerance for circles and points. The Tolerance zone is
circular. The Tolerance defines the diameter of the tolerance circle. The Tolerance target can be
selected automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual element, Fitted element, or Fitted position.
 Conicity
Available for cones.
The Tolerance zone is conical, i.e., all points of the conical surface must lie between two
coaxial cones. The Tolerance defines the distance between the two coaxial cones. The Toler-
ance target are the actual fit points of the cone.
 Cylindricity
Available for cylinders.
The Tolerance zone is cylindrical, i.e., all points of the cylindrical surface must lie between
two coaxial cylinders. The Tolerance defines the distance between the two coaxial cylinders.
The Tolerance target are the actual fit points of the cylinder.
To tolerance several cylinders in one tolerance zone, you can add more cylinders to the
Additional toleranced elements (CZ) field (CZ = common zone).
The axis orientation of the two coaxial cylinders is not specified.
 Flatness
Available for planes.
The Tolerance zone is planar and is limited by two parallel planes. The Tolerance defines the
distance between the two parallel planes. The Tolerance target are the actual fit points of the
plane.
To tolerance several planes in one tolerance zone, you can add more planes to the Addi-
tional toleranced elements (CZ) field (CZ = common zone).

The direction of the parallel planes is not specified.
 Line-profile
Available for freeform lines.
The Tolerance zone can be:
– Minimal: Difference between the points with the largest deviation in both directions.
– Symmetric: Twice the largest absolute deviation of the points from the nominal curve
in either direction.
– Positive: Distance between the nominal curve and the point with the largest deviation
in positive direction, negative deviations will be ignored.
– Negative: Distance between the nominal curve and the point with the largest devia-
tion in negative direction, positive deviations will be ignored.
– Positive minimal: Difference between largest and smallest deviation in positive direc-
tion; if there are also negative deviations, they are set to the nominal curve so that
the tolerance zone corresponds to Positive.
– Negative minimal: Difference between largest and smallest deviation in negative direc-
tion; if there are also positive deviations, they are set to the nominal curve so that
the tolerance zone corresponds to Negative.
 Parallelism
the planes or the diameter of the cylinders, respectively. Depending on the Toleranced
element, the Tolerance target can be selected automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual
element (plane, line), Fitted element (line, plane), Fitted axis (cone, cylinder, line), or Fitted position
(cone, cylinder, line, plane).
To define the orientation of the tolerance zone relative to the secondary datum element,
you can set the Zone options to Auto/Default or Orthogonal.
 Perpendicularity
The Tolerance zone can be planar or cylindrical. Depending on the Toleranced element, the
Tolerance target can be selected automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual element (plane),
Fitted element (line, plane), Fitted axis (cone, cylinder, line), or Fitted position (cone, cylinder,
line, plane).
To define the orientation of the tolerance zone relative to the secondary datum element,
you can set the Zone options to Auto/Default or Orthogonal.
If you want to create a perpendicularity tolerance for a line related to a datum system, create two
separate perpendicularity tolerances using the same geometry elements, but for one select
Orthogonal instead of Auto/Default from the Zone options drop-down list.
 Position
Available for circles, cones, cylinders, lines, freeform lines, planes, points, spheres, and
tori.
The Tolerance zone can be spherical (i.e., the geometry element’s position is toleranced in
three spatial directions), cylindrical (i.e., the geometry element’s position is toleranced in
two spatial directions), or planar (i.e., the geometry element’s position is toleranced in one
spatial direction). Depending on the Toleranced element, the Tolerance target can be selected
automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual element (circle, line, plane, point), Fitted element

(circle, line, plane, point), Fitted axis (cone, cylinder, line), or Fitted position (circle, cone,
cylinder, line, plane, point, sphere, torus).
 Roundness
Available for circles and corner circles.
The Tolerance zone is circular, i.e., all points of the circle must lie between two concentric
circles. The Tolerance defines the difference between the two circle radii. The Tolerance target
are the actual fit points of the circle.
To tolerance several circles at a time independently of each other, you can add more circles
to the Additional toleranced elements field.
The roundness of a cylinder or cone is toleranced by creating cross-sections and then toler-
ancing these circles. Note that the center of the two concentric circles is not specified.
 Run-out
Available for circles.
The Tolerance zone is cylindrical for a radial run-out (Zone options: Radial) or planar for an axial
run-out (Zone options: Axial). The Tolerance defines the difference between the two cylinder
radii or the distance between the two planes, respectively. The Tolerance target can be
selected automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual element or Fitted element.
To tolerance several circles at a time independently of each other, you can add more circles
to the Additional toleranced elements field.
 Sphericity
Available for spheres.
The Tolerance zone is spherical, i.e., all points of the spherical surface must lie between two
concentric spheres. The Tolerance defines the difference between the radii of the two
concentric spheres. The Tolerance target are the actual fit points of the sphere.
 Straightness
Available for lines and freeform lines.
The Tolerance zone is cylindrical. The Tolerance defines the cylinder diameter. The Tolerance
target are the actual fit points of the line.
To tolerance several lines in one tolerance zone, you can add more lines to the Additional
toleranced elements (CZ) field (CZ = common zone).
To tolerance lines within a surface (either planar or cylindrical), create a line in the specified direc-
tion and then tolerance this line.
Tolerancing a line within a surface is done indirectly with a cylindrical tolerance zone. Since all
created lines lie in the specified direction, only deviations perpendicular to the surface remain.
 Surface-profile
Available for freeform surfaces.
The Tolerance zone can be:
– Minimal: Difference between the points with the largest deviation in both directions.
– Symmetric: Twice the largest absolute deviation of the points from the nominal curve
in either direction.
– Positive: Distance between the nominal curve and the point with the largest deviation
in positive direction, negative deviations will be ignored.
– Negative: Distance between the nominal curve and the point with the largest devia-
tion in negative direction, positive deviations will be ignored.

10 FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG
– Positive minimal: Difference between largest and smallest deviation in positive direc-
tion; if there are also negative deviations, they are set to the nominal curve so that
the tolerance zone corresponds to Positive.
– Negative minimal: Difference between largest and smallest deviation in negative direc-
tion; if there are also positive deviations, they are set to the nominal curve so that
the tolerance zone corresponds to Negative.
 Symmetry
The Tolerance zone can be planar (Zone options: Auto/Default) or cylindrical (Zone options: Cylin-
drical). The Tolerance defines the distance between the planes which are symmetrically
arranged with respect to the datum plane or the diameter of the cylinder, respectively.
Depending on the Toleranced element, the Tolerance target can be selected automatically (Auto)
or manually set to Actual element (plane), Fitted element (line, plane), Fitted axis (cone, cylinder,
line), or Fitted position (cone, cylinder, line, plane).
 Total Run-out
Available for cylinders and planes.
the planes or the difference between the radii of the cylinders, respectively. The Tolerance
target can be selected automatically (Auto) or manually set to Actual element or Fitted element.
FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG
Allows you to specify various options for the geometry element to be created. Some options,
like the automatic fit point creation, are only available for certain types of geometry elements.
The icons of geometry elements created by fit points are shown in the Scene Tree in orange.
The dialog consists of the following tabs:
 Creation tab
Contains all options used for initially fitting the geometry element.
 Constraints tab
Allows to specify further parameters concerning the geometry element.
 Refit tab
These settings are relevant only if the geometry element must be fitted again (e.g., because
of changes of the determined surface or when pasting the geometry element to another
place).
 Fit points tab
Contains the list of fit points and the corresponding parameters. It supports the definition
of fit points.
The following table gives an overview of the functions common to all tabs:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click on Sets a fit point. The fit point can still be moved until you
desired position in a 2D or the 3D release the mouse button.
window
hold Ctrl + Shift keys + use LMB to Deletes the fit point.
click on desired fit point in a 2D or
the 3D window

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl + Alt keys + use LMB to For defining a freeform line: Always appends the fit
click desired position in a 2D or the point at the end of the line.
3D window
hold Ctrl key + hover mouse pointer For CAD models with CAD selection option checked:
over face of CAD model in a 2D or Highlights the corresponding face. Click once to have
the 3D window automatic fit points set on the complete face. When
clicking in a 2D window, the fit points will be generated
in the current slice only.
hold Alt key + hover mouse pointer For CAD models with CAD selection option checked:
over wire of CAD model in a 2D or Highlights the corresponding wire and a face which
the 3D window defines the probing direction. Click once to have auto-
matic fit points set on the complete wire. When clicking
in a 2D window, the fit points will be generated in the
current slice only.
hold Alt + Shift keys + hover mouse For CAD models with CAD selection option checked:
pointer over edge of CAD model in Highlights the corresponding edge and a face which
a 2D or the 3D window defines the probing direction. Click once to have auto-
matic fit points set on the complete edge. When
clicking in a 2D window, the fit points will be generated
in the current slice only.
hold Alt + Ctrl keys + hover mouse For CAD models with CAD selection option checked:
pointer over vertex of CAD model in Highlights the corresponding vertex as well as the
a 2D or the 3D window pertaining edge, wire, and face. The face defines the
probing direction. Click once to have automatic fit
points set on the vertex. When clicking in a 2D window,
the fit points will be generated in the current slice only.
Click&Fit preview option Activates/deactivates a preview of the intermediate

fitted geometry element while you set the fit points.
Show final fit points option Activates/deactivates a preview of all final fit points
while you set the fit points.
Clear fit points button Deletes all preliminary fit points.
Fit button Creates a new geometry element provided a sufficient

number of points have been set. The dialog remains
open and further geometry elements can be fitted.
Close button Discards any set fit points and changes to the options
and closes the dialog.
TABLE 10-2: GENERAL CONTROLS IN THE FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG
In the 2D windows, the picked position is adjusted according to the global snap mode. It is
highly recommended to use the Surface snap mode in which the fit point will automatically be set
at the location on the determined surface which is inside and closest to the center of the snap
area (see section Snap modes Menu Item on page 231 in chapter 7 Instruments Menu).

Alternatively you can define fit points by specifying their coordinates and probing direction
(vector points) (see section Fit points Tab on page 273). Vector points are fitted to the surface
according to their probing direction.
If you specify fit points which do not lie on the object surface, all following steps like auto expan-
sion and iterative refinement are likely to fail, because they rely on finding correct nearby
surfaces.
If you feel tempted to use such artificial fit points to achieve your goal, a probably better approach
is to define the entire geometry element manually (see section Define geometry element Menu Item
on page 277). If you absolutely need fixed fit points, be sure to disable the Auto expand, Auto fit
points and Snap fit points to surface before starting iterations options, and to set the Iterations option to
zero.
If you want to delete a fit point after you released the left mouse button, you can also use the Undo
function to do so.

Creation Tab
FIGURE 10-1: FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG, CREATION TAB
The following parameters are available for creating fit points:

 Name template section
Allows to enter a name for the geometry element. If this is not done, a name of the form
<type> <id> will automatically be generated. Clicking the Reset name button resets the
name template to its default.
 Type section

Specifies the type of geometry element to be created. See also section Types of Geometry
Elements on page 251.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list Only enabled when the Automatic option is not

checked.
Allows to select the type of geometry element to be
created.
Automatic checkbox When this option is checked, the software automat-

ically determines a suitable geometry element type
(except for freeform geometry elements) on the
basis of the selected fit points, the selected fit
method and the mode selected in the Point creation
section.
In the 2D and 3D windows, a preview of the geom-
etry element is displayed along with a label. This
label shows the automatically determined geom-
etry element type and its dimensions as well as a
list of alternative geometry element types possible
for the current selection. When you select one of
the alternatives, the annotation label is reduced to
show only the selected geometry element type and
the checkmark in the Automatic checkbox changes
to a square, indicating that the Automatic mode is
suspended for the current fit. To resume the Auto-
matic mode, check the Automatic checkbox again.
A point geometry element will be created only if the
Single point option in the Point creation section is
selected and exactly one fit point is set.
TABLE 10-3: CONTROLS IN THE TYPE SECTION
 Expert mode button

Toggles the visibility of further options.
 Fit method section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Gauss (least squares) Available for almost all types of geometry elements.
Minimizes the sum over all squared deviations of all fit
points relative to the fitted geometry element. For a
large number of fit points, the distribution of the devia-
tions will usually result in a Gaussian shape.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Chebyshev (minimum zone) Available for circles, cones, cylinders, planes, and
spheres.
• For circles, cones, cylinders, and spheres:
Fits an auxiliary geometry element to the extreme
minimum extent of the fit points (inscribed
geometry element, the “inner” element) and an
auxiliary geometry element to the extreme
maximum extent of the fit points (inscribed fit
points, the “outer” element) with the additional
requirement that both elements have the same
center/axis. The resulting Chebyshev (minimum zone)
element has the same center/axis and its radius is
the arithmetic mean of the radii of the two auxiliary
elements.
• For planes:
Fits an auxiliary plane to the extreme minimum
extent and an auxiliary plane to the extreme
maximum extent of the fit points with the additional
requirement that both planes are parallel and the
spacing between the two is minimal. The resulting
Chebyshev (minimum zone) element is the symmetry
element of the two auxiliary elements.
Chebyshev (minimum zone) inner Available for circles, cones, cylinders, planes, and
spheres.
Returns the geometry element that was calculated
according to the Chebyshev (minimum zone) algorithm as
the inner element. The inner element is located towards
the material relative to the minimum zone geometry
element.
Note that when specifying a constraint for the radius of
a circle, cylinder, or sphere, only the actual Chebyshev
(minimum zone) geometry element will have that radius,
and not the Chebyshev (minimum zone) inner geometry
element.
Chebyshev (minimum zone) outer Available for circles, cones, cylinders, planes, and
spheres.
Returns the geometry element that was calculated
according to the Chebyshev (minimum zone) algorithm as
the outer element. The outer element is located away
from the material relative to the minimum zone geom-
etry element.
Note that when specifying a constraint for the radius of
a circle, cylinder, or sphere, only the actual Chebyshev
(minimum zone) geometry element will have that radius,
and not the Chebyshev (minimum zone) outer geometry
element.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Minimum circumscribed Available for circles, cylinders, spheres, and tori.

Fits a geometry element to the extreme minimum of the
fit points (smallest geometry element including all fit
points). In contrast to the Chebyshev (minimum zone)
options, no restrictions are placed on the center posi-
tion.
Maximum inscribed Available for circles, cylinders, and spheres.

Fits a geometry element to the extreme maximum of
the fit points (largest geometry element inside all fit
points). In contrast to the Chebyshev (minimum zone)
options, no restrictions are placed on the center posi-
tion.
Corner circle Available for corner circles.

Fits a geometry element to the two tangents defined by
the fit points.
TABLE 10-4: CONTROLS IN THE FIT METHOD SECTION
 Point creation section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Single point option When this option is selected, a single fit point will be
created at the position where you clicked.
Auto expand option When this option is selected, VGSTUDIO MAX auto-
matically generates a number of additional fit points
close to the point originally set by the user. This
increases the stability of the fitting procedure and helps
reducing the number of fit points to be set manually to
obtain an optimal geometry element fit.
Apart from that, the Auto expand options section becomes
available where you can set several parameters for the
auto expand function.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Smart expand option Available for volume and mesh objects.

This option increases the stability of the fitting proce-
dure and helps reducing the number of fit points to be
set manually to obtain an optimal geometry element fit.
When this option is checked, the Auto fit points option is
automatically checked. The minimum number of itera-
tions is 1.
When you create a fit point on the surface of the object,
the algorithm intelligently sets fit points to cover the
object surface that matches the surface characteristics
of the created fit point. If after the first mouse click the
surface is not yet sufficiently covered by fit points,
repeat clicking until the desired geometry element is
achieved.
When the Automatic option in the Type section is
checked, the most suitable geometry element type is
determined depending on the position and surface
normal of the fit points.
When the Automatic option is checked and you create a
fit point in a 2D window, the 2D option on the Fit points
tab is automatically activated and a suitable geometry
element (circle or line) is created in the current slice.
When the geometry element type Freeform line is
selected and you create a fit point on the object surface
in a 2D window, a closed polyline is created for the
outline of the surface in the slice.
CAD selection option Available for CAD objects.

This option increases the stability of the fitting proce-
dure and helps reducing the number of fit points to be
set manually to obtain an optimal geometry element fit.
When you select one or more topological elements of
the CAD model, the algorithm sets automatic fit points
on these topological elements. For details on how to
select a topological element, see Table 10-2: General
controls in the Fit geometry element dialog on page 258.
For lines, circles, corner circles, and freeform lines:
When you select a face in a 2D window, the algorithm
sets automatic fit points on the topological element in
the current slice. The 2D option on the Fit points tab is
automatically activated.
TABLE 10-5: CONTROLS IN THE POINT CREATION SECTION
 Auto expand options section

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Shape radio buttons Specifies the shape of the area covered by the fit points
generated with the Auto expand option: Disk or Square.
Diameter/Edge length spin box Specifies the size of the area covered by the fit points
generated with the Auto expand option.
Step width spin box Specifies the spacing between the fit points generated
with the Auto expand option.
TABLE 10-6: CONTROLS IN THE AUTO EXPAND OPTIONS SECTION
 CAD selection options section

Available for CAD models.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Edge distance spin box Specifies the distance from the edge in which no fit
points will be set. This distance will not be considered
for neighboring faces that are selected together for
fitting a single geometry element.
You can specify the distance either as an absolute or as
a relative value.
Select faces sharing geometry When this option is checked, fit points will automati-
checkbox cally be set on neighboring faces with the same geom-
etry.
TABLE 10-7: CONTROLS IN THE CAD SELECTION OPTIONS SECTION
 Sampling options section

Enabled only if the Auto fit points option in the Fit point filter options section is checked or if the
CAD selection option in the Point creation section is selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Step width spin box Determines the minimum grid spacing of the automat-
ically generated fit points.
Max. points spin box Limits the number of automatically generated fit points.
If the number of fit points generated by the Step width is
larger than the number specified by Max. points, the
actual grid spacing is increased accordingly.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Surface orientation radio For fit points generated using the Auto fit points and CAD
buttons selection options only.
• Both: Automatically generated fit points are fitted to
the surface independently of the surface orienta-
tion.
• Front: Automatically generated fit points are fitted
only to surfaces with normals opposite to the
probing direction of the automatically set fit points.
The Surface orientation setting of the final fit points will
be set to Front.
TABLE 10-8: CONTROLS IN THE SAMPLING OPTIONS SECTION
Sampling the voxel object at a grid spacing much smaller than the voxel dimension does not
necessarily increase the accuracy of the measuring process.
 Fit point filter options section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Iterations spin box Not available for freeform geometry elements.

Automatic fit point generation or filtering of existing fit
points can be done iteratively, i.e., each iteration for
creating/filtering fit points is based upon the interme-
diate geometry element from the previous pass.
If the Auto fit points option is checked, the current inter-
mediate geometry element will be used for creating a
new sampling grid to probe the surface according to
the fit point filter options. The geometry element
created in the last iteration step becomes the actual
geometry element resulting from the fitting procedure.
Specifying zero iterations will disable the filtering
mechanism altogether.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Auto fit points checkbox Enables or disables automatic generation of new fit
points.
Based on the fit points specified by the user, a first
intermediate geometry element is fitted. If the Auto fit
points option is selected, this intermediate geometry
element is used for creating a new set of fit points
uniformly distributed across the surface of the interme-
diate geometry element and then projected onto the
surface of the voxel data. Individual fit points may be
discarded depending on the settings of the Fit point filter
options. Based on these fit points, the actual geometry
element is then calculated. This method considerably
increases the number of fit points used for fitting a
geometry element and thus improves the overall
quality of the fit. The re-fitting procedure can be itera-
tively repeated in which case the geometry element
fitted in the previous step becomes the new interme-
diate fit used in the next step.
Automatic fit point generation is available for all geom-

etry elements. If you want to use the option for fitting
lower-order geometry elements (e.g., lines and circles),
you should pick the initial fit points in one of the 2D
windows. This defines the plane where automatic fit
points will be created afterwards. If you pick all your fit
points in the 3D view, the matching process will fail.
Snap to vertices checkbox This option is only enabled for mesh objects.
When this option is checked, a fit point created on the
surface of the mesh snaps to the nearest vertex of the
mesh. This also applies to automatically created fit
points.
Search distance spin box When creating automatic fit points or adjusting existing
fit points (see Iterations option), VGSTUDIO MAX probes
for the surface of the volume/mesh object in both
directions along a given search direction. Probing
continues at increasing distance from the intermediate
geometry element until either the surface is intersected
(and a fit point is created at this location) or a maximum
search distance is reached (in which case no fit point is
created).
Note that the search distance is decreased with each
iteration step until, at the final iteration, it reaches the
value specified by the user. This implies that previous
iterations use a search distance larger than specified.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Safety distance spin box Due to the nature of CT scanning, a typical voxel data
set never shows sharp edges. Instead, edges are
rounded due to the finite scan resolution and the partial
volume effect. Thus, fit points close to an edge may
result in or contribute to a false fit of a geometry
element. If a fit point is discarded due to the Max.
gradient criterion or due to the maximum Search distance,
then this could be indicative of an edge. In these cases,
all other fit points within a user-defined Safety distance
around such a fit point are automatically discarded as
well.
Gradient mode drop-down list • Default: Considers the Max. gradient value for
discarding fit points.
• Off: Does not consider the Max. gradient value, i.e., all
points within the search distance are used.
• Ignore orientation: Considers the Max. gradient value
independently of the surface orientation.
Max. gradient spin box Specifies the maximum allowed angular deviation
between the normal of the intermediate geometry
element and the surface normal of a fit point. If the
actual angle is larger than the Max. gradient value, the fit
point is discarded.
TABLE 10-9: CONTROLS IN THE FIT POINT FILTER OPTIONS SECTION
All fit point filter options, including the Iterations option, are available and relevant even if Auto fit
points is unchecked. Thus, even when not generating new fit points, it is ensured that the fit point
initially set will lie on the volume/mesh surface and will be subject to the Max. gradient and Safety
distance settings. The default search direction used for adjusting non-generated fit points is the
direction of the volume/mesh surface normal at the position of the fit point.
 Quality threshold section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Threshold spin box After the actual geometry element has been fitted, the
resulting fit points can be constrained again according
to their absolute deviation. The Threshold value defines
how many fit points will be used for refitting. The fit
points with the largest deviations will be discarded.
Iterations spin box This refitting process can again be done iteratively,
each iteration discarding fit points based upon the
intermediate geometry element from the previous
pass.
TABLE 10-10: CONTROLS IN THE QUALITY THRESHOLD SECTION

Constraints Tab
FIGURE 10-2: FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG, CONSTRAINTS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
coordinate system drop-down field Specifies the coordinate system for the constraint
options.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Direction/Normal section Available for planes, cylinders, cones, and tori.

• Unconstrained: No constraint is applied.
• Equal to axis: The direction of the major axis of the
geometry element must match the specified vector
in the selected coordinate system.
• Orthogonal to axis: The direction of the major axis of
the geometry element must be perpendicular to the
specified vector in the selected coordinate system.
Position section Available for points, circles, planes, spheres, cylinders,

cones, and tori.
• Unconstrained: No constraint is applied.
• On point: Any position of the geometry element must
intersect the point specified by the PX/PY/PZ coordi-
nates.
• On line: Any position of the geometry element must
intersect the line specified by a start point (PX/PY/PZ
coordinates) and an end point (VX/VY/VZ coordi-
nates).
• On plane: Any position of the geometry element must
intersect the plane specified by a point (PX/PY/PZ
coordinates) and a normal vector (VX/VY/VZ coordi-
nates).
Radius option Available for circles, corner circles, cylinders, and

spheres.
The radius of the geometry element must match the
specified value.
Note that when specifying a radius constraint for a
geometry element calculated with the Chebyshev
(minimum zone) inner or Chebyshev (minimum zone) outer
algorithm, the specified radius will be applied to the
corresponding Chebyshev (minimum zone) geometry
element, not to the inner or outer geometry element.
Major radius/Minor radius options Available for tori.

The major/minor radius of the geometry element must
match the specified value.
Opening angle option Available for cones.

The opening angle of the geometry element must
match the specified value.
TABLE 10-11: CONTROLS ON THE CONSTRAINTS TAB
Constraints are supported only for certain combinations of geometry element and fit method.

Refit Tab
FIGURE 10-3: FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG, REFIT TAB
 Refit search distance section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Search distance spin box Determines the search distance for refitting a geometry
element, i.e., for adjusting every existing fit point to lie
on the new determined object surface.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Fit points radio buttons For circle, cone, corner circle, cylinder, line, plane,
point, sphere, and torus:
• Use final point list: Uses the coordinates of the final fit
points (i.e., after the last iteration) for copying and
refitting the geometry element.
When the Auto fit points option is checked, the
Probing direction is set to Both and the Surface
orientation is taken from the setting on the Creation
tab.
When the Auto fit points option is unchecked, the
Probing direction and Surface orientation settings of the
final fit points are used.
• Keep original points: Stores and uses the original coor-
dinates as well as the Probing direction and Surface
orientation settings of the fit points for copying and
refitting the geometry element. The settings speci-
fied in the Point creation, Auto expand options and
Sampling options sections will also be considered
(unless overridden in the Override creation settings
section).
This option is useful when a fit point was not
defined by clicking, but by specifying its
coordinates and probing direction.
For freeform line and freeform surface:
• Adjust shape: Adapts the nominal shape of the
freeform geometry element to the shape of the
other object when copying and refitting the
element.
This option is useful when the freeform geometry
element is used as unroll geometry.
• Keep original shape: Keeps the original nominal shape
of the freeform geometry element when copying
and refitting the element. The deviations are calcu-
lated based on the original fit point positions.
Consider surface orientation as When this option is checked, the Surface orientation
inverted checkbox settings and the Gradient mode option are applied as if
the orientation of the surface were inverted. This is
useful if you copy, e.g., a measurement template from
the mold to the cast part.
TABLE 10-12: CONTROLS IN THE REFIT SEARCH DISTANCE SECTION
 Override creation settings section

When this option is checked, the fit point generation and filter options used for refitting can
be specified independently. By default, the option is unchecked and the original settings
from the Creation tab (Sampling optionssection and Fit point filter optionssection) are used. See
section Creation Tab on page 260.

One possible, common reason for overriding the creation settings is to disable the Auto fit
points option to ensure that refitting does not generate any new fit points, but merely
adjusts the points that were present before the refit. Another reason might be the adjust-
ment of filter criteria, if the geometry element is initially fitted onto a perfect CAD model
(with rigid filtering options) and is meant to be refitted as a template on a lower-quality CT
data set, where more tolerant filtering options are required.
Fit points Tab
FIGURE 10-4: FIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG, FIT POINTS TAB

Columns of the Fit points Table
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
x/y/z Indicates the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the fit point in
the input/display coordinate system.
vx/vy/vz Indicates the direction vector of the fit point.
Probing direction • +/– (Both): The surface is searched for in both direc-
tions and the fit point is fitted to the closer surface.
• + (Positive): The surface is searched for in positive
probing direction only.
• – (Negative): The surface is searched for in negative
Surface orientation • +/– (Both): The fit point is fitted to the closer surface,
independently of the surface normal.
• + (Front): The fit point is fitted to the closest front
surface, i.e., the orientation of the surface normal is
approximately opposite to the probing direction
(difference does not exceed 90°).
• – (Back): The fit point is fitted to the closest back
similar to the probing direction (difference does not
exceed 90°).
TABLE 10-13: COLUMNS OF THE FIT POINTS TABLE
Controls of the Fit points Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Input/display system option Specifies the coordinate system in which the fit points
are created/imported and displayed. Default is the
scene coordinate system.
Storage system option Specifies the coordinate system in which the fit points
are stored. Default is the coordinate system of the
object.
All lengths, positions, and directions specified for the
new geometry element will be interpreted with respect
to this coordinate system. The actual position and
orientation of the resulting geometry element in the
scene will thus depend on both the specified geometry
and the definition of the chosen coordinate system.
Note that the connection of the geometry element with
the coordinate system is dynamic: if the coordinate
system changes at some later time, the geometry
element will change as well!

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Snap fit points to surface before starting When this option is checked, the fit points in the fit
iterations checkbox point table immediately (before the first iteration) snap
to the object surface considering the settings specified
in the Probing direction and Surface orientation columns.
If you would like to import fit points without adjusting
them to the surface, proceed as follows: For geometry
elements other than freeform elements, uncheck this
option and set the number of iterations on the Creation
tab to zero. For freeform geometry elements, uncheck
the Auto fit points option on the Creation tab.
Create separate element for each fit point Available for points only.
checkbox This option is relevant when several fit points are
created manually. When the option is unchecked,
one Point geometry element is created which lies on the
geometrical center of all manually created fit points.
When the option is checked, a Point geometry element
will be created for each of the manually created fit
points.
2D checkbox Available for circles, corner circles, and lines.

When this option is checked, clicking in a 2D window
to fit a line or a (corner) circle creates the geometry
element in the current slice.
• X/Y/Z fields: Indicate the slice in which the geometry
element will be created. The fields can be edited.
• D field: Indicates the depth in which the geometry
element will be created. The field can be edited.
Add button Opens the Define fit point dialog where you can enter the
coordinates and orientation as well as the Probing direc-
tion and Surface orientation settings of a new fit point. See
section Define fit point Dialog on page 277.
Edit button Opens the Define fit point dialog where you can edit the
coordinates and orientation as well as the Probing direc-
tion and Surface orientation settings of the currently
selected fit point. See section Define fit point Dialog on
page 277.
Import button Opens the Import fit points from CSV dialog for importing a
list of fit points as *.csv file.
use RMB to click into the fit points Displays a context menu, see below.
table
use LMB to click a column heading Sorts the table according to the values of the column.
Clicking subsequently toggles between ascending and
descending.
use LMB to click and drag column Inserts the column at the new position.
heading to new position, then
release LMB

TABLE 10-14: CONTROLS OF THE FIT POINTS TAB
Context Menu of the Fit points Tab
Right-click anywhere into the Fit points table to show its context menu. The context menu contains
the following items:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Columns • x, y, z, vx, vy, vz, Probing direction, Surface orientation:

Allows to toggle the visibility of each column by
possible size.
modifications applied by the user.
column layout.

mation is provided both as plain text and rich text table,
so when pasting into a rich text capable application like
a word processor, you will see a proper table with cell
borders and bold headings.
Change probing direction for selected Changes the Probing direction setting of the selected fit
entries point(s):
• Both (+/–): The surface is searched for in both direc-
• Positive (+): The surface is searched for in positive
• Negative (–): The surface is searched for in negative
Change surface orientation for selected Changes the Surface orientation setting of the selected fit
entries point(s):
• Both (+/–): The fit point is fitted to the closer surface,
• Front (+): The fit point is fitted to the closest front
• Back (–): The fit point is fitted to the closest back
exceed 90°).

10 DEFINE GEOMETRY ELEMENT MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Remove selected entries Deletes the selected row(s) from the table.
TABLE 10-15: CONTEXT MENU ITEMS OF THE FIT POINTS TAB
Define fit point Dialog
Clicking the Add or Edit button on the Fit points tab opens the Define fit point dialog with the following
controls:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Position X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the fit point in
the input/display coordinate system.
Orientation X/Y/Z spin boxes Indicates the direction vector of the fit point.
Probing direction drop-down list • Both (+/–): The surface is searched for in both direc-
• Positive (+): The surface is searched for in positive
• Negative (–): The surface is searched for in negative
Surface orientation drop-down list • Both (+/–): The fit point is fitted to the closer surface,
• Front (+): The fit point is fitted to the closest front
• Back (–): The fit point is fitted to the closest back
exceed 90°).
TABLE 10-16: CONTROLS OF THE DEFINE FIT POINT DIALOG
DEFINE GEOMETRY ELEMENT MENU ITEM
Opens the Define geometry element dialog where you can manually define a geometry element by
specifying its geometry relative to a given coordinate system. The icons of manually defined
geometry elements are shown in the Scene Tree in blue.

FIGURE 10-5: DEFINE GEOMETRY ELEMENT DIALOG
While the Define geometry element dialog is open, you will see a highlighted preview of the
geometry element in the scene. It will directly respond to all changes you make in the dialog.
 Name template field
Allows to enter a name for the geometry element. If this is not done, a name of the form
<type> <id> will automatically be generated. Clicking the Reset name button resets the
name template to its default.
 Type field
Specifies the type of geometry element to be created. The following types of geometry
elements are available: point, line, circle, plane, sphere, cylinder, cone, and torus. See also
section Types of Geometry Elements on page 251.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Input/display system option Specifies the coordinate system in which the

geometry element is created and displayed. Default
is the Scene coordinate system.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Storage system option Specifies the coordinate system in which the

geometry element is stored. Default is the coordi-
nate system of the object.
All lengths, positions, and directions specified for
the new geometry element will be interpreted with
respect to this coordinate system. The actual posi-
tion and orientation of the resulting geometry
element in the scene will thus depend on both the
specified geometry and the definition of the chosen
coordinate system.
Note that the connection of the geometry element
with the coordinate system is dynamic: if the coor-
dinate system changes at some later time, the
defined geometry element will change as well!
TABLE 10-17: CONTROLS IN THE COORDINATE SYSTEM SECTION
 Position section
Specifies the center position of the geometry element. Relevant for all types of geometry
elements.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z spin boxes Allow to enter the center position.
button Sets the center coordinates to the origin of the

input coordinate system.
< button Opens the Polar coordinates dialog where you can
define the center coordinates. The defined center
position is immediately shown in a preview.
TABLE 10-18: CONTROLS IN THE POSITION SECTION
 Orientation section
Specifies either the direction (line, cylinder, cone, torus) or the normal vector (plane, circle)
of the geometry element. Not relevant for points and spheres.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z spin boxes Allow to enter the orientation.
X, Y, Z buttons Allow to quickly define an axis-aligned orientation.
< button Opens the Polar coordinates dialog where you can
define the orientation. The defined orientation is
immediately shown in a preview.
Norm button Normalizes the currently entered orientation vector;

note that normalization is not obligatory—the given
orientation vector length is not relevant.

10 GEOMETRY ELEMENT PROPERTIES DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Flip button Swaps the direction of the currently entered orien-

tation.
TABLE 10-19: CONTROLS IN THE ORIENTATION SECTION
 Radius section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Length spin button Specifies the finite length of the geometry element.
Relevant for lines, cylinders and cones.
Radius 1/2 spin buttons Specifies the radii (or analogous info) needed for
the geometry element.
For circles, spheres and cylinders, only Radius 1 is
needed to define the radius.
For planes, Radius 1 defines the half length of the
created plane square.
For cones, both radii are needed to define both
ends of the (truncated) cone.
For tori, Radius 1 defines the major radius, while
Radius 2 defines the minor radius.
TABLE 10-20: CONTROLS IN THE RADIUS SECTION
 Take from existing button

Opens a dialog box where you can choose an existing geometry element in order to take
over its parameters for the new geometry element.
 Define button
Adds the defined geometry element to the selected volume/mesh.
 Close button
GEOMETRY ELEMENT PROPERTIES DIALOG
To show the properties of a geometry element,

 double-click the geometry element in the Scene Tree, or
 highlight the geometry element in the Scene Tree and select the Properties item from the
context menu of the Scene Tree, or
 highlight the geometry element in the Scene Tree and select the Properties item from the
Object menu.
Be aware that all geometric properties like positions and directions will be displayed with respect
to the currently selected coordinate system.

Properties Tab
Shows geometric and status properties of the geometry element.
FIGURE 10-6: GEOMETRY ELEMENT PROPERTIES DIALOG, PROPERTIES TAB
 Description section
Indicates type and name of the geometry element. The name can be edited.
 Construction method section
Provides information on how this geometry element was defined:
– [Gauss (least squares)/Minimum zone/...] fitted
– Result of [intersection/combination/projection/...]
– Manually defined geometry element

 Size status section

Provides status information on how the actual size of the geometry element is determined.
In most cases, the size of a fitted geometry element depends on all its fit points, and the
size of an intersected/combined geometry element depends on its source elements. Other
sizing methods can be selected via the Measurements > Resize geometry elements menu item.
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Based on original fit points The size of the geometry element is based on the fit
points actually set with the mouse.
Based on resulting fit points The size of the geometry element is based on the fit
points resulting from the Auto fit points and Auto
expand options.
Based on source element extent The size of the combined geometry element is
based on the size of its source elements.
Based on subset of fit points The size of the geometry element is based on a
subset of the fit points defined, e.g., by the Resize
geometry elements functionality (Resize to visible fit
points option).
Fixed The size of the geometry element is fixed. This

applies, e.g., to points, circles, spheres, freeform
lines and freeform surfaces.
Modified The size of the geometry element has been modi-

fied, e.g., by the Resize geometry elements function-
ality (Enlarge by geometry element or Resize by geometry
element(s) option).
TABLE 10-21: SIZE STATUS
 Fit status section

Provides status information about the last fitting process of the geometry element. For a
list of possible status messages, see section Status Messages for Geometry Elements on
page 353.
 Position/Radius/Major radius/Minor radius/Conicity/Direction/Normal fields
Geometric parameters. The position is defined by the center of the geometry element.
Direction and normal vectors are normalized to unit length. For cones, the radius at the
center position is given.
 Deviations section
Statistic measures of the fit point distribution. Peak/valley deviations denote the maximum
positive/negative distances of any fit point to the surface of the geometry element. The
form deviation equals the sum of peak and valley.
For circles, the deviation is the distance to the actual circle outline, not merely the plane of the
circle.
For lines that were initially specified in a 2D window, the 2D orientation at fitting time is stored
and used to provide a “left of line/right of line” distinction for signed distances (like for all other
geometry element types except the point). If a line has no orientation information, all distances
will be positive (valley deviation zero per definition).

The deviation signs are chosen such that positive deviations indicate points where the resulting
geometry element is located within the determined surface (i.e., in the material area).
 Constraints section
Provides information concerning the constraints regarding the geometry element as
defined in the Fit geometry element dialog.
 Source elements field
If the selected geometry element was created by geometry element manipulation (e.g.
Intersect, Combine, etc.), this field lists the original geometry elements.
 Edit/Replace button
For fitted geometry elements, clicking this button switches to the Fit points tab where you
can refit the selected geometry element by using only specific fit points or by creating
additional fit points. For details, see section Fit points Tab on page 283.
For manually defined geometry elements, clicking this button re-opens the Define geometry
element dialog where you can edit the parameters and click the Define button to replace the
selected geometry element. For details, see section Define geometry element Menu Item on
page 277.
For constructed geometry elements created by geometry element manipulation (e.g. Inter-
sect, Combine, etc.), clicking this button opens the Edit geometry element manipulation dialog
where you can edit the parameters. For details, see section Edit geometry element manipula-
tion Dialog on page 335.
Fit points Tab
Shows a list of the fit points used for calculating the properties of the geometry element.
Columns of the Fit points Table
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
x/y/z Indicates the x, y, and z coordinates of the fit point.
Deviation Indicates the distance of the fit point from the fitted
geometry element.
Sign Indicates the direction of the deviation of the fit point

from the geometry element.
Value Indicates the (interpolated) gray value at the position of

the fit point.
TABLE 10-22: COLUMNS OF THE FIT POINTS TABLE
Controls of the Fit points Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click on a table row Selects the fit point and makes it visible in the 2D and
3D views.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click on Selects the fit points and makes them visible in the 2D
several table rows and 3D views.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click on Selects the two fit points including all fit points between
two separate table rows the two and makes them visible in the 2D and 3D views.
use RMB to click into the fit points Displays a context menu, see below.
table
use LMB to click a column heading Sorts the table according to the values of the column.
Clicking subsequently toggles between ascending and
descending.
use LMB to click and drag column Inserts the column at the new position.
heading to new position, then
release LMB
Remove & Fit button Deletes all currently selected fit points and then refits
the geometry element based on the remaining points. If
the refit fails completely, the original state is restored.
Add & Fit button Re-opens the Fit geometry element dialog for this geom-
etry element. All existing fit points are present, all auto-
generation settings are turned off. You can add addi-
tional points as desired and click the Ok button to refit
and replace the geometry element and return to the
Geometry element properties dialog.
Recreate button Re-opens the Fit geometry element dialog for this geom-
etry element. All existing fit points will be discarded.
You can specify new fit points as desired and click the
Ok button to refit and replace the geometry element and
return to the Geometry element properties dialog.
TABLE 10-23: CONTROLS OF THE FIT POINTS TAB
To show or hide all fit points, you can also select one or more geometry element(s) in the Scene
Tree. From the Scene Tree context menu choose either Show fit points or Hide fit points. Each fit point
is color-coded according to its distance from the fitted geometry element.
Context Menu of the Fit points Tab
Right click anywhere into the Fit points table to show its context menu. The menu contains the
following items:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Columns • x, y, z, Deviation, Sign, Value: Allows to toggle the visi-

bility of each column by checking/unchecking the
respective checkbox.
possible size.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
modifications applied by the user.
column layout.

mation is provided both as plain text and rich text table,
so when pasting into a rich text capable application like
a word processor, you will see a proper table with cell
borders and bold headings.
Selected fit points as point elements Creates a Point geometry element from the selected fit
point(s).
Remove selected entries Deletes the selected row(s) from the table.
TABLE 10-24: CONTEXT MENU ITEMS OF THE FIT POINTS TAB
Histogram Tab
Shows the histogram plot of the fit point count against the deviation of the fit points from the
geometry element. The coloring is determined by the Reference deviation field of the Colors tab.
In contrast to other tabs of the Geometry element properties dialog, the Histogram tab is also available
when multiple geometry elements are selected. It will then reflect the union of both sets of fit
points.
Controls of the Histogram Tab
The following controls are available for the Histogram tab:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Binning field • Off: No binning is applied to the values shown in the

histogram.
• From color bar: Replaces the original values in the
histogram by a value representative for the corre-
sponding interval (“bin”) of the color bar.
button Zooms the corresponding axis in.
button Zooms the corresponding axis out.
use RMB to click into the chart area Displays a context menu, see below.
TABLE 10-25: CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAM TAB

Context Menu
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Export as CSV... Opens a dialog for saving the chart values to a .csv file.
Copy to clipboard Copies a screenshot of the chart to the system clip-

board so you can paste it in another application.
Show/Hide x/y grid Toggles the visibility of the grid lines for the corre-
sponding axis.
Cumulated Tab
Shows the accumulated percentile of the fit points against the deviation of the fit points from the
geometry element.
In contrast to other tabs of the Geometry element properties dialog, the Cumulated tab is also available
when multiple geometry elements are selected. It will then reflect the union of both sets of fit
points.
Controls of the Cumulated Tab
The following controls are available for the Cumulated tab:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cumulation field • Absolute: Shows the statistics for all fit points as a
function of their absolute numerical deviation.
• Only positive: Shows the statistics for fit points with a
positive deviation.
• Only negative: Shows the statistics for fit points with a
negative deviation.
Abs. deviation/Pos. deviation/ Neg. devia- Allows to specify a deviation value to obtain the cumu-
tion spin box lated percentage of fit points within this deviation. This
control is synchronized with the green cross-hairs
which indicate the corresponding position on the curve.
Percentage spin box Allows to specify a percentage for which you want to
obtain the maximum deviation. This control is synchro-
nized with the green cross-hairs which indicate the
corresponding position on the curve.
use LMB to click and drag green Moves the green cross-hairs along the curve, indicating
cross-hairs lines the percentage of fit points within a given deviation (or
alternatively the maximum deviation for a given
percentage).

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use RMB to click into the chart area Displays a context menu, see below.
TABLE 10-27: CONTROLS OF THE CUMULATED TAB
Context Menu
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.
Colors Tab
Sets the interval width and colors used in the histogram plot and for the color-coded fit points
visible in the 2D and 3D windows as well as the settings for the fit point color bar.
 Reference deviation section
When the automatic option is checked (default), the interval width is in units of the automat-
ically determined standard deviation. This is the standard deviation of all selected geom-
etry elements or—if no geometry elements are selected—all geometry elements found in
the scene.
When this option is unchecked, you can specify a custom value.
 Colors section
Shows the intervals for the fit point deviations and the corresponding colors. Double-
clicking a color bar opens the Select color dialog where you can set the color for the corre-
sponding interval.
 Color bar section
Specifies the settings for the fit point color bar.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Visibility drop-down list Switches the color bar on/off.
Positioning drop-down list Specifies the location of the color bar within the 2D
and 3D windows: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, All - auto-
matic, Left or right - automatic, Top or bottom - automatic.
Caption field Specifies the color bar headline using place-

holders.
Reset button Resets the Caption field to the default entry.

10 DIMENSIONING MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Caption preview field Displays the preview of the color bar headline
defined in the Caption field.
DIMENSIONING MENU ITEM
Opens the Dimensioning dialog which allows to create new geometric dimensioning features
based on existing geometry elements or view and edit existing dimensioning features.
A dimensioning feature is a single relevant parameter of either one geometry element (like the x-
coordinate of its position) or of a measurement between two geometry elements (like the
absolute distance between two reference points).
The contents of the Dimensioning dialog depend on the object selected in the Scene Tree. If one
or two geometry elements are selected, VGSTUDIO MAX will automatically suggest a possible
new feature based on these geometry elements, and a highlighted preview becomes visible in
the 2D and 3D views.
FIGURE 10-7: DIMENSIONING DIALOG

The following controls are available in the Dimensioning dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name template field Allows to enter a name for the feature. If this is not done, a name of
the form <feature> <id> will automatically be generated.
R button Resets the name template to its default.
Find highest number When this option is checked, the <id> starts counting from the
checkbox highest already existing id number.
Start number checkbox When this option is checked, you can use the corresponding spin
box to specify the start number for <id>.
Min. digits checkbox When this option is checked, you can use the corresponding spin
box to specify the minimum number of digits for <id>.
Type drop-down list Specifies the type of feature. For a detailed list of possible feature
types see section Types of Features on page 252.
Projection drop-down Specifies the spatial projection of the feature. Available for the
list feature types Distance, Position, and Angle. These can be projected
along one or two spatial dimensions:
• A dX (or dY or dZ) Distance/Position feature refers to the x (or y or z)
component of the measured distance line only.
• A dXY (or dXZ or dYZ) Distance/Position feature refers to the distance
line projected to the corresponding plane.
• If no projection is desired, use a dXYZ feature.
• For the feature type Angle, only dXY, dXZ, dYZ and dXYZ projections
are available, since angles cannot be projected onto a single
axis.
• Projection directions always refer to the axes of the feature coor-
dinate system.
View drop-down list Specifies the views to be included in the report.

• For dXYZ features, All views will always be included in the report.
• Distance or Position features with dX, dY or dZ projection can exist
in two possible orientations (a dX feature can show up in a
top/bottom (XY) slice or a front/back (XZ) slice). The View deter-
mines this orientation.
Coord. system drop- Specifies the coordinate system in which the feature is defined.
down list
Source A/B drop-down Specify the source object(s) used for defining the feature. For Posi-
lists tion, Radius and Diameter features, only Source A is available. Distance
and Angle features have both source objects.
button Interchanges the source objects.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Angle mode drop-down Specifies the type of angle of the dimension.

list For the opening angle of a cone:
• Full angle: Measures the full angle.
• Half angle: Measures the half angle.
For the angle between a line, cone, or cylinder and a plane:
• Angle to normal: Measures the angle between the (center) line and
the plane normal.
• Angle to plane: Measures the angle between the (center) line and
the plane.
Quadrant drop-down list Specifies the quadrant in which an angle is to be measured.

and >> button
Angle options option • Reflex angle checkbox: When this option is checked, the reflex
angle (>180°) is measured instead of the acute or obtuse angle.
• Flip sign button: Changes the sign of the angle.
Depth spin box Available and relevant for projected (non-dXYZ) features only. Deter-
mines the position in which the projected feature is visualized in 3D.
The feature orientation being determined by its Projection and View,
there is still one degree of freedom when displaying it in a 3D view.
When dragging a feature in a 2D view, the initial depth is determined
from the slice position in which the feature was dragged out. The
depth can later be changed freely.
Tol. table checkbox When this option is checked, you can select a tolerance table from
the drop-down list. The following standards are available as presets:
• ISO 2768-1 (classes f, m, c and v)
• DIN 16901 (classes 130 to 160)
• DIN 16742 (classes TG1 to TG9)
See also section General tolerance presets Menu Item on page 336.
Nom. checkbox When this option is checked, the actual value of the current feature
is set as nominal value.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tol. (lo)/Tol. (hi) fields Specify the allowed tolerance of the actual value towards the given
nominal value of the feature. When both values have not yet been
set, you can create a symmetric tolerance range by entering a Toler-
ance (hi) value. Tolerance (lo) will automatically be set to the same
value, but with a negative sign. You can also change both tolerances
independently, e.g., to enter two negative or two positive toler-
ances, respectively.
If you have checked the Tol. table option, Tol. (lo) and Tol. (hi) will auto-
matically be set according to the selected General tolerance preset.
As soon as you have entered a value into the Nom. field, Tol (hi)/Tol (lo)
for this feature will be set according to the Nom. value and the
currently selected Tol. table.
Note that changing the Tol. table will not automatically update
existing Tol (hi)/Tol (lo) values. These values are updated using the
currently selected Tol. table only when the corresponding Nom. value
is edited.
In the 2D windows and in the 3D window, an evaluation indicator is
visible in front of the dimension, indicating whether the dimension
lies within the tolerance range (green icon) or not (red icon).
+/- buttons Specify the default signs for Tol. (lo) and Tol. (hi), respectively.
Clicking the buttons switches the sign of the specified tolerances.
You can also change the signs by typing them in the Tol. (lo)/Tol. (hi)
fields.
Tol. (ex) field Specifies an additional allowed excess of the tolerance in percent of
the tolerance range, in order to account for deviations caused by
digits after the decimal point. The value is applied to Tol. (lo) and Tol.
(hi) separately.
Allow defined elements When this option is set to No, tolerancing a geometry element that
option was manually defined using the Define geometry element dialog will
result in a corresponding message in the status line. Apart from that,
a warning sign will be shown on the icon of the corresponding
feature in the Scene Tree.
Value fields The first Value field indicates the actual value of the feature dimen-
sion.
If the nominal value lies within the tolerance range, the second Value
field indicates the percentage difference between the actual value
and the nominal value (difference divided by tolerance). If the
nominal value does not lie within the tolerance range, the second
value is the percentage difference between the actual value and the
center of the tolerance range.
visual tolerance field Visually displays the actual tolerance range and the position of the
feature within or outside the tolerance range. The allowed excess is
not considered.
status line Provides status information about the feature. For a list of possible
status messages, see section Status Messages for Dimensioning
Features on page 355.

10 CM REPORTING MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create button Enabled only if one or two geometry elements have been high-
lighted in the Scene Tree: Creates the dimensioning feature in the
scene.
If a volume or CAD/mesh object is highlighted in the Scene Tree, the
dimensioning feature is automatically created in the scene as soon
as sufficient information is available.
Close button Closes the Dimensioning dialog.
TABLE 10-30: CONTROLS OF THE DIMENSIONING DIALOG
While in Dimensioning mode, you can select one or two geometry elements in the Scene Tree and
then use the mouse button to click and drag the (yellow) suggested (dXYZ) feature in the desired
2D orientation and direction to create a new projected (dX, dY, ...) feature.
CM REPORTING MENU ITEM
Opens the CM Reporting dialog which allows to view, edit and print detailed information about the
geometry elements and GD&T features connected to the volume or CAD/mesh object selected
in the Scene Tree. The name of the selected volume/CAD/mesh object is shown in the caption
of the dialog.
When double-clicking a dimensioning feature in the Scene Tree, VGSTUDIO MAX will automati-
cally open the CM Reporting dialog and highlight the selected feature.
The CM Reporting dialog consists of the following tabs:

 Features tab
Lists all existing dimensioning and tolerance features and their properties.
 Geometry elements tab
Lists all existing geometry elements and their properties.
 Images tab
Allows to take screenshots of the selected workspace views.
 Report tab
Allows to specify the content and layout of the final report.
Features Tab
Lists all existing dimensioning and/or tolerance features and their properties.
As each feature is defined in a distinct coordinate system, lengths and positions displayed in the
table do not refer to the currently selected coordinate system, but to the coordinate system of
the feature itself.

Columns of the Feature List
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Group Indicates the name of the group the feature belongs to.
Name Indicates the name of the feature and the icon for the feature type.
Column can be edited.
Comment Allows to enter a comment about the feature by double-clicking the

respective cell.
Type Indicates the feature type. For details on the feature types, see
section Types of Features on page 252.
Projection Indicates the spatial projection of the feature. Available for the
feature types Distance, Position and Angle. These can be projected
along one or two spatial dimensions:
• A dX (or dY or dZ) Distance/Position feature refers to the x (or y or z)
component of the measured distance line only.
• A dXY (or dXZ or dYZ) Distance/Position feature refers to the distance
line projected to the corresponding plane.
• If no projection is desired, a dXYZ feature is used.
• For the feature type Angle, only dXY, dXZ, dYZ and dXYZ projections
are available, since angles cannot be projected onto a single
axis.
• Projection directions always refer to the axes of the feature coor-
dinate system.
View Indicates the view to be included in the report.

• For dXYZ features, All views will always be included in the report.
• Distance or Position features with dX, dY or dZ projection can exist
in two possible orientations (a dX feature can show up in a
top/bottom (XY) slice or a front/back (XZ) slice). The View deter-
mines this orientation.
• For tolerance features, either manually select the view of the
image included in the report (Left, Right, Front, Back, Top, Bottom) or
select Auto to automatically select the optimal view.
Source A/B Indicates the geometry element(s) used for defining this feature.
• For Position, Radius and Diameter features, only Source A is avail-
able. For Distance and Angle features, both Source A and Source B
objects are available.
• For tolerance features, only Source A (the toleranced geometry
element) is available. Additional toleranced geometry elements
(CZ) are also listed here.
Coordinate system Indicates the coordinate system in which the feature is defined.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Datum P./S./T. Tolerances often need one or more datum object(s).

• Datum P.: The primary datum object can be a base plane defined
by the axes of the coordinate system (usually the scene coordi-
nate system) or a suitable geometry element. This option is avail-
able for the following tolerance types: Angularity, Coaxiality,
Parallelism, Perpendicularity, Position, Run-out, Symmetry, and Total
Run-out.
• Datum S.: The secondary datum object can be a base plane
defined by the axes of the coordinate system (usually the scene
coordinate system) or a suitable geometry element. This option
is available for the following tolerance types: Angularity, Coaxiality,
Parallelism, Perpendicularity, Position, Run-out, and Total Run-out.
• Datum T.: The tertiary datum object can be a base plane defined
by the axes of the coordinate system (usually the scene coordi-
nate system) or a suitable geometry element. This option is avail-
able for the tolerance type Position only.
Tolerance zone Indicates the shape of the tolerance zone. The tolerance zone can
be planar, circular, conical, cylindrical or spherical.
Tolerance target Indicates the target object of the toleranced geometry element.
• Actual element: Tolerances all fit points.
• Fitted element: Tolerances the geometry element (e.g., the plane).
• Fitted axis: Tolerances the axis of the geometry element (e.g., the
axis of a cylinder).
• Fitted position: Tolerances the position of the geometry element.
Act. value [<length Indicates the numerical value of the feature. For tolerance features,
unit>/<angle unit>] the actual value corresponds to the actual deviation calculated for
the selected tolerance type. For angle features, the value is
displayed in the current angle unit, for all other types of features it is
displayed in the current length unit.
Actual pos. X/Y/Z [<length For Position tolerance features: Indicates the actual position of the
unit>] toleranced geometry element with respect to the base coordinate
system.
Nom. value [<length • For dimensioning features: Indicates the nominal value for the
unit>/<angle unit>] dimensioning feature.
This column can be edited.
Together with the Tolerance (lo)/(hi) settings, the software will
determine whether the feature is within the specified tolerance
range and set the feature status accordingly. The evaluation will
be performed only if both the nominal value and the tolerance
values are set.
• For tolerance features: This value is always 0.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Nominal pos. X/Y/Z For Position tolerance features: Indicates the nominal position of the
[<length unit>] feature along the x-axis, y-axis or z-axis, respectively. Together with
the Tolerance settings, the software will determine whether the
feature is within the specified tolerance and set the feature status
accordingly.
Tolerance (lo)/(hi) [<length • For dimensioning features: Specifies the allowed tolerance of the
unit>/<angle unit>] actual value towards the given nominal value.
These columns can be edited.
When both values have not yet been set, you can create a
symmetric tolerance range by entering a Tolerance (hi) value.
Tolerance (lo) will automatically be set to the same value, but with
a negative sign. Similarly, you can enter a negative Tolerance (lo)
value; Tolerance (hi) is then automatically set to the same value,
but with a positive sign. You can also change both tolerances
independently, e.g., to enter two negative or two positive
tolerances, respectively.
If you have checked the Tol. table option in the Dimensioning
dialog, Tolerance (lo) and Tolerance (hi) will automatically be set
according to the selected General tolerance preset.
As soon as you have entered a value into the Nom. field of the
Dimensioning dialog, Tol (hi)/Tol (lo) for this feature will be set
according to the Nom. value and the currently selected Tol. table.
Note that changing the Tol. table will not automatically update
existing Tol (hi)/Tol (lo) values. These values are updated using the
currently selected Tol. table only when the corresponding Nom.
value is edited.
• For tolerance features: The Tolerance (hi) column corresponds to
the selected Tolerance in the Geometric tolerancing dialog.
This column can be edited.
Status Provides status information about the feature. For a list of possible
status messages, see section Status Messages for Dimensioning
Features on page 355 or section Status Messages for Tolerance
Features on page 355.
Depth [<length unit>] Available and relevant for projected (non-dXYZ) dimensioning
features only. Determines the position in which the projected feature
is visualized in 3D. The feature orientation being determined by its
Projection and View, there is still one degree of freedom when
displaying it in a 3D view. When dragging a feature in a 2D view, the
initial depth is determined from the slice position in which the
feature was dragged out. The depth can later be changed freely.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Image Allows to add a detailed 2D image and feature description on a

separate page of the report.
• On: Creates a suitable slice image and feature description.
• If not OK: Automatically includes an image if the tolerance status
is Out of tolerance.
The generated image will only contain the reported feature, its
source geometry elements and its parent volume/mesh. All other
geometry elements, GD&T features, analyses etc. will be hidden.
The 2D slice position used for taking the image is determined by the
position of the feature. The zoom factor of the image is chosen such
that the entire parent volume/mesh is visible. For all features with a
preferred orientation (i.e., all except dXYZ positions and distances),
a single image in this orientation will be created. Otherwise, an
orthographic projection with three orthogonal views relative to the
coordinate system of the feature is generated.
Captures Indicates the number of images captured for this feature using the
Capture from button in the Screenshots section.
Tolerance (excess) [%] Specifies an additional allowed excess of the tolerance in percent of
the tolerance range, in order to account for deviations caused by
digits after the decimal point. This column can be edited. The value
is applied to Tol. (lo) and Tol. (hi) separately.
Visual tolerance Visually displays the actual tolerance range and the position of the
feature within or outside the tolerance range. The allowed excess is
not considered.
Nominal diff. [<length Indicates the difference between actual and nominal value.
unit>/<angle unit>]
Percent diff. [%] Indicates the percentage difference between actual and nominal
value (i.e., Nominal diff. (the difference between actual and nominal
value) divided by Tolerance or Tolerance (hi), respectively).
MR type Indicates the type of material requirement of a tolerance feature.

Can be one of the following:
• Least material (LMR)
• Least material (LMR) reciprocal
• Maximum material (MMR)
• Maximum material (MMR) reciprocal
MR main feature Indicates the main toleranced dimensioning feature used for
defining the material requirement.
MR datum feature 1 Indicates feature 1 used for defining the material requirement.
MR datum feature 2 Indicates feature 2 used for defining the material requirement.
Final tolerance (hi) Indicates the final tolerance including the tolerances defined by the
[<length unit>] material requirement, if applicable.

TABLE 10-31: COLUMNS OF THE FEATURE LIST
Controls of the Feature List
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
New dimension button Opens the Dimensioning dialog where you can create a new dimen-
sioning feature. See section Dimensioning Menu Item on page 288.
New tolerance button Opens the Geometric tolerancing dialog where you can create a new
tolerance feature. See section Tolerancing Menu Item on page 313.
Edit button Opens the Dimensioning or the Geometric tolerancing dialog where you
can change the settings of the selected dimensioning or tolerance
feature, respectively.
Delete button Deletes the selected feature from the scene tree.
Adjustments drop-down • Auto name: Replaces existing names by sequential names.

list • Adjust coordinate system: Opens the Select coordinate system dialog
where you can specify the coordinate system for the selected
features.
• Allow defined source elements: When this option is applied to the
selected feature, tolerancing a geometry element that was
manually defined using the Define geometry element dialog will not
result in a corresponding message in the Status field. Apart from
that, no warning sign will be shown on the icon of the corre-
sponding feature in the Scene Tree.
Tip: To see the current status of the features in the Scene Tree
after having applied this option, it is recommended to use the
Update CM object(s) function.
• Disallow defined source elements: When this option is applied to the
selected feature, tolerancing a geometry element that was
manually defined using the Define geometry element dialog will
result in a corresponding message in the Status field. Apart from
that, a warning sign will be shown on the icon of the corre-
sponding feature in the Scene Tree.
Tip: To see the current status of the features in the Scene Tree
after having applied this option, it is recommended to use the
Update CM object(s) function.
use RMB to click Opens the context menu (see section Table Context Menu on
anywhere in the list page 303).
TABLE 10-32: CONTROLS OF THE FEATURE LIST

Geometry elements Tab
Lists all existing geometry elements and their properties.
All geometric properties like positions and directions will be displayed and reported with respect
to the currently selected coordinate system and the currently selected display unit.
Columns of the Geometry Element List
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Group Indicates the name of the group the geometry element

belongs to.
Name Indicates the name of the geometry element and the

icon for the geometry element type. This column can be
edited.
Status Provides status information about the geometry

element. For a list of possible status messages, see
section Status Messages for Geometry Elements on
page 353.
Type Indicates the geometry element type: point, line, circle,

corner circle, plane, sphere, cylinder, cone, torus,
freeform line, or freeform surface. For details on the
geometry element types, see section Types of Geom-
etry Elements on page 251.
Position X/Y/Z Indicates the coordinates of the center of the geometry

element in the current coordinate system.
Direction X/Y/Z Available for lines, cylinders, cones, tori. Indicates the
normalized direction vector of the geometry element.
Normal X/Y/Z Available for circles, corner circles, planes. Indicates

the normalized normal vector of the geometry element.
Radius Available for circles, corner circles, spheres, cylinders,

cones, tori. Indicates the radius of the geometry
element (major radius for tori).
Minor radius Available for tori. Indicates the minor radius of the
geometry element.
Conicity Available for cones. Indicates the conicity of the geom-

etry element in angle units.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Form/Peak/Valley Available for fitted geometry elements only. Indicates

the maximum deviation of the fit points from the fitted
geometry element (see also section Fit points Tab on
page 283).
• Form: The total of Peak and Valley.
• Peak: The maximum positive deviation of a fit point
from the fitted geometry element.
• Valley: The maximum negative deviation of a fit point
Construction method Indicates the method used for defining the geometry
element (see section Properties Tab on page 281).
Image Allows to add a detailed 2D image and geometry

element description on a separate page of the report.
views.
The generated image will only contain the reported
geometry element and its parent volume/mesh. All
other geometry elements, GD&T features, analyses etc.
will be hidden. The geometry element is always shown
without visible fit points and in a “highlighted” visual
state. The 2D slice position used for taking the image is
determined by the position of the geometry element.
The zoom factor of the image is chosen such that the
entire parent volume/mesh is visible.
defined on the Report tab.
Histogram image Available for fitted geometry elements only. Allows to

choose whether to include the fit point histogram
and/or the cumulated histogram in the reporting details
for this geometry element.
Captures Indicates the number of images captured for this

geometry element using the Capture from button in the
Screenshots section.
Coordinate system Indicates the coordinate system that was selected

when opening the report. The coordinates, directions
and normals of the geometry elements are specified in
this coordinate system.
Centroid X/Y/Z Indicates the centroid defined by the actual fit points.

TABLE 10-33: COLUMNS OF THE GEOMETRY ELEMENT LIST
Controls of the Geometry Element List
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Edit button For fitted geometry elements, clicking this button

opens the Fit geometry element dialog where you can
change the settings of the selected geometry element.
For details, see section Fit points Tab on page 283.
For manually defined geometry elements, clicking this
button opens the Define geometry element dialog where
you can edit the parameters and click the Define button
to replace the selected geometry element. For details,
see section Define geometry element Menu Item on
page 277.
Note that for constructed geometry elements created
by geometry element manipulation (e.g. Intersect,
Combine, etc.), this button is disabled. Instead, double-
click the corresponding entry in the Scene Tree to open
the Geometry element properties dialog and click the
Edit/Replace button to open the Edit geometry element
manipulation dialog. For details, see section Edit geometry
element manipulation Dialog on page 335.
Delete button Deletes the selected geometry element from the Scene
Tree.
Adjustments drop-down list • Change fit method: Allows to change the fit method for
the selected geometry element(s). For details on the
fit methods, see section Creation Tab on page 260.
use RMB to click anywhere in the Opens the context menu (see section Table Context
list Menu on page 303).
TABLE 10-34: CONTROLS OF THE GEOMETRY ELEMENT LIST
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

Table Context Menu
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

Images Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

Report Tab

reporting function.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel

10 ADJUST RESOLUTION MENU ITEM
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.

ADJUST RESOLUTION MENU ITEM
Opens the Adjust volume resolution dialog where you can modify the voxel resolution of the
selected volume object. This may be necessary to compensate for resolution drift in the CT
scanner. In this case, the part should be scanned together with a reference object containing a
well-determined surface which is used as the basis for the adjustment of the resolution.
This functionality is only suitable to compensate for minor deviations in resolution.

Modifying the resolution of the voxel data set will change the geometry of the data set but not
adapt any linear measurement parameters. This may invalidate any existing geometry elements
and analysis results.

If you want to perform high-precision measurements on your object, we strongly recommend

running a new reconstruction with corrected resolution parameters instead of using this feature.
To adjust the resolution, the user can select a number of known dimensioning features and
specify the nominal values. The voxel dimensions are recalculated to fit the nominal values.
Then the geometry elements are refitted and the new values for the dimensioning features are
calculated.
FIGURE 10-8: ADJUST VOLUME RESOLUTION DIALOG
 Target volume drop-down list

Selects the volume object for which the resolution is to be modified.
 Iterative adjustment section
Since the geometry elements and dimensioning features are refitted after a resolution
adjustment, the actual dimension of a dimensioning feature may not exactly match the
specified nominal value. When the Iterative adjustment option is checked, the resolution
adjustment and refitting procedure can be repeated automatically. This is done until all
dimensioning features used in the adjustment process are within a given tolerance or until
a maximum number of repetitions has been reached, whichever comes first.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Iterate at most x time(s) spin box Specifies the maximum number of times the reso-
lution adjustment and refitting process is to be
performed.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
or until all measures differ less than Specifies the desired tolerance between the
spin box nominal features and the re-adjusted voxel resolu-
tion.
TABLE 10-44: CONTROLS IN THE ITERATIVE ADJUSTMENT SECTION
 Mapping list section

Shows all dimensioning features used for the adjustment of the voxel resolution. This
includes their measured value based on the current voxel resolution, the specified nominal
value and the voxel-relative axial direction(s) adjusted for each dimensioning feature.
To remove a feature from the list, select it and either press the Del key or click the Delete
mapping button.
To add a new feature, select the new mapping entry in the list or by click the New mapping
button.
To edit a feature, select it in the list and change the values in the Mapping details section.
 Mapping details section
Specifies how a dimensioning feature is to be used for the adjustment of the voxel dimen-
sions.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Feature drop-down list Selects the dimensioning feature to be used when

adjusting the voxel dimensions.
Actual length field Indicates the actual length/dimension of the

selected feature as calculated using the current
voxel dimensions.
Nominal length field Specifies the nominal length/dimension of the

selected feature.
Relevant grid axes X, Y, Z check- Specify which of the three voxel dimensions (X, Y,
boxes Z) are to be modified by the selected mapping.
Note that the resolution is always modified in the
volume grid coordinate system.
Do not modify the resolution in all three axes using
a single feature, but use several features instead.
Optimum modification of the resolution in an axis
will be achieved using features which run parallel to
that axis. If a feature does not run parallel to any of
the axes, only use it to modify the resolution in the
axis on which the projected length of this feature is
largest.
New mapping button Creates a new mapping. You can also create a new
mapping by selecting the new mapping entry in the
Mapping list and specifying its properties in the
Mapping details section.
Delete mapping button Deletes the selected mapping. You can also delete
a selected mapping by pressing the Del key.

10 REMOVE UNUSED CM OBJECTS MENU ITEM
TABLE 10-45: CONTROLS IN THE MAPPING DETAILS SECTION
 Apply button
Re-calculates the voxel dimensions and closes the dialog.
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog without applying the modifications.
REMOVE UNUSED CM OBJECTS MENU ITEM
Deletes all unused geometry elements of the currently selected object.

A geometry element is used if
 a dimensioning feature is based on the geometry element, or
 a tolerance is defined for the geometry element, or
 the geometry element is used for registration, or
 the geometry element is used in a custom coordinate system, or
 the geometry element is a source element for another used geometry element.
RESIZE GEOMETRY ELEMENTS MENU ITEM
Opens the Geometry element resize dialog where you can change the visualized size of existing
geometry elements.
The length of a line geometry element or the extent of a plane geometry element is usually
determined automatically, either by the range of the given fit points or the sizes of its source
geometry elements (for derived geometry elements). Most measurements and manipulation
operations do not consider this finite size; it is merely used for visualization. Still, you can alter
the size with the Resize geometry elements functionality.
 Source element section
Selects one of the geometry elements available for the volume/mesh currently selected in
the Scene Tree. This is the geometry element you are going to resize.
Resizing only makes sense for geometry elements of the types line, plane, cylinder, and cone.
Other geometry element types do not have a degree of freedom concerning their visible sizes.
 Action section
Specifies how to determine the source geometry element’s new size.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Resize to resulting fit points Sets the size of the source geometry element to
enclose all of the geometry element’s fit points.

10 RESIZE GEOMETRY ELEMENTS MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Resize to original fit points Sets the size of the source geometry element to
enclose the fit points that were originally provided
at fitting time, i.e. the positions you had explicitly
clicked in 2D or 3D when creating the geometry
element.
This option can be used for avoiding small size
overlaps when fitting a geometry element with the
Auto expand option, which produces new points
slightly outside the area of your original fit points.
Resize to visible fit points Sets the size of the source geometry element to
enclose only fit points that are currently shown.
This allows you to specify an arbitrary subset of
points for resizing, using the fit point list in the
Geometry element properties dialog.
Enlarge by geometry element Ensures that the source geometry element “covers”
the given reference. The source geometry element
will never be made smaller, only larger, if necessary.
The “coverage” is defined by projecting important
points of the reference (center position, line end
points or plane borders) onto the line or plane of the
source geometry element. The line or plane extent
of the source geometry element is then enlarged to
cover all projected reference positions.
Resize by geometry element(s) Similar to the Enlarge by geometry element option, but
instead of only enlarging the source geometry
element as needed and never shrinking it, this
option actually determines the exact size needed to
cover all given references.
This implies that you cannot resize by a single refer-
ence point, as the resulting size would be zero. You
will need at least two points or a higher order refer-
ence for resizing.
TABLE 10-46: CONTROLS IN THE ACTION SECTION
 Status section
Provides information about the validity of the current resize settings.
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Ok Source geometry element and resize action are

valid.
No elements selected No valid source geometry element has been

selected.
Invalid number of elements selected No reference has been selected for the Enlarge by
geometry element or Resize by geometry element(s)
mode.

10 TOLERANCING MENU ITEM
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Invalid number of fit points Resizing to fit points is not possible because there
are no suitable fit points. This may happen when
trying to resize a derived or manually created
geometry element (which has no fit points).
Singular result Resizing failed because a zero-length size was

determined. This may happen when trying to resize
to a single fit point or a single reference point.
Unsupported operation Resizing is not possible with this kind of geometry

element(s). For instance, you cannot resize a point
element.
TABLE 10-47: MESSAGES IN THE STATUS SECTION
 Accept button
Applies the changes in size to the source geometry element. This will not produce a copy
of the geometry element, but will modify the source geometry element itself.
 Cancel button
Closes the dialog without applying the modifications.
TOLERANCING MENU ITEM
Selecting a tolerance type from the Tolerancing submenu opens the Geometric Tolerancing dialog
which allows to create new geometric tolerance features based on existing geometry elements
or to view and edit existing features.
Geometric tolerancing is based on DIN EN ISO 1101.
A tolerance feature is a single relevant parameter of one geometry element with (like the paral-
lelism tolerance) or without (like the straightness tolerance) regard to one or more datum
object(s).
If one or more geometry elements are selected, VGSTUDIO MAX will automatically suggest a
possible tolerance type based on these geometry elements, and a highlighted preview becomes
visible in the 2D and 3D views.

FIGURE 10-9: GEOMETRIC TOLERANCING DIALOG
The following controls are available in the Geometric Tolerancing dialog:

 Current name field
Indicates the name of the selected tolerance feature. For an existing tolerance feature, this
field can be edited.
 Tolerancing section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Type drop-down list Specifies the type of the tolerance feature. For details, see
section Types of Tolerance Features on page 254.
Toleranced element drop- Specifies the geometry element to which the tolerance is to
down list be applied.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
> button Selects the geometry element that is currently highlighted in

the Scene Tree.
Tolerance spin box Specifies the permissible tolerance value. For details, see
section Types of Tolerance Features on page 254.
Tolerance (excess) [%] Specifies an additional allowed excess of the tolerance in

spin box percent of the tolerance range, in order to account for devia-
tions caused by digits after the decimal point.
Allow defined elements For defined geometry elements. When this option is set to No,
option tolerancing a geometry element that was manually defined
using the Define geometry element dialog will result in a corre-
sponding message in the status line. Apart from that, a
warning sign will be shown on the icon of the corresponding
feature in the Scene Tree.
TABLE 10-48: CONTROLS IN THE TOLERANCING SECTION
 Settings section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Base system drop-down Specifies the coordinate system in which the tolerance
list feature is defined. For line-profile and surface-profile toler-
ances, the base system is always the storage system of the
corresponding freeform geometry element and cannot be
changed.
Create datum system Opens the Settings tab of the Coordinate system editor dialog for
button specifying a new datum system. After the datum system has
been applied, the corresponding datums are automatically
entered into the Primary, Secondary, and/or Tertiary fields of the
Datum element(s) section.
Zone options drop-down Specifies the shape of the tolerance zone:

list • Auto/Default: Automatically determines the shape of the
tolerance zone, depending on the tolerance type.
• Axial/Radial/Planar/Circular/Cylindrical/Spherical/Orthog-
onal/Square/Box/Minimal/Symmetric/Positive/Negative/Positive
minimal/Negative minimal (selection depends on tolerance
type): Allows to manually specify the tolerance zone. For
details, see section Types of Tolerance Features on
page 254.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Target drop-down list Specifies the target object of the toleranced geometry
element.
• Auto: Automatically selects the optimal target object.
• Actual element: Tolerances all fit points.
• Fitted element: Tolerances the geometry element (e.g., the
plane).
• Fitted axis: Tolerances the axis of the geometry element
(e.g., the axis of a cylinder).
• Fitted position: Tolerances the position of the geometry
element.
This option is available for the following tolerance types: Angu-
larity, Coaxiality, Parallelism, Perpendicularity, Position, Run-out,
Symmetry, and Total run-out.
TABLE 10-49: CONTROLS IN THE SETTINGS SECTION
 Documentation section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
View drop-down list Specifies the view to be included in the report.

• Auto: Automatically selects the optimal view.
• Left, Right, Front, Back, Top, Bottom: Allows to specify the
desired view.
Plot scale spin box Specifies the scale of the tolerance band and toleranced
geometry element in the deviation plot (value range: 1..1000,
0 = Auto).
TABLE 10-50: CONTROLS IN THE DOCUMENTATION SECTION
 Material requirement section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Type drop-down list Specifies the type of material requirement for a tolerance
feature:
• Least material (LMR)
• Least material (LMR) reciprocal
• Maximum material (MMR)
• Maximum material (MMR) reciprocal
Main feature drop-down Specifies the main toleranced dimensioning feature used for
list defining the material requirement. The tolerance of this
feature will be added to the Final tolerance value.
Datum feature 1 drop- Specifies feature 1 used for defining the material requirement.
down list The tolerance of this feature will be added to the Final tolerance
value.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Datum feature 2 drop- Specifies feature 2 used for defining the material requirement.
down list The tolerance of this feature will be added to the Final tolerance
value.
> button Selects the feature that is currently highlighted in the Scene
Tree.
/ button Toggles between the material types “shaft” and “hole”.
P/S/T button Displays the material requirement symbol in the tolerance

label next to the primary, secondary, or tertiary datum,
respectively.
TABLE 10-51: CONTROLS IN THE MATERIAL REQUIREMENT SECTION
 Additional toleranced elements (CZ)/Additional toleranced elements section

Allows to add more geometry elements in order to tolerance all selected geometry
elements in one tolerance zone (CZ = common zone).
For Run-out and Roundness: Allows to add more geometry elements in order to tolerance all
selected geometry elements at a time, independently of each other.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Del button If a geometry element is highlighted in the list section:

Removes the selected geometry element from the list. If no
geometry element is highlighted: Removes all geometry
elements from the list.
> button Adds the geometry element that is currently highlighted in the
Scene Tree.
drop-down list Specifies a geometry element to be added.
TABLE 10-52: CONTROLS IN THE ADDITIONAL TOLERANCED ELEMENTS (CZ) SECTION
 Name template section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name template field Allows to enter a name for the feature. If this is not done, a
name of the form <feature> <id> will automatically be gener-
ated.
Reset name button Resets the name template to its default.
Find highest number When this option is checked, the <id> starts counting from
checkbox the highest already existing id number.
Start number checkbox When this option is checked, you can use the corresponding
spin box to specify the start number for <id>.
Min. digits checkbox When this option is checked, you can use the corresponding
spin box to specify the minimum number of digits for <id>.

TABLE 10-53: CONTROLS IN THE NAME TEMPLATE SECTION
 Datum element(s) section

Allows to specify one or more datum element(s) for the tolerance. When a datum system
is used, the primary, secondary, and/or tertiary datums are automatically entered into the
corresponding fields.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Primary drop-down list Specifies the primary datum by selecting either a base plane
defined by the axes of the coordinate system specified in the
Base system field (usually the scene coordinate system) or a
suitable geometry element. This option is available for the
following tolerance types: Angularity, Coaxiality, Line-profile,
Parallelism, Perpendicularity, Position, Run-out, Surface-profile,
Symmetry, and Total Run-out.
Secondary drop-down Specifies the secondary datum by selecting either a base

list plane defined by the axes of the coordinate system specified
in the Base system field (usually the scene coordinate system)
or a suitable geometry element. This option is available for
the following tolerance types: Angularity, Coaxiality, Line-profile,
Parallelism, Perpendicularity, Position, Run-out, Surface-profile, and
Total Run-out.
Tertiary drop-down list Specifies the tertiary datum by selecting either a base plane
defined by the axes of the coordinate system specified in the
Base system field (usually the scene coordinate system) or a
suitable geometry element. This option is available for the
following tolerance types: Line-profile, Position, and Surface-
profile.
> button Selects the geometry element that is currently highlighted in

the Scene Tree.
Flip P./Flip S./Flip T. When this option is checked, the flipped normal direction of
checkboxes the selected primary/secondary/tertiary datum element is
used.
Project T. checkbox When this option is checked, the origin is defined by

projecting the tertiary datum element onto the
primary/secondary datum elements. When this option is
unchecked, the position of the tertiary datum element is set
to the origin of the coordinate system.
TABLE 10-54: CONTROLS OF THE DATUM ELEMENT(S) SECTION
 Nominal values section

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Auto nominal position For Position tolerances: When this option is checked, the Actual
checkbox pos. values are automatically entered into the Position fields of
the Nominal values section. By default, this option is checked
for CAD models, while it is unchecked for volume objects and
meshes.
Position X (T.) spin box For Position tolerances: When this checkbox is checked, the
and checkbox geometry element will be toleranced in the X direction. The
spin box specifies the nominal value with respect to the
Tertiary datum element.
Position Y (S.) spin box For Position tolerances: When this checkbox is checked, the
and checkbox geometry element will be toleranced in the Y direction. The
Secondary datum element.
Position Z (P.) spin box For Position tolerances: When this checkbox is checked, the
and checkbox geometry element will be toleranced in the Z direction. The
Primary datum element.
< button Opens the Polar coordinates dialog where you can define the
position coordinates as polar coordinates instead of Carte-
sian coordinates. The defined position is immediately shown
in a preview.
Distance spin box For cylindrical and spherical Position tolerances: Specifies the
nominal distance of the toleranced geometry element from
the nominal position. The tolerance zone is a double
cylinder/sphere around the perfect cylinder/sphere.
Angle spin box For Angularity tolerances: Specifies the nominal angle.
TABLE 10-55: CONTROLS OF THE NOMINAL VALUES SECTION
 Status section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Actual value field Indicates the actual deviation calculated for the selected
tolerance type.
Final tolerance field Indicates the final tolerance including the tolerances defined
by the material requirement, if applicable.
Relative deviation field Indicates the percentage difference between actual and
nominal value (i.e., the difference between actual and nominal
value divided by the tolerance value).
Actual pos. X (T.)/Y (S.)/Z Indicates the position of the tolerance target with respect to
(P.) fields the datum elements.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance zone field Indicates the shape of the tolerance zone. The tolerance zone
can be planar, circular, conical, cylindrical or spherical.
Tolerance target field Indicates the target object of the toleranced geometry
element:
• Actual fit points: Tolerances all fit points.
• Fitted element: Tolerances the geometry element (e.g., the
plane).
• Fitted axis: Tolerances the axis of the geometry element
(e.g., the axis of a cylinder).
• Fitted position: Tolerances the position of the geometry
element.
Documentation view field Indicates the view included in the report for documentation
purposes.
status line Provides status information about the tolerance feature. For a
Messages for Tolerance Features on page 355.
visual tolerance field Visually displays the actual tolerance range and the position
of the feature within or outside the tolerance range. The
allowed excess is not considered.
TABLE 10-56: CONTROLS OF THE STATUS SECTION
 Create button
Creates the tolerance feature in the scene.
 Plot button
Available for Roundness tolerances of circles, Straightness tolerances of 2D lines and 2D
freeform lines, and Line-profile tolerances of 2D freeform lines.
To obtain a 2D line or freeform line, use the 2D option in the Fit points tab of the Fit geometry element
dialog or set the fit points directly in a 2D window.
Opens the Deviation plot window showing the deviation of the toleranced geometry element
with respect to the specified tolerance. When the Image option of the tolerance feature in
the Feature list of the CM Reporting dialog is set to On, the plot is also shown in the report.
The following information is provided in the Deviation plot window:
– Name of the tolerance feature
– Name of the toleranced geometry element
– Coordinate system in which the tolerance feature is defined
– Permissible tolerance value
– Scale factor of the plot
– For roundness and straightness: Largest deviation values from the nominal
line/circle in positive and negative direction
– For line-profile tolerances: Largest deviation values from the middle of the tolerance
zone in positive and negative direction
The following color coding is used:

10 GEOMETRY ELEMENT ACTIONS MENU ITEM
– Green: The shape of the toleranced geometry element lies within the tolerance
band. The green circle indicates the position of the largest deviation in nega-
tive/positive direction (Deviation low/high) within the tolerance band.
– Blue: The shape of the toleranced geometry element deviates from the nominal
line/circle in negative direction. The blue circle indicates the position of the largest
deviation in negative direction (Deviation low) outside the tolerance band.
– Red: The shape of the toleranced geometry element deviates from the nominal
line/circle in positive direction. The red circle indicates the position of the largest
deviation in positive direction (Deviation high) outside the tolerance band.
 Cancel button
Closes the Geometric Tolerancing dialog, discarding the currently suggested feature, but
retaining all features that are already installed in the scene.
 Create new button
If an existing feature is selected in the Scene Tree, creates a new feature based on the
settings in the Geometric Tolerancing dialog.
 Replace button
Replaces the settings of the selected feature with the current settings and closes the
Geometric Tolerancing dialog.
GEOMETRY ELEMENT ACTIONS MENU ITEM
This sub-menu provides miscellaneous actions that can be used on existing geometry
elements. Availability and affected geometry elements depend on the geometry elements
currently selected in the Scene Tree.
Show/hide fit points Menu Items
Show/hide all fit points for all currently selected geometry elements. Shown fit points are
displayed in all 2D and 3D views using a color-coding scheme indicating the fit point distance
Save fit point information Menu Item
Opens the Save fit points as CSV dialog where you can save a .csv file containing information about
the fit points of all selected geometry elements.
The information includes the point position in the currently selected coordinate system, the fit
point deviation, and additionally the orientation of the surface normal at the fit point position.
You can select multiple geometry elements to save their combined fit point information in a
single file.
Replace geometry element Menu Item
Opens the Geometry element replacement dialog where you can replace one geometry element with
another.
The replaced geometry element will be deleted. All geometry elements and GD&T features that
depend on the replaced geometry element will be automatically updated using the replacing
geometry element.

If you replace a geometry element that is used in a registration, the registration will not be
changed. If you replace a geometry element that is used to define a registration coordinate
system, this system will become invalid.
Extract medial axis Menu Item
Available for the geometry elements cylinder and cone. Opens the Extract medial axis dialog to
create a number of fitted circles from the lateral surface area as well as a freeform line from the
centers of these circles. It is then possible, e.g., to apply a straightness tolerance to this
freeform line.
The 2D and 3D windows show a preview of the circles according to the parameter settings in
the Extract medial axis dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Number of circles spin box Specifies the number of circles to be created from the
lateral surface area of the cylinder or cone.
Top border spin box Specifies the distance of the first circle from the top
cone/cylinder border, either in percent of the
cone/cylinder height or as absolute value.
Bottom border spin box Specifies the distance of the last circle from the bottom
/ button • Button is pressed : the distance of the first and

the last circle from the top and the bottom
cone/cylinder border, respectively, is the same.
• Button is released : the distance of the first and
cone/cylinder border, respectively, can be changed
individually.
Fit method drop-down list Specifies the fit method to be used for fitting the circles.
For details on the fit methods, see section Creation Tab
on page 260 in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM
Module.
TABLE 10-57: CONTROLS IN THE EXTRACT MEDIAL AXIS DIALOG
ROI from geometry element(s)... Menu Item
Creates one or more new ROIs without render settings from the geometry element(s) selected in
the Scene Tree.

On choosing the Select > ROI from geometry element(s)... menu item, the Create ROI from geometry
element(s) dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Only available for sphere, cylinder, cone, and torus
geometry elements.
represent the volume of the selected geometry
element(s).
• from surface:
ROI(s) represent the outline of the geometry
element(s) with the specified thickness.
Extend option Only available for plane, freeform surface, cylinder,

cone, and line geometry elements and if the Create ROI(s)
from surface option is checked.
• in all directions: The ROI extends in all directions.
• perpendicularly only: The ROI only extends perpendic-
ularly to the geometry element.
Close holes option Only available for freeform surface, cylinder, and cone
and if the ROI(s) from surface option is checked.
freeform surface, the ROI is created according to the
When this option is not checked, the ROI created will
cylinder or cone, the ROI also includes the circular
Process each element individually By default, a single ROI is created from all geometry
option elements selected in the Scene Tree. If the ROIs of the
individual geometry elements would intersect each
ROIs.
created for each selected geometry element.
TABLE 10-58: CONTROLS IN THE CREATE ROI FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT(S) DIALOG

Update CM object(s) Menu Item
Triggers an update for the selected CM objects (geometry elements or GD&T features). If an
entire volume/mesh or the Coordinate Measurement item is selected in the Scene Tree, all
pertaining CM objects and all custom coordinate systems are updated. Updating geometry
elements will refit them, while updating features will recalculate them.
Updating CM objects manually is necessary, e.g., if the surface of the parent volume has been
re-determined or if the volume/mesh object has been re-registered.
To check whether a CM object needs updating, inspect its fit status on the Properties tab of the
Geometry element properties dialog (see section Properties Tab on page 281 in chapter 10 Measure-
ments Menu/CM Module). The status is also indicated by a warning icon to the left of the object
name in the Scene Tree.
Updating all CM objects can take some time, and the updating might fail or produce warnings
for some of the updated objects. This will be reflected by their status afterwards.
Mesh from geometry element(s) Menu Item
This option is available for spheres, cylinders, cones, planes, tori, and freeform surfaces.
Creates a mesh from the selected geometry element(s) and inserts the mesh into the scene. All
selected geometry elements are combined into one mesh object.
For some geometry elements, the Create mesh dialog opens where you can specify the following
options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance spin box For spheres, cylinders, cones, and tori. Specifies the
maximal deviation between the mesh and the geometry
element allowed for the extraction process.
Close holes option For freeform surfaces, cylinders, and cones.

When this option is checked for creating a mesh from a
freeform surface, the mesh is created according to the
When this option is not checked, the mesh created will
When this option is checked for creating a mesh from a
cylinder or cone, the mesh also includes the circular
TABLE 10-59: CONTROLS OF THE CREATE MESH DIALOG

10 GEOMETRY ELEMENT MANIPULATION MENU ITEM
CAD from geometry element(s) Menu Item
Creates a CAD model from the selected geometry element. For cylinders and cones, you can
choose to either have it created as a closed object (solid) or as a lateral surface.
Export geometry element(s) as CAD Menu Item
Creates a CAD model from the selected geometry element(s) and exports the CAD model to a
*.stp file. If several geometry elements are selected, they will be combined into one CAD object
with components. For cylinders and cones, you can choose to either have it created as a closed
object (solid) or as a lateral surface.
Export geometry element(s) as mesh Menu Item
This option is available for spheres, cylinders, cones, planes, tori, and freeform surfaces.
Opens the Mesh export dialog to create a mesh from the selected geometry element(s) and export
the mesh, e.g., to a *.stl file (for details on the supported file formats, see section File Formats
on page 940 in chapter 43 Appendix). If several geometry elements are selected, they will be
combined to one mesh object.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance spin box Specifies the maximal deviation between the mesh and
the geometry element allowed for the extraction
process.
Coordinate system drop-down list Specifies the coordinate system that defines the origin
and orientation for the exported coordinates.
Physical unit drop-down list Specifies the unit for recalculating the coordinates such
that the exported object is properly scaled. The unit will
be included in a comment so that you can retrieve it
from the file when needed.
Export mode section Specifies the file format to be used: Binary or ASCII.
TABLE 10-60: CONTROLS OF THE MESH EXPORT DIALOG
GEOMETRY ELEMENT MANIPULATION MENU ITEM
Creates new dependent geometry elements based on one, two, or more source geometry
elements. Before you can activate a manipulation menu item, you must select the appropriate
source geometry elements in the Scene Tree. The menu item will become enabled as soon as it
can successfully operate on the selected geometry elements.
After choosing the desired manipulation action, you will immediately see a highlighted preview
of the resulting geometry element in the 2D and 3D views.
Additionally, a temporary floating toolbar opens. The options available in the toolbar depend on
the type of manipulation and geometry elements selected.
When a geometry element has been created by a manipulation operation, this is indicated by a
“c” displayed at the bottom left of the geometry element icon in the Scene Tree.

Manipulation results are dynamic: if the involved source geometry elements (and possibly
involved coordinate systems) change at some later time, the manipulation result will change as
well!
When selecting a dependent geometry element in the Scene Tree, its source geometry elements
will be marked by a blue box around their icons to the left.
When selecting a source geometry element in the Scene Tree, its dependent geometry elements
will be marked by a red box around their icons to the left.
The table below lists the Geometry element manipulation submenu items described in the following
paragraphs. Menu entries currently not available are disabled and displayed in gray.
> Intersect Calculates the intersection of two or three geometry

elements, or of a line-like geometry element with the
determined surface. See section Intersect Menu Item on
page 326.
> Combine Combines two or more geometry elements to a single

result geometry element. See section Combine Menu
Item on page 330.
> Projection Projects one geometry element onto another. See

section Projection Menu Item on page 331.
> Symmetry element “Interpolates” between two geometry elements of the

same type. See section Symmetry element Menu Item on
page 332.
> Transformation Applies a rotational and translational transformation to

a single existing source geometry element. See section
Transformation Menu Item on page 333.
> Extract min./max. point Extracts the minimum or maximum fit point of the
selected geometry element relative to another geom-
etry element or in a coordinate system. See section
Extract min./max. point Menu Item on page 333.
TABLE 10-61: GEOMETRY ELEMENT MANIPULATION SUBMENU ITEMS
Intersect Menu Item
Calculates the intersection of two or three geometry elements, or of a line geometry element
with the determined surface.
The following table gives an overview of the possible combinations:
GEOMETRY INTERSECT RESULT COMMENT

ELEMENT WITH
Circle Circle Two points
Circle Plane Line The circle is regarded as a circular disk.


ELEMENT WITH
Cone Cone One or two • Circle(s): If the cone axes are nearly
circles or four parallel (deviation < 5°) and coincide. The
points circles are the intersections of the lateral
surfaces of the cones.
• Four points: If the deviation between the
cone axes is > 5°. The resulting points are
the intersections of the cone axis of one
cone with the lateral surfaces of the other
cone.
The value in the spin box of the floating
toolbar specifies the maximum distance
between the positions of the two cones.
Cone Plane Point or • Point: The cone is regarded as a line.

circle • Circle: If cone and plane are nearly perpen-
dicular within the given tolerance:
– Angular tolerance: Here you can specify
an absolute angle.
– Relative tolerance: Denotes the
maximum allowed relative difference
of major to minor axis in the ellipse
which would exactly describe the
intersection.
Cone Line Two points
Cone Determined Points The cone is regarded as a line.

surface
Cylinder Cone Circle or four • Circle: If the cylinder axis and the cone
points axis are nearly parallel (deviation < 5°) and
coincide. The circle is the intersection of
the lateral surface of the cylinder with the
lateral surface of the cone.
• Four points: If the deviation between the
cylinder axis and the cone axis is > 5°.
The resulting points are the two intersec-
tions of the cylinder axis with the lateral
surface of the cone and the two intersec-
tions of the cone axis with the lateral
surface of the cylinder.
The value in the spin box of the floating
toolbar specifies the maximum distance
between the position of the cylinder and the
position of the cone.


ELEMENT WITH
Cylinder Plane Point or • Point: The cylinder is regarded as a line.

circle • Circle: If cylinder and plane are nearly
perpendicular within the given tolerance:
– Angular tolerance: Specifies an absolute
angle.
– Relative tolerance: Denotes the
maximum allowed relative difference
of major to minor axis in the ellipse
which would exactly describe the
intersection.
Cylinder Sphere Two points or • Point: The cylinder is regarded as a line.

two circles • Circle: The center of the sphere must lie on
the axis of the cylinder within the toler-
ance given in the spin box.
Cylinder Line Two points
Cylinder Determined Points The cylinder is regarded as a line.

surface
Line Line Point
Line Plane Point
Plane Plane Line The planes must not be parallel. The finite
length of the line is determined by the actual
sizes of the two source planes.
Plane Two planes Point The planes must not be parallel.
Sphere Sphere Circle
Sphere Line Two points
Sphere Plane Circle
Torus Line Up to four

points
Torus Plane One or two The rotational axis of the torus must either be
circles perpendicular to or coincide with the plane.
TABLE 10-62: INTERSECT OPTIONS
The following controls are available in the floating toolbar:
Finish Creates the manipulation result in the scene.
Abort Closes the toolbar without creating a geometry

element.

Name template Allows to enter a name for the new geometry element.
If this is not done, a name of the form <type> <id> will
automatically be generated.
Reset name Resets the name template to its default.
TABLE 10-63: CONTROLS IN THE INTERSECT GEOMETRY ELEMENTS TOOLBAR
The following additional controls are available in the floating toolbar when intersecting a geom-
etry element with the determined surface of the selected render object:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Order drop-down list Specifies the order in which the created points will be
numbered in the Scene Tree, starting from the position
of the geometry element.
• Default/All: All points are numbered in consecutive
order.
• Reverse: All points are numbered in reverse order.
• Positive: Starting from the geometry element posi-
tion, the points are numbered in positive direction
only.
• Negative: Starting from the geometry element posi-
tion, the points are numbered in negative direction
only.
• Absolute: The points are numbered according to the
distance between point and geometry element posi-
tion, starting with the point that is closest to the
position and ending with the point that is farthest to
the position.
• Absolute reverse: The points are numbered according
to the distance between point and geometry
element position, starting with the point that is
farthest from the position and ending with the point
that is closest to the position.
• Alternating: The points are numbered according to
the distance between point and geometry element
position, starting with the point that is closest to the
position and alternating between negative and posi-
tive direction.
• Alternating reverse: The points are numbered
according to the distance between point and geom-
etry element position, starting with the point that is
farthest from the position and alternating between
negative and positive direction.
Max. count spin box Specifies the maximum number of points to be created.
TABLE 10-64: ADDITIONAL CONTROLS IN THE INTERSECT TOOLBAR

Combine Menu Item
Combines two or more geometry elements to a single result geometry element.

This is possible for the following combinations:
 Point/point
Results in a line connecting the two points.
 Line/point
Results in a plane defined by the two source geometry elements. For details on the
options, see Table 10-65: Controls in the Combine geometry elements toolbar.
 More than two points
More than two points can be combined to form a point, a line, a circle, a plane, a sphere,
a cylinder, a cone, or a freeform line. For details on the options, see Table 10-65: Controls
in the Combine geometry elements toolbar.
Freeform lines resulting from a combine operation are not suitable for creating line profiles.
 Circle/circle or more than two circles

Circles can be combined to form a sphere, a cylinder or a cone. For details on the options,
see Table 10-65: Controls in the Combine geometry elements toolbar.
You can combine other types of geometry elements as well, e.g., when combining two spheres,
they will be considered as “point-like” geometry elements and the “point/point” combination is
available, combining them to a line connecting the centers of the spheres.

element.
Use positions radio Combines the positions of the geometry elements to a

button line.
A special drop-down list is available for combining a
line and a point:
• Default: Creates a plane through the point and the
line.
• Plane from point and direction: Creates a plane through
the point and perpendicular to the line.

Use fit points radio Combines the fit points of the geometry elements to the
button resulting geometry element of the selected type. The
drop-down list specifies the type and fit method of the
resulting geometry element:
• Point/Line/Circle/Plane/Sphere/Cylinder/Cone (Gauss):
Creates the corresponding geometry element using
the Gaussian least squares method.
• Circle (Chebyshev): Creates a circle using the arith-
metic mean of the maximum inscribed and the
minimum circumscribed circles; the centers of the
circles must coincide.
• Circle (Chebyshev inner)/(Chebyshev outer): Creates the
maximum inscribed or minimum circumscribed
circle, respectively, as obtained from the Chebyshev
formula; the centers of the circles must coincide.
• Circle (Minimum circumscribed)/(Maximum inscribed):
Creates the maximum inscribed or minimum
circumscribed circle, respectively; there is no
restriction regarding the center position.
• Freeform line: Results in a freeform line connecting all
points.
TABLE 10-65: CONTROLS IN THE COMBINE GEOMETRY ELEMENTS TOOLBAR
Projection Menu Item
Projects one geometry element onto another.

This is only defined for certain combinations:
 Point/line
Orthogonal projection of the point onto the line.
 Point/plane
Orthogonal projection of the point onto the plane.
 Line/plane
Orthogonal projection of the line onto the plane.
Abort Closes the toolbar without creating an object.

TABLE 10-66: CONTROLS IN THE PROJECT GEOMETRY ELEMENTS TOOLBAR
Symmetry element Menu Item
“Interpolates” between two geometry elements of the same type.

Symmetry elements can be created between points, lines, planes, spheres, and tori (or equiv-
alent substitutes).

element.
Finite/Infinite drop-down • Infinite: Position and orientation of the symmetry

list element are independent of the finite extent of the
source geometry elements.
• Infinite (exact orientations): Position and orientation of
the symmetry element are independent of the finite
extent of the source geometry elements. Apart from
that, the direction/orientation of the symmetry
element is derived from the direction/orientation of
the source geometry elements.
• Finite: Position and orientation of the symmetry
element between two lines or two planes depend on
the finite extent of the source geometry elements.
Offset drop-down list • Absolute offset: Allows to specify an offset for the
and spin box position of the symmetry element in length units.
• Relative offset: Allows to specify an offset for the posi-
tion of the symmetry element in percent.
Example:
For a point/point symmetry element, a relative offset of
0 results in the starting point, a relative offset of 100
results in the end point, and relative offsets between 0
and 100 result in a point somewhere between the
source points. Offsets outside this range are allowed
and well-defined as well, and result in points outside
the two source points. Absolute offsets work similarly.

TABLE 10-67: CONTROLS IN THE SYMMETRY ELEMENT TOOLBAR
The line/line, plane/plane and sphere/sphere symmetry elements are basically derived by
performing the symmetry operation on their relevant end/edge points. The options are identical.
Transformation Menu Item
Applies a rotational and/or translational transformation to a single existing geometry element.

If both a rotational and a translational transformation is to be applied, the geometry element is
first rotated around the axes of the current coordinate system and then moved along the new
axis directions.

element.
Translate x/y/z spin Specify the translation in length units.

boxes
Rotate x/y/z spin boxes Specify the rotation in angle units.
in system drop-down list Selects the coordinate system in which the transforma-
tion is to take place.
TABLE 10-68: CONTROLS IN THE GEOMETRY ELEMENT TRANSFORMATION TOOLBAR
Extract min./max. point Menu Item
Extracts the minimum or maximum fit point of the selected geometry element relative to another
geometry element or in a coordinate system.
When extracting the min./max. fit points of a geometry element in relation to itself, you obtain the
valley and peak fit points (see also section Properties Tab on page 281).


element.
Maximum/Minimum Specifies whether the point with the maximum or

drop-down list minimum x/y/z-coordinate or signed distance to the
fitted geometry element is to be extracted.
fit point relative to drop- • Coordinate system: Extracts the fit point with the
down list maximum/minimum x/y/z-coordinate.
• Geometry element: Extracts the fit point (of the geom-
etry element highlighted in the Scene Tree) that has
the maximum/minimum (signed) distance to the
surface of the geometry element specified in the
drop-down list of the floating toolbar.
Tip: You can also highlight two geometry elements
in the Scene Tree and then select the Extract
min./max. point menu item. The fit point of the
geometry element highlighted first will then be
extracted with respect to the geometry element
highlighted last.
coordinate system Coordinate system mode only. Specifies the coordinate

drop-down list system.
X, Y, Z option Coordinate system mode only. Specifies the coordinate of

the fit point.
choose drop-down list Geometry element mode only. Specifies the geometry
element.
Reset name button Resets the name template to its default.
TABLE 10-69: CONTROLS IN THE EXTRACT MIN./MAX. POINT TOOLBAR

Edit geometry element manipulation Dialog
In order to edit a geometry element that has been created by geometry element manipulation,
double-click the corresponding entry in the Scene Tree to open the Geometry element properties
dialog and click the Edit/Replace button to open the Edit geometry element manipulation dialog.
FIGURE 10-10: EDIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT MANIPULATION DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name field Indicates the name of the geometry element.
Source elements drop-down list Allows to select a geometry element and add it to the
Source elements list.
> button Adds the geometry element that is currently highlighted

in the Scene Tree to the Source elements list.
Remove button Removes the selected source geometry element from

the Source elements list.
Type section Indicates the geometry element manipulation used for

creating the selected geometry element. For an over-
view of the manipulation types, see Table 10-61: Geom-
etry element manipulation submenu items on page 326.

10 GENERAL TOLERANCE PRESETS MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Combine result type section For a geometry element created by combination:

Allows to change the combination method. For details,
see section Combine Menu Item on page 330
Intersect result type section For a geometry element created by intersection: Allows
to modify the intersection parameters. For details, see
section Intersect Menu Item on page 326.
Intersect tolerance section For a geometry element created by intersection: Allows

to modify the intersection parameters. For details, see
section Intersect Menu Item on page 326.
Symmetry section For a symmetry geometry element: Allows to modify

the parameters used for creating the symmetry geom-
etry element. For details, see section Symmetry element
Transformation section For a geometry element created by transformation:

Allows to modify the transformation parameters. For
details, see section Transformation Menu Item on
page 333.
Extract min./max. point section Extracts the minimum or maximum fit point of the
selected geometry element relative to another geom-
etry element or in a coordinate system. For details, see
section Extract min./max. point Menu Item on page 333.
TABLE 10-70: CONTROLS IN THE EDIT GEOMETRY ELEMENT MANIPULATION DIALOG
GENERAL TOLERANCE PRESETS MENU ITEM
Opens the Edit tolerance tables dialog where you can load, create, or edit predefined or user-
defined tolerance presets. These presets can be selected from the Tol. table drop-down list of the
Dimensioning dialog (see section Dimensioning Menu Item on page 288).
 Table preset section
drop-down list Selects the preset to be edited or to be taken as a basis

for a new preset.
down list.
TABLE 10-71: CONTROLS IN THE TABLE PRESET SECTION

10 IMPORT MEASUREMENT TEMPLATE MENU ITEM
 Tolerances table
Allows to enter or edit the values of the tolerance table.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Nominal above Specifies the lower value of the range of nominal

dimensions to which the tolerance applies.
Tolerance low/high Specify the allowed tolerance.
TABLE 10-72: COLUMNS OF THE TOLERANCES TABLE
 Clear table button

Deletes the values from all currently visible cells, so you can define new tolerances and
save them as a user-defined preset.
IMPORT MEASUREMENT TEMPLATE MENU ITEM
Opens the Import measurement template dialog where you can select a previously saved
measurement template (*.xvgt) for import in order to apply the geometry elements, GD&T
features, and local coordinate systems to a volume, CAD, or mesh object similar to the one on
which they were defined.
After the template file has been imported, its content is read and the CM template import dialog
opens.
The CM template import dialog also opens when you copy/paste geometry elements, GD&T
features and/or local coordinate systems from one volume, CAD, or mesh object to another in
the Scene Tree.
Transformation Tab
Allows to translate, rotate or mirror all template objects before they are actually inserted and
refitted. In the 2D and 3D views, you will see a highlighted preview of all geometry elements
from the template.
Specifies the coordinate system to which the transformation is to refer.
 Translation section
The X, Y, and Z spin boxes specify an offset for the template objects in the corresponding
directions.
 Rotation section
The X, Y, and Z spin boxes specify a rotational offset for the template objects in the corre-
sponding axes. By default, the center of rotation is the origin of the selected coordinate
system, but it can be modified in the Rotation center section.
 Rotation center section

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z spin boxes Specify the center of rotation to be used for rota-

tion.
Set to origin button Sets the center of rotation to the origin of the
Set to centroid button Sets the center of rotation to the geometric center
of the measurement template.
TABLE 10-73: CONTROLS IN THE ROTATION CENTER SECTION
 Mirror section
The Mirror X,Y, Z checkboxes specify one or more axes along which the template is to be
mirrored.
 Ok button
Finalizes the template import.
Imported geometry elements will then be refitted (according to the refitting parameters
specified for each geometry element at its initial creation time). Dependent geometry
elements and GD&T features will automatically reflect the new situation. Coordinate
systems that are implicitly contained in the template will be added to the list of available
coordinate systems.
If the refitting procedure fails completely or partly for any geometry element, you will see
warnings in the progress dialog details accordingly. These warnings and errors will be
permanently remembered in the Fit status field of the Geometry element properties dialog of
each geometry element.
Multi-apply Tab
Allows to paste several copies of the template objects at a time by defining the position of each
copy.
 Offset list section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X, Y, Z When Translation is selected as Multi-apply mode:

Specify the offset for each copy in the X, Y, and Z
directions.
Angle When Rotation is selected as Multi-apply mode: Spec-

ifies the angle for inserting the template objects in
the specified plane (XY, XZ, or YZ).
Depth When Rotation is selected as Multi-apply mode: Spec-

ifies the third dimension for inserting the template
objects (Z, Y, or X).

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Multi-apply mode drop-down list • Translation (XYZ): Inserts one or more copies of the
template objects in the X,Y, and Z directions.
• Rotation (XY): Inserts one or more copies of the
template objects at a specified angle in the XY
plane.
• Rotation (XZ): Inserts one or more copies of the
template objects at a specified angle in the XZ
plane.
• Rotation (YZ): Inserts one or more copies of the
template objects at a specified angle in the YZ
plane.
Clear all button Removes all entries from the Offset list.
Clear selected button Removes the selected entries from the Offset list.
Create pattern button When Translation is selected as Multi-apply mode:

Opens the Create grid pattern dialog where you can
specify a regular grid for inserting the copies.
When Rotation is selected as Multi-apply mode: Opens
the Create rotational pattern dialog where you can
specify a rotational pattern for inserting the copies
based on the specified plane.
• Count: Specifies the number of copies to be
inserted in the corresponding direction or plane.
• Spacing: Specifies the distance between the indi-
vidual copies.
• Initial offset: Specifies an offset for the copies
with respect to the measurement template.
TABLE 10-74: CONTROLS IN THE OFFSET LIST SECTION
 Options section
When the Offsets after rotation option is checked, the translation is applied after rotating the
object.
Geometry Elements Tab
 Geometry element list section

Specifies the geometry elements to which the changes to the right will be applied.
 Renaming section
Allows to systematically modify the names of the geometry elements selected in the Geom-
etry element list. For details on the options, see section Rename/Rename (multi) Menu Item on
page 448 in chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool.
 Import options section
The option can be set individually for each geometry element, i.e., several geometry elements of
the same measurement template may have different settings.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default (import always) Always copies the geometry elements from the
measurement template. If the geometry element
already exists in the scene, a copy will be added
beneath it.
Merge (use existing element in scene If the geometry element already exists in the scene,
if present) this geometry element is used and the geometry
element from the imported measurement template
is not copied.
Note that if you would like to multi-apply a geom-
etry element that is part of a group, the Merge option
on the Groups tab must also be activated.
Replace (overwrite existing element in If the geometry element already exists in the scene,
scene if present) it will be overwritten by the geometry element of the
measurement template.
TABLE 10-75: CONTROLS IN THE IMPORT OPTIONS SECTION

Relevant only if the geometry element must be fitted again (e.g., because of changes of
the determined surface or when pasting the geometry element to a different location). See
section Refit Tab on page 271.
 Auto fit points section
 Fit point options section
Features Tab
 Feature list section

Specifies the features to which the changes to the right will be applied.
Allows to systematically modify the names of the features selected in the Feature list. For
details on the options, see section Rename/Rename (multi) Menu Item on page 448 in chapter
22 Scene Tree Tool.

Groups Tab
 Group list section

Specifies the groups to which the changes to the right will be applied.
Allows to systematically modify the names of the groups selected in the Group list. For
22 Scene Tree Tool.
The option can be set individually for each group, i.e., several groups of the same measurement
template may have different settings.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default (import always) Always copies the groups from the measurement
template. If the group already exists in the scene, a
copy will be added beneath it.
Merge (use existing object in scene if If the group already exists in the scene, this group
present) is used and the group from the imported measure-
ment template is not copied.
Coordinate systems Tab
 Coordinate system list section

Shows the coordinate systems available in the measurement template.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Name Indicates the name of the coordinate system.
Local Indicates whether the coordinate system is a local

coordinate system.
Type Indicates the type of the coordinate system.
TABLE 10-77: COLUMNS IN THE COORDINATE SYSTEM LIST SECTION
Options Tab
 Visibility section
When the Hide elements after import option is checked, the imported elements will not be
visible in the scene.

10 EXPORT MEASUREMENT TEMPLATE MENU ITEM
EXPORT MEASUREMENT TEMPLATE MENU ITEM
Opens the CM template export dialog where you can export the selected geometry elements and
associated GD&T features as well as local coordinate systems as a template in a .xvgt file. This
template can then be imported in order to apply the geometry elements, GD&T features, and
local coordinate systems to a volume, CAD, or mesh object similar to the one on which they
were defined.
It is also possible to directly copy a set of geometry elements, GD&T features, and local coordi-
nate systems from one object to another within the Scene Tree using Copy/Cut and Paste. This is
equivalent to exporting and re-importing a measurement template.
If an entire volume, CAD, or mesh object is selected in the Scene Tree, all geometry elements,
GD&T features, and local coordinate systems below will be part of the template. If the Scene
Tree selection contains only a subset of geometry elements, GD&T features, and local
coordinate systems, the template will contain all items needed to define these objects. The
number of saved items may be larger than the number of selected objects: for instance, if you
export a geometry element that is defined as the intersection of two source geometry elements,
these source geometry elements will be saved as well, so the intersection result can be fully
defined.
A measurement template implicitly contains the scene coordinate system and the built-in
coordinate systems corresponding to the volume, CAD, or mesh object. In addition, it may
contain any number of other coordinate systems which are needed to define the geometry
elements and GD&T features which are part of the template. These coordinate systems are
shown on the Coordinate systems tab.
All non-local coordinate systems other than the scene coordinate system will be converted to
manual systems.
When you export a measurement template, all template objects will be stored with respect to the
scene coordinate system. If you do a proper object registration before exporting/importing a
template, the objects will be imported to the expected registered positions. However, if you are
working with an unregistered object, you must ensure the object's correct position in the scene.
Moving or rotating the object will change the positions of the exported/imported geometry
elements!
After you have started export by clicking the OK button, the Preview information dialog opens
showing a preview of the 3D window as well as input fields for serial number, lot number, and
description. This information will be displayed when right-clicking the file in the Windows
Explorer and selecting the Preview menu item from the context menu.
Geometry Elements Tab
 Geometry element list section

Specifies the geometry elements to which the changes to the right will be applied.
Allows to systematically modify the names of the geometry elements selected in the Geom-
etry element list. For details on the options, see section Rename/Rename (multi) Menu Item on
page 448 in chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool.

10 EXPORT MEASUREMENT TEMPLATE MENU ITEM
The option can be set individually for each geometry element, i.e., several geometry elements of
the same measurement template may have different settings.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default (import always) Always copies the geometry elements from the
measurement template. If the geometry element
already exists in the scene, a copy will be added
beneath it.
Merge (use existing element in scene If the geometry element already exists in the scene,
if present) this geometry element is used and the geometry
element from the imported measurement template
is not copied.
Note that if you would like to multi-apply a geom-
etry element that is part of a group, the Merge option
on the Groups tab must also be activated.
Replace (overwrite existing element in If the geometry element already exists in the scene,
scene if present) it will be overwritten by the geometry element of the
measurement template.

 Auto fit points section
 Fit point options section
Features Tab
 Feature list section

Specifies the features to which the changes to the right will be applied.
Allows to systematically modify the names of the features selected in the Feature list. For
22 Scene Tree Tool.

10 COORDINATE SYSTEM EDITOR MENU ITEM
Groups Tab
 Group list section

Specifies the groups to which the changes to the right will be applied.
Allows to systematically modify the names of the groups selected in the Group list. For
22 Scene Tree Tool.
The option can be set individually for each group, i.e., several groups of the same measurement
template may have different settings.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default (import always) Always copies the groups from the measurement
template. If the group already exists in the scene, a
copy will be added beneath it.
Merge (use existing object in scene if If the group already exists in the scene, this group
present) is used and the group from the imported measure-
ment template is not copied.
Coordinate systems Tab
 Coordinate system list section

Shows the coordinate systems available in the measurement template.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Name Indicates the name of the coordinate system.
Local Indicates whether the coordinate system is a local

coordinate system.
Type Indicates the type of the coordinate system.
TABLE 10-80: COLUMNS IN THE COORDINATE SYSTEM LIST SECTION
COORDINATE SYSTEM EDITOR MENU ITEM
Allows to view, create, and edit coordinate systems.

Available coordinate systems Section
Lists all coordinate systems that are currently present in the scene.
 Status of a coordinate system
The icon in front of a coordinate system name indicates its status. For further details on
the status messages, refer to section General Tab on page 348.
ICON DESCRIPTION
Indicates that the coordinate system is valid.
Indicates that the coordinate system is detached (source objects no longer

present) or that the conditions changed so that a re-calculation is neces-
sary.
Indicates that the coordinate system is invalid.
TABLE 10-81: STATUS OF A COORDINATE SYSTEM
 Types of coordinate systems
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Built-in coordinate There are a number of fixed, built-in coordinate systems

systems corresponding to each main object (volume, CAD model,
mesh, object group) in the scene. These coordinate systems
can neither be changed nor removed.
For volume objects, two coordinate systems are available:
• <volume object name> coordinate system: Serves to view the
object as a contiguous physical volume; measures the
coordinates in physical lengths and ignores the actual
underlying grid structure.
• <volume object name> grid coordinate system: Represents the
grid structure of the object; can be used for navigating
through the voxel slices in 2D and displaying voxel coor-
dinates instead of length units.
Custom coordinate In addition to the built-in systems, you can define, modify or
systems remove custom coordinate systems.
Custom coordinate systems can either be global or local
coordinate systems. Global coordinate systems refer to the
scene, whereas local coordinate systems belong to a volume
object, CAD model, or mesh.
The name of a local coordinate system includes the name of
the corresponding volume object, CAD model, or mesh and
an arrow (=>) followed by the name of the coordinate system.
The transformation described by local coordinate system can
be applied to the corresponding volume object, CAD model,
or mesh using the Apply transformation menu item (see section
Store transformation/Apply transformation Menu Items on
page 353).

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Temporary coordinate Some actions used for quickly creating coordinate systems
system without using this editor produce a temporary coordinate
system (e.g., the Align slices to object command in the context
menu of the Scene Tree). This is a system that is not perma-
nently installed, but will exist only as long as no other coordi-
nate system is made active, or any other new temporary
system is created. The current temporary system, if any, will
be listed at the very beginning of the Available coordinate
systems list. Use the Install button (see below) to make it
permanent if desired.
TABLE 10-82: COORDINATE SYSTEM TYPES
 Controls in the Available coordinate systems section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create button Starts creating a new custom coordinate system by adding a

preliminary <New coordinate system> entry to the Available coor-
dinate systems list. You can then supply all parameters needed
for the new system on the right hand side of the dialog. To
finally install the new system, click the Apply button. Changing
the selection in the Available coordinate systems list or closing
the dialog before applying the changes will discard the new
system.
Copy button or Ctrl + C Creates a new coordinate system, using the settings of the
keys currently selected system as a source. Copying is only avail-
able for custom systems. After issuing the copy command,
proceed like for creating a new system.
Install button If a special temporary coordinate system exists and is

selected in the Available coordinate systems list, the Copy button
changes to an Install button. You can use it to permanently
install the temporary system, which would otherwise be
discarded as soon as any other system is made active, or a
new temporary system is created.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Unify button Checks if there are identical coordinate systems. If at most

one coordinate system is selected in the Available coordinate
systems section, all coordinate systems are checked for dupli-
cates; otherwise, only the selected coordinate systems are
checked for duplicates. If duplicates are found, the Duplicate
coordinate system dialog opens, listing all duplicates. Clicking
the Remove duplicates button removes all duplicates, keeping
only the highlighted coordinate systems.
This option applies to alignment systems, datum systems,
and 3-2-1 registration systems, whereas other registration
systems and manual systems are not affected.
This option is particularly useful for projects created with
earlier versions of VGSTUDIO MAX in which duplicate coor-
dinate systems may have been created, e.g., by applying
measurement templates using the Multi-apply option.
Rename button or F2 key Changes the name of the currently selected coordinate
system.
Renaming is possible only for manual systems, registration
systems, and datum systems. All other coordinate systems
have a name that is dynamically linked to the name of the
object they refer to. Thus, the name of a built-in coordinate
system or an alignment system depends on the name of the
main object and/or geometry element and cannot be
changed directly.
If multiple coordinate systems are selected, the Rename object
dialog opens in which you can systematically modify the
names of several coordinate systems at a time. For a descrip-
tions of the controls in the Rename object dialog, see section
Rename/Rename (multi) Menu Item on page 448 in chapter 22
Scene Tree Tool.
Delete button or Del key Completely removes the selected coordinate system. Explicit
deletion is not possible for valid built-in systems. These
systems are removed automatically when the corresponding
object is removed from the scene.
TABLE 10-83: CONTROLS IN THE AVAILABLE COORDINATE SYSTEMS SECTION
Properties Section
Displays the properties of the currently selected coordinate system. The settings can be
changed for custom coordinate systems, whereas the properties of built-in coordinate systems
are read-only.
The options provided on the Settings tab depend on the type of custom coordinate system
selected.
The following buttons are available at the bottom of the Properties section:
 Reset button
Reverts any changes that have been made to the settings of the currently selected coor-
dinate system and returns to the stored state of the coordinate system.

 Apply button
Accepts the changes that have been made to the settings of the currently selected system.
This button is enabled only if changes have been made and the current settings are
complete and valid.
 Close button
Closes the dialog. If changes have been made that have not been applied so far, the user
is prompted to confirm if the changes should be discarded.
General Tab
Displays properties common to all types of coordinate systems.

 Type drop-down list
Specifies the basic type of the selected coordinate system.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Built-in object system Built-in system type that cannot be changed.
Built-in grid system Built-in system type that cannot be changed.
Alignment system Custom system type; allows dynamic alignment to

an existing geometry element.
Manual system Custom system type; allows explicit specification

of rotation and translation.
Registration system Custom system type; allows to use registration

methods to describe a transformation.
Datum system Custom system type; allows to use geometry

elements as datum.
TABLE 10-84: COORDINATE SYSTEM TYPES
 Status field
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Valid coordinate system The system is well-defined and synchronized with

the current situation.
Invalid coordinate system The system is in an undefined state and cannot be

used. This might happen if the system depends on
source objects that are themselves undefined.
Detached coordinate system (source The system is still OK and usable, but the object(s)
objects no longer present) it depended on have been removed from the scene.
Dynamically changing systems (built-in systems,
alignment systems, registration systems, and
datum systems) that become detached will
become static, retaining the state just before their
source objects disappeared.

STATUS DESCRIPTION
Conditions changed, re-calculation The system is still OK and usable, but not synchro-
necessary nized with the current situation. You must trigger a
manual update to calculate the new values. This
status only occurs for registration systems and
datum systems, which may depend on many
source parameters and take considerable time for
re-calculation. All other types of systems are either
static or will adjust themselves automatically.
Coordinate system is based on invalid The system is still OK and usable, but at least one
source objects of the geometry elements that define the coordi-
nate system is invalid. This status only occurs for
alignment systems, registration systems and
datum systems, which depend on geometry
elements.
TABLE 10-85: COORDINATE SYSTEM STATUS MESSAGES
 Resulting world-transformation section

Displays the rotational and translational components of the transformation from the
selected coordinate system to the scene.
 Relative transformation section
Displays the rotational and translational components of the transformation from the
selected coordinate system to some other coordinate system. You can select the desired
system from the Reference list.
The Copy transformation button copies the transformation information which can be pasted
on a volume, CAD, mesh, or light object. The Export transformation button allows to save the
transformation as *.csv file.
Settings Tab for Alignment Coordinate Systems
An alignment coordinate system depends on exactly one source object. Only geometry
elements can be used as alignment sources.
The Aligned object drop-down list offers all geometry elements currently installed anywhere in the
scene.
Alignment to a single geometry element leaves certain degrees of freedom for the exact definition
of the coordinate system. When aligning to a cylinder, the rotational degree of freedom is resolved
by VGSTUDIO MAX internally by choosing a default orientation. Additionally, the alignment logic
will choose an axis permutation and mirror that matches the main axes of the geometry element’s
parent volume as precisely as possible. This means that an alignment to a cylinder does not
necessarily map the system’s positive z-axis along the cylinder axis, but could also choose the
x- or y-axis in case the cylinder is mainly oriented in this direction relative to its parent volume.
Settings Tab for Manual Coordinate Systems
A manual coordinate system is defined relative to the selected object, which can be any of the
available volume/mesh/group objects currently present in the scene.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object drop-down list Selects the volume/mesh/group object to be used as

reference for the coordinate system.
Post-transformation fields • Rotation X/Y/Z fields: Specify explicit rotation compo-

nents relative to this object.
• Origin X/Y/Z fields: Specify explicit translation compo-
nents relative to this object.
TABLE 10-86: CONTROLS ON THE SETTINGS TAB FOR MANUAL COORDINATE SYSTEMS
Settings Tab for Registration Coordinate Systems
For a registration coordinate system, the Coordinate System Editor offers the same functionality
and interface as the common registration wizard, see section Register object Menu Item on
page 127 in chapter 5 Object Menu. You can define any desired object registration as described
there, and the registration system will be defined using the relative transformation that maps the
object to the specified registered position and orientation.
Settings Tab for Datum Coordinate Systems
A datum coordinate system is defined by specified geometry elements serving as datums. The
datums are established either from a single geometry element (plane, cylinder, cone, sphere,
or—as primary datum—freeform surface), or from two geometry elements (planes or cylinders)
to create a common datum.
For freeform surfaces, the geometry of the freeform surface is analyzed and the degrees of
freedom are locked accordingly. If the freeform surface represents a perfect cylinder, e.g., the
datum defines the x- and y-positions and the z-axis of the datum coordinate system. A freeform
surface may lock one of the following combinations of degrees of freedom:
 the x-, y-, and z-positions, if the freeform surface is spherical
 the z-position as well as the x- and y-axes, if the freeform surface is planar
 the x- and y-positions as well as the z-axis, if the freeform surface is cylindrical
 the x-, y-, and z-positions as well as the z-axis, if the freeform surface is a surface of revo-
lution
 the y- and z-positions as well as all axes, if the freeform surface is prismatic
 all degrees of freedom, if the freeform surface is complex
The primary datum determines the z-axis:
 For line-like elements, the direction of the line points to the positive z-direction.
 For plane-like elements, the normal of the plane points to the positive z-direction.
The secondary datum determines the x- and y-axes:
 For line-like elements, the direction of the line points to the positive x-direction. The y-direc-
tion is determined as to form a right-handed coordinate system with the z- and x-axes.
 For plane-like elements, the normal of the plane points to the positive y-direction. The
x-direction is determined as to form a right-handed coordinate system with the z- and y-
axes.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Main object drop-down list Specifies the object for which the datum system is
defined.
Primary/Secondary/Tertiary datum • button: Selects the geometry element that is

section currently highlighted in the Scene Tree.
• Drop-down lists: Specify the geometry elements for
defining the datum. A datum can either be estab-
lished from a single geometry element (plane,
cylinder, cone, sphere, or—as primary datum—
freeform surface), or from two geometry elements
(two planes, two cylinders, or one cylinder and one
plane) to create a common datum.
• Modifiers [PT], [SL], [PL] buttons: Limit the situation
feature(s) taken into account to a point, a straight
line, and/or a plane. If the [><] modifier is selected,
only the orientation degrees of freedom are locked
by the datum.
• Fit method drop-down list: Specifies the fit method
for datum elements.
– Contacting: Automatically selects an appropriate
fit method (Chebyshev (minimum zone) outer,
Minimum circumscribed, or Maximum inscribed).
– Gauss (least squares): Uses the least squares fit
method.
For details on the fit methods, see section Creation
Tab on page 260.
• Constellation drop-down list: Becomes available
upon selecting valid geometry elements to establish
a common datum.
– When two planes are selected, the constellation
can be Parallel or Coplanar.
– When two cylinders are selected, the constella-
tion can be Parallel or Coaxial.
• For two parallel cylinders, the linear distance
between the two axes may be specified using the
Dist. between axes (TED) (theoretically exact dimen-
sion) option.
• If a cone is selected as datum, the Opening angle (TED)
(theoretically exact dimension) and the Origin radius
have to be specified.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Status fields • Provides status information about the datum coor-

dinate system.
– Ok: No errors or warnings.
– Missing: main object: The datum system requires
an object to define.
– Missing: primary mapping: No geometry elements
specified to define the primary datum.
– Error: invalid modifier: The selected modifiers are
not valid for the specified datum.
– Error: geometry element not supported: The specified
geometry element is not supported.
– Error: geometry element has no fit points: A specified
geometry element has no fit points.
– Error: orientations of the geometry elements used for a
common datum do not match: A common datum
cannot be created because the constellation of
the orientations of the specified geometry
elements is not supported.
– Error: geometry elements used for a common datum are
identical: The same geometry element is specified
twice for a common datum.
– Error: invalid common datum configuration: A common
datum cannot be established from the specified
geometry elements.
– Error: geometry element fitting failed: A common
reason for this error is a datum defined by an
incomplete cylinder or sphere (e.g., a half
cylinder or a quarter sphere) in combination with
the Contacting fit method. Using the Gauss (least
squares) fit method may fix this issue.
– Error: secondary/tertiary datum is redundant: A datum
is considered redundant if it does not lock addi-
tional degrees of freedom.
– Invalid: An internal error has occurred.
• Position X/Y/Z fields: Indicate whether the x-, y-, and
z-coordinates of the origin of the coordinate system
are defined by the specified datums.
• Axis X/Y/Z fields: Indicate whether the x-, y-, and
z-axes of the coordinate system are defined by the
specified datums.
TABLE 10-87: CONTROLS ON THE SETTINGS TAB FOR DATUM COORDINATE SYSTEMS
After the datum coordinate system has been set, new items are created and listed in the Scene
Tree under the Datum systems entry. The purpose of these items is to visualize the refitted geom-
etry elements used to construct the datums. They are not to be confused with actual geometry
elements.

10 STORE TRANSFORMATION/APPLY TRANSFORMATION MENU ITEMS
STORE TRANSFORMATION/APPLY TRANSFORMATION MENU ITEMS
The Store transformation menu item is enabled when a volume object, CAD model, or mesh is
selected in the Scene Tree. Selecting the Store transformation menu item creates a local
coordinate system under the corresponding Coordinate systems entry in the Scene Tree.
If the volume object, CAD model, or mesh is registered, the created local coordinate system is a
registration system with the same registration settings. Otherwise, a manual coordinate system
is created that reflects the current object transformation. In this way it is possible to save
multiple transformations and/or registrations for one and the same object.
If the volume object, CAD model, or mesh was registered with the 3-2-1 registration method
using a target coordinate system other than the scene coordinate system, the transformation
cannot be stored.
If the volume object, CAD model, or mesh was registered with the simple registration method, a
manual coordinate system will be created that includes the transformation information only.
The Apply transformation menu item is enabled when a local coordinate system is selected in the
Scene Tree. Selecting the Apply transformation menu item applies the transformation to the corre-
sponding volume object, CAD model, or mesh. The applied coordinate system is highlighted in
bold in the Scene Tree.
If the local coordinate system is a registration system, using Apply transformation is equivalent to
registering the object according to the settings of the registration system.
This way you can quickly switch between different transformations and/or registrations.
You can transfer an existing local coordinate system to another object using a measurement
template (for details, see section Export measurement template Menu Item on page 342 and section
Import measurement template Menu Item on page 337).
STATUS MESSAGES
The following tables give an overview of the possible status messages for geometry elements,
dimensioning features, and tolerance features.
Status Messages for Geometry Elements
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Definition incorrect For geometry elements created by geometry element

manipulation: The specified manipulation parameters
do not yield any valid result for this geometry element.
Invalid: Automatic refit failed For fitted geometry elements: The last refitting process
(due to resolution adjustment or template import) failed,
most likely because an insufficient number of fit points
could be adjusted to the new underlying surface. You
might try to refit the object again manually.

10 STATUS MESSAGES
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Invalid: Automatic refit failed for some For geometry elements created by geometry element
source elements manipulation: The fit status of at least one of the source
objects has changed to Invalid: Automatic refit failed.
Invalid: Not synchronized with current For fitted geometry elements: The underlying data
situation (surface determination (voxel data, surface determination, mesh data) has
change?) changed since the last fitting process. You must trigger
a manual refit to synchronize the geometry element
again.
Invalid: Some source elements not For geometry elements created by geometry element
synchronized manipulation: The fit status of at least one of the source
objects has changed to Invalid: Not synchronized with
current situation (surface determination change?).
Invalid: Source elements are no longer For geometry elements created by geometry element
present manipulation: At least one of the source objects has
been deleted.
Isosurface not found for iteration > 0, but The last (iterative) refitting process (due to resolution
previous result could be taken adjustment or template import) did not succeed
completely, but a valid result could still be taken from a
previous iteration.
OK The last fitting or refitting process succeeded without

problems. The geometry element is synchronized with
the current situation.
Source element(s) in inconsistent state For geometry elements created by geometry element
manipulation: At least one of the source objects indi-
cates a warning status. Probably the source object
needs to be refitted, or the last refit succeeded only
partially.
Source element(s) in undefined state For geometry elements created by geometry element
manipulation: At least one of the source objects indi-
cates a warning status. Probably the refit of the source
object failed.
Source coordinate system is invalid For fitted geometry elements: The storage coordinate
system or the constraint coordinate system is invalid or
in the inconsistent state.
For defined geometry elements: The storage coordi-
nate system is invalid or in the inconsistent state.
For geometry elements created by geometry element
manipulation: The coordinate system used for creating
the geometry element is invalid or in the inconsistent
state.
TABLE 10-88: STATUS MESSAGES FOR GEOMETRY ELEMENTS

10 STATUS MESSAGES
Status Messages for Dimensioning Features
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Invalid measurement Although the source objects are valid, the desired
feature cannot be measured. This may occur in case of
undefined measurement modes (such as a centroid
distance between objects without fit points).
Material condition error An error occurred in connection with the reciprocal

material requirement for the associated tolerance
feature.
Ok No errors or warnings. Feature and source objects are

well defined. A tolerance (range) is present and the
feature meets the tolerance.
Ok, but no tolerance settings Dimensioning feature and source objects are well
defined, but no tolerance range is given. The feature
value is not tested against any allowed range.
Out of tolerance band Dimensioning feature and source objects are well
defined, but the actual value of the feature lies outside
the specified tolerance range.
Source element(s) in inconsistent state The feature could be measured, but at least one source
object indicates a warning status. Probably the source
object needs to be refitted, or the last refit succeeded
only partially.
Source element(s) in undefined state The feature could be measured, but at least one source
object indicates an error status. Probably the refit of the
source object failed.
Source elements are not fitted, but The object to be toleranced is not a fitted but a manu-
defined ally defined object and the Allow defined elements option
is set to No.
Source coordinate system is invalid The feature could be measured, but the coordinate
system, in which the feature is defined, is invalid or in
the inconsistent state.
TABLE 10-89: STATUS MESSAGES FOR DIMENSIONING FEATURES
Status Messages for Tolerance Features
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Configuration not supported The selected object types do not match to each other.
Datum object(s) not suited for zone type The tolerance zone specified in the Zone options field is
not suitable for the specified datum objects.

10 STATUS MESSAGES
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Invalid A suitable datum object is required but has not been

specified.
Invalid datum object(s) At least one selected datum object is not suitable for
the geometry element and tolerance type.
Invalid MMR/LMR configuration An unsuitable feature (e.g., a feature without tolerance)

has been selected for the material requirement.
Invalid: No axis toleranced For Position tolerances: No nominal position values have
been specified.
Ok No errors or warnings. Feature and source objects are

well defined. A tolerance (range) has been defined and
the feature meets the tolerance.
Ok (with MR) No errors or warnings. Feature and source objects are

well defined. A tolerance (range) with material require-
ment has been defined and the feature meets the toler-
ance.
Out of sync The feature needs to be recalculated.
Out of tolerance Feature and source objects are well defined, but the
actual value of the feature lies outside the specified
tolerance range.
Geometry element(s) unsuited for toler- The geometry element cannot be toleranced with the
ance type selected settings, e.g., the selected target.
Refit search distance smaller than toler- For freeform objects: Refit the object with a suitable
ance search distance.
Source element(s) in inconsistent state The tolerance could be measured, but at least one
source object indicates a warning status. Probably the
source object needs to be refitted, or the last refit
succeeded only partially.
Source element(s) in undefined state The tolerance could be measured, but at least one
source object indicates an error status. Probably the
refit of the source object failed.
Source elements are not fitted, but The object to be toleranced is not a fitted but a manu-
defined ally defined object and the Allow defined elements option
is set to No.
Yet missing: <item> The corresponding item is required but has not yet
been specified.
Source coordinate system is invalid The tolerance could be measured, but the coordinate
system, in which the tolerance feature is defined, is
invalid or in the inconsistent state.
TABLE 10-90: STATUS MESSAGES FOR TOLERANCE FEATURES

11 ANALYSIS MENU
INTRODUCTION
Through the Analysis menu of VGSTUDIO MAX you can access modules providing advanced
analysis features. These modules may require additional licensing. With a base license, you can
view the results of, but not perform an analysis.
OVERVIEW OF THE ANALYSIS MENU ITEMS
The table below lists the Analysis menu items. Menu entries currently not available are disabled
and displayed in gray.
Update all analyses Triggers an update of all analyses pertaining to the

object(s) currently selected in the Scene Tree at a time.
See section Update all analyses Menu Item on page 359.
Create gray value analysis Calculates the gray value distribution and density hot
spots for a selected volume or region of interest. Parts
of the tool require a license enabling the Porosity/Inclu-
sion Analysis module. See chapter 28 Gray Value Anal-
ysis on page 465.
Create porosity/inclusion Analyzes the selected object for pores or inclusions

analysis > VGEasyPore using the VGEasyPore algorithm. See chapter 29
Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module on page 492.

analysis > VGDefX/Only using either the VGDefX or the Only threshold algorithm.
Threshold See chapter 29 Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module on
page 492.

analysis > From defect ROI using the From defect ROI algorithm. See chapter 29

analysis > 2.x compati- using either the Default or the Enhanced algorithm. See
bility chapter 29 Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module on
page 492.
Create foam structure Determines cell structures in porous foams and filter
analysis materials. See chapter 30 Foam Structure Analysis
Module on page 577.
Create fiber composite Analyzes the orientation of the fibers within the
material analysis selected object (fiber composite material analysis). See
chapter 31 Fiber Composite Material Analysis (FCMA)
Module on page 607.

ANALYSIS MENU
11 OVERVIEW OF THE ANALYSIS MENU ITEMS
Create P 202/P 201 anal- Analyzes a 2D view of the selected object for pores
ysis according to the VDG P 202 (VW 50093) and VDG P201
(VW 50097) standard. See chapter 32 Enhanced
Create nominal/actual Calculates a nominal/actual comparison between two

comparison objects. See chapter 33 Nominal/Actual Comparison
Module on page 659.
Create wall thickness anal- Analyzes the wall thickness of the selected object using
ysis > Ray method the Ray method algorithm. See chapter 34 Wall Thick-
ness Analysis Module on page 686.
Create wall thickness anal- Analyzes the wall thickness of the selected object using
ysis > Sphere method the Sphere method algorithm. See chapter 34 Wall Thick-
ness Analysis Module on page 686.
Create structural Computes the mechanical stress distribution in an

mechanics simulation object. See chapter 35 Structural Mechanics Simula-
tion Module on page 719.
Create transport Computes the stationary low-Reynolds flow of an

phenomena simulation > incompressible fluid through the voids of a porous
Absolute permeability material in terms of a transport field. See chapter 36
experiment Transport Phenomena Module on page 761.

Absolute permeability material in terms of a tensor defined by six independent
tensor values. See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module
on page 761.
Create transport Computes the stationary diffusion of a solute through

phenomena simulation > the voids of a porous material in terms of a transport
Molecular diffusivity field. See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module on
experiment page 761.

phenomena simulation > the voids of a porous material in terms of a tensor
Molecular diffusivity defined by six independent values. See chapter 36
tensor Transport Phenomena Module on page 761.
Create transport Computes the stationary conduction of heat through a

phenomena simulation > two-component material in terms of a transport field.
Thermal conductivity See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module on
experiment page 761.

phenomena simulation > two-component material in terms of a tensor defined by
Thermal conductivity six independent values. See chapter 36 Transport
tensor Phenomena Module on page 761.

ANALYSIS MENU
11 UPDATE ALL ANALYSES MENU ITEM
Create transport Computes the stationary electric current through a two-

phenomena simulation > component material in terms of a transport field. See
Electric conductivity chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module on page 761.
experiment

phenomena simulation > component material in terms of a tensor defined by six
Electric conductivity independent values. See chapter 36 Transport
tensor Phenomena Module on page 761.
Create transport Computes the pore size distribution and the capillary
phenomena simulation > pressure drainage curve for a scanned porous material
Capillary pressure curve sample. See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module
on page 761.
Create analysis annotation Creates an annotation for the selected analysis. An

annotation can be used for showing analysis results
and data values at a specific location in the data set.
See section Create analysis annotation Menu Item on
page 360.
Create regular integration Opens the New integration mesh dialog where you can
mesh... define a regular integration mesh. See section Create
regular integration mesh... Menu Item on page 362.
Create integration mesh Opens the New integration mesh dialog where you can
from geometry element... define a integration mesh from a cylinder or a freeform
surface. See section Create integration mesh from geometry
element... Menu Item on page 363.
Evaluation properties Calculates and visualizes the evaluation state

according to the rules of a user-defined evaluation. See
section Evaluation Dialog on page 903 in chapter 39
Evaluations.
Import evaluation(s)... Imports an evaluation template (.xvge) and applies it to

the volume, CAD, or mesh object selected in the Scene
Tree. See section Import Evaluation(s) on page 905 in
chapter 39 Evaluations.
Export evaluation(s)... Opens a dialog for exporting an evaluation template

(*.xvge) which you can later apply to a similar object.
See section Export Evaluation(s) on page 905 in
TABLE 11-1: ANALYSIS MENU ITEMS
UPDATE ALL ANALYSES MENU ITEM
Triggers an update of all analyses that have been invalidated, e.g., after copy/paste of ROIs with
appertaining analyses. If Scene is selected in the Scene Tree, all invalid analyses currently

ANALYSIS MENU
11 CREATE ANALYSIS ANNOTATION MENU ITEM
available in the Scene Tree will be updated. If single volumes or ROIs are selected, only the
corresponding analyses will be updated. It is also possible to select multiple objects for
updating the appertaining analyses. The Update all analyses option will be grayed out if no
selection is made in the Scene Tree.
Analyses which depend on gray values will be skipped for objects with unloaded volume data.
Combined analyses will be re-calculated in the correct order.
You can also trigger an analyses update by right-clicking the desired object(s) in the Scene Tree
and selecting Update all analyses from the context menu.
CREATE ANALYSIS ANNOTATION MENU ITEM
Opens a floating toolbar to create a new annotation for the analysis selected in the Scene Tree.
You can also open the annotation floating toolbar by right-clicking the desired analysis in the
Scene Tree and selecting the Create > Analysis annotation item from the context menu.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name template field Allows to enter a name for the annotations. If this is not
done, a name of the form <annotation type> <id> will
Reset button Resets the name template to the default entry.
Tolerance: Min/Max spin boxes If applicable: Allow to manually specify tolerance

settings.
Set from analysis checkbox If applicable: Uses the tolerances defined in the Settings
tab of the analysis and displays them in the Min/Max
fields.
TABLE 11-2: CONTROLS IN THE ANNOTATION FLOATING TOOLBAR
To create an annotation, hold the Ctrl key and click into any 2D window or the 3D window to
position the annotation.
A movable label is attached to the annotation, displaying information about the current analysis.
The values displayed in the annotation label depend on the selected analysis.
 An annotation label of a nominal/actual analysis includes the following information:
– the name of the annotation
– the position of the annotation
– the deviation from the nominal object
– if available, the specified tolerance values

ANALYSIS MENU
11 CREATE ANALYSIS ANNOTATION MENU ITEM
The deviation value is color coded according to the Color mode selected in the Annotations
section on the Colors tab of the Properties of Nominal/actual comparison dialog (see section
Annotations Section on page 668 in chapter 33 Nominal/Actual Comparison Module).
 An annotation label of a wall thickness analysis includes the following information:
– the wall thickness
The wall thickness value is color coded according to the Color mode selected in the Annota-
tions section on the Colors tab of the Properties of Wall thickness analysis dialog (see section
Annotations Section on page 699 in chapter 34 Wall Thickness Analysis Module).
 An annotation label of a porosity/inclusion analysis includes the following information:
– the volume of the defect
– the probability of the defect
– the diameter of the defect
– if calculated, the porosity at the current position of the annotation
– if available, the property selected in the Active column drop-down list
 An annotation label of a fiber composite material analysis contains includes the following
information:
– if available, the fiber volume fraction
– if available, the orientation (Space orientation mode), deviation angle (Reference orienta-
tion mode), or projected angle (Plane projection mode), respectively
– if available, the property selected in the Active column drop-down list (Integration mesh
mode and Layered integration mesh mode)
 An annotation label of a foam structure analysis includes the following information:
– the cell volume
– if calculated, the cell surface, sphericity, and strut thickness at the current position
of the annotation
– if available, the property selected in the Cell active column drop-down list
 An annotation label of a structural mechanics simulation includes the following information:
– the von Mises stress
– if calculated, the maximum shear stress, the absolute maximum principal stress, the
magnitude of displacement as well as the displacement at the current position of the
annotation
An evaluation indicator is visible in front of the annotation name, indicating whether the
tolerance at the position of the annotation is met (green) or not (red). For details on the color of

ANALYSIS MENU
11 CREATE REGULAR INTEGRATION MESH... MENU ITEM
the evaluation indicator, see section Entries in the Scene Tree on page 427 in chapter 22 Scene
Tree Tool.
The following controls are available for annotation labels:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to double-click anywhere Minimizes/maximizes the annotation label.

within the annotation label
use RMB to click anywhere within a Opens a context menu with the Annotations menu item,
window see the table below.
use RMB to click anywhere within Opens a context menu that additionally offers the Anno-
the annotation label tation result menu item where you can select the prop-
erty to be displayed as default result for the annotation.
The selected property is highlighted in bold in the anno-
tation label and displayed in the Scene Tree next to the
annotation name.
F button Fixed positioning mode: Places the annotation label at

a fixed position in the respective 2D window.
R button Relative positioning mode: Places the annotation label

at a position relative to the annotation.
TABLE 11-3: CONTROLS FOR ANNOTATION LABELS
A closed padlock symbol next to the annotation name in the annotation label indicates that this
annotation was not created manually but by a rule defined in the Rules tab of the Properties of ...
analysis dialog. Rule-based annotations can neither be moved nor deleted.
The Annotations menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Arrange Automatically arranges the annotations in the current window

according to the settings in the Preferences dialog.
Minimize Minimizes all annotations.
Maximize Maximizes all annotations.
for the annotations. For details, see section Colors & Styles Prefer-
ences on page 102 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.
TABLE 11-4: CONTROLS OF THE ANNOTATIONS MENU
CREATE REGULAR INTEGRATION MESH... MENU ITEM
Opens the New integration mesh dialog where you can define a regular integration mesh.

ANALYSIS MENU
11 CREATE INTEGRATION MESH FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reference object drop-down list Allows to select a reference object for defining an inte-
gration mesh.
Cell count spin boxes Specify the number of cells in x-, y-, and z-direction.
Cell size spin boxes Specify the cell size in x-, y-, and z-direction of the
Origin spin boxes Specify the cell origin in x-, y-, and z-direction of the
Plane drop-down list This option has an effect only if the Layered integration
mesh mode is selected in the Properties of Fiber composite
analysis dialog.
Specifies the plane to which the fiber orientations are
projected:
• XY plane
• YZ plane
• XZ plane
Create button Creates a mesh according to the selected settings and

shows a respective entry in the Scene Tree.
Close button Exits the dialog.
TABLE 11-5: CONTROLS OF THE NEW INTEGRATION MESH DIALOG
The edges of an integration mesh always follow the axes of the scene coordinate system.
CREATE INTEGRATION MESH FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT... MENU ITEM
Opens the New integration mesh dialog where you can define an integration mesh from a geometry
element. The settings available in the Mesh definition section of the dialog depend on the
geometry element you select.
 Mesh definition section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reference drop-down list Allows to select a cylinder or a freeform surface for

defining an integration mesh.
Circumference spin boxes For a cylinder:

• Cell count: Specifies the number of mesh cells on
the circumference of the geometry element.
• Size [<length unit>]: Automatically specifies the
width of each mesh cell relative to the cell count.

ANALYSIS MENU
11 CREATE INTEGRATION MESH FROM GEOMETRY ELEMENT... MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Height spin boxes For a cylinder:

• Cell count: Specifies the number of cells distrib-
uted over the height of the geometry element.
• Size [<length unit>]: Automatically specifies the
height of each mesh cell relative to the cell
count.
Edge length [<length unit>] spin box For a freeform surface: Specifies the edge lengths
for each mesh cell.
Close holes checkbox For a freeform surface: When this option is

checked, holes in the surface are covered by mesh
vertices.
TABLE 11-6: CONTROLS OF THE MESH DEFINITION SECTION
 Layer definition section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Thickness spin box Specifies the thickness of the layers.
Offset spin box Specifies an offset for the position of the layers.
Count spin box Specifies the number of layers to be created.
Alignment drop-down list Specifies the direction in which the layers will be
created relative to the first layer:
• Up
• Center
• Down
TABLE 11-7: CONTROLS OF THE LAYER DEFINITION SECTION
 Create button
Creates a mesh according to the selected settings and shows a respective entry in the
Scene Tree.
 Close button
Exits the dialog.
The edges of an integration mesh always follow the axes of the scene coordinate system.

12 ANIMATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
The animation functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX allows to easily create animations of the volume
data. While the Animation menu can be used for activating or deactivating the keyframer mode
and for accessing basic commands, the Animation tool (see chapter 23 Animation Tool on
page 450) provides additional controls for working in keyframer mode.
VGSTUDIO MAX provides two keyframer modes:
a) Classic keyframer mode
In this mode, you can create keyframes on the camera trajectory in the 2D views by adding
handles to the trajectory. You can directly modify the camera trajectory and the settings of
the keyframes.
b) Simple keyframer mode
In this mode, you can create a sequence of keyframes which are then automatically
connected by the software through interpolation. For each keyframe, you can arrange the
object(s) in the 3D window (position, background, material settings, light settings, etc.).
The camera trajectory is automatically calculated by interpolating between the keyframes
and cannot be edited manually. It is not shown in the 2D views.
To toggle between Classic or Simple keyframer mode,

 click the Classic or Simple icon in the Animation icon bar or
 select the corresponding entry from the Animation > Keyframer menu
OVERVIEW OF THE ANIMATION MENU ITEMS
The table below gives an overview of the Animation menu items.
Keyframer mode > Classic Activates/deactivates the classic keyframer mode. See
section Keyframer mode Menu item on page 366.
Keyframer mode > Simple Activates/deactivates the simple keyframer mode. See
section Keyframer mode Menu item on page 366.
Render animation Saves the current animation. See section Render anima-
tion Menu Item on page 367.
Load camera trajectory Loads a trajectory definition. See section Load camera
trajectory Menu Item on page 369.
Save camera trajectory Saves the current camera trajectory. See section Save
camera trajectory Menu Item on page 369.
Copy current state Copies the current state of all animated scene settings.
See section Copy current state Menu Item on page 369.
Paste state Pastes the entire copied animation state. See section
Paste state Menu Item on page 369.
Paste sub-state (lighting) Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See
section Paste sub-state Menu Items on page 370.

ANIMATION MENU
12 KEYFRAMER MODE MENU ITEM
Paste sub-state (clipping) Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See
Paste sub-state (material) Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See
Paste sub-state (render Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See
object) section Paste sub-state Menu Items on page 370.
Paste sub-state (back- Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See
ground) section Paste sub-state Menu Items on page 370.
Paste custom sub-state Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See
Default curves: Sets the camera trajectory to a preset. See section

circle/spiral/clip Default curves Menu Items on page 370.
Object exploder Animates explosion diagrams of segmented objects.

See section Object exploder Menu Item on page 372.
TABLE 12-1: ANIMATION MENU ITEMS
KEYFRAMER MODE MENU ITEM
Activates or deactivates the Classic or Simple keyframer mode.

When entering the keyframer mode, the Animation tool is shown at the bottom of the workspace
and the Animation tools icon bar is displayed. Apart from that, the very first keyframe of the
current animation is active.
The Animation tools icon bar is only displayed when the keyframer mode is active.
When entering the Classic keyframer mode for the first time, VGSTUDIO MAX creates a default
(circular) camera trajectory. If a camera trajectory is already present, it remains untouched.
In Classic keyframer mode, changes made to the scene are valid only for the currently selected
keyframe. If changes are made between keyframes, a new keyframe is inserted at the respective
position. See also chapter 23 Animation Tool on page 450.
Leaving the Classic keyframer mode resets the scene to the unanimated state, i.e., the state it
had been in before you entered the Classic keyframer mode.
Leaving the Simple keyframer mode sets the scene according to the last selected keyframe. This
does not include objects you have completely removed from the scene in the keyframer mode:
these objects remain deleted. Other settings that are not restored include the selected 3D
rendering method, changes to volume data, ROIs, or GD&T objects, etc.
If objects in the scene already contain animated information when you enter keyframer mode,
you are asked if you want to take over the current scene settings. You should only confirm with
Yes if you wish to discard all animated settings previously made for the scene objects and reset
them to the unanimated state. This does not affect the camera trajectory settings.

ANIMATION MENU
12 RENDER ANIMATION MENU ITEM
When switching from Classic to Simple keyframer mode, all existing keyframes will be converted.
When switching from Simple to Classic keyframer mode, all existing keyframes will be lost.
RENDER ANIMATION MENU ITEM
This menu item is enabled only when the keyframer mode is active.
Opens a dialog for saving the current animation as a movie. The movie can be saved as a series
of image files or as a single movie file with a certain encoding format.
Supported file formats:
 BMP images (*.bmp)
 JPEG images (*.jpg)
 TIFF images (*.tiff)
 AVI movie (*.avi)
 ASF movie (*.wmv)
Creating AVI (*.avi) or ASF (*.wmv) movies is possible on Microsoft Windows systems only.
The size, duration and number of frames of the movie depend on the settings specified in the
Animation tool.
If a keyframe other than the first one is selected, VGSTUDIO MAX queries whether to save the
entire movie from the Beginning, or to start with the Current position, i.e., the current frame in the
Animation tool. You can use this functionality to resume rendering at a certain point of time if a
previous rendering pass had been aborted for some reason.
When saving a series of image files, each frame will be saved to a file named
<name><frame_number>.<extension>. The frame numbers will have enough digits to cover all
frames; lower frame numbers are padded with zeros, resulting in file names like
myframe0000.bmp, myframe0001.bmp, etc.
When rendering from the Current position (see above), the frame numbers will not start with zero,
but with the correct numbering of the current position relative to the beginning of the movie.
When saving to JPEG files, a dialog box opens where you can specify the desired quality level
(in a range of 5-100).
When saving to a series of image files, the Postprocessing Options dialog is displayed.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Save separate alpha image option Saves the transparency information (alpha channel) in
an additional image file to allow for advanced image
processing using commercially available image
processing software. The files are named
<name>_alpha<frame_number>.<extension>.

ANIMATION MENU
12 RENDER ANIMATION MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Save separate depth image option Saves the z-depth information in an additional image
file to allow for advanced image processing using
commercially available image processing software. The
files are named
<name>_depth<frame_number>.<extension>.
16 bit depth image option Saves the images with a bit depth of 16 bit (instead of
8 bit), thus providing a higher flexibility in the shades of
gray (.tiff image file format only).
Minimum/Maximum depth fields Choose the values for the minimum depth (black point,
closer to the camera) and maximum depth (white point,
farther from the camera) such that the spatial depth of
the scene is properly displayed.
Anti-Aliasing optiona Improves the image quality by smoothing the edges.
Save as “Adobe After Effects” compatible Saves the camera information to a text file usable with
file option Adobe After Effects compositing software.
Save info only, do NOT render actual Saves the camera information to a text file usable with
frames option Adobe After Effects compositing software without
rendering the images.
Render both eyes optiona Only enabled if the Projection mode in the Camera tool is
set to Stereo-perspective.
Renders both eyes, although the Image mode on the
Stereo tab has been set to Left image only or Right image
only for viewing purposes. The files are named
<name>_left_<frame_number>.<extension> or
<name>_right_<frame_number>.<extension>, respec-
tively.
Multi view fielda Only enabled if the Projection mode in the Camera tool is
set to Stereo-perspective.
Allows to specify the number of different views to be
rendered at a time for autostereoscopic displays.
a
Be aware that rendering times may increase considerably.
TABLE 12-2: POSTPROCESSING OPTIONS DIALOG
When saving to a single AVI file, a dialog box opens where you can choose the codec to be
used for exporting the movie. The list of available codecs depends on your system installation;
their parameters are not within the scope of VGSTUDIO MAX.
If a codec does not show up in the selection list, the reason may be one of the following:
 The codec is a 32-bit codec, but you are working on a 64-bit system.
 The selected settings do not meet the requirements of the codec, such as restrictions
regarding the aspect ratio.

ANIMATION MENU
12 LOAD CAMERA TRAJECTORY MENU ITEM
After all needed information has been provided, VGSTUDIO MAX starts rendering the movie.
Note that this can take a considerable amount of time. You can abort the process at any time,
and all files completed so far remain on the disk.
During rendering, a preview of the current frame is shown as well as the current time code,
frame number, and frame ID.
LOAD CAMERA TRAJECTORY MENU ITEM
Loads a previously saved trajectory file describing camera movement, velocity settings, movie
length, and frame rate.
All existing animation information will be lost when loading a trajectory!
SAVE CAMERA TRAJECTORY MENU ITEM
Saves the current camera trajectory, velocity settings, movie length, and frame rate. See also
section Load camera trajectory Menu Item on page 369.
COPY CURRENT STATE MENU ITEM
Copies the current state of all animated scene settings (object transformations, colors,
opacities, lighting settings, etc., but not the camera’s state) to an internal clipboard. The current
state depends on the current frame set in the Animation tool. After copying, switch to another
(key)frame and use the Paste state or any of the Paste sub-state commands to apply the copied
state to the new frame.
You can copy the current state of any given frame, no matter if it is a keyframe or a frame in
between.
PASTE STATE MENU ITEM
This menu item is enabled only when the keyframer mode is active and a Copy current state
command has been executed.
Applies all copied state information to the corresponding objects for the current frame. If the
current frame is not a keyframe, a new keyframe is inserted automatically.

ANIMATION MENU
12 PASTE SUB-STATE MENU ITEMS
PASTE SUB-STATE MENU ITEMS
This menu item is enabled only when the keyframer mode is active and a Copy current state
command has been executed.
Applies copied state information to the corresponding objects for the current frame. If the
current frame is not a keyframe, a new keyframe is inserted automatically. In contrast to Paste
state, you may restrict pasting to certain categories, leaving other types of states unchanged:
Paste sub-state (lighting) Pastes the state of light source objects only. This
includes their visibility, orientation, colors, and intensi-
ties.
Paste sub-state (clipping) Pastes the state of clipping box, aligned clipping box,
and clipping plane objects only. This includes their visi-
bility and their clipping geometry settings.
Paste sub-state (material) Pastes the material settings of volume or mesh objects
only. This includes ambient/diffuse/specular colors and
intensities as well as opacity/transparency settings.
Paste sub-state (render Pastes the settings related directly to volume or mesh
object) objects only. This includes their visibility and orientation
in the scene. It also includes the visibility of Regions of
Interest.
Paste sub-state (back- Pastes the state of the 3D view background color(s)
ground) only.
Paste custom sub-state Opens a dialog box where you can select the settings
to be pasted from the Copied items list.
TABLE 12-3: PASTE SUB-STATE MENU ITEMS
DEFAULT CURVES MENU ITEMS
Creates or replaces a camera trajectory based on one of the presets. After triggering a default
curve, VGSTUDIO MAX will be in keyframer mode.
Any existing animation information will be lost when choosing a default curve!
Default curves: circle Menu Item
Creates a circular flight around all objects in the current scene. The resulting animation has five
keyframes.
 xy-/xz-/yz-circle options
Creates a camera trajectory in the form of a circle parallel to the respective plane in the
currently selected coordinate system. The radius of the circle is either chosen relative to

ANIMATION MENU
12 DEFAULT CURVES MENU ITEMS
the size of the objects in the scene or you can specify a Manual circle radius. The camera
always looks at the center of the scene.
 circle, as seen option
Creates a camera trajectory circle determined by what is currently visible in the 3D view:
the camera rotates around the vertical view axis, looking at the position currently in focus.
You can determine the depth by the center of all the objects in the scene (Auto) or by the
actual focal point of the camera (Keep focal point).
 circle vertical, as seen option
The camera rotates around the horizontal view axis, apart from that it is similar to the circle,
as seen option.
Default curves: spiral Menu Item
Creates a circular, up-spiraling flight around all objects in the current scene. The resulting
animation has nine keyframes.
 xy-/xz-/yz-spiral options
The camera trajectory circle is oriented along the specified axes in the currently selected
coordinate system. The spiral height is chosen relative to the size of the objects in the
scene. The radius of the circle is either chosen relative to the size of the objects in the
scene or you can specify a Manual circle radius. The camera always looks at the center of
the scene.
Default curves: clip Menu Item
Creates a “pseudo-flight” animation which fixes the view on an object during the animation. The
Clip commands create an animation of the selected stationary object gradually clipped in a
certain direction and observed by a fixed camera. Technically, this is achieved by rotating the
object and the camera simultaneously. Thus, other visible stationary objects appear to rotate
with respect to the selected object. The resulting animation has five keyframes.
 clip x/y/z (backwards) options
Create a clipping animation along the respective axis of the currently selected coordinate
system. The options use the current view direction of the camera (as seen in the 3D view),
only the position of the camera is centered in front of the scene. The corresponding back-
wards option reverses the clipping direction.
 aligned clip x/y/z (backwards) options
Create a clipping animation along the respective axis of the currently selected coordinate
system. They change the view direction of the camera to match the clipping, and the posi-
tion of the camera is centered in front of the scene. The corresponding backwards option
reverses both the clipping direction and the view direction (i.e., the clipping always starts
in front of the camera and clips away increasing portions of the object from front to back).
 frontal clip option
Uses the current view direction of the camera (as seen in the 3D view), only the position of
the camera is centered in front of the scene. The created clipping is along the camera view
direction, thus clipping away increasing portions of the currently visible view from front to
back.

ANIMATION MENU
12 OBJECT EXPLODER MENU ITEM
OBJECT EXPLODER MENU ITEM
Creates an exploded view of a volume object on the basis of regions of interest (ROIs) defined
for the object. The explosion is performed in one dimension along an explosion axis. The ROIs
are copied and added to the Scene Tree as a new group, while the visibility of the original ROIs
on the volume object is switched off.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Base object drop-down list Specifies the object for which the exploded view is to
be created. This base object should already include the
ROIs defining the parts of the object to be exploded.
Regions section Lists all ROIs available on the selected base object as
well as the base object itself. Check the checkbox in
front of an ROI to select it for exploded view with the
currently set parameters.
• Select by visibility button: Selects the ROI(s) which are
set visible in the Scene Tree.
• Use Scene Tree selection button: Selects the ROI(s)
currently highlighted in the Scene Tree.
The sort order of the objects in this list defines the
sequence in which the ROIs will be exploded along the
explosion axis, starting from top to bottom in the direc-
tion of the arrows on the explosion axis. To change the
sequence and direction, click and drag an object to
move it to a different position.
Mode drop-down list • Split and line up: Adds a group of volumes (each
containing a copy of an ROI) to the Scene Tree and
translates them according to the specified parame-
ters.
• Split only: Adds a group of volumes (each containing
a copy of an ROI) to the Scene Tree without trans-
lating them.
Coordinate system section Specifies the coordinate system as well as the direction
in which the selected ROIs are to be exploded. This is
made visible in the 3D window by a green explosion
axis with gray direction arrows.
• Coordinate system drop-down list: Specifies the coor-
dinate system used as a basis for the explosion
axis.
• +/- button: Reverses the orientation of the explosion
axis.
• X/Y/Z button: Indicates the current direction of the
explosion axis. Clicking this button consecutively
changes the direction of the explosion axis to the x-
, y-, or z-axis of the selected coordinate system.

ANIMATION MENU
12 OBJECT EXPLODER MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Base object size drop-down list Specifies the base object dimensions to be considered
as a starting point for translating the ROIs.
• Use full box: The bounding box of the volume object
is considered for translating the ROIs.
• Consider surface determination extent if present: The
surface determination of the volume object is
considered for translating the ROIs.
• Consider all ROI extents: The extent of all ROIs on the
volume object is considered for translating the
ROIs.
ROI sizes drop-down list Specifies the extent of the ROIs to be exploded.
• Consider ROI extent: Only the individual extent of the
ROIs is considered for translation.
• Use base object size: The extent of the ROIs consid-
ered for translation depends on the settings in the
Base object size field.
Offset spin box Specifies the spacing between the exploded objects,
considering the ROI sizes and Base object size parameters.
Animation drop-down list • No animation: No keyframes are created.

• Create simple keyframer entries: Adds two new
keyframes (start and end status of the exploded
object).
Preview tick spacing spin box Specifies the spacing between the direction arrows on
the explosion axis.
TABLE 12-4: CONTROLS IN THE OBJECT EXPLODER DIALOG

13 TOOLS MENU
INTRODUCTION
Allows to activate and deactivate the various tools available in VGSTUDIO MAX.
Some tools may require additional licensing before you can activate them. If a menu item is
disabled, this tool is not part of your license. Please contact Volume Graphics for details.
To activate a tool, check its entry in the Tools menu. An activated tool will be displayed either in
one of the tool docks or as a floating tool. It may be minimized to its title bar or maximized.
Position and size of the tool depends on its status before it was deactivated.
To deactivate a tool, uncheck its entry in the Tools menu. Deactivating a tool via the Tools menu is
equivalent to closing the tool via the corresponding icon in its title bar. You can reactivate the
tool at any time.
If you deactivate the Light tool or the Clipping tool and select a light or clipping object in the Scene
Tree, a small floating tool with the major parameters of the Light or Clipping tool will be displayed.
For details on the individual tools, refer to the respective manual chapters.
OVERVIEW OF THE TOOLS MENU ITEMS
The table below gives an overview of the Tools menu items.
Rendering Allows to specify the rendering of volume objects and

CAD/mesh/point cloud models in the scene. See
chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384.
Light Allows to access and control the properties of light

sources in the scene, such as the type (e.g., spot light
source), color, shadow, and others. See chapter 17 Light
Tool on page 395.
Transform Allows to access and control the transformation prop-

erties of volume objects and CAD/mesh/point cloud
models, such as the position, rotation, resolution and
center of an object. See chapter 18 Transform Tool on
page 401.
Camera Allows to access and control the properties of the

camera, such as its position and focal point, the
rendering mode, and others. See chapter 19 Camera
Tool on page 404.
Clipping Allows to control the clipping plane. See chapter 20

Clipping Tool on page 408.
Automation Allows to create macros that can be used for batch

processing. See chapter 21 Automation Tool on
page 410.

TOOLS MENU
13 OVERVIEW OF THE TOOLS MENU ITEMS
Scene Tree Allows to access and control objects (and their child
objects) in the scene, such as volume objects and
CAD/mesh/point cloud models, GD&T features, clip-
ping planes, and others. See chapter 22 Scene Tree
Tool on page 427.
Animation Allows to access and control the properties of the

animation tool. See chapter 23 Animation Tool on
page 450.
Bookmarks Allows to access and apply existing bookmarks. See

chapter 24 Bookmarks Tool on page 456.
Create bookmark Creates a new bookmark of the current scene. You can
edit bookmarks in the Bookmark Editor (see chapter 25
Bookmark Editor on page 457).
Bookmark editor Opens the Bookmark Editor. See chapter 25 Bookmark

Editor on page 457.
Restore all Maximizes all tools to the size they had before mini-
mizing them.
Minimize all Minimizes all tools in the tool docks.

The Animation tool as well as all floating tools are not
affected by this option.
Auto minimize Automatically minimizes/maximizes the tools,

depending on their usability for the currently selected
item in the Scene Tree.
The Scene Tree, Bookmarks, Camera, Automation, and
Animation tools as well as all floating tools are not
affected by this option.
Reset all The layout of the tools is saved when closing the soft-
ware. This option resets all tools to the state last saved.
TABLE 13-1: TOOLS MENU ITEMS

14 WINDOW MENU
INTRODUCTION
Allows to choose and/or modify the overall layout of views in VGSTUDIO MAX. This includes the
3D and 2D views to be displayed, their size and arrangement as well as the display of gray value
profile windows, rulers, and text overlays.
OVERVIEW OF THE WINDOW MENU ITEMS
The table below gives an overview of the Window menu items.
Slices left Applies a standard two-column layout with three 2D

windows and a large 3D window. The 2D windows are
arranged top to bottom in the left column.
Slices right Applies a standard two-column layout with three 2D

arranged top to bottom in the right column.
Slices below Applies a standard two-row layout with three 2D

arranged left to right below the 3D window.
Quad Applies a standard two by two layout with three 2D

windows (Top, Right, Front) and a 3D window, where each
window of the quad is of the same size.
Rotation Applies the Quad layout and replaces the Front view with
a Rotation view.
For details on the Rotation view see section Configure...
on page 21 in chapter 2 Workspace.
Quad profile Applies the Quad layout and adds the gray value profile
window below the quad.
For details on the Profile window see section Profile
Window on page 32 in chapter 2 Workspace.
Non-planar Applies the Quad layout and adds a Custom path and a
Non-planar window below the quad.
For details on the Custom path and Non-planar views see
section Configure... on page 21 in chapter 2
Workspace.
Layout editor... Opens the Layout Editor to customize the layouts. See
chapter 26 Layout Editor on page 459.
Zoom Controls the zoom setting of the selected 2D window.

See section Zoom Menu Item on page 378.

WINDOW MENU
14 OVERVIEW OF THE WINDOW MENU ITEMS
Coordinate system Specifies a reference coordinate system for the

selected 2D window. Other 2D windows will not be
affected by this choice. Select Follow global coordinate
system to reference the coordinate system active in the
Coordinate system icon bar.
Display mode Changes the display mode (data representation) of the

2D windows. See section Display mode Menu Item on
page 378.
Thick slab... Only enabled when a 2D window is selected. Opens the

Thick slab settings dialog. See section Thick slab... Menu
Item on page 379.
Configure slice view... Only available when a Non-planar, Custom path, or Rotation
window is selected. Opens the Configure dialog of the
currently selected window. For details, see section
Configure... on page 21 in chapter 2 Workspace.
Slice step width... Only enabled when a 2D window is selected. Opens the
Set slice step width dialog where you can define the step
width to be used for scrolling through the slices in the
2D windows. The default value is the resolution of the
data set. This menu item is enabled only when you are
not in a grid coordinate system.
Non-planar resampling... Only available when the Non-planar window is selected.

Opens the Resample volume dialog. For details, see
section Non-planar resampling... Menu Item on page 380.
Level/Window mode Only enabled when a 2D window is selected and the

Original or the Color display mode is on. Switches the
settings dialog for the brightness (Level) and contrast
(Window) values on/off. For details, see section
Level/Window mode Menu Item on page 381.
Background Only enabled when a 2D window is selected. Allows to

specify the background color for the selected 2D
window either by choosing from a set of predefined
colors or by defining a color in the Select color dialog
(Custom color... menu item).
For changing the background color of the 3D window,
see section Background color... Menu Item on page 14 in
chapter 2 Workspace.
Ruler Switches the ruler at the top and left borders of the 2D
windows on and off.
Annotations Allows to modify the display of the currently visible

analysis annotations. See section Annotations Menu
Item on page 382.

WINDOW MENU
14 ZOOM MENU ITEM
Text overlay editor... Opens the Configure Text Overlay dialog to specify addi-
tional information such as slice position and company
logos to be rendered on top of the 2D and 3D views.
See chapter 27 Text Overlay Editor on page 462.
TABLE 14-1: WINDOW MENU ITEMS
ZOOM MENU ITEM
The Zoom menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Set zoom factor Opens a dialog where you can manually set the zoom factor of the
slice view.
Zoom in/out Zooms into or out of the 2D window.
Fit object to window Centers the slice view of the selected object in the 2D window.
Fit scene to window Centers the slice view of the whole scene in the 2D window.
Reset Resets the zoom settings.
TABLE 14-2: CONTROLS IN THE ZOOM MENU
COORDINATE SYSTEM MENU ITEM
Specifies a reference coordinate system for the selected 2D window. Other 2D windows will not
be affected by this choice. Select Follow global coordinate system to use the coordinate system
active in the Coordinate system icon bar.
DISPLAY MODE MENU ITEM
The display mode determines the way in which the slice images are rendered in the 2D
windows.
The display mode can be linked (shared) between the 2D windows or set individually via the
Layout Editor (see chapter 26 Layout Editor on page 459). If the display mode is not linked
between the 2D windows, switching the mode affects only the currently selected 2D window.
 Original display mode
Displays the slice images using their original color, brightness, and contrast.
 Color display mode
Displays the slice images using their original brightness and contrast, but applies the color
settings from the Rendering tool. Also displays the contour of the determined surface.
 Color and opacity display mode

WINDOW MENU
14 THICK SLAB... MENU ITEM
Displays the slice images using the color, brightness, and contrast settings from the
Rendering tool. Also displays the contour of the determined surface.
THICK SLAB... MENU ITEM
In Thick slab mode, the 2D window shows an overlay of several slices instead of only one slice.
The current slice position is the middle of the thick slab.
FIGURE 14-1: THICK SLAB SETTINGS DIALOG
The Thick slab settings dialog provides the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Enable thick slab mode When you check this option, the thick slab parameter settings are
enabled.
Slab thickness spin box Defines the height in which the slices shall be overlaid. The range of
the thick slab is -1/2 thickness up to +1/2 thickness from the current
slice. Clicking the arrow buttons of the spin box changes the slab
thickness in steps of one voxel.
Combine mode drop- • Maximum: Displays the highest gray value within the thick slab.
down list • Minimum: Displays the lowest gray value within the thick slab.
• Average: Displays the normalized average of the gray values of all
slices within the thick slab.
• Standard deviation: Displays the standard deviation of the gray
values of all slices within the thick slab. The standard deviations
are displayed as gray values, the higher the standard deviation,
the brighter the corresponding pixel.
When there is an ROI with activated visualization settings within the
thick slab and the Maximum or Minimum combine mode is activated,
only the slices which contain the ROI are considered in the ROI area.
Scale spin box Specifies the scale factor for the displayed gray value. Available for
the Average mode and the Standard deviation mode.
Max. slice count spin box Specifies the maximum number of slices taken into account to
calculate the visualization of the thick slab. When a low Max. slice
count and a high Slab thickness are specified, not every slice is taken
into account.

WINDOW MENU
14 CONFIGURE SLICE VIEW MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Oversampling factor spin As long as the Max. slice count is not reached, the object is oversam-
box pled according to this value.
TABLE 14-3: CONTROLS IN THE THICK SLAB SETTINGS DIALOG
CONFIGURE SLICE VIEW MENU ITEM
Only available when a Non-planar, Custom path, or Rotation window is selected. Opens the Configure
dialog of the currently selected window. For details, see section Configure... on page 21 in
chapter 2 Workspace.
SLICE STEP WIDTH... MENU ITEM
Opens the Set slice step width dialog where you can define the step width to be used for scrolling
through the slices in the 2D windows. The default value is the resolution of the data set. This
menu item is enabled only when you are not in a grid coordinate system.
NON-PLANAR RESAMPLING... MENU ITEM
This menu item is available only in Non-planar view.

Upon choosing this menu item, the following dialog opens:
FIGURE 14-2: RESAMPLE VOLUME DIALOG
The following modes are available:

 Resample from non-planar view into new volume mode: Use this mode to create a new volume
which consists of the slices as calculated for the Non-planar view.
You can use all segmentation tools on the resampled volume.

WINDOW MENU
14 LEVEL/WINDOW MODE MENU ITEM
 Reintegrate Region of Interest from resampled volume mode: Use this mode to transfer an ROI
created on a resampled volume back to the original volume.
The following settings are available for the Resample from non-planar view into new volume mode:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object drop-down list Specifies the object to be resampled.
Resolution spin boxes Specify the resolution in the x-, y-, and z-directions of
the volume to be resampled.
Result grid size fields Indicate the grid size resulting from the specified reso-
lution and the specified range.
Range X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify the range in the x-, y-, and z-directions of the
volume to be resampled.
TABLE 14-4: CONTROLS FOR THE RESAMPLE FROM NON-PLANAR VIEW INTO NEW VOLUME MODE
The following settings are available for the Reintegrate Region of Interest from resampled volume mode:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object drop-down list Specifies the object to which the ROI shall be trans-
ferred.
Resampled ROI drop-down list Specifies the ROI to be transferred.
TABLE 14-5: CONTROLS FOR THE REINTEGRATE REGION OF INTEREST FROM RESAMPLED VOLUME MODE
LEVEL/WINDOW MODE MENU ITEM
The settings for the brightness (Level) and contrast (Window) values affect the display of all
objects in all 2D windows.
A dialog appears in which you can specify the brightness (Level) and contrast (Window) values for
the 2D windows:
FIGURE 14-3: BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST SETTINGS DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Accepts the values and closes the brightness/contrast

settings dialog.
Resets the values according to the gray value range of

the selected object.
Disables brightness/contrast rendering completely and

closes the settings dialog (the brightness button is
shown crossed-out).

WINDOW MENU
14 BACKGROUND MENU ITEM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold LMB in 2D window and move Modifies the brightness (Level) values.
vertically
hold LMB in 2D window and move Modifies the contrast (Window) values.
horizontally
TABLE 14-6: CONTROLS FOR SETTING THE BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST VALUES
BACKGROUND MENU ITEM
Only enabled when a 2D window is selected. Allows to specify the background color for the
selected 2D window either by choosing from a set of predefined colors or by defining a color in
the Select color dialog (Custom color... menu item).
For changing the background color of the 3D window, see section Background color... Menu Item
on page 14 in chapter 2 Workspace.
RULER MENU ITEM
Switches the ruler at the top and left borders of the 2D windows on and off.
ANNOTATIONS MENU ITEM
The Annotations menu item consists of the following submenu entries:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
for the annotations. For details, see section Colors & Styles Prefer-
ences on page 102 in chapter 4 Edit Menu.
Arrange Automatically arranges the annotations in the current window

according to the settings in the Preferences dialog.
Minimize Minimizes all annotations.
Maximize Maximizes all annotations.
TABLE 14-7: CONTROLS OF THE ANNOTATIONS MENU
TEXT OVERLAY EDITOR... MENU ITEM
Opens the Configure Text Overlay dialog to specify additional information such as slice position
and company logos to be rendered on top of the 2D and 3D views. See chapter 27 Text Overlay
Editor on page 462.

15 HELP MENU
OVERVIEW OF THE HELP MENU ITEMS
The Help menu provides information about the software, enables you to create registration forms
and provides access to the manual and tutorials.
The table below gives an overview of the Help menu items.
Show manual Displays this Reference Manual.
Show tutorials If available: Opens a pdf file from which you can access
the tutorials.
Product registration... Allows to create and save a product registration form

including a system-specific hardware encryption key
needed for licensing purposes. To obtain either a
temporary evaluation license or your final product
license, fill in the missing information and e-mail the
form as an attachment to Volume Graphics:
sales@volumegraphics.com.
About Opens a dialog with product and system information.

See section About Dialog on page 383.
Update dongle license Opens a file browser for selecting the updated license
file (CodeMeter file, *.WibuCMRaU) to be loaded onto
the dongle.
For more information about dongle licenses, see the
Installations Instructions.
Website Opens the Volume Graphics website.
TABLE 15-1: HELP MENU ITEMS
ABOUT DIALOG
 About tab
Displays the product information.
 License information tab
Displays the license information, including the version (release) and build number, the
expiry date and the licensed modules.
 System information tab
Displays information about the hardware configuration of the computer.
 Save information button
Creates a .txt file including all information from the About, License information and System infor-
mation tabs.
 OK button
Closes the dialog.

16 RENDERING TOOL
INTRODUCTION
Allows to specify the look of render objects, such as volume objects, CAD and mesh objects as
well as ROIs. Settings that are not applicable to the selected object will be grayed out.
PRESET SELECTION

taken as a basis for a new preset. The presets are ordered
according to the object types they belong to. The following
icons are used in combination with the icon of the object
type as shown in the Scene Tree:
• default preset
If a chosen preset does not match to the currently selected
object, an error dialog will appear and the preset will not be
applied.
list.
VOXEL TAB
Shows a histogram of the gray values of the selected volume object. A line segment in the
histogram represents the linear mapping of gray values to opacities.
You can use the histogram for configuring the transparency/opacity for the gray value range by
adding, deleting, and moving handles on the line. You can also use the histogram for assigning
colors to specific gray value ranges.
If the voxel data has been unloaded for the selected volume object, the message “Voxel-based
settings not available when gray values unloaded” is displayed. In this case, you can use the
Solid tab for adapting the render settings.

RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
A: Color segment D: Color handle
B: Interval divider line E: Isosurface line
C: Opacity line segment F: Opacity handle
FIGURE 16-1: CONTROLS ON THE VOXEL TAB OF THE RENDERING TOOL
Controls of the Voxel Tab
Add opacity handle Inserts a handle in the middle of the selected line
segment on the opacity curve. The new handle and the
line segment to its right are selected.
Remove opacity handle Removes the selected handle from the opacity curve
and extends the selected line segment to the next
handle to the left.
Add color handle Inserts a handle in the middle of the selected color
segment in the color area. The new handle gets the
current color for exactly the gray value it is created for.

RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
Remove color handle Removes the selected handle from the color area.
/ Enabled logarithmic Toggles between logarithmic and linear scale for the left
scaling/Enabled linear y-axis which represents the gray value histogram.
scaling
/ Enabled/Disabled ROI Adds/removes render settings for the ROI selected in

render settings the Scene Tree.
/ Enabled/Disabled surface For Isosurface renderer only:

determination render • Enabled: In the 3D view, the surface of the selected
settings volume/ROI is rendered according to the deter-
mined surface.
• Disabled: In the 3D view, the surface of the selected
volume/ROI is rendered according to the position of
the isosurface line. The isosurface line can be
moved by click and drag. This only affects the
rendering and does not change the determined
surface.
Renderer drop-down list Specifies the rendering algorithm to be used for

displaying the volume object in the scene:
• Isosurface renderer
This algorithm displays the surface of the selected
object as defined by the isosurface line (red line in
the histogram area). It is recommended for the
analysis and visualization of industrial CT data sets:
This algorithm yields high quality photorealistic
images at interactive speeds almost independently
of the size of the data set. The most common use
of the isosurface renderer is to render the object at
the isosurface line defined by the surface
determination, i.e., showing the actual determined
surface of the object.
• Volume renderer (Phong)

This algorithm is a volume rendering algorithm
which emphasizes the local gradients within the
voxel data. The full support of lighting sources and
clipping objects makes it most suitable for
animations.
• Volume renderer (Scatter HQ)

This algorithm is a volume rendering algorithm. It is
the “all-rounder” amongst the visualization
algorithms of VGSTUDIO MAX and is well suited for
the visualization of faint gray value differences
within the voxel data as well as for the visualization
of surface structure details.

RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
• Hardware renderer (Scatter HQ)

In contrast to all other renderers, which all use the
CPU(s) for rendering, the hardware renderer uses
the graphics card for direct volume rendering. This
yields the best rendering performance on most
systems but uses the least features of the light and
clipping objects. The clipping sphere and the
clipping polyline 3D are not available. The Invert
clipping region option is not available for the (aligned)
clipping boxes.
However, for data sets larger than the graphics card
memory, the hardware renderer can be used as
preview only, because the volume has to be
downsampled and looses detail.
• X-Ray
This algorithm casts one ray per display pixel into
the data set. The higher the integrated opacity of
voxels along a ray, the darker the corresponding
pixel.
• Sum along Ray

the data set. The higher the integrated opacity of
voxels along a ray, the brighter the corresponding
pixel.
• Maximum Projection
the data set. The maximum intensity of the voxels
along a ray determines the gray value of the
corresponding pixel.
Oversampling spin box Sets the oversampling to a factor larger than 1.0 to
sample the object more precisely. The higher the over-
sampling the slower the rendering but the better the
image quality.
Transparency spin box For isosurface renderer only:

Specifies the transparency of the selected volume
object or ROI (0 = opaque ... 100 = transparent).
Changing the transparency level in the Voxel tab also
affects the Transparency spin box on the Solid tab.
Density spin box For all renderers except for isosurface renderer:
Specifies the opacity of the selected volume object or
ROI (0 = no opacity ... 10 = fully opaque).

RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
use LMB to click and For isosurface renderer only:

drag red isosurface line Moves the isosurface line and updates the 3D view
accordingly. While dragging the isosurface line, a
tooltip is displayed indicating the absolute iso value.
The isosurface line can be moved only if the selected
object has no surface determination or if the volume
component of the selected volume has been disabled
by clicking the Enabled surface determination render
settings button.
hover mouse pointer Highlights the axis and displays the respective label
over one of the axes of and ticks.
the histogram
click and hold LMB in Displays the gray value at the current position of the
the histogram area isosurface line and the minimum and maximum gray
values of the selected volume.
use MMB to click the Inserts a color handle at the exact position of the
color area mouse pointer.
use MMB to click a Removes the selected color handle.

handle in the color area
use LMB to click and Moves the selected color handle.

drag color handle While moving the color handle, the corresponding gray
value is displayed.
use LMB to click and Moves the color segment.

drag a color segment A color segment has a start and an end color handle, it
represents the color-to-gray-value assignment for a
whole gray value range. The color assigned to each
gray value of this range is an interpolation of the colors
assigned to the start and end color handles.
While moving the color segment, the gray values of the
involved color handles are displayed next to the
handles.
Moving a color segment is only possible if the involved
color handle is not associated with the start or end of
an interval.
use LMB to double- Opens the Select Color dialog where you can choose a
click a color handle color to be assigned to the gray value of this color
handle.
use LMB to double- Opens the Select Color dialog where you can choose a
click a color segment color to be assigned to all gray values in this color
segment. This color is interpolated across the start and
end handles of this segment, resulting in a color
gradient with the colors of the neighboring color
segments.

RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
use MMB to click the Inserts an opacity handle at the exact position of the
histogram area mouse pointer. The new handle and the line segment to
its right are selected.
use MMB to click an Removes the selected opacity handle and extends the
opacity handle selected line segment to the next handle to the left.
use LMB to click a blue Selects the line segment with the opacity handle to its
line segment or a blue left and changes the color from blue (unselected) to red
opacity handle (selected).
hover mouse pointer Click and drag the double-headed arrow to move the
over interval divider interval divider line to a new position.
line until mouse pointer
changes to double-
headed arrow
hover mouse pointer Click and drag the right or left handle into the indicated
over interval divider direction to create a new interval from the interval
line until triangular divider line to the point where you release the mouse
handles appear to the button. Creating an interval automatically creates a
left and to the right of corresponding color handle in the color area.
the interval divider line
use LMB to click the Allows to rename the interval label.

interval label
scroll MW on left y-axis Zooms the y-axis of the gray value histogram out/in.
up/down
scroll MW on right y- Zooms the opacity curve out/in.

axis up/down
scroll MW in histogram Zooms the x-axis of the gray value histogram out/in.
area or x-axis up/down
use RMB to click the Opens a context menu, see below.

histogram area or the
color area
TABLE 16-2: CONTROLS OF THE VOXEL TAB
Context Menu of the Voxel Tab
Right-clicking the histogram area or the color area displays a context menu with the following
options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Export histogram as CSV... Opens the Export as CSV... dialog for exporting the gray


RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Add color handle Inserts a color handle at the horizontal position of the
mouse pointer.
Remove color handle Removes the selected color handle.
Set handle color • Red, ..., Black: Assigns a predefined color to the gray
value of the selected color handle.
• Custom color: Opens the Select Color dialog where you
can specify the color to be assigned to the gray
value of the selected color handle.
Set color between handles • Red, ..., Black: Assigns a predefined color to the gray
values of the selected color segment.
values of the selected color segment.
This color selection overrides any color setting for the
start and end color handles of this color segment.
Set interval color • Red, ..., Black: Assigns a predefined color to the gray
values of the selected interval.
values of the selected interval.
This color selection overrides any other color setting
within this interval and removes all color handles and
segments.
Copy interval color Copies the color handles of the interval in which you
opened the context menu.
Paste interval color Pastes the color handles to the interval in which you
Export interval color... Opens the Save color settings to... dialog where you can
specify the path and file name for saving the colors and
color handles of the interval in which you opened the
context menu to a .lut or .act file.
Import interval color... Opens the Load color settings from... dialog where you can
specify the path and file name for loading the colors
and color handles from a .lut or .act file and apply them
to the interval in which you opened the context menu.
Hide/Show histogram Toggles the visibility of the gray value histogram.
Split interval Creates a new interval divider line at the position of the
mouse pointer. Creating an interval automatically
creates corresponding start and end color handles in
the color area.

RENDERING TOOL
16 VOXEL TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Merge interval • Merge left: Merges the selected interval and the
interval to the left without merging existing color
segments within these intervals, so the color assign-
ment will remain unchanged.
• Merge right: Merges the selected interval and the
interval to the right without merging existing color
segments within these intervals, so the color assign-
ment will remain unchanged.
Delete interval • Expand left neighbor: Removes the selected interval as

well as included color segments, adding it to the
interval to the left.
• Expand right neighbor: Removes the selected interval
as well as included color segments, adding it to the
interval to the right.
Disable/Enable interval Hides/shows the gray values of the selected interval in

the 2D and 3D windows.
Extract volume from gray value interval Creates a new volume object from the selected gray
value interval.
Create ROI from gray value interval Creates an ROI from the selected interval.
Add opacity handle Inserts a handle in the middle of the selected line
segment. The new handle and the line segment to its
right are selected.
Remove opacity handle Removes the selected handle and extends the selected
line to the next handle on the left.
Copy opacity curve Copies the opacity curve of the interval in which you
Paste opacity curve Pastes the opacity curve in the interval in which you
Reset opacity curve • Default: Sets the curve to its default.

• Fully opaque: Sets the curve such that all voxels are
displayed fully opaque.
• Fully transparent: Sets the curve such that all voxels
are displayed fully transparent.
TABLE 16-3: CONTEXT MENU ITEMS IN THE HISTOGRAM AREA

RENDERING TOOL
16 SOLID TAB
SOLID TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Render solid checkbox For a CAD/mesh object:

When this option is checked, the triangles of the
CAD/mesh object are rendered as a solid surface.
ROI Render settings checkbox For an ROI:

When this option is checked, individual render settings
are applied to the selected ROI.
2D Fill color drop-down list Available for a volume object if link status is unlinked:
• Red, ..., Black: Allows to select the color for the render
object from a set of predefined colors.
can set the color for the render object.
The color is only used for the fill mode and has no effect
if the fill mode is switched off in all 2D views.
2D Line color drop-down list For a volume object with volume data loaded:
The color is only used for the 2D outline rendering.
Color drop-down list For a CAD/mesh object or for a volume object with
volume data unloaded:
• From CAD: For a CAD model: Uses the color specified
in the CAD file.
• From mesh: For a mesh: Uses the color specified in
the mesh or point cloud file.
The color is used for the 3D rendering.
Toggles the link status of the 2D Fill color and the 2D Line
/ icon color. If both colors are linked, the 2D Fill color is just a
darker variant of the 2D Line color.
2D Line width spin box Specifies the line width for the object in the 2D
windows.
Ambient intensity spin box Specifies the intensity of the ambient component of
light reflected from the selected object.
Diffuse intensity spin box Specifies the intensity of the diffuse component of light
reflected from the selected object.

RENDERING TOOL
16 SOLID TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Specular intensity spin box Specifies the intensity of the specular component of
light reflected from the selected object.
Shininess spin box Specifies the size and brightness of the highlight of the
specular component of light reflected from the selected
object.
Transparency spin box Specifies the transparency of the selected object

(0 = opaque ... 100 = transparent).
For volume objects available if the isosurface renderer
is selected on the Voxel tab.
3D Clipping color drop-down list For a volume object:

• Color only: Applies the user-defined color rendering
settings to the clipped surface.
• Opacity only: Applies the user-defined opacity
rendering settings to the clipped surface.
• Color and opacity: Applies the user-defined color and
opacity rendering settings to the clipped surface.
• Red, ..., Black: Allows to select the color for the
clipped surface from a set of predefined colors.
can set the color for the clipped surface.
3D Back color drop-down list For a CAD/mesh object:

• Red, ..., Black: Allows to select the color for the
clipped surface from a set of predefined colors.
• From CAD: For a CAD model: Uses the color specified
in the CAD file.
• From mesh: For a mesh: Uses the color specified in
the mesh or point cloud file.
Smooth shading checkbox For a CAD/mesh object: When this option is checked,
the color of the triangle vertices is interpolated,
resulting in a much smoother object surface.
Render clip/segment surface checkbox • For a volume object cut by a clipping object:
When this option is checked, the clipped area of
the volume object is shown as a surface in the color
specified by the 3D Clipping color option. When this
option is unchecked, only the surface of the volume
is shown, so the interior of the volume is visible.
• For an ROI for which render settings have been
enabled:
When this option is checked, the ROI is shown as if
it were a solid object. When this option is
unchecked, the surface of the ROI that is common
with the surface of the volume object is shown.

RENDERING TOOL
16 WIREFRAME TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Remove hidden surfaces checkbox Disables the rendering of surfaces located inside the
object or concealed by other surfaces. This has an
effect only if the surfaces are transparent.
Swap inner/outer areas checkbox Interchanges the inner and outer areas of a volume
object and vice versa.
Normalize gradients checkbox Check this option to normalize the gradients for lighting
calculations.
TABLE 16-4: CONTROLS OF THE SOLID TAB
WIREFRAME TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Render wireframe checkbox When this option is checked, the wireframe of the
selected mesh or CAD object is rendered. For mesh
objects this is the wireframe of the triangle mesh. For
CAD objects this is the wireframe of the CAD model.
Color drop-down list • Red, ..., Black: Allows to select the color for the wire-
frame from a set of predefined colors.
can set the color for the wireframe.
Line width spin box Specifies the line width (in pixels) of the wireframe in the
3D window.
TABLE 16-5: CONTROLS OF THE WIREFRAME TAB
POINT CLOUD TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Render vertices/points checkbox When this option is checked, all vertices/points of the
selected mesh object are rendered as a point cloud.
Color drop-down list • Red, ..., Black: Allows to select the color for the point
cloud from a set of predefined colors.
can set the color for the point cloud.
Size spin box Specifies the point size (in pixels) in the 3D window.
TABLE 16-6: CONTROLS OF THE POINT CLOUD TAB

17 LIGHT TOOL
INTRODUCTION
By default, the Light tool is activated and displayed in the tool dock. To close the Light tool, either
click the icon in the Light tool window or uncheck its entry in the Tools menu. When the Light tool
is closed and you highlight a light source in the Scene Tree, a floating toolbar will be displayed
providing a subset of functionality. To open the Light tool, check its entry in the Tools menu.
FIGURE 17-1: LIGHT TOOL, GENERAL TAB
FIGURE 17-2: LIGHT TOOL, FLOATING TOOLBAR
The following types of light sources are available in VGSTUDIO MAX:

 Directional light
 Point light
 Spot light
In order to create a new light source, select the type of light source from the Create > context
menu in the Scene Tree tool or from the Object menu.
Only if a light source is selected in the Scene Tree is it shown in the 2D and 3D windows and can
be modified with the mouse:
 In the 3D window, the light source can be rotated or moved, depending on whether the
Rotate or Move mode is active (directional light sources can be rotated only).
 In the 2D windows, the origin and direction of the light source can be modified by clicking
and dragging the handles.
 To initially place a light source, click somewhere in a 2D window and drag the mouse
pointer in the light direction.
The position of a light source object can be modified only if its padlock icon in the Scene Tree is
open.

LIGHT TOOL
17 STATUS INFORMATION SECTION
STATUS INFORMATION SECTION
Displays the name of the selected light source. If no light source is currently selected in the
Scene Tree, the text “No light source selected” is displayed in red and all controls are disabled.
GENERAL TAB

used:
• default preset
list.
 Type section
Specifies the type of the light source.

LIGHT TOOL
17 GENERAL TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Directional A light source emitting a parallel bundle of light rays

in a particular direction. The light intensity does not
drop with distance. The figure below shows an
example of a directional light source.
FIGURE 17-3: DIRECTIONAL LIGHT SOURCE
Point A single point in space emitting light equally in all

directions. The intensity of the light decreases
proportional to the square of the distance to the
light source. This is comparable to an infinitely
small unshaded light bulb. The figure below shows
an example of a point light source.
FIGURE 17-4: POINT LIGHT SOURCE

LIGHT TOOL
17 GENERAL TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Spot Similar to a point light, but the shape of the emitted

light is limited to a cone, similar to the lamp shade
of a regular desk lamp. Refer to the Spot section on
the Advanced tab to change the settings for the spot
light. The figure below shows an example of a spot
light source.
FIGURE 17-5: SPOT LIGHT SOURCE
TABLE 17-2: CONTROLS IN THE TYPE SECTION
 Color and Intensity section

Specifies the color and intensity of the light components:
– To specify the color of the respective light component, double-click the square box
and select a color from the Select Color dialog.
– To specify the intensity, use the corresponding spin box.
See Figure 17-6: Examples of light components on page 399 for an illustration of the
different light components.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Overall Specifies the light intensity globally and affects all

three light components: ambient, diffuse, and
specular. You can also modify the overall intensity
of a selected light source by holding the Ctrl key and
turning the mouse wheel while the mouse pointer is
over the 3D window.
This option is also available in the floating toolbar.
Ambient Specifies the light component for general illumina-

tion. It does not seem to come from any particular
light source.
The Ambient color box is also available in the floating
toolbar.

LIGHT TOOL
17 GENERAL TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Diffuse Specifies the light component that comes from the

light source origin and scatters equally into all
directions.
The Diffuse color box is also available in the floating
toolbar.
Specular Specifies the light component that comes from the

light source origin and bounces off into a preferred
direction. It is responsible for the shininess of a
lighted object.
TABLE 17-3: CONTROLS IN THE COLOR AND INTENSITY SECTION
FIGURE 17-6: EXAMPLES OF LIGHT COMPONENTS
 Shadow mode section

Check the Enable shadow checkbox to switch on shadows for the selected light source.
Shadows are supported by the isosurface renderer, the Phong volume renderer, and the
Scatter HQ volume renderer and have to be activated for each light source.
Using shadows slows down the rendering process.

LIGHT TOOL
17 ADVANCED TAB
ADVANCED TAB
 Attenuation section
Available for point and spot light sources. Specifies the decrease in light intensity as
distance from the light source increases.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Constant Applies a constant attenuation factor.
Linear Applies a linear attenuation factor.
Quadratic Applies a quadratic attenuation factor.
Constant button Switches off the attenuation, setting the Linear and
Quadratic attenuation factors to 0 and the Constant
attenuation factor to 1. This is the default.
Gradient button Sets the attenuation such that half of the decrease
in light intensity lies within the 2D window. This
intensity is shown by a dashed circle around the
light source and can be modified with the mouse.
TABLE 17-4: CONTROLS IN THE ATTENUATION SECTION
 Spot section
Available for Spot light source.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cutoff angle spin box Specifies the opening angle of the cone of the spot
light source. Value range (in degrees): 0 (closed)..90
(open).
To open or close the cone, you can also press Ctrl
and click and drag the cone in a 2D view.
Exponent spin box Specifies the decrease in light intensity along the
cone radius. The higher the value, the faster the
decrease in light intensity and the smoother the
light edges.
TABLE 17-5: CONTROLS IN THE SPOT SECTION
 Shadow options section

Enabled only if the Enable shadow option on the General tab is checked.
When the Consider objects in view frustum only option is checked, objects lying outside the
viewing frustum do not cast a shadow.

18 TRANSFORM TOOL
Allows to modify spatial properties, such as position and orientation, and geometric properties,
such as center, scale, and resolution, of the selected object, provided the object is unlocked in
the Scene Tree.
The Transform tool consists of several tabs in which you can view and modify the specific
properties.
Displays information about the current status of the Transform tool. If a valid object is neither
locked nor registered, its name is displayed in green color. A valid object can either be a volume
object, a CAD/mesh model, or an ROI. The Status information field also provides a hint if the
Transform tool is deactivated for your current selection in the Scene Tree (e.g., “No object with
transformation selected”).
When a valid object is selected, a Lock /Unlock button or an Unregister button is available
in the Status information section (see section Register object Menu Item on page 127 in chapter 5
Object Menu and section Icons in the Scene Tree on page 428 in chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool).
COORDINATE SYSTEM SECTION
Allows to select a coordinate system from the drop-down menu to view and modify values
relative to the selected coordinate system.
POSITION TAB
Allows to modify the position of the selected object.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates for the object.
Reset button Restores the initial position of the object.
TABLE 18-1: CONTROLS OF THE POSITION TAB
ROTATION TAB
Allows to specify the rotation of an object either in standard or advanced mode. To toggle
between the two modes, click the Standard/Advanced button.
 Standard mode
Allows to enter incremental rotation values for each axis.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify the incremental rotation around the x-, y-,
or z-axis.

TRANSFORM TOOL
18 CENTER TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reset button Restores the original orientation of the object.
Advanced button Switches to advanced mode.
TABLE 18-2: CONTROLS OF THE ROTATION TAB IN STANDARD MODE
 Advanced mode
Allows to enter absolute rotation values for the selected object. The absolute rotation is
defined by a normalized vector in 3D space serving as rotational axis and a rotation angle
around this vector.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates to define the
rotational axis.
Angle spin box Specifies the absolute rotation angle around the
rotational axis defined by the x, y, and z values.
Reset button Restores the original orientation of the object.
Standard button Switches to standard mode.
TABLE 18-3: CONTROLS OF THE ROTATION TAB IN ADVANCED MODE
CENTER TAB
Allows to modify the center of rotation of the selected object. By default, this is the origin of the
object which is at (Xmax/2, Ymax/2, Zmax/2), where Xmax, Ymax and Zmax describe the extent of the
object bounding box.
Changing the center of rotation of an object does not change the position of the object but
changes its coordinates on the Position tab. To change the position of the object, change the coor-
dinates on the Position tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the center of
rotation.
Apply navigation cursor position button Sets the center of rotation of the object to the current
coordinates of the Navigation Cursor.
Reset button Restores the default center values.
TABLE 18-4: CONTROLS OF THE CENTER TAB

TRANSFORM TOOL
18 RESOLUTION TAB
RESOLUTION TAB
This tab is available for voxel data sets only. Allows to specify the size of a voxel by modifying
the resolution values.
This functionality is only suitable to compensate for minor deviations in resolution.

Modifying the resolution of the voxel data set will change the geometry of the data set but not
adapt any linear measurement parameters. This may invalidate any existing geometry elements
and analysis results.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z fields Indicates the current resolution of the data set in the x-,
y-, and z-directions.
Override button Opens the Override resolution dialog where you can use
the X/Y/Z spin boxes to specify the desired resolution
values in the x-, y-, and z-directions.
TABLE 18-5: CONTROLS OF THE RESOLUTION TAB
SCALE TAB
This tab is available for ROIs only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z spin boxes Specify a scale factor for the size of the ROI in the x-,
y-, and z-directions.
Reset button Restores the size of the ROI to its original values.
TABLE 18-6: CONTROLS OF THE SCALE TAB

19 CAMERA TOOL
The 3D view of VGSTUDIO MAX is rendered using a virtual camera placed in the scene together
with the volume/CAD/mesh data. Various properties such as camera position, viewing direction,
and aperture angle can be controlled using this tool.
The camera is rotated/moved only if the selected object (e.g., volume, ROI, light source, clipping
plane) is locked (padlock is closed), otherwise the selected object is rotated/moved.
GENERAL TAB
FIGURE 19-1: CAMERA TOOL, GENERAL TAB

taken as a basis for a new preset. The following icons
are used:
• appears next to the icon of a preset that has
been modified but not yet saved
down list.

CAMERA TOOL
19 GENERAL TAB
 Camera orientation section
default camera Provide shortcuts to various default camera views,

views relative to the selected coordinate system. They can be
used for quickly adjusting the camera point of view.
These default views are along the three major axes (in
both directions) as well as from positions along each of
the four diagonals (one position for each corner).
Center object Centers the selected object in the 3D view (via a trans-
lation along the screen plane).
Focus object Focuses the selected object in the 3D view (via a trans-
lation along the viewing direction).
Position X/Y/Z Display and manipulate the position of the camera (in
fields the current coordinate system).
Focal point X/Y/Z Display and manipulate the position to which the
fields camera is focused.
The view direction can be obtained by subtracting the
position coordinates from the focal point coordinates
(and normalizing the result).
Up vector X/Y/Z Specify the vertical orientation (the roll) of the camera,
fields i.e., implicitly set the axial rotation of the camera rela-
tive to the view direction.
TABLE 19-2: CONTROLS IN THE CAMERA ORIENTATION SECTION
 Projection mode drop-down list
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Perspective Renders the 3D models as seen by a single human

eye: Spatial foreshortening and apparent size as a
function of distance is taken into account. This
means that objects look smaller with increasing
distance from the observer and parallel lines recede
towards the vanishing point.
Parallel Renders the 3D models without perspective

correction such that parallel lines are maintained
independently of distance.
Stereo-perspective Renders a pair of perspective images of the scene.

The camera positions of the two images are slightly
offset to mimic, e.g., the offset between the right
and left eye. When viewed correctly, the image pair
will create the perception of observing the objects
in the scene in three dimensions.
Stereo viewing requires additional hardware either
in the form of special glasses or dedicated displays.

CAMERA TOOL
19 STEREO TAB
TABLE 19-3: CONTROLS OF THE 3D CAMERA SECTION
 View angle slider

For projection modes Perspective and Stereo-perspective: Specifies the vertical viewing angle
(in degrees) of the camera.
 View height spin box
For projection mode Parallel: Specifies the height of the scene seen by the camera.
STEREO TAB
This tab is enabled only for projection mode Stereo-perspective.
The settings in this tab are usually meant to be set only once (e.g., for the monitor you are working
with or the screen on which you want watch a stereo movie).
 Image mode section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Anaglyph image red-green, red-blue, Encodes the left and right eye images into the
red-cyan respective color channels of the display (anach-
rome stereo). To view the result in stereo, a pair of
(inexpensive) two-color glasses are required.
Interlaced Encodes the left and right eye images into one
image where either the rows or columns are alter-
natively taken from the left or right image. This
mode requires special display video formats and/or
special glasses.
Left image only Displays the left eye image only.
Right image only Displays the right eye image only.
OpenGL hardware Alternates between showing the left and right eye
images (active stereo). This mode requires addi-
tional hardware for stereo viewing (stereo glasses
and a synchronization transmitter). This image
mode is not available on Mac OS.
TABLE 19-4: CONTROLS IN THE IMAGE MODE SECTION
 Settings mode section

The degree of stereo perception depends on the relative scale of parameters such as eye,
focal, and image plane distances relative to the distance to the viewed object and its size.
By tuning these parameters to the specific scene, the 3D experience can be optimized.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Fixed focal depth Lets you vary the focal distance, but uses fixed
scaling.

CAMERA TOOL
19 STEREO TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Fixed viewer-scene scaling Assumes an infinite focal distance and lets you
scale the viewing parameters relative to the scene
(Scene zoom).
TABLE 19-5: CONTROLS IN THE SETTINGS MODE SECTION
 Eye distance spin box

Sets the interocular (eye) distance.
 Display distance spin box
Sets the distance between the eyes/cameras and the 2D image plane. The default value
(700 mm) is the usual distance when working with a monitor.
 Focal depth offset spin box
Only available in the Fixed focal depth setting mode. Sets the distance at which the eyes are
focused, i.e., the distance at which the view vectors from each eye/camera cross. For
values < 0, the object will lie behind the image plane, for values > 0, it will lie in front of the
image plane.
 Scene zoom spin box
Only available in the Fixed viewer-scene scaling setting mode. Sets the scale between the
viewing parameters and the scene.

20 CLIPPING TOOL
INTRODUCTION
By default, the Clipping tool is activated and displayed in the tool dock. To close the Clipping tool,
either click the icon in the Clipping tool window or uncheck its entry in the Tools menu. When the
Clipping tool is closed and you highlight a clipping object in the Scene Tree, a floating toolbar will
be displayed providing a subset of functionality. To open the Clipping tool, check its entry in the
Tools menu.
FIGURE 20-1: CLIPPING TOOL, GENERAL TAB
FIGURE 20-2: CLIPPING TOOL, FLOATING TOOLBAR
Using clipping objects enables you to render parts of a volume/CAD/mesh object transparently,
independently of the render settings of the object. This is done by cutting away parts of the
object using a geometric object (e.g., plane or box).
In order to create a clipping object, select the type of clipping object from the Create > context
menu in the Scene Tree tool or from the Object menu.
In the 2D windows, a clipping plane can also be created using the Create/Replace clipping plane
icon or the Clipping > Create/Replace clipping plane context menu item. In this case, the plane is
automatically located at the slice location shown in the 2D window in which the clipping plane is
created.
For details on the individual clipping objects, see section Clipping Menu Items on page 112 in
chapter 5 Object Menu.
The transformation and scaling of a clipping object can be reset to its default values using the
Reset context menu item.
Multiple clipping objects can be combined to achieve more complex clipping regions.
To share a clipping object between multiple volume/CAD/mesh objects, group these objects and
define the clipping object for the group. To clip all objects, create a clipping object for the scene.

CLIPPING TOOL
20 STATUS INFORMATION SECTION
Displays the name of the selected clipping object in green color. If no clipping object is currently
selected in the Scene Tree, the text “No clipping object selected” is displayed in red and all
controls are disabled.
GENERAL TAB
This tab shows the controls applicable to all types of clipping objects.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Appearance section Checking the Invert clipping region checkbox inverts the
region used for clipping. For clipping planes, inverting
the clipping region will swap the sides used for clip-
ping. For (aligned) clipping boxes, inverting the clipping
region will render anything inside the clipping box
transparently.
This option is not available with the Hardware renderer
(Scatter HQ), for the (aligned) clipping boxes.
Transparency slider and input field Controls the transparency value of the clipped region.
Value range: 0..1.
Reset button Resets the rotation, translation and scaling of the

selected clipping object to the default values (transpar-
ency and inversion states remain unchanged).
TABLE 20-1: CONTROLS OF THE GENERAL TAB
ALIGNED CLIPPING BOX TAB
Enabled only if an aligned clipping box is selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Boundary X/Y/Z fields Specify the minimum and maximum values (in voxels)
of the clipping region in the X, Y, and Z directions.
Reset button Resets the boundary of the aligned clipping box to its
default values which correspond to the bounding box
of the voxel grid of the volume.
TABLE 20-2: CONTROLS OF THE ALIGNED CLIPPING BOX TAB

21 AUTOMATION TOOL
INTRODUCTION
The Automation tool allows to record and save a sequence of steps in a macro file. The macro
can either be run on a single data set using the Automation tool or consecutively on several data
sets using the batch processing functionality (see section Batch Processing... Menu Item on
page 76 in chapter 3 File Menu).
If you recorded a macro on a single object, you can play back the macro on multiple objects of
the same type (for details, see section Play macro for multiple objects Dialog on page 425).
The Automation - Advanced dialog of the Automation tool also allows to create and edit jobs that can
be run in VGSTUDIO MAX and in a fully automated VGinLINE system1.
A macro can include, e.g., importing CAD models, meshes, or point cloud models, importing
evaluation or measurement templates, registering an object, saving the file as, applying a
bookmark, etc.
In order to run an analysis, create an evaluation template containing the analysis and add the
import of this evaluation template as a macro step.
While recording a macro, all non-recordable features in the tools and menu entries will be
grayed out.
While recording a macro, the status bar is colored in red.
If you want to use presets, make sure to import them into VGSTUDIO MAX before starting to
record the macro.
CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION TOOL
The following controls are available in the Automation tool:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
name drop-down list Lists all currently loaded macros and jobs.
File path field Indicates the path and file name of the selected
macro/job. If the macro has not been saved yet, this is
indicated by the string <unsaved>*.
1 If your workflows require more extensive automation options than offered by VGSTUDIO MAX, you may be interested
in VGinLINE, the Volume Graphics solution for performing fully automated analyses and evaluations on CT data sets.
Contact Volume Graphics for more information and an evaluation license.

AUTOMATION TOOL
21 CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Save drop-down list • Save option: If the macro has been saved before, this
option overwrites the existing macro. If the macro
has not been saved yet, this option opens the Save
macro ... dialog where you can specify a path and file
name for saving the macro (*.xvgc). Since macros
are not part of the currently open project, all macros
that have not been saved using this option will be
lost when closing the application.
• Save as option: Opens the Save macro ... dialog where
you can specify a path and file name for saving the
currently selected macro under a different name
(*.xvgc).
• Save all option: Saves all currently loaded macros at
a time. For macros that have not been saved before,
the Save macro ... dialog opens where you can
specify a path and file name for saving the macro
(*.xvgc).
Load drop-down list • Load macro/job option: Opens the Select automation file
dialog where you can select one or more saved
macros (*.xvgc) or VGinLINE jobs (*.xvgj) that you
want to load into the Automation tool.
• Load folder option: Opens the Select folder containing
automation files dialog where you can select a folder
to load all macros (*.xvgc) and/or VGinLINE jobs
(*.xvgj) located there into the Automation tool.
Rename button Opens the Rename macro or Rename job dialog where you
can a assign a name to the selected macro or job inde-
pendently of the file name.
Remove drop-down list • Remove option: Removes the currently selected

macro/job from the display in the Automation tool. If
the macro/job has not been saved, all information
will be lost. If you want to preserve the macro/job for
later use, it must be saved using one of the Save
options before removing it.
• Remove all option: Removes all currently loaded
macros and/or jobs from the display in the Automa-
tion tool.

AUTOMATION TOOL
21 CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Macro details section Lists the steps of the currently selected macro. The
icons in front of the macro steps provide the following
information:
For steps with input files:
• Red input arrow: Input file is missing.
• Green input arrow: Input file is available.
• Gray input arrow: No input file required.
For steps with output files:
• Yellow output arrow: Output file already
present.
• Green output arrow: No output file is present.
• Gray output arrow: No output file to be gener-
ated.
Play macro button If a macro is currently selected: Plays the complete

macro on the currently open project. If you recorded a
macro on a single object, you can play back the macro
on multiple objects of the same type (for details, see
section Play macro for multiple objects Dialog on
page 425).
Run job button If a job is currently selected: Opens the Select output
directory dialog where you can specify a directory for the
output files and runs the job using the current scene as
input.
Record macro/Stop recording button Starts/stops recording a macro. A short description of

each step will be added to the Macro details section
during recording.
Advanced/Close Advanced dialog button Clicking this button opens/closes the Automation -
Advanced dialog (see section Controls of the Automation -
Advanced Dialog on page 413).
TABLE 21-1: CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION TOOL

AUTOMATION TOOL
21 CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION - ADVANCED DIALOG
CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION - ADVANCED DIALOG
The following controls are available in the Automation - Advanced dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Load drop-down list • Load macro/job option: Opens the Select automation file
dialog where you can select one or more saved
macros (*.xvgc) or VGinLINE jobs (*.xvgj) that you
want to load into the Automation tool.
• Load folder option: Opens the Select folder containing
automation files dialog where you can select a folder
to load all macros (*.xvgc) and/or VGinLINE jobs
(*.xvgj) located there into the Automation tool.
Save drop-down list • Save option: If the macro has been saved before, this
option overwrites the existing macro. If the macro
has not been saved yet, this option opens the Save
macro ... dialog where you can specify a path and file
name for saving the macro (*.xvgc). Since macros
are not part of the currently open project, all macros
that have not been saved using this option will be
lost when closing the application.
• Save as option: Opens the Save macro ... dialog where
you can specify a path and file name for saving the
currently selected macro under a different name
(*.xvgc).
• Save all option: Saves all currently loaded macros at
a time. For macros that have not been saved before,
the Save macro ... dialog opens where you can
specify a path and file name for saving the macro
(*.xvgc).
Remove drop-down list • Remove option: Removes the currently selected

macro/job from the display in the Automation tool. If
the macro/job has not been saved, all information
will be lost. If you want to preserve the macro/job for
later use, it must be saved using one of the Save
options before removing it.
• Remove all option: Removes all currently loaded
macros and/or jobs from the display in the Automa-
tion tool.
list of macros and jobs Lists all currently loaded macros and/or jobs. Clicking
the + sign in front of an entry unfolds it to show the
corresponding macro or job steps.
Create job from macros button Opens the job wizard to create a job (.xvgj) from the
selected macros. Jobs provide advanced automation
capabilities and can also be used with the fully auto-
mated VGinLINE system. For details on the controls
provided in the job wizard, see section Controls for
Creating a Job on page 418.

AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create new job button Opens the job wizard to create a job (.xvgj). Jobs
provide advanced automation capabilities and can also
be used with the fully automated VGinLINE system. For
details on the controls provided in the job wizard, see
section Controls for Creating a Job on page 418.
Record macro/Stop recording button Starts/stops recording a macro. A short description of

each step will be added to the Macro details section
during recording.
Combine macros button Enabled only when more than one macro is selected.
Combines the selected macros to a new macro
containing the steps of the selected individual macros.
Before combining the macros, use drag and drop to
arrange the macros in the appropriate order.
TABLE 21-2: CONTROLS OF THE AUTOMATION - ADVANCED DIALOG
If a macro is selected in the list, the following information and controls are available in the Macro
details section of the Automation - Advanced dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name field Indicates the name of currently selected macro.
Rename button Opens the Rename macro dialog where you can a assign
a name to the selected macro independently of the file
name.
File path field Indicates the path and file name of the selected macro.
If the macro has not been saved yet, this is indicated by
the string <unsaved>*.
Initially selected objects list Indicates the objects which were selected when macro
recording was started.
Originally created objects list Indicates the objects which were created during macro
recording.
Input/output files list Indicates the input and/or output files of the selected
macro. Double-clicking a file opens a file browser
where you can select a different file.
Play macro button Plays the complete macro on the currently open
project. If you recorded a macro on a single object, you
can play back the macro on multiple objects of the
same type (for details, see section Play macro for multiple
objects Dialog on page 425).
Play macro with interaction button Plays the complete macro on the currently open
project. Use this option to be able to interact during
macro playback in case of errors. For details, see
section Play macro with interaction/Step-by step with interac-
tion Buttons on page 416.

AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Step-by-step button Opens the Step by step execution dialog which shows a
list of all recorded steps of this macro.
• Play next step: Allows to manually run through the
steps until you reach the one from which on you
want to delete.
• Delete all following steps: Deletes the currently
selected as well as all following steps and closes the
dialog.
• Close this dialog and start appending after current step:
Deletes the currently selected as well as all following
steps, closes the dialog and enables macro
recording to append more steps.
• Close button: Closes the Step by step execution dialog.
Step-by-step with interaction button Use this option to be able to interact during step-by-
step macro playback in case of errors. For details, see
section Play macro with interaction/Step-by step with interac-
tion Buttons on page 416.
TABLE 21-3: CONTROLS IN THE MACRO DETAILS SECTION OF THE AUTOMATION - ADVANCED DIALOG
If a job is selected in the list, the following information and controls are available in the Job details
section of the Automation - Advanced dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name field Indicates the name of currently selected job.
Rename button Opens the Rename job dialog where you can a assign a
name to the selected job independently of the file
name.
File path field Indicates the path and file name of the selected job. If
the job has not been saved yet, this is indicated by the
string <unsaved>*.
Description field Indicates the job description.
Input/output files list Indicates the input and/or output files of the selected
job. Input files are part of the job package itself, so only
their names are shown.
Run on scene button Performs all steps of the job except for input steps on
the current scene.
Run on scene and skip preparations Performs all steps of the job except for input and
button preparation steps on the current scene.
Run on file button Opens a file browser where you can select an appro-
priate input file for the selected job. The current scene
will be replaced with the input file, the job will be
performed, and the results will be shown in the scene.

AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Edit job button Depending on the type of job, opens the job wizard or
the Advanced editor where you can modify the selected
job. For details on the controls provided in the job
wizard and the Advanced editor, see section Controls for
Creating a Job on page 418.
TABLE 21-4: CONTROLS IN THE JOB DETAILS SECTION OF THE AUTOMATION - ADVANCED DIALOG
Play macro with interaction/Step-by step with interaction Buttons
Click the Play macro with interaction or Step-by step with interaction buttons to be able to interact
during macro playback in case of errors.
If the selection in the currently open data set differs from the selection in the original data set, a
warning message will be displayed when starting playback offering the following options:
 Replace initial selection button
The macro uses the object currently selected in the Scene Tree.
 Ignore button
The macro uses the selection saved in the macro (or, if necessary, uses default settings to
replace it).
 Abort button
Stops the playback.
VGSTUDIO MAX also checks if all objects needed during macro playback are available in the
current data set. If some objects cannot be mapped unambiguously, the Missing object dialog
opens, offering the following options:
 Unresolved objects section
Lists the unresolved objects.
 Current missing object
Indicates the missing object.
 Alternative object list
Provides a list of possible replacement objects from which you can select an appropriate
object to be mapped to the current missing object.
 Next button
Displays the next missing object.
 Back button
Displays previous missing objects.
 Run button
Continues macro playback.
 Abort button
Stops playback.
Select All Option
For some actions performed in connection with the parent elements Coordinate Measurement,
Instruments, Regions of Interest, and the various analysis types, it is relevant to specify whether the

AUTOMATION TOOL
action is to be performed on the child elements that are available while recording the macro or
also on all child elements that may have been added after macro recording.
While running the macro the element names are compared with the names present while
recording the macro. If they differ, a warning message will appear indicating the changes.
For Cut, Copy, Delete, Update CM object(s), New ROI from geometry element, Lock/unlock and Merge ROIs,
the Select all? dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Select all While running the macro, the action will be performed
on all currently available child elements.
Exactly this selection While running the macro, the action will be performed
only on the child elements present during recoding.
TABLE 21-5: CONTROLS OF THE SELECT ALL? DIALOG
For Import ROI template, the Select ROIs for import dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
list section Shows all ROIs referenced by the ROI template.

Checking the checkbox in front of an ROI selects it for
import.
Select all button Selects all displayed ROIs for import.
Deselect all button Deselects all displayed ROIs.
Select all items available during macro When this option is unchecked, only the selected ROIs
playback checkbox will be imported during macro playback.
When this option is checked, all ROIs available in the
ROI template used during macro playback will be
imported, independently of the ROIs selected in the list.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without importing ROIs.
Import button Closes the dialog and imports the selected ROIs.
TABLE 21-6: CONTROLS OF THE SELECT ROIS FOR IMPORT DIALOG
For Merge object..., the Merge objects dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
list section Displays the name and type of all objects contained in
the selected project. Highlighting an object selects it for
import.
Select all items available during macro When this option is unchecked, only the selected
playback checkbox objects will be imported during macro playback.
When this option is checked, all objects available in the
project during macro playback will be merged, inde-
pendently of the objects highlighted in the list.

AUTOMATION TOOL
21 CONTROLS FOR CREATING A JOB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
dependencies section Indicates if there are dependencies between a selected

object and an unselected object of the same project. If
dependencies are detected, a message specifying the
depending object(s) will be displayed:
• detected dependencies
• no dependencies detected
OK button Closes the dialog and merges the selected objects into
the current scene.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without merging any objects.
TABLE 21-7: CONTROLS OF THE MERGE OBJECTS DIALOG
CONTROLS FOR CREATING A JOB
A job is created by defining its steps including macros created by VGSTUDIO MAX and the
additional settings. The Wizard will lead you through the job creation process step by step. The
Advanced editor offers more flexibility and in addition the possibility to create junctions for a
different further processing depending on evaluation results.
Text input has to be confirmed by pressing the Return key or by clicking into another text field.
Wizard
The following options are offered in each dialog of the Wizard:

 Switch to advanced editor button
Closes the Wizard and opens the Advanced editor instead.
 Back button
Returns to the previous dialog.
 Next button
Opens the next dialog.
 Cancel button
Discards all changes and closes the Wizard.
General Dialog
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Job name field Specifies the name of the job.
Revision name field Specifies the name for a revision of the selected job.

AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Input type section Specifies the type of input the job will process:
• Merge VG projects: Adds a VG project to the scene.
• Merge files via macro: Allows to add other file types
which can be loaded into the scene via macro, e.g.,
CAD model, mesh, or point cloud.
Note that the import macro can only have one input
file.
Description field Allows to enter a description for the new job.
TABLE 21-8: CONTROLS OF THE GENERAL DIALOG
Steps Dialog
In this dialog, you can specify the steps of the new job.
 Steps section
Shows the steps that have been specified for the job. Three steps are added automatically
and can neither be moved nor deleted:
– 1: Prepare run
– 2: Load settings
– 3: Merge input VG project (if Merge VG projects is selected as input type) or
3: Merge input file (if Merge files via macro is selected as input type)
For the other steps, you can use the following buttons to rearrange the step sequence or
delete a step:
Up Moves the selected step upwards to a new

position.
Down Moves the selected step downwards to a

new position.
Delete Removes the selected step.
Prepare scene Specifies whether the highlighted Play macro

step serves to prepare the scene.
TABLE 21-9: CONTROLS OF THE STEPS SECTION
 Step description section

Allows to add a description for each step.
 Add steps section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Play macro button Adds a macro created with VGSTUDIO MAX or

VGMETROLOGY.

AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Merge project button Adds a step that merges the objects of a project into
the scene.
Save button Adds a step that will save the VG project in the output
directory.
Evaluation retrieval button Adds a step that retrieves the evaluation state.
Load project button Adds a step that loads a complete VG project into the
scene.
Since this will replace all existing scene content, this
step can be added only once and only as step number
3.
TABLE 21-10: CONTROLS OF THE ADD STEPS SECTION
Step dependencies Dialog
In this dialog you can specify the input files of the new job.
 Step dependencies section
Lists the default application settings file and the input files of the new job to be specified.
 Details section
If the Application settings file entry is selected in the Step dependencies section, the following
options are available in the Details section which allow to use application settings other
than the default settings:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Default settings checkbox When this option is checked, the default applica-
tion settings are applied.
Custom settings checkbox When this option is checked, the Select ... button is
enabled.
Select ... button Opens the Select settings file dialog where you can
specify a .vgsettings file created in VGSTUDIO MAX
using the File > Export > Export application settings ...
menu item.
TABLE 21-11: CONTROLS OF THE DETAILS SECTION FOR THE APPLICATION SETTINGS FILE
If a Play macro step that requires an input file is selected in the Step dependencies section, the
following options are available in the Details section:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Original name Shows the original name of the input file.
File to use Opens the Select input file dialog where you can
select an appropriate file from the file system.

AUTOMATION TOOL
TABLE 21-12: CONTROLS OF THE DETAILS SECTION
Step result files Dialog
In this dialog you can configure the names of the output files created by the new job.
 Steps section
Lists the output-generating steps currently configured.
 Details section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Custom field Depending on the type of output-generating step,

you can specify name subparts that will be added
to form the final output file name.
Input file name checkbox When this option is checked, the name of the input
project file is added to the name of the output file.
Original name checkbox When this option is checked, the name (e.g., of the
report) defined in the macro is added to the name
of the output file.
Swap input file/original name button Changes the order of input file name and original
name.
TABLE 21-13: CONTROLS OF THE DETAILS SECTION
 Output files section

Displays the final name of the output files and the original name defined in the macro.
Advanced editor
The following buttons are available at the bottom of the dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Description button Opens the Job description dialog where you can add a
name and a description for the job to be created.
Switch to wizard button Closes the Advanced editor and opens the Wizard instead,
provided that all steps included in the job can also be
processed by the wizard.
Accept button Opens the Save job dialog where you can add a name
and save the job.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without creating a job.
TABLE 21-14: CONTROLS OF THE ADVANCED EDITOR
 Step types section

Lists the range of typical steps that can be used for the job to be specified. You can add
a step by dragging and dropping it into the flow diagram. Three steps are added automat-

AUTOMATION TOOL
ically: Prepare run, Load settings, and Merge input VG project (if Merge VG projects is selected as
input type) or Merge input file (if Merge files via macro is selected as input type).
 Macro step history section
Clicking the Load macro button opens a file browser where you can select the macro files to
be added to the Macro step history and then be added successively to the job by drag and
drop without having to open the dialog again.
Once a macro has been applied, it is automatically added to the Macro step history.
 Issues section
Indicates errors or unusual configurations that may have occurred combining the steps.
Steps and/or connections related to an issue will be highlighted in red.
 Flow diagram
Displays the individual steps with their connections and junctions.
Use drag and drop to arrange the steps in the appropriate order in the flow diagram. Click
and drag the output node on the right edge of a step to draw a connection to the input
node on the left edge of the following step. Click the arrow to disconnect the steps.
 Right-clicking anywhere in the flow diagram shows a context menu with the following
options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Arrange items Lines up the steps.
Center view Zooms out such that all steps of the job fit into the
flow diagram. To zoom in again turn the mouse
wheel after navigating to the desired position.
Step properties Dialog
Double-clicking a step in the chart area opens the Step properties dialog where you can specify
the properties of the selected step. If you select multiple steps at a time, options that are not
applicable to all selected steps will be grayed out.
 Filter steps section
The steps can be filtered with respect to the following parameters which can be selected
from the Filter by drop-down list. Steps that do not match the filter will be disabled in the
flow chart.
OPTION DESCRIPTION
No filtering Removes the filter.
Step ID When this option is selected, you can enter a step

ID, e.g., to identify a step that failed.
To obtain the step ID, go to the log file on the Inspec-
tion tasks tab.
Step type When this option is selected, you can select one or
more step types from the Select... drop-down list.
You can also select or deselect all step types by
clicking the Select all or Select none button.

AUTOMATION TOOL
OPTION DESCRIPTION
Macro file name When this option is selected, you can enter the
name or part of the name of a macro.
TABLE 21-16: OPTIONS OF THE FILTER BY DROP-DOWN LIST
 General tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Preparation step checkbox Check this option to specify that the selected step
serves to prepare the scene.
Junction state drop-down list Specifies the evaluation status to be considered as

true for the selected junction:
• None
• No tolerance
• Out of tolerance
• Ok
• Undefined
Step description field Allows to enter a description of the highlighted

step.
TABLE 21-17: CONTROLS OF THE GENERAL TAB
 Step dependencies tab

On this tab you can specify the input files of the new job.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Step dependencies section Lists the default application settings file and the
input files of the new job.

AUTOMATION TOOL
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Details section If the Load settings step is selected, the following

options are available which allow to use application
settings other than the default settings:
• Default settings checkbox: When this option is
checked, the default application settings are
applied.
• Custom settings checkbox: When this option is
checked, the Select ... button is enabled. Clicking
the Select ... button opens the Select settings file
dialog where you can specify a .vgsettings file
created in VGSTUDIO MAX using the File > Export
> Export application settings ... menu item.
If a Play macro step is selected that requires a job-
dependent input file, the following options are avail-
able:
• Original name: Shows the original name of the
input file.
• File to use: Opens the Select input file dialog where
you can select an appropriate file from the file
system.
If a Play macro step is selected that requires a part-
dependent input file, the following options are avail-
able:
• Original name: Shows the original name of the
input file.
• File is part of [vg-data] folder, use name from macro
checkbox: If this option is checked, the input file
to be specified is part of the [vg-data] directory.
• File is next to input file, use original name prefixed with
input file name checkbox: If this option is
checked, the input file to be specified is located
next to the .vgl file.
• Final name: Shows the source and the final name
of the input file.
Note: To toggle between part-dependent input file
(source input macro) and a job-dependent input file
(job input macro), click the Convert to source input
macro/Convert to job input macro button on the
Advanced tab.
TABLE 21-18: CONTROLS OF THE STEP DEPENDENCIES TAB
 Step result files tab

On this tab you can configure the names of the output files created by the new job.

AUTOMATION TOOL
21 PLAY MACRO FOR MULTIPLE OBJECTS DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Steps section Lists the output-generating steps currently config-

ured.
Details section • Custom field: Depending on the type of output-

generating step, you can specify name subparts
that will be added to form the final output file
name.
• Input file name checkbox: When this option is
checked, the name of the input project file is
added to the name of the output file.
• Original name checkbox: When this option is
checked, the name (e.g., of the report) defined in
the macro is added to the name of the output
file.
• Swap input file/original name button: Changes the
order of input file name and original name.
Output files section Displays the final name of the output files and the
original name defined in the macro.
TABLE 21-19: CONTROLS OF THE STEP RESULT FILES TAB
 Advanced tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use original input and output paths When this option is checked, the file paths selected
checkbox during macro recording will always be used for
input and output files.
Convert to source input macro/Convert Clicking this button switches between the following
to job input macro button options:
• Convert to source input macro: The input files of the
selected macro are part-dependent and will be
taken from the input of each individual task.
• Convert to job input macro: The input files of the
selected macro are job-dependent, i.e., the
same input files are used for all tasks.
TABLE 21-20: CONTROLS OF THE ADVANCED TAB
PLAY MACRO FOR MULTIPLE OBJECTS DIALOG
If you recorded an action on a single object, you can play back the macro on multiple objects of
the same type. For this purpose, select the objects in the Scene Tree and click the Play macro
button. The Play macro for multiple objects dialog opens, offering the following options:

AUTOMATION TOOL
21 PLAY MACRO FOR MULTIPLE OBJECTS DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Append indices to output file names If the macro generates output files: Appends an index
option to the output file names to differentiate between the
output files for the different objects.
Append object name to output file names If the macro generates output files: Appends the name
option of the object to the output file names to differentiate
between the output files for the different objects.
Use unchanged output names option If the macro generates output files: Uses the same
output file names and thus overwrites the output files
for the different objects.
Play for multiple objects button Plays the macro on the selected objects.
Play once button Tries to play the macro on the original object that was
selected while recording the macro.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without playing the macro.
TABLE 21-21: CONTROLS OF THE PLAY MACRO FOR MULTIPLE OBJECTS DIALOG

22 SCENE TREE TOOL
INTRODUCTION
The scene in VGSTUDIO MAX consists of all elements currently loaded, such as volume
objects, CAD/mesh models, GD&T features, analyses, etc. The elements in the scene are struc-
tured hierarchically in the Scene Tree: For example, a volume object is at top-level and all
measurements and analysis results belonging to this object are child elements below it. The
Scene Tree tool allows you to access the individual elements of the scene.
The entries in the Scene Tree are preceded by various icons and controls which will be
explained in the following sections. Further functionality is provided by the context menu which
you can open by right-clicking the entry (or entries) in question.
Apart from the actual Scene Tree, the Scene Tree tool also provides a search functionality at the
top of the tool window.
ENTRIES IN THE SCENE TREE
Controls in the Scene Tree
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click an entry Selects the object. A selected object is highlighted in
the Scene Tree. Selecting an object in the Scene Tree is
equivalent to selecting it in the 3D window. In the 3D
window, its bounding box is displayed. Any object-
related operations will refer to the selected object.
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click Selects the objects.

several entries
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Selects the two objects including all objects between
two separate entries the two.
use LMB to click an entry, then hold Selects the objects.

Shift key + use up/down arrow keys
use RMB to click an entry Displays a context menu for the corresponding object.
use LMB to double-click an entry Opens the properties dialog for the corresponding
object.
/ Expands/collapses the entry.
select object + press Del key Deletes the selected object.
select object + press F2 key Allows to rename the selected object. Do not use the /
character.
use LMB to click a highlighted entry Allows to rename the selected object. Do not use the /
character.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 ENTRIES IN THE SCENE TREE
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
checkbox in front of an entry When the checkbox is checked, the object is displayed
in the scene. When the checkbox is unchecked, the
object is not displayed. This will change the visibility
only, all other settings will remain unchanged. To toggle
the visibility of multiple objects at a time, select them
and select the Visibility on/off item of the context menu.
use LMB to click transformation Allows to unlock/lock the corresponding object. For
status indicator (padlock icon) details, see also section Lock/Unlock Menu Items on
page 447 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
use LMB to double-click evaluation Opens the Evaluation dialog for the corresponding
indicator in front of volume, CAD, or object.
mesh object
TABLE 22-1: CONTROLS IN THE SCENE TREE
Icons in the Scene Tree
TYPE ICON DESCRIPTION
Transformation status Closed padlock: The object is locked in the scene. This
indicator (not appli- implies that rotating the object will rotate the camera,
cable to all types of whereas the position of the object in the scene remains
objects) unchanged.
Closed padlock with a black R: The object has been

locked in the scene after registration. For details on
registration, see section Register object Menu Item on
page 127 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Closed padlock with a green R: The object has been

locked in the scene after registration. The registration
has been toleranced and meets the tolerance. For
details on registration, see section Register object Menu
Closed padlock with a red R: The object has been

locked in the scene after registration. The registration
has been toleranced and does not meet the tolerance.
For details on registration, see section Register object
Menu Item on page 127 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Open padlock: The object is unlocked. This implies that

rotating the object will change the position of the object
in the scene, whereas the scene will remain
unchanged.
For details on unlocking an object, see section
Lock/Unlock Menu Items on page 447 in chapter 5 Object
Menu.

SCENE TREE TOOL
Warning indicator There is something wrong with at least one of the child
entries which is relevant for the evaluation of the object.
Examples: An analysis must be recalculated, a geom-
etry element could not be refitted, a feature is based on
a geometry element with a warning. The warning
triangle can be combined with all kinds of other indica-
tors.
Evaluation indicator Green: The object is valid, i.e., it meets the specified
tolerances.
Red: The object is invalid/out of tolerance.
Gray: The object has no evaluation/no tolerance.
Light green/red/gray: The overall status of this object is

not used for the definition of a user-defined evaluation.
Green/red/gray with outline: The user can define an

evaluation for this object.
Green/red/gray with outline and exclamation mark: The

object has a user-defined evaluation.
Volume object Top-level object.
No surface determination has been performed for the

object.
An isosurface determination has been performed for

the object.
An advanced surface determination has been

performed for the object (volume data
loaded/unloaded).
CAD object Top-level object.
CAD components
CAD assembly
CAD part
CAD geometry correction
Mesh object Top-level object.
Camera Top-level object, only one camera per scene.
Light source Attached to top-level objects, the scene should have at

least one light source.
Integration mesh Top-level object.
Region of interest Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.
ROI with 1 bit mask precision

SCENE TREE TOOL
Coordinate measure- Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.

ment
Dimensioning feature Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.

• No background: No tolerance has been defined for
the feature.
• Red background: The feature is out of tolerance.
• Green background: The feature fulfills its tolerances.
angle
diameter
distance
position
radius
Tolerance feature Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.

• Red background: The feature is out of tolerance.
• Green background: The feature fulfills its tolerances.
angularity
coaxiality
cylindricity
flatness
parallelism
perpendicularity
position
roundness
run-out
straightness
symmetry
total run-out
conicity
line profile
surface profile

SCENE TREE TOOL
sphericity
Geometry element Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.

Geometry elements created by fit points are shown in
orange, while manually defined geometry elements are
shown in blue.
When the geometry element has been created by a
manipulation operation, e.g., by intersection, this is
indicated by a “c” displayed at the bottom left of the
geometry element icon.
point (fitted/defined)
line (fitted/defined)
circle (fitted/defined)
corner circle (fitted/defined)
plane (fitted/defined)
sphere (fitted/defined)
cylinder (fitted/defined)
cone (fitted/defined)
torus (fitted/defined)
freeform line (fitted/defined)
freeform surface (fitted/defined)
Coordinate system Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.

Lists the local coordinate systems available for the
corresponding parent object.
Instrument Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.
distance
4-point angle
3-point angle
polyline length
min/max distance
caliper
Gray value analysis Attached to a volume object or an ROI.
Porosity/inclusion Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

analysis (VGEasyPore)

SCENE TREE TOOL

analysis (VGDefX/Only
threshold)

analysis (From defect
ROI)

analysis (2.x compati-
bility)
Foam structure anal- Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

ysis
Fiber composite mate- Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

rial analysis
P 202/P 201 analysis Attached to a volume object or an ROI.
Nominal/actual Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object or an ROI.

comparison
Wall thickness analysis Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object or an ROI.

(Ray method)
Wall thickness analysis Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object or an ROI.

(Sphere method)
Structural mechanics Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object or an ROI.

simulation
Absolute permeability Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

experiment

tensor
Molecular diffusivity Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

experiment
Molecular diffusivity Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

tensor

experiment

tensor
Thermal conductivity Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

experiment
Thermal conductivity Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

tensor

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 SEARCH FUNCTIONS
Capillary pressure Attached to a volume object or an ROI.

curve
Analysis results Attached to an analysis.
color overlay for analysis result
tensor
needle visualizing orientation
streamlines or force lines
Annotation Attached to an analysis (manually defined/rule-based).
Clipping object Attached to a volume, CAD, or mesh object.
clipping plane
clipping box
clipping polyline 3D
aligned clipping box
clipping sphere
Group Top-level object, groups of top-level objects or of child

objects.
TABLE 22-2: ICONS IN THE SCENE TREE
SEARCH FUNCTIONS
Allows to specify the items to be displayed in the Scene Tree. You can either search for a
specific string in the object name or display objects with a specific evaluation state.
text input field Allows to enter a search string to show only objects that
include the string. If you want to search for some
special characters such as (, ), *, ?, +, you need to enter
a backslash before the character, e.g., to search for ?,
type in \?.
Reset search option Resets all search options to the default.
Expand all Displays all objects including child objects in the Scene
Tree.
Collapse all Displays only the top-level objects in the Scene Tree.
Search options Toggles the display of the additional search options.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Undefined Shows analyses with a warning sign, invalid geometry

elements, invalid features, etc.
Valid Shows objects for which a tolerance can be defined

and the specified tolerance is met.
No tolerance Shows objects for which no tolerance can be defined

and which are valid (e.g., geometry elements) or
objects for which a tolerance can be defined but has
not been set yet (e.g., features without a specified toler-
ance, analyses without specified tolerance settings,
etc.).
Out of tolerance Shows objects for which a tolerance can be defined

and the specified tolerance is not met.
Show children if text When this option is checked, only child objects which
matches checkbox include the specified string are displayed.
Hide inactive items When this option is checked, only objects with checked
checkbox visibility checkbox are displayed.
TABLE 22-3: CONTROLS OF THE SEARCH FUNCTION
CONTEXT MENU
Right-clicking an entry in the Scene Tree tool displays a context menu listing the available
options for the selected object(s). The context menu will differ depending on the type of the
object(s). Menu items available for the selected object type but currently not applicable will be
disabled.
Reopen CT-reconstruction Menu Item
Opens the reconstruction wizard with the reconstruction settings of the selected volume.
This option is available only if the volume has been reconstructed using the Volume Graphics
CT reconstruction module (see chapter 37 CT Reconstruction Modules on page 832).
If required, you can adjust the reconstruction parameters and click Replace to start the recon-
struction and replace the selected volume with the newly reconstructed one.
Create > Menu Item
The options available in this submenu depend on the type of object selected.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
ICON MENU ITEM DESCRIPTION
Create gray value analysis Calculates the gray value distribution and density hot
spots for a selected volume or region of interest. Parts
of the tool require a license enabling the Porosity/Inclu-
sion Analysis module. See chapter 28 Gray Value Anal-
ysis on page 465.
Porosity/inclusion anal- Opens the Properties of Porosity/inclusion analysis dialog to

ysis > VGEasyPore analyze the selected object for pores or inclusions
using the VGEasyPore algorithm. See chapter 29

ysis > VGDefX/Only analyze the selected object for pores or inclusions
Threshold using either the VGDefX or the Only Threshold algorithm.
See chapter 29 Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module on
page 492.

ysis > From defect ROI analyze the selected object for pores or inclusions
using the From defect ROI algorithm. See chapter 29

ysis > 2.x compatibility analyze the selected object for pores or inclusions
using either the Default or the Enhanced algorithm. See
chapter 29 Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module on
page 492.
Foam structure analysis Opens the Properties of Foam structure analysis dialog to
perform a foam structure analysis on the item selected
in the Scene Tree. For details, see chapter 30 Foam
Structure Analysis Module on page 577.
Fiber composite material Opens the Properties of Fiber composite material analysis
analysis dialog to perform a fiber composite material analysis on
the item selected in the Scene Tree. For details, see
chapter 31 Fiber Composite Material Analysis (FCMA)
Module on page 607.
P 202/P 201 analysis Opens the Properties of P 202/P 201 dialog to perform a
P 202 or a P 201 analysis on the item selected in the
Scene Tree. For details, see chapter 32 Enhanced
Nominal/actual compar- Opens the Properties of Nominal/actual comparison dialog to

ison perform a comparison of the item selected in the Scene
Tree and another object to be specified. For details, see
chapter 33 Nominal/Actual Comparison Module on
page 659.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Wall thickness analysis > Opens the Properties of Wall thickness analysis dialog to
Ray method perform a wall thickness analysis on the item selected
in the Scene Tree using the Ray method algorithm. For
details, see chapter 34 Wall Thickness Analysis Module
on page 686.
Wall thickness analysis > Opens the Properties of Wall thickness analysis dialog to
Sphere method perform a wall thickness analysis on the item selected
in the Scene Tree using the Sphere method algorithm. For
details, see chapter 34 Wall Thickness Analysis Module
on page 686.
Structural mechanics Opens the Properties of Structural mechanics simulation

simulation dialog to analyze the mechanical stress distribution in
the selected object, see chapter 35 Structural
Mechanics Simulation Module on page 719.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary low-Reynolds flow of an

simulation > Absolute incompressible fluid through the voids of a porous
permeability experiment material in terms of a transport field. See chapter 36
Transport Phenomena Module on page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary low-Reynolds flow of an

simulation > Absolute incompressible fluid through the voids of a porous
permeability tensor material in terms of a tensor defined by six independent
values. See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module
on page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary diffusion of a solute through

simulation > Molecular the voids of a porous material in terms of a transport
diffusivity experiment field. See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module on
page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary diffusion of a solute through

simulation > Molecular the voids of a porous material in terms of a tensor
diffusivity tensor defined by six independent values. See chapter 36
Transport Phenomena Module on page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary conduction of heat through a

simulation > Thermal two-component material in terms of a transport field.
conductivity experiment See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module on
page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary conduction of heat through a

simulation > Thermal two-component material in terms of a tensor defined by
conductivity tensor six independent values. See chapter 36 Transport
Phenomena Module on page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary electric current through a two-

simulation > Electric component material in terms of a transport field. See
conductivity experiment chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module on page 761.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Transport phenomena Computes the stationary electric current through a two-

simulation > Electric component material in terms of a tensor defined by six
conductivity tensor independent values. See chapter 36 Transport
Phenomena Module on page 761.
Transport phenomena Computes the pore size distribution and the capillary
simulation > Capillary pressure drainage curve for a scanned porous material
pressure curve sample. See chapter 36 Transport Phenomena Module
on page 761.
Analysis annotation Creates an annotation for the selected analysis. For

details, see section Create analysis annotation Menu Item
on page 360 in chapter 11 Analysis Menu.
ROI from ... Creates a new region of interest. For details on the indi-
vidual options, see chapter 6 Select Menu on page 189.
Point/Directional/Spot light Creates an additional light source of the respective type

for the selected object. See also chapter 17 Light Tool
on page 395.
Clipping plane/Clipping Creates a clipping object of the selected type. The clip-
box/Clipping polyline 3D/ ping will be applied to the objects selected in the Scene
Clipping sphere/Aligned Tree. For details, see section Clipping Menu Items on
clipping box page 112 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Regular integration mesh Opens the New integration mesh dialog to create a regular
integration mesh. For details, see section Create regular
integration mesh... Menu Item on page 362 in chapter 11
Analysis Menu.
Integration mesh from Opens the New integration Mesh dialog to create an inte-
geometry element... gration mesh from a geometry element. For details, see
section Create integration mesh from geometry element...
Menu Item on page 363 in chapter 11 Analysis Menu.
CAD from geometry Creates a CAD model from the selected geometry
element(s) element(s) and inserts the CAD model into the scene.
See section CAD from geometry element(s) Menu Item on
page 325 in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM
Module.
Mesh from geometry Creates a mesh from the selected geometry element(s)
element(s) and inserts the mesh into the scene. See section Mesh
from geometry element(s) Menu Item on page 324 in
TABLE 22-4: CREATE SUBMENU ITEMS

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Import > Menu Item
Imports templates and applies them to the selected object.
MENU ITEM DESCRIPTION
ROI template(s) Imports an ROI template (.xvgr) to create new ROIs on

a similar object. See section Import ROI template(s) Menu
Item on page 218 in chapter 6 Select Menu.
Analysis annotations Imports a template (.csv) with annotations created in

VGSTUDIO MAX.
The template file contains the coordinates of the anno-
tations and optionally their snap direction. The annota-
tions will be snapped to the surface in the selected
direction. If no snap direction is given, the annotations
will be snapped to the nearest surface.
Each line of the .csv file must have the following struc-
ture:
Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
Evaluation(s) Imports an evaluation template (.xvge) and applies it to

the volume, CAD, or mesh object selected in the Scene
Tree. See section Import Evaluation(s) on page 905 in
Measurement template Imports a measurement template (.xvgt) defined on a

similar object and applies the measurements to the
selected object. Measurements will be refitted so that
they show the dimensions of the current object. See
section Import measurement template Menu Item on
Module.
Indicator(s) Imports a template of indicators (.xvgt) containing infor-

mation about their positions, names and group affilia-
tion.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Reference points Imports one or more .csv files containing the coordi-
nates of reference points. When importing several files
at a time, the reference points are imported in groups
which are named according to the file names. The refer-
ence points are treated as defined geometry elements
and are shown with a blue icon in the Scene Tree.
Each line of the .csv file must have the following struc-
ture:
• x, y, and z coordinate of the reference point
The coordinates can be separated by space, tab, semi-
Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55
Instrument template Imports a template (.xvgt) with instruments defined on

a similar object and applies the instruments to the
selected object. See section Import instrument template...
Menu Item on page 229 in chapter 7 Instruments Menu.
TABLE 22-5: IMPORT SUBMENU ITEMS
Export > Menu Item
Exports templates so that you can later apply them to another object. Apart from that, you can
export geometry elements.
ROI template(s) Exports a .xvgr file containing the selected ROI(s)

including properties such as rendering settings. This
ROI template can be later imported to create ROIs on a
similar object. See section Export ROI template(s) Menu
Item on page 218 in chapter 6 Select Menu.
Analysis annotations Exports a template of the selected annotations

group affiliation, and tolerance values. You can use this
template later on similar objects.
Evaluation(s) Opens a dialog for exporting an evaluation template

(*.xvge) which you can later apply to a similar object.
See section Export Evaluation(s) on page 905 in
Indicator(s) Exports a template (.xvgt) of the selected indicators

and group affiliation. You can use this template later on
similar objects.
Geometry element(s) as mesh Creates a mesh from the selected geometry element(s)
and exports the mesh into a .stl file. See also section
Geometry element actions Menu Item on page 321 in

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Geometry element(s) as CAD Creates a CAD model from the selected geometry
element(s) and exports the CAD model into a .stp file.
See also section Geometry element actions Menu Item on
Module.
Measurement template Exports a measurement template (.xvgt) which you can

later apply to a similar object. See section Export
measurement template Menu Item on page 342 in chapter
10 Measurements Menu/CM Module.
Instrument template Exports a template (.xvgt) with instruments which you

can later apply to a similar object. See section Export
instrument template... Menu Item on page 230 in chapter
6 Select Menu.
TABLE 22-6: EXPORT SUBMENU ITEMS
Align slices to object Menu Item
Aligns the axes of the slice views such that they are parallel to the axes of the selected
geometry element, instrument or clipping plane.
Visibility on/off Menu Item
Toggles the visibility of the selected object(s). This menu item corresponds to the visibility
checkbox of each object, but allows you to toggle the visibility of multiple objects at a time.
Top-level reporting... Menu Item
Opens the Report dialog showing a tree view of all objects of the currently open project that
contain data for reporting such as analysis results or object properties. For details, see section
Top-level reporting... Menu Item on page 166 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
ROI ... Menu Items
Allow to perform various actions on the selected regions of interest. For details, see chapter 6
Select Menu on page 189.
Disable ROI render settings Menu Item
Removes applied render settings from the selected ROI.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Enable ROI render settings Menu Item
Adds render settings to the selected ROI. Properties like color or transparency can be modified
via the Rendering tool (see chapter 16 Rendering Tool on page 384).
The render settings of an ROI have higher priority than the settings of the parent object, i.e., the
render settings of the object to which the ROI is attached. Thus it is possible to render an ROI
differently than the parent object without having to extract the ROI first.
Remove unused CM objects Menu Item
Deletes all unused geometry elements of the currently selected object.

A geometry element is used if
 a dimensioning feature is based on the geometry element, or
 a tolerance is defined for the geometry element, or
 the geometry element is used for registration, or
 the geometry element is used in a custom coordinate system, or
 the geometry element is a source element for another used geometry element.
Show/hide fit points Menu Items
Show/hide all fit points for all currently selected geometry elements. Shown fit points are
displayed in all 2D and 3D views using a color-coding scheme indicating the fit point distance
Save fit point information Menu Item
Opens the Save fit points as CSV dialog where you can save a .csv file containing information about
the fit points of all selected geometry elements.
The information includes the point position in the currently selected coordinate system, the fit
point deviation, and additionally the orientation of the surface normal at the fit point position.
You can select multiple geometry elements to save their combined fit point information in a
single file.
Replace geometry element Menu Item
Opens the Geometry element replacement dialog where you can replace one geometry element with
another.
The replaced geometry element will be deleted. All geometry elements and GD&T features that
depend on the replaced geometry element will be automatically updated using the replacing
geometry element.
If you replace a geometry element that is used in a registration, the registration will not be
changed. If you replace a geometry element that is used to define a registration coordinate
system, this system will become invalid.

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22 CONTEXT MENU
Extract medial axis Menu Item
Available for the geometry elements cylinder and cone. Opens the Extract medial axis dialog to
create a number of fitted circles from the lateral surface area as well as a freeform line from the
centers of these circles. It is then possible, e.g., to apply a straightness tolerance to this
freeform line.
The 2D and 3D windows show a preview of the circles according to the parameter settings in
the Extract medial axis dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Number of circles spin box Specifies the number of circles to be created from the
lateral surface area of the cylinder or cone.
Top border spin box Specifies the distance of the first circle from the top
Bottom border spin box Specifies the distance of the last circle from the bottom
/ button • Button is pressed : the distance of the first and

cone/cylinder border, respectively, is the same.
• Button is released : the distance of the first and
cone/cylinder border, respectively, can be changed
individually.
Fit method drop-down list Specifies the fit method to be used for fitting the circles.
For details on the fit methods, see section Creation Tab
on page 260 in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM
Module.
TABLE 22-7: CONTROLS IN THE EXTRACT MEDIAL AXIS DIALOG
Update CM object(s) Menu Item
Triggers an update for the selected CM objects (geometry elements or GD&T features). If an
entire volume/mesh or the Coordinate Measurement item is selected in the Scene Tree, all
pertaining CM objects and all custom coordinate systems are updated. Updating geometry
elements will refit them, while updating features will recalculate them.
Updating CM objects manually is necessary, e.g., if the surface of the parent volume has been
re-determined or if the volume/mesh object has been re-registered.
To check whether a CM object needs updating, inspect its fit status on the Properties tab of the
Geometry element properties dialog (see section Properties Tab on page 281 in chapter 10 Measure-
ments Menu/CM Module). The status is also indicated by a warning icon to the left of the object
name in the Scene Tree.
Updating all CM objects can take some time, and the updating might fail or produce warnings
for some of the updated objects. This will be reflected by their status afterwards.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Resnap instrument handles Menu Item
Opens the Instrument handle adjustment dialog where you can specify the distance to be used for
resnapping the instrument handles during import, see also section Resnap instrument handles
Menu Item on page 232 in chapter 7 Instruments Menu.
Simplify mesh... Menu Item
Opens the Simplify mesh dialog for adapting the precision of the selected mesh. The mesh simpli-
fication algorithm combines groups of triangles that are aligned in one plane (within a specified
tolerance) to larger triangles, thus reducing the number of triangles. As a consequence, the
overall dimensions of the resulting model might slightly vary from the original object within the
specified tolerance.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

settings.
• Manual: Enables the Tolerance and the Maximum
number of triangles spin boxes which allow to
customize the Simplification settings.
Tolerance [<length unit>] spin box Allows to specify a customized Tolerance value to
reduce the point cloud.
The simplification algorithm stops when no more trian-
gles can be removed without deviating approximately
this far from the initial mesh.
Maximum number of triangles spin box Specifies the maximum number of remaining triangles
when removing triangles for simplification.
Simplify button Recalculates the mesh.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without recalculation.
TABLE 22-8: CONTROLS OF THE SIMPLIFY MESH DIALOG
Remove isolated components... Menu Item
Opens the Remove isolated components dialog for removing disconnected components from the
mesh according to the specified parameter.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Percentage of surface area option Removes disconnected mesh components with a

surface area below the specified percentage.
Number of triangles option Removes disconnected mesh components consisting

of less triangles than specified.
Remove button Removes the disconnected components from the

mesh.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without modifying the mesh.
TABLE 22-9: CONTROLS OF THE REMOVE ISOLATED COMPONENTS DIALOG
Flip surface orientation Menu Item
Use this option to reverse the surface orientation for the selected mesh.
Recalculate CAD mesh... Menu Item
Recalculates the selected CAD model with the specified accuracy. You can choose from a list of
predefined accuracies or customize the accuracy.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Medium, High, Extra high, Custom.
Mesh deflection section Enabled when the Custom option is selected from the
Mesh accuracy drop-down list.
• Linear spin box: Specifies a value for reducing the
distance between mesh and CAD surface.
• Angular spin box: Specifies the maximum angle
between CAD edge and mesh for curved geome-
tries. A lower value results in a better approximation
of curved CAD edges.
Recalculate button Starts recalculating the CAD model.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without recalculating the CAD model.
TABLE 22-10: CONTROLS OF THE RECALCULATE CAD MESH... DIALOG

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22 CONTEXT MENU
Related objects Menu Item
Displays a list of all related geometry elements and GD&T features. When you click one of the
related objects in this list, this item is selected in the Scene Tree and displayed in the views.
Cut/Copy/Paste Menu Items
These commands allow to cut or copy the selected object(s) and then paste them to a new
parent object in the Scene Tree (see chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool on page 427).
When you copy/paste geometry elements and/or features from one volume, CAD, or mesh
object to another in the Scene Tree, the CM template import dialog opens (see section Import
measurement template Menu Item on page 337 in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM Module on
page 248). Geometry elements will be refitted to their new parent object and the associated
features will be recalculated.
When you perform a copy action while an analysis is selected in the Scene Tree, the parameters
used for this analysis (but not the actual result of the analysis) will be copied.
To reuse parameter settings of an analysis, select the analysis result in the Scene Tree and then
perform a copy and paste action. The Scene Tree will show a new analysis entry. Double-click
this entry to open the Properties dialog, adapt the parameters if necessary, and run the analysis.
If you need more than one alignment for the same part, consider creating copies of the part and
register them individually. Copies of a volume object will have nearly no effect on project size or
memory consumption.
In order to cut the selected object(s), you can also press the Ctrl+X keys.
In order to copy the selected object(s), you can also press the Ctrl+C keys.
In order to paste the selected object(s), you can also press the Ctrl+V keys.
Paste Pattern of ROI(s) Menu Item
Only available after having copied an ROI. Opens the Paste pattern of ROI(s) dialog where you can
define the position for the copy of the ROI or specify a pattern for pasting multiple copies of an
ROI.
The source ROI is copied along with its attached analyses and render settings. The analyses
attached to the pasted ROIs must be recalculated.
Copy/Paste transformation Menu Items
These commands allow to copy the transformation information of a volume, CAD, mesh, or light
object and then paste it to one or more volume, CAD, mesh, or light objects in the Scene Tree.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
The Copy/paste transformation functionality does not affect the common Cut/Copy/Paste functionality.
Store transformation/Apply transformation Menu Items
Selecting the Store transformation menu item creates a local coordinate system reflecting the
current object transformation.
Selecting the Apply transformation menu item applies the transformation to the corresponding
volume object, CAD model, or mesh.
This allows to switch between multiple transformations and/or registrations for one and the
same object.
For details, see section Store transformation/Apply transformation Menu Items on page 353 in
Merge mesh objects Menu Item
Merges two or more mesh objects, thereby creating a new mesh object. Use this option if you
want to perform a nominal/actual comparison of an object for which the mesh template is split
across several files.
Update all analyses Menu Item
Triggers an update of all analyses pertaining to the object(s) currently selected in the Scene Tree
at a time. For details, see section Update all analyses Menu Item on page 359 in chapter 11 Analysis
Menu.
Surface determination... Menu Item
Opens the Surface determination dialog. For details, see section Surface determination... Menu Item
on page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Remove surface determination Menu Item
Deletes the surface determination information. For details, see section Remove surface determi-
nation Menu Item on page 126 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Unload/Reload volume data Menu Items
Unloads/reloads the voxel data of a volume object for which an advanced surface determination
has been performed. This option is useful to reduce memory consumption.
details.

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22 CONTEXT MENU
Register object Menu Item
Allows to align the selected object in the specified coordinate system. For details, see section
Register object Menu Item on page 127 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Lock/Unlock Menu Items
Choosing the Lock menu item for a selected object locks the object in the scene, i.e., rotating
the object will rotate the camera, while the relative position of the object within the scene will
not be changed.
Choosing the Unlock menu item for a selected object unlocks the object in the scene, i.e.,
rotating the object will change the relative position of the object within the scene. If the object
has been registered (i.e., an R is visible in the padlock icon in front of the object in the Scene
Tree), the registration information will be deleted.
Analysis results based on the registered position become invalid after unlocking an object.
You can also lock/unlock an object by clicking the padlock icon of its entry in the Scene Tree.
Convert to volume Menu Item
Opens the Object conversion dialog to convert a CAD or mesh object or an ROI on a CAD or mesh
object to a volume object. For details, see section Convert to > Volume... on page 151 in chapter 5
Object Menu.
Convert to mesh Menu Item
Opens the Object conversion dialog to convert a volume or CAD object or an ROI on a volume to a
mesh object. For details, see section Convert to > Mesh... on page 155 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Convert to golden surface Menu Item
Opens the Golden surface determination dialog to create a “golden” surface object from a minimum
of two objects (volume object, CAD model, or mesh), i.e, a surface that represents the mean of
all input surfaces.
For details, see section Convert to > Golden surface... on page 164 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
Delete Menu Item
Deletes the selected object(s) from the scene. The object(s) can be (partially) restored using Edit
> Undo. Analysis results (e.g., from a nominal/actual comparison) are not restored.
In order to delete the selected object(s) from the scene, you can also press the Del key.

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22 CONTEXT MENU
Rename/Rename (multi) Menu Item
Renames the selected object. If multiple objects are selected, this menu item changes to
Rename (multi) and opens the Rename objects dialog in which you can systematically modify the
names of several objects at a time.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Object list Here you can select the objects to which the renaming
is to apply.
Prepend option Check this option to enter a prefix to be appended to

the object names.
Append option Check this option to enter a suffix to be appended to

the object names.
Search+replace option Check this option to enter a search string in the top field
and the string that is to replace the search string in the
bottom field. If you want to search for some special
characters such as (, ), *, ?, +, you need to enter a back-
slash before the character, e.g., to search for ?, type in
\?.
Incremental (based on current final Check this option to apply the changes to the Final name
name) option displayed in the object list. By default, the changes are
applied to the Original name.
Restore original button Discards the modifications in the preview and shows
the original file names in the object list.
Rename button Provides a preview of the object names in the object

list, based on the current settings in the Renaming
section.
OK button Renames the objects and closes the dialog.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without renaming the objects.
TABLE 22-11: CONTROLS OF THE RENAME OBJECTS DIALOG
Do not use a slash (/) in the name of an object in the Scene Tree.
Group/Ungroup objects Menu Items
Groups several top-level objects or several child objects of the same level of a top-level object.
You can group objects of the same type (e.g., two volume objects) or of compatible type (e.g., a
volume object and a mesh model, a volume object and a clipping plane) or you can create
groups of groups.
For transformation operations (move, rotate), a group behaves like a single object. The rotation
center is the center of the group.

SCENE TREE TOOL
22 CONTEXT MENU
Reset Menu Item
Resets the position and orientation of unlocked objects to their initial state.
Evaluation properties... Menu Item
Opens the Evaluation dialog, see section Evaluation Dialog on page 903 in chapter 39 Evaluations.
Displays information about the object selected in the Scene Tree.

If the selected object is a volume object, a mesh/CAD model or a region of interest, the Object
properties dialog opens, see section Properties Menu Item on page 167 in chapter 5 Object Menu.
If the selected object is an analysis, the pertaining Properties dialog opens. For details, see the
chapter about the respective analysis.
You can also open the Properties dialog by double-clicking the object in the Scene Tree.
Set group Menu Item
Groups several child objects, e.g., geometry elements, features, instruments, and annotations.
You can group objects of the same type (e.g., annotations of the same analysis) or of
compatible type (e.g., a geometry element and a feature, an instrument and a geometry
element).
In order to create a group, highlight the items in the Scene Tree and select Set group > <new
group>. In order to ungroup a group, highlight it in the Scene Tree and select Set group > <no
group>.

23 ANIMATION TOOL
INTRODUCTION
The animation functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX allows to easily create animations of the volume
data. While the Animation menu (see chapter 12 Animation Menu on page 365) can be used for
activating or deactivating the keyframer mode and for accessing basic commands, the Animation
tool provides additional controls for working in keyframer mode. The Animation tool is available
only while the keyframer mode is active.
VGSTUDIO MAX provides two keyframer modes:
a) Classic keyframer mode
In this mode, you can create keyframes on the camera trajectory in the 2D views by adding
handles to the trajectory. You can directly modify the camera trajectory and the settings of
the keyframes.
b) Simple keyframer mode
In this mode, you can create a sequence of keyframes which are then automatically
connected by the software through interpolation. For each keyframe, you can arrange the
object(s) in the 3D window (position, background, material settings, light settings, etc.).
The camera trajectory is automatically calculated by interpolating between the keyframes
and cannot be edited manually. It is not shown in the 2D views.
To toggle between Classic or Simple keyframer mode,

 click the Classic or Simple icon in the Animation icon bar or
 select the corresponding entry from the Animation > Keyframer menu
The controls and context menu items available in the Animation tool depend on the keyframer
mode selected.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SIMPLE KEYFRAMER MODE
In this mode, you can create a sequence of keyframes which are then automatically connected
by the software through interpolation. For each keyframe, you can arrange the object(s) in the
3D scene (e.g., position, background, material settings, light settings, etc.). The camera
trajectory is automatically calculated by interpolating between the keyframes and cannot be
edited manually. It is not shown in the 2D views.
The keyframes can be created and edited using the controls and context menu in the playback
manipulation area.
Changes made to the settings in the scene do not affect existing keyframes.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE CLASSIC KEYFRAMER MODE
In the 2D windows, the camera trajectory is visible along with circular handles representing the
keyframes (i.e., the camera’s spatial positions at keyframe times).
The camera trajectory is determined by the position of the keyframe handles and the tangent
lines displayed at the handles.
You can create keyframes on the camera trajectory in the 2D views by adding handles to the
trajectory. Apart from that, you can directly modify the camera trajectory and the settings of the
keyframes.

ANIMATION TOOL
23 VELOCITY CURVE
Changes made to settings in the current scene are applied to the current keyframe only. If you
make a relevant change (e.g., rotate a volume object in the scene or adjust its opacity curve)
and the current frame is not a keyframe, VGSTUDIO MAX automatically creates a keyframe at
the current time.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click handle on trajec- Makes the associated keyframe the current frame.
tory curve
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Makes the associated keyframe the current frame and
handle on trajectory curve prevents the handle from being moved accidentally.
use MMB to click handle on trajec- Removes the handle, thus deleting all animation infor-
tory curve mation for the associated keyframe.
use MMB to click the trajectory Creates a new keyframe at the specified position.
curve
use LMB to click and drag keyframe Moves the handle to the new position.
handle
use LMB to click and drag one of Changes the curvature of the trajectory around the
the two tangent handles respective keyframe position.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Selects the corresponding keyframes.
several handles
hold Shift + Ctrl keys and use LMB to Moves the selected handles at a time.
click and drag one of several
selected handles
TABLE 23-1: CONTROLS IN THE 2D WINDOWS WITH CLASSIC KEYFRAMER MODE ACTIVE
VELOCITY CURVE
Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

The velocity curve determines the speed profile of the camera trajectory. It denotes the relative
camera speed dependent on the arc length of the trajectory.
The velocity curve is also relative along the x-axis. It denotes the speed profile from the
beginning of the camera trajectory to its end. Changing the length of the trajectory (by manipu-
lating the trajectory curve in a 2D view) does not change the velocity curve in any way; the same
curve is now applied with respect to the entire new trajectory length.
The velocity curve denotes relative speeds: the absolute speeds are determined by the total
duration of the animation and the length of the trajectory. Thus, every horizontal velocity profile
produces the same result.
A zero velocity is not possible at any point because the camera would not move on in the velocity
vs. relative length diagram after that point. Thus, dragging the velocity curve to the very bottom
does not result in a zero velocity, but rather in a very small value.

ANIMATION TOOL
23 CONTROLS IN THE PLAYBACK MANIPULATION AREA OF THE ANIMATION TOOL
The velocity curve is determined by a number of control points.

The yellow bars in the velocity display indicate the keyframe positions. A white bar indicates the
position of the current frame. A blue bar indicates that the frame is selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use MMB to click on velocity curve Inserts a new control point.
use LMB to click and drag control Moves the control point and adapts the velocity curve
point to the new position.
use LMB to click and drag graph Moves the whole graph within the displayed area.
background
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Zooms the display along the vertical or horizontal axis,
and drag graph up/down or respectively.
left/right
use LMB to click on bar Makes this keyframe the current keyframe.
hold Shift key + use LMB to click on Selects the corresponding keyframes.
one or more bars
TABLE 23-2: CONTROLS FOR THE VELOCITY CURVE
CONTROLS IN THE PLAYBACK MANIPULATION AREA OF THE

ANIMATION TOOL
FIGURE 23-1: ANIMATION TOOL IN THE SIMPLE KEYFRAMER MODE
FIGURE 23-2: ANIMATION TOOL IN THE CLASSIC KEYFRAMER MODE

ANIMATION TOOL
The table below gives an overview of the controls available in the playback manipulation area of
the Animation tool:
Toggle fixed camera focal Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

point If this option is enabled, the camera looks at the same
position in all frames. If it is disabled, you can specify
for each keyframe separately the direction in which the
camera is looking.
Reset velocity curve Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

Resets the velocity curve to a constant speed profile.
Create new keyframe Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

Creates a new keyframe using the current settings of
the 3D view.
Replace current keyframe Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

Replaces the settings of the selected keyframe with the
current settings of the 3D view.
Insert new keyframe Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

before current Inserts a new keyframe before the currently selected
keyframe using the current settings of the 3D view.
Delete selected Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

keyframe(s) Deletes the selected keyframe(s).
Move selected keyframe(s) Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

to new position Moves the selected keyframe(s) to a new position.
Select the keyframe(s) and click this icon, then select
before which keyframe the selected keyframe(s) should
be moved.
Play mode Adjusts the behavior of the Play or Play backwards anima-
tion playback. The Play mode can be:
• Single: Playback stops after the last (first) frame has
been reached.
• Loop: Playback starts again after last (first) frame has
been reached.
• Oscillate: Playback reverses direction after last (first)
frame has been reached.
First frame Jumps to the first frame.
Previous key Jumps to the previous keyframe.
Previous frame Jumps to the previous frame.

ANIMATION TOOL
Play backwards Starts/pauses backwards playback of animation. This

does not write anything to disk; it is just an interactive
way to view the animation. VGSTUDIO MAX stays
responsive during play; however, as soon as you
modify any objects or keyframer settings, the playback
stops.
Current time: [min] [sec] Allows to display and edit the current time in minutes,
[frames] spin boxes seconds, and frames (see FPS spin box). You can also
(located between the use the horizontal scroll bar directly below the velocity
Play buttons) graph to change the current time.
Play Starts/pauses playback of animation. This does not

write anything to disk; it is just an interactive way to
view the animation. VGSTUDIO MAX stays responsive
during play; however, as soon as you modify any
objects or keyframer settings, the playback stops.
Next frame Jumps to the next frame.
Next key Jumps to the next keyframe.
Last frame Jumps to the last frame.
Render animation Starts rendering the animation. For details, see section
Render animation Menu Item on page 367 in chapter 12
Animation Menu.
Size: X/Y spin boxes Specify the video output size in pixels, i.e., determine
the size of the movie created by the Render animation
command. They also affect the aspect ratio of the 3D
view; ensuring that the 3D view shows the same visible
area that will be shown by the rendered movie.
DPI spin box Adjusts the sizes of all “display-relative” elements in

the rendered scene. This will affect font sizes, line
widths and instrument handle sizes. Note that while in
keyframer mode, the 3D view will also reflect this
setting to give you an impression of the relative size of
the fonts, etc.
FPS spin box Defines the frame rate of the animation in frames per
second. This affects the total number of frames in the
rendered animation as well as the step size of the
Current time: [frames] control (since a second is split up
into as many frames as specified in the FPS setting).
Total time: [min] [sec] Specifies the total movie time in minutes, seconds, and
[frames] spin boxes frames (see FPS spin box). Note that the [sec] and
(located next to the [frames] spin boxes are not limited to 0 to 59 and 0 to
scroll bar) (FPS-1), respectively, but allow all values. The carry-
over and conversion to “normalized”
minutes/seconds/frames is done internally.
TABLE 23-3: ANIMATION TOOL CONTROLS IN THE PLAYBACK MANIPULATION AREA

ANIMATION TOOL
23 CONTEXT MENU OF THE ANIMATION TOOL
CONTEXT MENU OF THE ANIMATION TOOL
You can access the context menu by right-clicking in the keyframe display of the Animation tool.
The table below gives an overview of the menu items.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Copy current state Copies the current state of all animated scene settings. See section
Copy current state Menu Item on page 369 in chapter 12 Animation
Menu.
Paste state Pastes the entire copied animation state. See section Paste state
Menu Item on page 369 in chapter 12 Animation Menu.
Paste sub-state (...) Pastes a subset of the copied animation state. See section Paste
sub-state Menu Items on page 370 in chapter 12 Animation Menu.
Select all frames Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

Selects all keyframes of the trajectory.
De-select all frames Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

De-selects all currently selected keyframes.
Toggle selected frames Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

(left side) Selects all keyframes to the left of the cursor position.
Toggle selected frames Only available in Classic keyframer mode.

(right side) Selects all keyframes to the right of the cursor position.
Update thumbnails (all) Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

Creates new thumbnails for all keyframes. Updating the thumbnails
might be necessary when global settings have been changed (e.g.,
changing the renderer, adding/deleting volumes, ...).
Update thumbnails Only available in Simple keyframer mode.

(selected) Creates new thumbnails for the selected keyframe(s). Updating the
thumbnails might be necessary when global settings have been
changed (e.g., changing the renderer, adding/deleting volumes, ...).
TABLE 23-4: CONTEXT MENU ITEMS OF THE ANIMATION TOOL

24 BOOKMARKS TOOL
Lists all existing bookmarks in alphabetical order and allows you to apply existing bookmarks.
Bookmarks enable you to quickly switch between different visualization settings.
A bookmark consists of an image (a screenshot of the windows) and a title. Hovering the mouse
pointer over the image shows a tooltip with the title and, if available, a description of the
bookmark.
To apply the visualization settings of a bookmark, double-click a bookmark image.
In order to create bookmarks, use the Bookmark editor (see chapter 25 Bookmark Editor on
page 457).
You can change the order of the existing bookmarks by drag and drop in the Bookmark editor as
well as in the Bookmarks tool. The changes made in the Bookmark editor will also affect the Book-
marks tool and vice versa.
The image, title and description used for identifying a bookmark can be defined in the Bookmark
editor. They cannot be changed in the Bookmarks tool.
When you apply a bookmark, all objects that were not included in the scene when the bookmark
was created will be set to invisible. These objects will keep all changes done after adding them
to the scene (e.g., creating geometry elements, moving/rotating the object, running analyses).
Bookmarks store information about the padlock state of an object ( locked, unlocked,
registered) and on the transformation of object in the scene. However, this information is only
applied to objects which do not have the padlock state (registered), i.e., after an object has
been registered, neither its padlock state nor its transformation will be changed by applying a
bookmark with different padlock state and/or transformation.

25 BOOKMARK EDITOR
Allows to save and switch between different visualization states of the current project.
Properties stored in a bookmark are, e.g., the workspace layout, render settings, camera
settings, clipping settings, and the coordinate system.
Bookmarks can be exported from one project in order to apply them to another project. Apart
from that, applying bookmarks can be recorded in a macro which can be used in a batch
processing setup.
In order to open the Bookmark editor,
 select the Tools > Bookmark editor menu item or
 select the icon from the icon bar.
The Bookmark editor dialog consists of various sections:
 Available bookmarks section
Lists all bookmarks available in the current project.
 Bookmark image section
When you create a bookmark, a screenshot of all views is automatically added to this
section.
You can only capture one screenshot for each bookmark.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list Specifies a view to be used instead of the default

image.
Replace button Replaces the image of the selected bookmark with

the view selected from the drop-down list.
Delete button Deletes the image of the selected bookmark.
Capture button If the bookmark image has been deleted: Creates

an image of the view selected from the drop-down
menu.
TABLE 25-1: CONTROLS IN THE BOOKMARK IMAGE SECTION
 Title section
Shows the title of the selected bookmark. You can enter a customized name and press the
Enter key to accept the changes.
 Description section
Here you can enter a description for the selected bookmark.
 Apply button
Applies the visualization settings of the selected bookmark to the scene. Volumes, CAD
and mesh objects that were added to the scene after creating the selected bookmark are
set to invisible.
 New button
Creates a new bookmark.

BOOKMARK EDITOR
25
In order to create a bookmark of the current scene, you can also click the icon in the Bookmarks
icon bar.
 Replace button
Replaces the visualization settings of the selected bookmark with the currently selected
settings.
 Delete button
Deletes the selected bookmark.
 Export button
Opens the Export bookmark template dialog where you can choose a path and file name for
saving all bookmarks to a template file (*.xvgb).
After you have started by clicking the OK button, the Preview information dialog opens
showing a preview of the 3D window as well as input fields for serial number, lot number,
and description. This information as well as title, image and description of all bookmarks
included in the template will be displayed when right-clicking the file in the Windows
Explorer and selecting the Preview menu item from the context menu.
 Import button
Opens the Import bookmark template dialog for selecting a bookmark template (*.xvgb) and
applying the bookmarks to similar projects, e.g., for a series of CT scans. These projects
must have the same structure as the project in which the bookmark was created, i.e., the
same number of volumes/meshes and child objects (clipping objects, GD&T objects, etc.)
and the same object names.
When importing a bookmark template, all existing bookmarks will be deleted.
 Save images button
Opens the Save bookmark images dialog where you can choose a path and prefix for the file
name for saving all bookmark images to image files (*.jpg, *.bmp, or *.tif). The file names
for the images consist of the specified prefix and the bookmark title, separated by an
underscore.
The resolution of the images corresponds to the current screen resolution. For VGinLINE,
the images are created in full HD quality.1
 Close button
Closes the Bookmark editor dialog.
1 VGinLINE is a Volume Graphics software product developed to perform fully automated analyses and evaluations on
CT data sets.

26 LAYOUT EDITOR
Defines the arrangement and the type of the workspace windows within the workspace.
Additionally you can define dependencies between specific workspace windows like a common
background color.
In order to open the Layout editor,
 select the Window > Layout editor... menu item or
 select the icon from the icon bar.
The Layout editor dialog consists of various sections:

taken as a basis for a new preset. The following icons
are used:
• Quad
• Slices left
• Slices right
• Slices below
• Rotation
• Non-planar
• Quad-profile
• appears next to the icon of a preset that has
been modified and applied but not yet saved
down list.
 Split mode section
Split along vertical Splits the selected workspace window along the
axis vertical axis into two new adjacent workspace
windows.
Split along hori- Splits the selected workspace window along the hori-
zontal axis zontal axis into two new workspace windows one
above the other.

LAYOUT EDITOR
26
TABLE 26-2: CONTROLS IN THE SPLIT MODE SECTION
 General options section
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Reset layout Discards any changes applied to the layout and restores the
initial layout of the workspace preview.
Delete frame Removes a workspace window from the layout.
TABLE 26-3: CONTROLS IN THE GENERAL OPTIONS SECTION
 Window types section
ITEM DESCRIPTION
3D view Selects a 3D window.
Top view Selects a 2D window with a top view.
Bottom view Selects a 2D window with a bottom view.
Right view Selects a 2D window with a right view.
Left view Selects a 2D window with a left view.
Front view Selects a 2D window with a front view.
Back view Selects a 2D window with a back view.
Rotation view Selects a 2D window with a view along the selected axis.
Profile Displays a gray value profile.
Custom path view Selects a 2D window with a custom path view.
Non-planar view Selects a 2D window with a non-planar view.
TABLE 26-4: CONTROLS IN THE WINDOW TYPES SECTION
For more details about the specific workspace windows see section 3D Window on page 7
and section 2D Windows on page 17 in chapter 2 Workspace.
 Layout area section
The interactive layout area displays the currently defined layout. The controls listed in the
table below can be used for customizing this layout.
The items listed in the Linked features lists in the slice windows of the layout area can be
linked between the various slice view windows such that changes made to an item in one
slice window will also take effect for this item in the other slice windows.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click in a workspace Selects this window. Any option available in the
window button sections to the left can be applied to the
selected workspace window.

LAYOUT EDITOR
26
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use RMB to click in a workspace Opens a context menu containing all options appli-
window cable to the workspace window.
use LMB to click and drag a Resizes the workspace window.

workspace window border
use LMB to click on an item in the Highlights the corresponding items in all slice views
Linked features list of a slice view and shows their link status.
window
use LMB to click to the left of an Toggles the link status of the corresponding items
item in the Linked features list of in all slice view windows:
the selected slice view window • no icon: Item is not linked.
• icon: Item is linked.
use LMB to click to the left of an Toggles the link status of the item in this unselected
item in the Linked features list of an slice view window only:
unselected slice view window • no icon: Item is not linked.
• icon: Item is linked.
TABLE 26-5: CONTROLS IN THE LAYOUT AREA SECTION

27 TEXT OVERLAY EDITOR
Defines customized text overlays to be displayed in the 2D windows and/or the 3D window. The
text overlays provide additional information about the windows (e.g., the current slice position,
the window name or even DICOM or DICONDE tags). This feature is useful for
reporting/documentation purposes (see also section Save Image(s)... Menu Item on page 78 and
section Save movie/image stack... Menu Item on page 80 in chapter 3 File Menu).
In order to open the Text Overlay Editor,
 select the Window > Text overlay editor... menu item or
 right-click in the one of the 2D or 3D windows and select Text overlay > Configure from the
context menu.
The Configure Text Overlay ... dialog consists of two identical tabs:
 2D windows tab for configuring the text overlays for the 2D windows
 3D window tab for configuring the text overlays for the 3D window
2D WINDOWS/3D WINDOW TABS

Allows to manage the text overlay presets.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list Allows you to select a preset to be applied to the

current text overlay settings.
Save button Opens the Preset Name dialog where you can enter a
name for the preset to be saved.
Remove button Removes the currently selected preset from the

drop-down list.
Reset button Resets any modifications made on the currently

selected preset.
 Text labels section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click on a text label Selects the text label.
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click Selects the text labels.
on several text labels
hold Shift key + use LMB to click Selects the two text labels including all text labels
on two separate text labels between the two.
use LMB to click on list header Sorts the entries in ascending or descending order,
respectively.

TEXT OVERLAY EDITOR
27 DEFAULT TEXT LABELS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
> button Moves the text label highlighted in the Available text
labels list to the Selected text labels list and adds it to
the top left box in the Preview section.
< button Moves the text label highlighted in the Selected text
labels list to the Available text labels list and removes it
from the Preview section.
TABLE 27-2: CONTROLS IN THE TEXT LABELS SECTION
You can also drag and drop one or more selected text labels from the Available text labels to the
Selected text labels list and vice versa.
 Preview section
Shows eight boxes in which you can place the selected text labels. The boxes indicate the
positions of the text labels within the 2D windows or the 3D window, respectively. You can
insert multiple text labels in each box.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag text Moves the text label to the new location within a
label to another box box.
use RMB to click on a text label Shows the Remove context menu item. Clicking it
moves the text label to the Available text labels list and
removes it from the Preview section.
 Font settings button

Opens the Preferences dialog for the Text overlay settings.
 OK button
Applies the current settings and closes the Text Overlay Editor.
 Cancel button
Closes the Text Overlay Editor without applying any changes.
 Apply button
Shows a preview of the current settings.
DEFAULT TEXT LABELS
The following text labels are available by default:
TEXT LABEL DESCRIPTION
<CoordinateSystem> Displays the name of the currently active coordinate

system for the respective window.

TEXT OVERLAY EDITOR
27 DEFAULT TEXT LABELS
TEXT LABEL DESCRIPTION
<SlicePosition/RotationAngle> Only available for 2D windows: Displays the current

slice position or—for rotational view—the rotation
angle. When the Thick slab mode is activated, the slab
thickness is displayed in addition.
<ViewZoom> Only available for 2D windows: Displays the current

zoom factor.
<WindowName> Displays the name of the window, e.g., Top, Front, Back,
3D, etc.
<PixelSize> Displays the size of a pixel in the currently selected unit.
<CustomLogo> When added to the Selected text labels list, opens the
Select logo image... dialog which allows you to select an
image file. You can use more than one <CustomLogo>
entries.
<CustomText> When added to the Selected text labels list, allows you to
enter an arbitrary text in the field highlighted in the
Selected text labels list. You can use more than one
<CustomText> entries.
<PatientID>, <PatientName>, <Serial- Placeholders for information provided by DICOM data

Number>, <StudyDescription>, sets.
<StudyID>, <StudyNumber>
<..._diconde> Placeholders for information provided by DICONDE

data sets.
TABLE 27-4: DEFAULT TEXT LABELS

28 GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
The Gray Value Analysis has been designed to investigate the selected volume or ROI for its gray
value distribution and density hot spots. If you want to perform fully automated analysis and
evaluations, you can specify various tolerances in the Tolerance settings section of the Settings tab
and use the Automation tool for recording the analysis steps in a macro file for further processing
with VGinLine.
The calculation of Local density hot spots uses the Porosity/Inclusion Analysis add-on module which
requires additional licensing.
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new gray value analysis,

 choose the Analysis > Create gray value analysis menu item or
In order to open an existing gray value analysis for modifying or viewing its settings,
 right-click the corresponding entry in the Scene Tree and choose the Properties menu item
or
 double-click the corresponding entry in the Scene Tree.
The Properties of Gray value analysis dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify the
analysis parameters or view the results of the gray value analysis.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
Calculate button Triggers execution of the analysis. This button is deactivated if

invalid parameters are specified or if an analysis has been
performed and the parameters have not changed in the meantime.
Close button Exits the dialog without performing an analysis. Parameter settings
will be saved. You can reopen the analysis by double-clicking its
entry in the Scene Tree or by right-clicking it and selecting Properties
from the context menu.
TABLE 28-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS DIALOG
A status bar at the bottom of the dialog indicates the current status of the analysis. The status
can be one of the following:
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Result is up to date The current analysis result is valid and does not need recalculation.
Calculation required All required parameters have been specified and are consistent. You
can click Calculate to start a new analysis or recalculate an existing
analysis which has been invalidated by some user action.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 SETTINGS TAB
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Object has no surface No surface determination information is available for the selected
determination object. In order to determine the surface of the selected object, see
section Surface determination... Menu Item on page 119 in chapter 5
Object Menu.
TABLE 28-2: MESSAGES IN THE STATUS BAR
An invalid or outdated status of an analysis is indicated in the Scene Tree by a warning sign.
Double-click this analysis to open it and check the status bar for messages.
The units of the dialog are set according to the global unit settings, see section Unit Icon bar on
page 35 in chapter 2 Workspace.
SETTINGS TAB
FIGURE 28-1: PROPERTIES OF GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 SETTINGS TAB
General Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Analysis area drop-down list • All: The analysis is performed on the material and on
the background.
• Material: The analysis is performed on the material.
• Background: The analysis is performed on the back-
ground.
TABLE 28-3: CONTROLS IN THE GENERAL SECTION
Performing the analysis on the material or on the background is possible only if a surface deter-
mination has been performed.
Local density Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Local density checkbox When this option is checked, the local mean gray
values are calculated.
Area size spin boxes Specify the size (in physical units, e.g., mm, or in
voxels) of the area considered for calculating the local
density.
TABLE 28-4: CONTROLS IN THE LOCAL DENSITY SECTION
Local density hot spots Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Local density hot spots checkbox When this option is checked, the local density hot
spots are calculated.
Interval spin boxes Specify the gray value interval for the local density hot
spots. Only density hot spots within this interval are
calculated and displayed on the Density hot spots tab.
Min. volume spin boxes Specify the minimum size for a hot spot to be listed as
a result either as a volumetric dimension or as a number
of voxels. Hot spots smaller than the specified
minimum size are not included in the results.
TABLE 28-5: CONTROLS IN THE LOCAL DENSITY HOT SPOTS SECTION

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 SETTINGS TAB
Tolerance settings Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerance settings checkbox Checking this option allows to define and apply the
corresponding tolerance settings to the calculated gray
values.
Standard deviation of gray value <= field Specifies the maximum permissible standard deviation
of the gray values.
Mean gray value >=/<= field Specifies a permissible range for the mean gray value.
When you specify the upper limit only, the actual value
will be within the tolerance (shown in green) if it is below
the upper limit.
When you specify the lower limit only, the actual value
will be within the tolerance (shown in green) if it is above
the lower limit.
Minimum gray value >= field Specifies the minimum permissible gray value.
Maximum gray value <= field Specifies the maximum permissible gray value.
Hot spots minimum density >= field Specifies the minimum permissible density of a hot
spot.
Hot spots maximum density <= field Specifies the maximum permissible density of a hot
spot.
Number of hot spots >=/<= field Specifies a permissible range for the number of hot
spots.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.
Total hot spot volume [<length unit>³] <= Specifies the sum of volumes of all hot spots.
field
Standard deviation of gray value (per Specifies the maximum permissible standard deviation
slice) <= field of the gray values per slice.
Mean gray value (per slice) >=/<= field Specifies a permissible range for the mean gray value
per slice.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.
Reset button Deletes all tolerance settings.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 SETTINGS TAB
Depending on the results of this evaluation, the tolerances on the Settings tab are highlighted in
the following colors:
 Green: The tolerance is met for all components.
 Red: The tolerance is not met for one or more components.
 White (Bright Theme)/black (Dark Theme): No tolerance settings have been specified or
they are deactivated.
 Olive green: A tolerance has been specified but the analysis has to be (re-)calculated.
The result of the evaluation is also displayed graphically in the Scene Tree. For more information
about evaluations, see chapter 39 Evaluations on page 902.
Directional variability Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Directional variability checkbox When this option is checked, the options for specifying
a direction in which the analysis is to be performed
become enabled.
Direction fields Specify the direction in which the gray value distribu-
tion is to be analyzed. The specified vector is normal-
ized to unit length before taken into account in the
calculation.
Choose... button Opens a drop-down list showing the windows currently

available in the workspace for specifying the direction
in which the analysis is to be performed. The direction
is the normal of the selected 2D window or the current
direction of view of the 3D window.
Slice thickness spin boxes Specify the thickness (in physical units, e.g., mm, or in
voxels) of the individual slices to be analyzed.
TABLE 28-7: CONTROLS OF THE DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY SECTION
Integration mesh Section
Allows to create an integration mesh or choose an already existing integration mesh to obtain the
results of the gray value analysis for each mesh cell.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Integration mesh checkbox When this option is checked, the options for using an
integration mesh become enabled.
Integration mesh drop-down list Allows to define an integration mesh by selecting an

existing mesh from the drop-down list.
Create regular integration mesh Creates an integration mesh and opens the Mesh dialog
button for adjusting the parameters manually.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 COLORS TAB
TABLE 28-8: CONTROLS OF THE INTEGRATION MESH SECTION
To specify a mesh, you have the following options:

 Import a mesh from a file containing the mesh definition by choosing the File > Import > Inte-
gration mesh... menu item. For more details on the supported file formats, see section File
 Manually define a mesh by right-clicking the object (volume or ROI) in the Scene Tree and
selecting Create > Regular integration mesh. A regular integration mesh will be shown in the
Scene Tree. Double-click the Integration mesh entry in the Scene Tree to open the Mesh
dialog and manually define the mesh. For details, see section Create regular integration mesh...
 Manually define a mesh from a cylinder or a freeform surface by right-clicking the geometry
element in the Scene Tree and selecting Create > Integration mesh from geometry element. An
integration mesh will be shown in the Scene Tree. Double-click the Integration mesh entry in
the Scene Tree to open the Mesh dialog and manually define the mesh. For details, see
section Create integration mesh from geometry element... Menu Item on page 363 in chapter 11
Analysis Menu.
COLORS TAB
Here you can specify the color-coding scheme used for the representation of the analysis
results.
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Caption field Indicates the color bar headline as specified in the

Caption field of the Color bar section.
Separate color bar checkbox When this option is checked, the color bar settings
apply to the selected analysis only.
When this option is unchecked, all analyses of the
same type (and—if applicable—of the same algorithm)
use the same color bar.
TABLE 28-9: CONTROLS OF THE CAPTION SECTION
LUT – Color Lookup Table
The color lookup table (LUT) shows the partitioning into color sections.
Sections Section
Defines the appearance of each color section.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
From/To fields Define the start and end values of the color sections.
The first color section represents all values above the
upper limit, i.e., the value in the From field (+inf signifies
positive infinity), while the last color section represents
all values below the lower limit, i.e., the value in the To
field (-inf signifies negative infinity). The default limits
are calculated from the results of the analysis.
Type field Switches between the color schemes Continue, Constant,

Gradient, Rainbow, Reverse rainbow, and Hue cycle.
Detail field Double-clicking the field for the Continue, Constant, and
Gradient color schemes opens the Select color dialog
where you can modify the appearance of the selected
color scheme. For the Gradient color scheme, you can
define the start and end colors by double-clicking the
left or right side of the field, respectively.
Double-clicking the field for the Rainbow, Reverse
rainbow, and Hue cycle color schemes opens the Transpar-
ency dialog where you can set the transparency for the
selected color scheme.
use RMB to click a color section Opens a context menu with the following items:
• Split: Subdivides the color section into two new
color sections where each represents half of the
original section.
• Merge: Combines several color sections to a single
color section. Only consecutive intervals can be
merged.
Create smooth button Opens the Create smooth table dialog to generate one
color section.
• Type drop-down list: Allows to select the type of
coloring scheme.
• From/To spin buttons: Define the value range covered
by the color section.
Create stepped button Opens the Create stepped table dialog to generate a set of
color sections.
coloring scheme.
by the color sections.
• Step spin button: Defines the step size of the indi-
vidual color sections.
Auto scale button Fits the color LUT to the range of the results of all avail-
able analyses, if applicable.
TABLE 28-10: CONTROLS IN THE SECTIONS SECTION

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 COLORS TAB
Annotations Section
The Color mode drop-down list specifies the color of the analysis annotation:
 Tolerance status: Colors the annotations according to the tolerance status at this position.
 As lookup table: Colors the annotations according to their values (e.g., defect volume, devi-
ation, wall thickness) at this position.

used:
• default preset
list.
Color LUT Settings Section
Specifies the appearance of the color lookup table.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Auto tick marks checkbox When this option is checked, equidistant tick marks are
produced for the color bars. When this option is
unchecked, tick marks appear only at the color section
boundaries of the color lookup table.
Auto scale checkbox When this option is checked, the color LUT is automat-
ically fitted to the range of the results of all available
analyses.
TABLE 28-12: OPTIONS FOR THE APPEARANCE OF THE COLOR LOOKUP TABLE
Color bar Section
Specifies the settings for the color bar.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Positioning drop-down list Specifies the location of the color bar within the 2D and
3D windows: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, All - automatic, Left or
right - automatic, Top or bottom - automatic.
Caption field Specifies the color bar headline using placeholders.
HISTOGRAM TAB
Shows the gray value distribution in the selected object (number of voxels vs the gray values).
The histogram bars are colored according to the settings on the Colors tab.
 Options section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Color drop-down field • From color bar: The values in the histogram are
shown according to the color bar.
• Gray: All values in the histogram are shown in
gray.
Ordinate scaling drop-down field • Linear: Applies a linear scale to the y-axis of the
histogram.
• Logarithmic: Applies a logarithmic scale to the y-
axis of the histogram.
Binning drop-down field • Off: No binning is applied to the values shown in

the histogram.
• From color bar: The original values in the histo-
gram are replaced by a value representative for
the corresponding interval (“bin”) of the color
bar. The “bins” become visible when creating
“stepped” sections on the Colors tab.
• Manual: Enables the Bins spin box where you can
enter the required number of “bins”.
Bins spin box Specifies the number of “bins” when Manual is

selected in the Binning field.
TABLE 28-14: CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAM TAB, OPTIONS SECTION
 Intervals section

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Left/Right spin box Only enabled when an interval has been created:
Moves the left or right interval border to the speci-
fied value. You can also click and drag the interval
borders using the left mouse button.
Create button Creates a new interval.

On the right hand side of a selected interval, statis-
tical information is displayed:
• Left: Indicates the minimum gray value within the
interval, i.e., the left interval border.
• Right: Indicates the maximum gray value within
the interval, i.e., the right interval border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean gray value within the
interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the gray
values within the interval.
• Sum: Indicates the number of voxels within the
interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of gray
values within the interval.
Note that the statistical information may change
with the number of bins specified in the Options
section.
Remove button Removes the selected interval.
TABLE 28-15: CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAM TAB, INTERVALS SECTION
 Statistics section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Minimum gray value field Indicates the minimum gray value within the
analyzed area.
Maximum gray value field Indicates the maximum gray value within the
analyzed area.
Mean gray value field Indicates the mean gray value within the analyzed
area.
Standard deviation of gray value field Indicates the standard deviation of the gray values
within the analyzed area.
TABLE 28-16: CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAM TAB, STATISTICS SECTION
 General controls

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 28-17: GENERAL CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAM TAB
Context Menu of the Histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Copy to clipboard Copies a screenshot of the chart to the system clipboard so

you can paste it in another application.
Hide/Show x/y grid Toggles the visibility of the grid lines for the corresponding
axis.
Create interval Creates a new interval. For details on the statistical informa-
tion, see section Controls of the Histogram Tab on page 473.
Remove interval Removes the selected interval.
DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY TAB
Shows how the gray value distribution changes with respect to the direction specified in the
Directional variability section on the Settings tab.
Controls of the Directional variability Tab
 Chart area

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mean gray value When this curve is selected, the mean gray value
per slice is displayed. The light gray area around the
curve indicates the standard deviation of the gray
values.
Minimum gray value When this curve is selected, the minimum gray
value in the specified direction is displayed.
Maximum gray value When this curve is selected, the maximum gray
value in the specified direction is displayed.
use LMB to click an option of the Toggles the visibility of the corresponding curve.
list
hover the cursor over the curve Displays the legend of the function together with its
values at the specified location and highlights the
curve of the selected function.
use LMB to click and drag the Indicates the function values at the specified loca-
vertical line in the histogram tion and updates the slice views accordingly. Hold
the Ctrl key while left-clicking in the chart area to
display the vertical line in case you dragged it out
of the chart area.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 28-19: CONTROLS OF THE DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY TAB, CHART AREA
 Statistics section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Minimum gray value field Indicates the range of minimum gray values in the
analyzed direction.
Maximum gray value field Indicates the range of maximum gray values in the
analyzed direction.
Mean gray value field Indicates the range of mean gray values in the
analyzed direction.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 MESH CELLS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Standard deviation of gray value field Indicates the range of standard deviations of the
gray values in the analyzed direction.
TABLE 28-20: CONTROLS OF THE DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY TAB, STATISTICS SECTION
Context Menu of the Directional variability Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.
Show/Hide legend Displays/hides the legend for the plotted curves.
MESH CELLS TAB
Displays the results of the gray value analysis for each cell of the integration mesh.
The Mesh cells tab is available only if an integration mesh has been specified in the Integration mesh
section on the Settings tab.
You can export the results from the Mesh cells tab and use them for comparing real part properties
with simulations of manufacturing processes or improving FE simulations for testing the stability,
e.g., of injection-molded parts.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Element ID If available, indicates the ID of the mesh cell for

imported integration mesh files.
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x, y and z position of the mesh cell.
Mean gray value Indicates the mean gray value within the mesh cell.
Standard deviation of gray value Indicates the standard deviation of the gray values
within the mesh cell.
Description Allows to enter a description for the cell used for

reporting.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 HOT SPOTS OF DENSITY TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

views.
The image orientation is relative to the currently
The image will be generated according to the render
settings specified on the Report tab. The 2D slice posi-
position of the cell. The zoom factor of the image is
chosen such that the entire parent volume is visible.

component using the Capture from button in the Screen-
shots section.
TABLE 28-22: COLUMNS OF THE MESH CELLS LIST
HOT SPOTS OF DENSITY TAB
Displays the hot spots of density resulting from the gray value analysis.
The Hot spots of density tab is available only if the Local density hot spots option has been checked on
the Settings tab.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x, y and z position of the hot spot.
Volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of the hot spot.
Surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the hot spot.
Mean [<ratio unit>] Indicates the mean density value of the hot spot.
Deviation [<ratio unit>] Indicates the standard deviation of the density of the
hot spot.
Hot spots minimum density Indicates the minimum density within the hot spot.
Hot spots maximum density Indicates the maximum density within the hot spot.
Voxel count Indicates the number of voxels the hot spot consists of.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Sphericity [%] Indicates the ratio between the surface of a sphere with
the same volume as the density hot spot and the
surface of the density hot spot.
Compactness [%] Indicates the ratio between the volume of the density
hot spot and the volume of the circumscribed sphere.
Description Allows to enter a description for the hot spot used for
reporting.

views.

shots section.
Tolerance status Indicates the tolerance status of the hot spots

depending on the tolerances specified for the density
of the hot spots in the Tolerance settings section of the
Settings tab: Valid (green), Out of tolerance (red), or No toler-
ance (gray).
TABLE 28-23: COLUMNS OF THE HOT SPOTS OF DENSITY LIST
ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected gray value analysis. You can view the information
supplied by the annotations or edit the annotation properties.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 ANNOTATIONS TAB
For details on how to create an annotation, see section Create analysis annotation Menu Item on
page 360 in chapter 11 Analysis Menu.
To create new annotations in the table, it is also possible to paste previously copied coordinates
by right-clicking the table and selecting Paste from the context menu or by pressing the Ctrl + V
keyboard shortcut. For details, see the Paste menu item in section Table Context Menu.
The Annotations table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Name Indicates the name of the annotation.
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the position of the annotation.
Gray value Indicates the gray value of the analyzed data set at the
current annotation position.
Min. gray value Indicates the minimal value for tolerancing the gray
value.
Max. gray value Indicates the maximum value for tolerancing the gray
value.
Local density Indicates the local density at the current annotation

position.
Min. local density Indicates the minimum value for toleraning the local
density.
Max. local density Indicates the maximum value for tolerancing the local
density.
Description Allows to enter a description of the annotation used for

reporting.

views.
• ... - If not OK: Automatically creates the image if the
tolerance status is Out of tolerance.
position of the annotation. The zoom factor of the

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 GENERAL TABLE CONTROLS
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

Tolerance status Indicates the tolerance status at the position of the

annotation if an individual tolerance has been specified
in the Min./Max. wall thickness fields of the Annotations
table: Valid (green), Out of tolerance (red), or No tolerance
(gray).
Type Indicates how the annotation has been created:

• Rule based: The annotation has been created by a
report rule.
• Manually defined: The annotation has been defined by
the user.
TABLE 28-24: COLUMNS OF THE ANNOTATIONS TABLE
GENERAL TABLE CONTROLS
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

filter criterion.
criteria.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.
area
then release LMB

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 TABLE CONTEXT MENU
TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.


GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 RULES TAB
RULES TAB
Shows existing rules for selecting features (e.g., components, defects) with defined properties
to be included in the final report. Apart from that, the Rule dialog allows to create new rules and
edit or delete existing rules.
FIGURE 28-2: RULES TAB WITH RULE DIALOG
 New button
Opens the Rule dialog for creating a new rule.
 Delete button
Deletes a selected rule.
 Edit button
Opens the Rule dialog for editing a selected rule.
You can also double-click a rule to open the Rule dialog for editing a selected rule.
Rule Dialog
 Rule section
The Name field allows to enter a name for the new rule. This name has to be unique.
 Condition section

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 RULES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Column drop-down list Selects the property of the feature (e.g., component, defect)
that defines the rule.
Comparator drop-down Specifies the comparator to be applied to the selected prop-

list erty.
Value [<unit>] spin box Specifies the reference value or status of the selected prop-
or drop-down list erty for comparison.
Result count field Indicates the number of results that meet the specified condi-
tion.
TABLE 28-28: CONTROLS IN THE CONDITION SECTION
 Image generation section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Image drop-down list Allows to add a detailed 2D image and object description on
a separate page of the report.
• Orthographic projection: Creates three orthogonal views.
• Top/Bottom/Left/Right/Front/Back: Creates a single 2D view in
the specified orientation.
Focused image drop- This option is almost identical to the Image option, but will
down list generate an image that is focused on the respective item and
additionally zoomed in by the Zoom factor specified on the
Report tab.
Max. results checkbox When this option is checked, you can use the corresponding
and spin box spin box to specify the maximum number of results to be
included in the report.
TABLE 28-29: CONTROLS IN THE IMAGE GENERATION SECTION
 Annotation generation section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name template field Allows to enter a name for the annotations. If this is not done,
a name of the form <annotation type> <id> will automatically
be generated.
Max. annotations When this option is checked, you can use the corresponding
checkbox and spin box spin box to specify the maximum number of annotations to
be generated.
TABLE 28-30: CONTROLS IN THE ANNOTATION GENERATION SECTION

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 IMAGES TAB
In contrast to manually created annotations, rule-based annotations can neither be moved nor
deleted. This is indicated by a closed padlock symbol next to the annotation name in the anno-
tation label.
 Ok button
Closes the dialog, adds the new rule to the list in the Rules tab and updates the annotations.
 Cancel button
Discards the settings and closes the dialog.
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

REPORT TAB


GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel

GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS
28 REPORT TAB
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.


29 POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Porosity/Inclusion Analysis module has been designed to investigate voxel data sets for
internal imperfections such as voids and inclusions and to provide detailed analysis results with
information on each individual defect as well as overall statistical information. A defect analysis
report will be generated, containing information like position, size, surface, and volume of each
individual defect.
The defect analysis procedure consists of two steps:
a) Each voxel is checked whether it might be part of a defect or not. Groups of connected
defect candidates are created.
b) Each group of defect candidates is checked whether it matches the parameters specified
by the user.
The following algorithms are provided:
 VGEasyPore:
This algorithm is easy to parametrize and immediately shows a preview of the expected
results. This approach identifies voxels as defects based on the actual local gray value of
the material in relation to a specified local contrast threshold.
 VGDefX/Only threshold:
– VGDefX: This is the most sophisticated algorithm available. It allows for gray value
variations, includes noise reduction for seed point location, and can detect defects
which are connected to the surrounding air. It offers several probability criteria
according to which the defects will be detected.
– Only threshold: With this algorithm, each group of defect candidates is considered a
defect if the gray value is below the specified threshold.
 From defect ROI:
With this algorithm, the defect analysis is based on a region of interest (ROI) which is
supposed to contain the defect candidates. The analysis parameters are applied to each
voxel group of the ROI. The ROI can be either defined manually, by importing an ROI
template, or via a defect mask.
 2.x compatibility:
– Default: This approach allows for gray value variations, thus also detecting defects,
e.g., in dark areas.
– Enhanced: This is a variation of the Default algorithm in a more fine-grained mode, thus
providing more sophisticated results but requiring more time.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:

POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE
29 OPENING THE DIALOG

OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new porosity/inclusion analysis,

 choose the Analysis > Create porosity/inclusion analysis menu item and select the required anal-
ysis type or
 click the corresponding icon in the icon bar.
In order to open an existing porosity/inclusion analysis for modifying or viewing its settings,
or
The Properties of Porosity/inclusion analysis dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify
the analysis parameters or view the results of the defect analysis.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
Calculate button Triggers execution of the analysis. This button is disabled if invalid
parameters are specified or if an analysis has been performed and
the parameters have not changed in the meantime.
TABLE 29-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
determination object. A valid determined surface is required to perform the
selected porosity/inclusion analysis mode (see section Surface deter-
mination... Menu Item on page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu).
Void max. value must be Default/Enhanced analysis modes: Define manually mode for defect
larger than background type Void: The Background gray value specified in the Material definition
value section is larger than the Void max. gray value. Specify a smaller Back-
ground value or a larger Void max. value.

STATUS DESCRIPTION
Void max. value must be VGDefX/Only Threshold analysis modes: Define manually mode for defect
larger type Void: The Void max. gray value specified in the Material definition
section is smaller than or equal to the minimum gray value in the
object. Specify a larger Void max. value.
Inclusion min. value must Define manually mode for defect type Inclusion: The Inclusion min. gray
be smaller value specified in the Material definition section is larger than or equal
to the maximum gray value in the object. Specify a smaller Inclusion
min. value.
Invalid deviation factor The selected Deviation factor is, e.g., too large, so that the resulting
Inclusion min. value is larger than or equal to the maximum gray value
in the object, or too small, so that the resulting Void max. value is
smaller than or equal to the minimum gray value in the object
(VGDefX/Only Threshold analysis modes) or the background gray value
(Default/Enhanced analysis modes), respectively.
Invalid interpolation factor The selected Interpolation factor is, e.g., too large, so that the resulting
Inclusion min. value is larger than or equal to the maximum gray value
in the object, too small, so that the resulting Void max. value is smaller
than or equal to the minimum gray value in the object (VGDefX/Only
Threshold analysis modes) or the background gray value
(Default/Enhanced analysis modes), respectively.
Select the background ROI Use sample ROIs mode: No ROI for defining the background gray value
has been selected.
Select the material ROI Use sample ROIs mode: No ROI for defining the material gray value has
been selected.
Gray value deviation of the Use sample ROIs mode combined with Deviation mode: The standard
selected material ROI must deviation of the gray values in the selected material ROI is zero.
not be zero Define a material ROI with more inhomogeneous gray values.
Selected material and Use sample ROIs mode combined with Interpolation mode: Use different
background ROI must not ROIs for material and background.
be the same
Mean gray value of mate- Use sample ROIs mode combined with Interpolation mode: Choose
rial ROI must be larger than appropriate ROIs for material and background.
mean gray value of back-
ground ROI
Size range: Max. value The specified Min. size value is larger than the Max. size value. Specify
must be larger than min. a smaller Min. size value or a larger Max. size value.
value
Select a reference object The Edge distance calculation option has been checked, but no refer-
for edge distance calcula- ence object has been selected.
tion
Select a wall thickness The Wall thickness analysis option has been checked, but no wall
analysis thickness analysis has been selected.

STATUS DESCRIPTION
Selected wall thickness No results are available in the selected wall thickness analysis.
analysis has no results
Compactness range: Max. The minimum value specified in the Compactness range fields is larger
value must be larger than than the maximum value. Specify a smaller minimum value or a
min. value larger maximum value.
Sphericity range: Max. The minimum value specified in the Sphericity range fields is larger
Edge distance range: Max. The minimum value specified in the Edge distance range fields is larger
Cut face range: Max. value The minimum value specified in the Cut face range fields is larger than
must be larger than min. the maximum value. Specify a smaller minimum value or a larger
value maximum value.
Select a defect ROI From defect ROI analysis mode: No defect ROI has been specified.
Manual changes to result Some voids/inclusions have been manually deleted. To recover all
voids/inclusions, the analysis has to be recalculated by clicking the
Calculate button.
License missing The add-on module is not licensed.

29 SETTINGS TAB FOR THE VGEASYPORE ALGORITHM
SETTINGS TAB FOR THE VGEASYPORE ALGORITHM
FIGURE 29-1: PROPERTIES OF POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS (VGEASYPORE) DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:

list.
Analysis parameters Section (VGEasyPore Algorithm)
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Contrast spin box Specifies the local contrast threshold. Every voxel with
a local contrast larger than the contrast threshold is
considered as part of a defect if the surrounding voxels
in the search area are brighter than this voxel.
Estimate button Automatically detects the contrast based on the gray

value histogram and enters the value into the Contrast
spin box, where it can be adapted manually.
Local area size [vox] spin box Specifies the diameter of the search area around the
seed voxel for determining the contrast.
Analysis area drop-down list Specifies the area of the selected volume/ROI on which
the VGEasyPore algorithm will be performed. The analysis
area is based on the surface determination of the
volume.
This option does not change the actual surface deter-
mination. This is an internal representation used for
defect analysis only.
• From surface (as seen): Uses the area within the orig-
inal surface determination.
• Internal cleaning, small: Also includes small defects
that are separated by the determined surface from
the material.
• Internal cleaning, all: Also includes larger defects that
are separated by the determined surface from the
material. This will use the outermost parts of the
determined surface only for defect analysis.
• Overall closing: Also includes defects that are sepa-
rated by the determined surface from the material.
This is achieved by performing a closing with the
specified number of voxels.
When you specify a number of voxels after having
selected Internal cleaning, small or Internal cleaning, all,
Overall closing is done additionally.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Surface distance [vox] spin box Restrains the defect growing to the analysis area. To
avoid detecting ‘false’ defects along the surface due to
the partial volume effect, you can reduce the area by
the selected number of voxels.
Preview checkbox When this option is checked, a preview of the defects

is displayed. The preview is calculated using the spec-
ified contrast, local area size, and surface distance.
TABLE 29-4: CONTROLS IN THE ANALYSIS PARAMETERS SECTION
Edge distance calculation Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Edge distance calculation checkbox When this option is checked, the distance of each
defect to the object selected in the Reference field is
calculated. The edge distance is calculated relative to
the nearest surface of the reference object. If you use a
surface determination as reference, make sure it does
not include areas within the material, e.g. defects.
Reference drop-down list Specifies the object to which the edge distance calcu-
lation refers.
with components in the Reference field. Clicking it opens
a dialog box where you can specify the components to
be used as reference for the edge distance calculation:
nents.
model.
CAD model.
TABLE 29-5: CONTROLS IN THE EDGE DISTANCE CALCULATION SECTION
Wall thickness analysis Section
When the Wall thickness analysis checkbox is checked, the Wall thickness analysis drop-down list
becomes enabled where you can select the wall thickness analysis to be used for combined
analysis. The detected defects will then not only be analyzed with respect to their size but also
with respect to their relative size referring to the smallest local wall thickness.
Performing a wall thickness analysis may require additional licensing. Contact Volume Graphics
for details.

Porosity calculation Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Porosity calculation checkbox When this option is checked, the corresponding

controls for calculating areas of particularly high
porosity become enabled.
voxels) of the area considered for calculating the ratio
of pore voxels to material voxels.
Hot spot threshold [<ratio unit>] spin Specifies a threshold to be applied to the porosity of
box the analyzed areas. The areas where the field value is
larger than the threshold are regarded as hot spots.
TABLE 29-6: CONTROLS IN THE POROSITY CALCULATION SECTION
results of the porosity/inclusion analysis for each mesh cell.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Analysis Menu.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
corresponding tolerance settings.
Defect volume ratio [<ratio unit>] field Specifies the maximum permissible ratio between the
total defect volume and the total material volume.
Defect volume [<length unit>³] field Specifies the maximum permissible total volume of all
defects.
Cut surface [<length unit>²] field Specifies the maximum permissible surface area where
the defect intersects the surface of the object selected
in the Reference field of the Edge distance calculation
section.
Max. edge distance (cut) [<length unit>] For a defect classified as Cut: Specifies the maximum
field permissible maximum distance between the surface of
the defect and the surface of the object selected in the
Reference field of the Edge distance calculation section.
Min. edge distance (inside) [<length For a defect classified as Inside: Specifies the minimum
unit>] field permissible minimum distance between the surface of
Min. edge distance (outside) [<length For a defect classified as Outside: Specifies the
unit>] field minimum permissible minimum distance between the
surface of the defect and the surface of the object
selected in the Reference field of the Edge distance calcu-
lation section.
Diameter [<length unit>] field Specifies the maximum permissible diameter of a

defect.
Volume [<length unit>³] field Specifies the maximum permissible volume of an indi-
vidual defect.
Projected area (yz-plane)/(xz-plane)/ (xy- Specifies the maximum permissible projected surface
plane) [<length unit>²] fields of a defect.
 Green: The tolerance is met.
 Red: The tolerance is not met.

Filter result Section
When the Filter result checkbox is checked, only defects that meet the specified filter criteria will
be included in the results, e.g., defect list and statistics.
 General filters section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Probability threshold spin box All potential defect areas passing the size check will
be further processed by several analysis stages.
These stages try to differentiate between real
defects and artifacts by utilizing sophisticated
image processing algorithms. Each detected
defect is tagged with a value indicating the proba-
bility that it is a real defect.
Specify the Probability threshold such that only
defects with a probability above the threshold will
be included in the list.
Start with a Probability threshold of zero if you run the
defect detection on a new data set for the first time
to make sure you do not filter real defects from the
list. There is no absolute value for the threshold
applicable to all data sets.
The following figure shows two defects with
different probabilities, where the defect on the left-
hand side has a ten times higher probability than
the defect on the right-hand side:
FIGURE 29-2: PROBABILITY THRESHOLD
Min. size spin boxes Specifies the minimum defect size. Depending on
the selection in the drop-down field, this parameter
refers to the volume, radius, or diameter of a defect.
Due to the nature of CT data, the value for Min. size
should be no less than 8 voxels edge lengths (i.e.,
an area of 2x2x2 voxels). Increase the value for
decreasing data quality.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Max. size spin boxes Specifies the maximum defect size. Depending on
When specifying the Max. size of the defect,
consider that longish cracks have a rather large
volume and that an accumulation of nearby very
small defects might be interpreted as one large
defect. Specify the Max. size rather generously.
Compactness range spin boxes Specifies the range for the compactness of the
defect, i.e., the ratio between the volume of the
defect and the volume of the circumscribed sphere.
Sphericity range spin boxes Specifies the range for the sphericity of the defect,
i.e.,the ratio between the surface of a sphere with
the same volume as the defect and the surface of
the defect.
TABLE 29-9: CONTROLS IN THE GENERAL FILTERS SECTION
 Edge distance filters section

Enabled only if the Edge distance calculation option is checked.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Classification drop-down list Specifies the position of the defect relative to the
object selected in the Reference field of the Edge
distance calculation section: All, Cut, Inside, Outside, Not
cut, Not inside, or Not outside.
Edge distance range [<length unit>] Specifies the range for the distance between the
spin boxes surface of the defect and the surface of the object
selected in the Reference field of the Edge distance
calculation section.
Cut face range [<length unit>²] spin Specifies the range for the surface area where the
boxes defect intersects the surface of the object selected
section.
TABLE 29-10: CONTROLS IN THE EDGE DISTANCE FILTERS SECTION
Ignore defects caused by CT artifacts Section
Ring artifacts may appear within (industrial) CT data as dark circles or arcs. The pixel in the
rotation center may also appear as a dark area. Depending on the selected mode, the circular

structures around the specified center and/or the center itself will be considered ring artifacts
and/or center artifacts, respectively, and will not be included in the defect list.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop-down list • Do not ignore artifacts: If present, center and ring arti-
facts are possibly interpreted as defects.
• Center artifacts: The center pixel is interpreted as arti-
fact and not as defect.
• Ring artifacts: Circular structures are interpreted as
artifacts and not as defects.
• Center and ring artifacts: Both the center pixel and
circular structures are interpreted as artifacts and
not as defects.
Important:
• If Ring artifacts or Center and ring artifacts is activated, a
real defect connected to a ring artifact will not be
detected. Apart from that, a real defect with the
shape of a circle (or a part of a circle) will not be
detected if the center of this circle is the selected
rotation center.
• If Center artifacts or Center and ring artifacts is activated,
a real defect connected to a center artifact will not
be detected. Apart from that, a real defect with a
point-like shape will not be detected if it is posi-
tioned in the selected rotation center.
Define button Opens a dialog which prompts you to specify the area
of the artifact by clicking a ring artifact and dragging the
mouse pointer until the center cross-hairs coincide with
the center of the ring artifact. The cross-hairs are
shown as long as you keep the mouse button pressed,
i.e., when you release the mouse button, the selected
area will not be visibly marked.
Center X/Y/Z [<length unit>] spin boxes Indicate the position of the rotation center of the spec-
ified artifact area.
Plane normal X/Y/Z spin boxes Indicate the plane normal of the specified artifact area.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Check neighborhood checkbox When this option is checked, the defect detection algo-
rithm compares the potential defect with its local neigh-
borhood. If the appearance of a potential defect is very
similar to the surrounding structure, its probability will
be reduced. This option is useful to reduce the number
of erroneously detected artifacts.
The following figure illustrates the effect of this option:
The image on the left-hand side has been obtained
without, the one on the right-hand side with neighbor-
hood check.
FIGURE 29-3: CHECK NEIGHBORHOOD
Ignore streak artifacts checkbox Beam artifacts may appear within (industrial) CT data
as linear dark streaks. When this option is checked,
these structures are detected and assigned with a low
defect probability value.
The following figure shows an example of beam arti-
facts:
FIGURE 29-4: BEAM ARTIFACTS
A real defect might not be detected when Ignore streak

artifacts is activated if it is connected to and/or fits into
the shape of a beam artifact. A beam artifact might not
be removed by the ignore streak artifacts algorithm in
cases where a beam artifact is connected to another
defect such that the total shape of both is no longer a
straight line-like structure.

TABLE 29-11: CONTROLS IN THE IGNORE DEFECTS CAUSED BY CT ARTIFACTS SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
become enabled.
Direction fields Specify the direction in which the porosity is to be

analyzed. The specified vector is normalized to unit
length before taken into account in the calculation.

Active column Section
This drop-down list allows to select the property of the defect that is to be shown according to
the settings on the Color tab.
When you select a defect property, e.g., Surface from the Active column drop-down list, the
defects are color-coded according to their surface area as defined by the color lookup table and
the colors specified in the Sections section of the Colors tab. In the defect list on the Defects tab,
the column of the selected property becomes the so-called active column and its values are
highlighted in bold and italic font.
When you select Uncoded from the Active column drop-down list, all defects are shown in the same
color, independently of their properties such as radius, volume, etc. The color can be specified
in the Uncoded defect color field of the Other colors section on the Colors tab.
The property selected in the Active column drop-down list will be added to the information
provided in the annotation labels.
You can also select the active column on the Defects tab by right-clicking the column and
choosing the Set as active column item from the context menu.

29 SETTINGS TAB FOR THE VGDEFX/ONLY THRESHOLD ALGORITHMS
SETTINGS TAB FOR THE VGDEFX/ONLY THRESHOLD ALGORITHMS
FIGURE 29-5: PROPERTIES OF POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS (VGDEFX/ONLY THRESHOLD) DIALOG, SETTINGS

TAB


used:
list.
Algorithm Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Algorithm drop-down • VGDefX: This is the most sophisticated algorithm available. It

list allows for gray value variations, includes noise reduction for seed
point location, and can detect defects which are connected to
the surrounding air. It offers several probability criteria according
to which the defects will be detected.
• Only Threshold: With this algorithm, each group of defect candi-
dates is considered a defect if the gray value is below the spec-
ified threshold.
TABLE 29-14: CONTROLS IN THE ALGORITHM SECTION
Analysis mode Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Analysis mode drop- • Void: Detects voxels with gray values lower than those of the
down list surrounding material.
• Inclusion: Detects voxels with gray values higher than those of the
surrounding material.
TABLE 29-15: CONTROLS IN THE ANALYSIS MODE SECTION

 Define manually mode

Allows to specify the material gray value either by using the corresponding spin box or by
selecting a sample area. This mode is recommended for multi-material objects and/or
images with an average or above-average noise level as it allows to select the sample area
specifically with regard to defects.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Void max. spin box For analysis mode Void:

Specifies the maximum gray value of the seed
voxels for void candidates. Starting from these
seed voxels, the void candidates are determined in
an iterative manner.
Inclusion min. spin box For analysis mode Inclusion:

Specifies the minimum gray value of the seed
voxels for inclusion candidates. Starting from these
seed voxels, the inclusion candidates are deter-
mined in an iterative manner.
button Allows to specify the Void max. or Inclusion min. gray

value, respectively, by selecting sample areas. This
procedure is similar to a surface determination, but
does not (re-)determine the object surface.
Show analysis area checkbox VGDefX algorithm only.

Check this option to display a preview of the area
searched for defects. The preview is calculated
using the Void max, Analysis area, and Surface sealing
parameters.
Color of analysis area field VGDefX algorithm only.

Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can set the color for the preview
of the area searched for defects.
Preview checkbox Only threshold algorithm only.

Check this option to display a preview of the
defects. The preview is calculated using the Void
max. or Inclusion min. parameters, respectively.
Preview color field Only threshold algorithm only.

of the defects.
TABLE 29-16: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION IN DEFINE MANUALLY MODE
 Use determined surface mode

Automatically sets the Void max. (for analysis mode Void) or the Inclusion min. gray value (for
analysis mode Inclusion) on the basis of the surface determination of the object and the

selected Auto threshold mode settings. This mode is recommended for single material
objects and images with a very low noise level.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Auto threshold mode drop-down list Allows to dynamically adapt the gray value for Void
max. or Inclusion min., e.g., in the context of automa-
tion.
• Deviation: Adds the standard deviation, multi-
plied by the Deviation factor, to the material peak
of the gray value distribution to obtain the Void
max. or Inclusion min. value, respectively.
• Interpolation: Adds the difference (interpolation)
between the background and material peaks of
the gray value distribution, multiplied by the
Interpolation factor, to the background peak value
to obtain the Void max. or Inclusion min. value,
respectively.
Deviation/Interpolation factor spin • Deviation factor: Specifies a factor for the stan-
box dard deviation of the material peak of the gray
value distribution.
• Interpolation factor: Specifies a factor for the inter-
polation value between the background and
material peaks of the gray value distribution.
For further details, see the Auto threshold mode
option.
Void max. field For analysis mode Void:

Indicates the maximum gray value of the seed
• In Deviation mode, this value is calculated from
the material gray value of the surface determina-
tion and the Deviation settings:
Void max. = meanmaterial + standard
deviationmaterial * Deviation factor
• In Interpolation mode, this value is calculated
from the background and material gray values of
the surface determination and the Interpolation
settings:
Void max. = meanbackground + (meanmaterial –
meanbackground) * Interpolation factor

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Inclusion min. field For analysis mode Inclusion:

Indicates the minimum gray value of the seed
Inclusion min. = meanmaterial + standard
settings:
Inclusion min. = meanbackground + (meanmaterial –

parameters.



of the defects.
TABLE 29-17: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION IN USE DETERMINED SURFACE MODE
 Use sample ROIs mode

Automatically sets the Void max. (for analysis mode Void) or the Inclusion min. gray value (for
analysis mode Inclusion) on the basis of the mean gray values of selected regions of interest
(ROI) and the selected Auto threshold mode settings.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Background ROI drop-down list Interpolation mode only: The mean gray value of the
selected ROI is used as basis for calculating the
Void max. value or Inclusion min. value, respectively.
Material ROI drop-down list The mean gray value of the selected ROI is used as
basis for calculating the Void max. value or Inclusion
min. value, respectively.
tion.
respectively.
value distribution.
option.

the selected Material ROI and the Deviation
settings:
from the selected Background ROI and Material ROI
and the Interpolation settings:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

settings:

parameters.



of the defects.
TABLE 29-18: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION IN USE SAMPLE ROIS MODE

Analysis parameters Section (VGDefX Algorithm)
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Noise reduction drop-down list Specifies a noise reduction mode to filter the data when
looking for seed points. Several (adaptive) Gauss filters
(Low, Low adaptive, Medium, Medium adaptive, High, High
adaptive) as well as Median filtering are available.
In contrast to the filter algorithms available in the Filter
menu (see chapter 8 Filter Menu on page 234), the raw
data is not modified.
This option influences the seed point location only. All
other calculations during defect analysis are done on
the original raw data.
Probability criterion drop-down list Specifies the criterion according to which the defects
will be grown and their probability calculated. Available
predefined criteria are General, General (v2.2.2 and earlier),
Size, Pore, and Contrast. You can also define a custom
probability criterion using the Custom (expert mode)
option, see section Probability factors Section on
page 516.
The probability criterion General has been optimized for
VGSTUDIO MAX version 2.2.3. To ensure comparability
of your results to those calculated in VGSTUDIO MAX
versions 2.2.2 or earlier, select the compatibility mode
General (v2.2.2 and earlier) instead.
Analysis area drop-down list Specifies the area of the selected volume/ROI on which
the VGDefX algorithm will be performed. The analysis
area is based on the surface determination of the
volume.
This option does not change the actual surface deter-
mination. This is an internal representation used for
defect analysis only.
• From surface (as seen): Uses the area within the orig-
inal surface determination.
• Internal cleaning, small: Also includes small defects
that are separated by the determined surface from
the material.
• Internal cleaning, all: Also includes larger defects that
are separated by the determined surface from the
material. This will use the outermost parts of the
determined surface only for defect analysis.
• Overall closing: Also includes defects that are sepa-
rated by the determined surface from the material.
This is achieved by performing a closing with the
specified number of voxels.
When you specify a number of voxels after having
selected Internal cleaning, small or Internal cleaning, all,
Overall closing is done additionally.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Surface sealing • Off: Restrains the defect growing according to the

Material definition parameters and Probability criterion.
• On: Restrains the defect growing to the analysis
area. To avoid detecting ‘false’ defects along the
surface due to the partial volume effect, you can
reduce the area by the selected number of voxels.
TABLE 29-19: CONTROLS IN THE ANALYSIS PARAMETERS SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
lation refers.
nents.
model.
CAD model.
for details.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Analysis Menu.

Probability factors Section
Available when the Probability criterion in the Analysis parameters section is set to Custom (expert
mode). Allows to specify a weight for each probability factor you want to use for the probability
calculation. You can assign both positive and negative values.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
defects.
section.
lation section.

defect.
vidual defect.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
the defect.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
section.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
not as defects.
Important:
rotation center.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hood check.
facts:


CONTROL DESCRIPTION
become enabled.



29 SETTINGS TAB FOR THE FROM DEFECT ROI ALGORITHM
SETTINGS TAB FOR THE FROM DEFECT ROI ALGORITHM
FIGURE 29-9: PROPERTIES OF POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS (FROM DEFECT ROI) DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:

list.
Custom defect mask Section
The Custom defect mask drop-down list specifies the defect mask defining the voxels which are
part of defects and those which are not.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
lation refers.
nents.
model.
CAD model.

for details.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

CONTROL DESCRIPTION



Analysis Menu.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
defects.
section.
lation section.

defect.
vidual defect.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
the defect.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
section.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
not as defects.
Important:
rotation center.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hood check.
facts:


CONTROL DESCRIPTION
become enabled.



29 SETTINGS TAB FOR THE 2.X COMPATIBILITY ALGORITHMS
SETTINGS TAB FOR THE 2.X COMPATIBILITY ALGORITHMS
FIGURE 29-13: PROPERTIES OF POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS (2.X COMPATIBILITY) DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:
list.

Algorithm Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Algorithm drop-down • Default: This approach allows for gray value variations, thus also
list detecting defects, e.g., in dark areas.
• Enhanced: This is a variation of the Default algorithm in a more fine-
grained mode, thus providing more sophisticated results but
requiring more time.
TABLE 29-38: CONTROLS IN THE ALGORITHM SECTION
Analysis mode Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Analysis mode drop- • Void: Detects voxels with gray values lower than those of the
down list surrounding material.
• Inclusion: Detects voxels with gray values higher than those of the
surrounding material.
TABLE 29-39: CONTROLS IN THE ANALYSIS MODE SECTION
 Define manually mode

Allows to specify the background and material gray values either by using the corre-
sponding spin boxes or by selecting sample areas. This mode is recommended for multi-
material objects and/or images with an average or above-average noise level as it allows
to select the sample areas specifically with regard to defects.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Void max. spin box For analysis mode Void:

Specifies the maximum gray value of the seed

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Background spin box For analysis mode Void:

voxels for void candidates. Along with the Void max.
value, this value defines the gray value range for the
seed voxels used for iteratively determining the
void candidates. Changing this value has less
significance than changing Void max. or Runs.

button Allows to specify the Void max. and Background gray

values or Inclusion min. gray value, respectively, by
selecting sample areas. This procedure is similar to
a surface determination, but does not (re-)deter-
mine the object surface.
Runs Specifies the number of iterations for determining

and flooding a potential defect. High values will
lead to more reliable results at the cost of longer
processing time.
For Enhanced algorithm: Specifies the number of
iterations for identifying seed voxels. Flooding will
be executed until a precision of one gray value is
reached.
Preview checkbox Check this option to display a preview of the

Preview color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
of the defects.
TABLE 29-40: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION IN DEFINE MANUALLY MODE
 Use determined surface mode

Automatically sets the Void max. and Background gray values (for analysis mode Void) or the
Inclusion min. gray value (for analysis mode Inclusion) as well as the number of runs on the
basis of the surface determination of the object and the selected Auto threshold mode setting.
This mode is recommended for single material objects and images with a very low noise
level.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
tion.
respectively.
value distribution.
option.

settings:
Background field For analysis mode Void:

voxels for void candidates derived from the back-
ground gray value of the surface determination.
Along with the Void max. value, this value defines the
gray value range for the seed voxels used for itera-
tively determining the void candidates.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

settings:
Runs field For Default algorithm: Indicates the number of itera-

tions for determining and flooding a potential
defect. High values will lead to more reliable results
at the cost of longer processing time.
For Enhanced algorithm: Indicates the number of
reached.

of the defects.
TABLE 29-41: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION IN USE DETERMINED SURFACE MODE
 Use sample ROIs mode

Automatically sets the Void max. and Background gray values (for analysis mode Void) or the
Inclusion min. gray value (for analysis mode Inclusion) as well as the number of runs on the
basis of the mean gray values of selected regions of interest (ROI) and the selected Auto
threshold mode settings.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Background ROI drop-down list The mean gray value of the selected ROI is used as
basis for calculating the Background value.
Material ROI drop-down list The mean gray value of the selected ROI is used as
basis for calculating the Void max. value or Inclusion
min. value, respectively.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
tion.
respectively.
value distribution.
option.

settings:
Background field For analysis mode Void:

voxels for void candidates derived from the
selected ROIs. Along with the Void max. value, this
value defines the gray value range for the seed
voxels used for iteratively determining the void
candidates.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

settings:
Runs field For Default algorithm: Indicates the number of itera-

tions for determining and flooding a potential
defect. High values will lead to more reliable results
at the cost of longer processing time.
For Enhanced algorithm: Indicates the number of
reached.

of the defects.
TABLE 29-42: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION IN USE SAMPLE ROIS MODE
Size range Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Min. size spin box Specifies the minimum defect size.

should be no less than 8 voxels edge lengths (i.e., an
area of 2x2x2 voxels). Increase the value for decreasing
data quality.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Max. size spin box Specifies the maximum defect size.

When specifying the Max. size of the defect, consider
that longish cracks have a rather large volume and that
an accumulation of nearby very small defects might be
interpreted as one large defect. Specify the Max. size
rather generously.
TABLE 29-43: CONTROLS IN THE SIZE RANGE SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
lation refers.
nents.
model.
CAD model.
for details.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
defects.
section.
lation section.

defect.
vidual defect.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
the defect.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION
section.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
not as defects.
Important:
rotation center.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hood check.
facts:


29 COLORS/POROSITY COLORS TAB
COLORS/POROSITY COLORS TAB
results.
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Sections Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Options Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Display mode drop-down field Specifies the visual representation of the analysis
results. The following modes are available:
• Constant: Every defect is fully opaque independently
of its gray value.
• Ramp: The lower the gray value of the respective
defect, the lower its opacity value. The higher the
gray value of the respective defect, the higher its
opacity value. Available only if the volume data of
the object are loaded.
• Inverse ramp: The lower the gray value of the respec-
tive defect, the higher its opacity value. The higher
the gray value of the respective defect, the lower its
opacity value. Available only if the volume data of
the object are loaded.
Other Colors Section
Only available when Uncoded is selected in the Active column field on the Settings tab. Double-
clicking the Uncoded defect color field opens the Select Color dialog where you can set the color for
the detected defects. All defects will be shown in this color.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
analyses.

29 DEFECTS TAB

used:
• default preset
list.
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
DEFECTS TAB
Lists all defects detected by the defect analysis.

The Defects table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Probability Indicates the probability that the anomaly is a defect.

29 DEFECTS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Radius [<length unit>] Indicates the radius of the circumscribed sphere of the
defect.
Diameter [<length unit>] Indicates the diameter of the circumscribed sphere of

the defect.
Center x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the center position of the circumscribed
sphere of the defect.
Volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of the defect.
Voxel Indicates the number of voxels the defect consists of.
Surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the defect.
Classification Indicates the position of the defect relative to the object

lation section: Cut, Inside, or Outside.
Gap [<length unit>] Indicates the minimum distance between the surfaces
of the circumscribed spheres of two defects.
Compactness [%] A measure for the ratio between the volume of the
Sphericity [%] A measure for the ratio between the surface of a sphere
with the same volume as the defect and the surface of
the defect.
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Analysis mode Voids: Indicates the position of the
darkest voxel of the defect.
Analysis mode Inclusions: Indicates the position of the
brightest voxel of the defect.

29 DEFECTS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Projected size x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the size of the bounding box surrounding the
defect in the scene coordinate system.
See the following figure for an illustration:
FIGURE 29-17: PROJECTED SIZE
PCA deviation 1/2/3 [<length unit>] Indicate the standard deviations along each of the three
mutually orthogonal axes calculated from a Principal
Component Analysis (PCA), with PCA deviation 1 corre-
sponding to the standard deviation along the most
pronounced axis of the defect. The standard deviations
are the square root of the eigenvalues.
PCA max. deviation ratio [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between PCA deviation 1 and the
radius of the circumscribed sphere of the defect.
PCA min. deviation ratio [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between PCA deviation 3 and the
Min. gray value Indicates the minimum gray value within the defect.
Max. gray value Indicates the maximum gray value within the defect.
Mean gray value Indicates the mean gray value within the defect.
Deviation of gray values Indicates the standard deviation of the gray values
within the defect.
Label Indicates the consecutive number of the defect.
Min. thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the minimum wall thickness covered by the
defect.
Max. thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the maximum wall thickness covered by the
defect.

29 DEFECTS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Mean thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the mean wall thickness covered by the
defect.
Relative diameter Indicates a measure for the diameter of the circum-

scribed sphere of the defect with respect to the
minimum wall thickness covered by the defect.
Cut surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area where the defect intersects
the surface of the object selected in the Reference field
of the Edge distance calculation section.
Min. edge distance (inside) [<length For a defect classified as Inside: Indicates the smallest
unit>] distance between the surface of the defect and the
surface of the object selected in the Reference field of
the Edge distance calculation section.
Min. edge distance (outside) [<length For a defect classified as Outside: Indicates the smallest
unit>] distance between the surface of the defect and the
Max. edge distance (cut) [<length unit>] For a defect classified as Cut: Indicates the largest
distance between the surface of the defect and the
Projected area (yz-plane)/(xz-plane)/ (xy- Indicates the surface area of the defect shape
plane) [<length unit>²] projected along each of the axes of the scene coordi-
nate system.
FIGURE 29-18: PROJECTED AREA
Description Allows to enter a description for the component used

for reporting.

29 STATISTICS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

views.
position of the defect. The zoom factor of the image is

Tolerance status Indicates the tolerance status of the defect depending

on the tolerances specified for the defects in the Toler-
ance settings section of the Settings tab: Valid (green), Out
of tolerance (red), or No tolerance (gray).
TABLE 29-55: COLUMNS OF THE DEFECTS TABLE
If a column shows a parameter for which a tolerance has been specified (see section Tolerance
settings Section on page 500), each entry is evaluated separately according to the specified
tolerance and highlighted in the following colors:
STATISTICS TAB
Shows a histogram of the defect distribution in the selected object (number vs the property
selected in the Active column field). The histogram bars are colored according to the settings on
the Colors tab.
Controls of the Statistics Tab
 Options section

29 STATISTICS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
gray.
histogram.

the histogram.

TABLE 29-56: CONTROLS OF THE STATISTICS TAB, OPTIONS SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

29 STATISTICS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Left: Indicates the minimum value of the param-
eter selected in the Active column field of the
Settings tab within the interval, i.e., the left
interval border.
• Right: Indicates the maximum value of the
parameter selected in the Active column field of
the Settings tab within the interval, i.e., the right
interval border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the parameter
selected in the Active column field of the Settings
tab within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the
values of the parameter selected in the Active
column field of the Settings tab within the interval.
• Sum: Indicates the number of defects within the
interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of the
the Settings tab within the interval.
section.
TABLE 29-57: CONTROLS OF THE STATISTICS TAB, INTERVALS SECTION
 Voids/Inclusions section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Ʃ Voxel Indicates the total number of voxels in all

voids/inclusions.
Ʃ Volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the total volume of all voids/inclusions.
Ʃ Surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the total surface of all voids/inclusions.
Ʃ PX/PY/PZ [<length unit>²] Indicates the total surface of all projected

voids/inclusions. The projection of the defects
refers to the scene coordinate system.
TABLE 29-58: CONTROLS OF THE STATISTICS TAB, VOIDS/INCLUSIONS SECTION
 Material section

29 STATISTICS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Material volume [<length unit>³] field Indicates the volume enclosed by the determined
surface minus the volume of the voids/inclusions
inside this volume.
Defect volume [<length unit>³] field Indicates the total volume of all voids/inclusions.
Defect volume ratio [<ratio unit>] Indicates the total volume of all voids/inclusions in
field relation to Material volume plus Defect volume.
TABLE 29-59: CONTROLS OF THE STATISTICS TAB, MATERIAL SECTION
Some defects may cover a region that includes a determined surface (see figure below). If you
remove such a defect from the defect table, the decrease in defect volume and the increase in
material volume will not correspond to each other. While the complete defect volume will be
subtracted from Defect volume, only the volume of the defect which lies within the determined
surface will be added to Material volume.
FIGURE 29-19: LEFT: INITIAL SITUATION; RIGHT: DEFECT REMOVED
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
up/down

axis

axis

29 FEATURE PLOT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
TABLE 29-60: GENERAL CONTROLS OF THE STATISTICS TAB
Context Menu of the Statistics Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis.
tion, see section Controls of the Statistics Tab on page 551.
FEATURE PLOT TAB
Allows to plot a defect property, e.g., the compactness, versus another property, e.g., the
diameter. This allows to draw certain conclusions about the characteristics of the defects in the
scanned object.
Controls of the Feature plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Ordinate feature drop-down list Specifies the property to be shown on the y-axis of the
plot.
Abscissa feature drop-down list Specifies the property to be shown on the x-axis of the
plot.
up/down

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis

axis
TABLE 29-62: CONTROLS OF THE FEATURE PLOT TAB
Context Menu of the Feature plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis.
This curve shows how the porosity changes with respect to the direction specified in the
Direction field on the Settings tab. You can use the Directional variability curve to answer questions
like “How high is the porosity at a specific slice position?”.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
values at the specified location.
use LMB to click and drag the Indicates the function values at the specified location
vertical line in the histogram and updates the slice views accordingly. Hold the Ctrl
key while left-clicking in the chart area to display the
vertical line in case you dragged it out of the chart area.

29 POROSITY STATISTICS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 29-64: CONTROLS OF THE DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY TAB
POROSITY STATISTICS TAB
Shows a histogram of the calculated porosity for the entire analyzed object (number of voxels vs
the percentage of the porosity). The histogram bars are colored according to the settings on the
Porosity colors tab. You can use the Porosity statistics tab to answer questions like “How many
voxels have a porosity of 4%?”.
Controls of the Porosity statistics Tab
 Options section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
gray.
histogram.

the histogram.

29 POROSITY STATISTICS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 29-65: CONTROLS OF THE POROSITY STATISTICS TAB, OPTIONS SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Left: Indicates the minimum value of the param-
eter selected in the Active column field of the
Settings tab within the interval, i.e., the left
interval border.
• Right: Indicates the maximum value of the
the Settings tab within the interval, i.e., the right
interval border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the parameter
selected in the Active column field of the Settings
tab within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the
values of the parameter selected in the Active
column field of the Settings tab within the interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of the
the Settings tab within the interval.
section.
TABLE 29-66: CONTROLS OF THE POROSITY STATISTICS TAB, INTERVALS SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
up/down

29 HOT SPOTS OF POROSITY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis

axis
TABLE 29-67: GENERAL CONTROLS OF THE POROSITY STATISTICS TAB
Context Menu of the Porosity statistics Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis.
tion, see section Controls of the Statistics Tab on page 551.
HOT SPOTS OF POROSITY TAB
Displays the hot spots resulting from the porosity calculation.
The Hot spots of porosity tab is available only if the Porosity calculation option has been checked on
the Settings tab.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Position x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x, y and z position of the hot spot.
Surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the hot spot.
Mean porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the mean porosity value of the hot spot.

29 MESH CELLS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Porosity deviation [<ratio unit>] Indicates the standard deviation of the porosity value of
the hot spot.
Maximum porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the maximum porosity within the hot spot.
reporting.

views.

shots section.
TABLE 29-69: COLUMNS OF THE HOT SPOTS OF POROSITY LIST
MESH CELLS TAB
Displays the results of the porosity/inclusion analysis for each cell of the integration mesh.
The Mesh cells tab is available only if an integration mesh has been specified in the Integration mesh
You can export the results from the Mesh cells tab and use them for comparing real part properties
with simulations of manufacturing processes or improving FE simulations for testing the stability,
e.g., of injection-molded parts.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION


29 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x, y and z position of the mesh cell.
Porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the porosity within the mesh cell.

reporting.

views.

shots section.
ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected defect analysis. You can view the information
supplied by the annotations or edit the annotation properties.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

29 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Probability Indicates the probability that the anomaly is a defect.
Volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of the defect at the current anno-
tation position.
Radius [<length unit>] Indicates the radius of the circumscribed sphere of the
defect.
Diameter [<length unit>] Indicates the diameter of the circumscribed sphere of

the defect.
Classification Indicates the position of the defect relative to the object

lation section: Inside, Outside, or Cut.
Edge distance (inside) [<length unit>] For a defect classified as Inside: Indicates the smallest
Edge distance (outside) [<length unit>] For a defect classified as Outside: Indicates the smallest
Edge distance (cut) [<length unit>] For a defect classified as Cut: Indicates the largest
Cut surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area where the defect intersects
the surface of the object selected in the Reference field
of the Edge distance calculation section.
Gap [<length unit>] Indicates the minimum distance between the surfaces
of the circumscribed spheres of two defects.

29 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Projected area x/y/z [<length unit>²] The surface area of the defect shape projected along
each of the axes of the scene coordinate system.
defect in the scene coordinate system.
Surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the defect.
Compactness [%] Indicates the ratio between the volume of the defect
and the volume of the circumscribed sphere.
Sphericity [%] Indicates the ratio between the surface of a sphere with
the same volume as the defect and the surface of the
defect.
Min. gray value Indicates the minimum gray value within the defect.

29 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Max. gray value Indicates the maximum gray value within the defect.
Mean gray value Indicates the mean gray value within the defect.
Deviation of gray values Indicates the standard deviation of the gray values
within the defect.
pronounced axis of the defect. The standard deviations
PCA min. deviation ratio [<ratio unit>] A measure for the ratio between PCA deviation 3 and the
PCA max. deviation ratio [<ratio unit>] A measure for the ratio between PCA deviation 1 and the
Min. thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the minimum wall thickness within the defect.
Max. thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the maximum wall thickness within the
defect.
Mean thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the mean wall thickness within the defect.
Relative diameter [<ratio unit>] Indicates a measure for the diameter of the circum-
scribed sphere of the defect with respect to the
minimum wall thickness covered by the defect.
Porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the porosity in percent at the current annota-
tion position.
Nom. porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the nominal value for tolerancing the porosity
at the current annotation position.
Min. porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the minimum value for tolerancing the
porosity at the current annotation position.
Max. porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the maximum value for tolerancing the
porosity at the current annotation position.

reporting.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION

views.
position of the defect. The zoom factor of the image is

Tolerance status Indicates the tolerance status of the defect depending

on the tolerances specified for the defects in the Toler-
ance settings section of the Settings tab: Valid (green), Out
of tolerance (red), or No tolerance (gray).

report rule.
the user.
 List section
views:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

placeholder
TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

29 IMAGES TAB
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

RULES TAB

29 RULES TAB
 New button
 Delete button
 Edit button
Rule Dialog
 Rule section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

list erty.

29 RULES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
tion.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Report tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
be generated.
be generated.
tation label.
 Ok button
 Cancel button

29 REPORT TAB
REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.

29 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

29 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.

29 REPORT TAB


30 FOAM STRUCTURE ANALYSIS MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Foam Structure Analysis module of VGSTUDIO MAX allows the segmentation of CT data into
topologically disconnected components which can be visualized and statistically analyzed. A
significant case of application for this kind of analysis is the structural analysis of foams. As a
common feature, all foams exhibit a cellular structure realized by a solid or liquid medium which
embeds gas-filled cavities. These cavities typically occupy a large volume fraction of the foam
and may either be completely surrounded by material or—as in the case of open-cell foams—be
linked to adjacent cells. Another type of cellular structure which may also be targeted by the
foam structure analysis consists of typically densely packed objects of a solid material which
are immersed in a background medium like air. Real-world examples of these structures are fill
materials, loose sediments, or drill samples.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new foam structure analysis,

 choose the Analysis > Create foam structure analysis menu item or
In order to open an existing foam structure analysis for modifying or viewing its settings,
or
The Properties of Foam structure analysis dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify
the analysis parameters or view the results of the analysis.

FOAM STRUCTURE ANALYSIS MODULE
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
Calculate button Triggers execution of the analysis. This button is deactivated if an

analysis has been performed and the parameters have not changed
in the meantime.
TABLE 30-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF FOAM STRUCTURE ANALYSIS DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Select analysis direction Click the corresponding Choose button to specify the direction in
which the analysis is to be performed.
Object has no surface No surface determination information is available for the object. A
determination valid determined surface is required to perform a foam structure
analysis (see section Surface determination... Menu Item on page 119
in chapter 5 Object Menu).
The units of the dialog depend on the global unit settings, see section Unit Icon bar on page 35
in chapter 2 Workspace.

30 SETTINGS TAB
SETTINGS TAB
FIGURE 30-1: PROPERTIES OF FOAM STRUCTURE ANALYSIS DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:
list.

30 SETTINGS TAB
General Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Merge threshold spin box Specifies a tolerance for local fluctuations in the defini-
tion of material boundaries. This parameter is intended
to prevent over-segmentation of cells. A larger value
increases the likelihood for small segments to be joined
with an adjacent larger segment to form a larger cell.
For example, for a value of 100 % all cells will be
merged.
Precision drop-down list Specifies the resolution of the analysis:

• Standard: The analysis will be performed slower but
with a higher resolution.
• Fast: The analysis will be performed faster but with a
lower resolution.
Analysis direction fields Specify the direction in which the Directional variability of
the cell property specified in the Cell active column field is
to be analyzed. The specified vector is normalized to
unit length before taken into account in the calculation.

Analysis mode drop-down list • Material: The cellular structure to be analyzed is

composed of material, e.g., solid material like
grains.
• Background: The cellular structure to be analyzed is
composed of background, e.g., pores in a medium.
This is the default setting.
TABLE 30-4: CONTROLS OF THE GENERAL SECTION

30 SETTINGS TAB
Optional features Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Advanced cell features checkbox When this option is checked, the following features are
calculated:
• Surface
• PCA deviation ratios
• Sphericity
• Compactness
Intrinsic volumes checkbox When this option is checked, a number of integral

geometric and topological quantities derived from the
Minkowski functionals is calculated.
Strut thickness checkbox When this option is checked, the thicknesses of the
struts are calculated. The strut thickness is determined
by calculating the maximum inscribed sphere.
When analysis mode Background is selected, the strut
thickness is the thickness of the material between the
pores.
When analysis mode Material is selected, the strut thick-
ness is the thickness of the gaps (i.e., the background)
between the material.
Tip: In order to visualize the strut thickness for analysis
mode Material in the 3D window, set the transparency of
the object to, e.g., 50 % and check the Swap inner/outer
areas checkbox in the Rendering tool.
Faces checkbox When this option is checked, the topological boundary

between neighboring cells is calculated.
Exclude border cells checkbox When this option is checked, cells touching the
boundary of the data set or the selected ROI are
ignored. Otherwise these cells would lead to unex-
pected results in the statistics.
TABLE 30-5: CONTROLS OF THE OPTIONAL FEATURES SECTION
This drop-down list allows to select the property that is to be shown according to the settings
on the Cell/face colors tab. The default setting is Uncoded, i.e., all cells are shown in an arbitrary
color, independently of their values. The Cell/face colors tab is not active in this case. When you
select a cell property, e.g., Volume, from the Active column drop-down list, the cells are color-
coded according to their volume value as defined by the color lookup table and the colors
specified in the Sections section of the Cell/face colors tab. In the list on the Cells tab, the column of
the selected cell property becomes the so-called active column and its values are highlighted in
bold and italic font.

30 CELLS TAB
You can also select the active column on the Cells tab by right-clicking the column and choosing
the Set as active column item from the context menu.
Cell visualization Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list • Separated: Shows a divider between the individual

cells.
• Connected: Removes the divider between the indi-
vidual cells.
TABLE 30-6: CONTROLS OF THE CELL VISUALIZATION SECTION
CELLS TAB
Lists all cells detected by the foam structure analysis.

The Cells table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the position of the center of gravity of the cell.
Volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of the cell.
Surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the cell.
Mean gray value Indicates the mean gray value within the cell.
Voxel count Indicates the number of voxels the cell consists of.
Sphericity A measure for the ratio between the surface of a sphere

with the same volume as the cell and the surface of the
cell.
Compactness A measure for the ratio between the volume of the cell
and the volume of the circumscribed sphere.
PCA 1 x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicate the x, y, or z component, respectively, of the

most pronounced axis of the cell calculated from a
Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

30 CELLS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

medium axis of the cell calculated from a Principal
Component Analysis (PCA).

least pronounced axis of the cell calculated from a Prin-
cipal Component Analysis (PCA).
pronounced axis of the cell. The standard deviations
PCA min. deviation ratio [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between PCA deviation 3 and the
radius of the circumscribed sphere of the cell.
PCA max. deviation ratio [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between PCA deviation 1 and the
radius of the circumscribed sphere of the cell.
Projected area x/y/z [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the cell shape projected
along each of the axes of the scene coordinate system.

30 CELLS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
cell in the scene coordinate system.
Type • Connected: The cell contacts neighboring cells.

• Border: The cell is located at the border of the
analyzed region.
Description Allows to enter a description of the cell used for

reporting.

views.
settings specified on the Report tab. If Automatic is
selected from the Visibility drop-down list on the Report
tab, the cells are shown only. The 2D slice position used
for taking the image is determined by the position of the
cell. The zoom factor of the image is chosen such that
the entire parent volume is visible.

30 FACES TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

TABLE 30-7: COLUMNS OF THE CELLS TABLE
FACES TAB
Lists all faces—the contact areas between neighboring cells—detected by the foam structure
analysis.
This information is calculated only if the Faces option has been checked in the Optional features
The Faces table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the position of the center of gravity of the
face.
Normal x/y/z [length unit] Indicates the normal of the face.
Area [<length unit>²] Indicates the surface area of the face.
Description Allows to enter a description of the face used for

reporting.

views.
tab, the faces are shown only. The 2D slice position
used for taking the image is determined by the position
of the face. The zoom factor of the image is chosen
such that the entire parent volume is visible.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION

TABLE 30-8: COLUMNS OF THE FACES TABLE
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
rion.
Scene Tree.
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Menu.

items.


Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.

30 CELL FEATURE HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
coding.
selected option.
CELL FEATURE HISTOGRAM TAB
Shows the number of occurrences of the cell feature selected from the Cell active column drop-
down list on the Settings tab. The histogram bars can be colored according to the settings on the
Cell/face colors tab.
This histogram is available only if a feature has been selected from the Cell active column drop-
down list on the Settings tab.
Controls of the Cell feature histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Color drop-down field • From color bar: The values in the histogram are shown
according to the color bar.
• Gray: All values in the histogram are shown in gray.
Normalization drop-down field • Absolute: Displays the count of cells with the prop-
erty selected in the Cell active column field of the
Settings tab in absolute values.
• Relative: Displays the count of cells with the property
selected in the Cell active column field of the Settings
tab in relative values with respect to the total cell
count.

30 CELL FEATURE HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Binning drop-down field • Off: No binning is applied to the values shown in the
histogram.
• From color bar: The original values in the histogram
are replaced by a value representative for the corre-
sponding interval (“bin”) of the color bar. The “bins”
become visible when creating “stepped” sections
on the Cell/face colors tab.
Bins spin box Specifies the number of “bins” when Manual is selected
in the Binning field.
Moves the left or right interval border to the specified
value. You can also click and drag the interval borders
using the left mouse button.

On the right hand side of a selected interval, statistical
information is displayed:
• Left: Indicates the minimum deviation within the
• Right: Indicates the maximum deviation within the
interval, i.e., the right interval border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the deviations
within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the devia-
tions within the interval.
• Sum: Indicates the number of occurrences of the
selected cell feature within the interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of the surface
area within the interval.
Note that the statistical information may change with
the number of bins specified in the Bins field.
Min./Max./Mean [<unit>] fields Indicate the minimum, maximum, and mean values of
the selected cell feature.
Standard deviation [<unit>] field Indicates the standard deviation of the values of the
selected cell feature.
up/down

30 STRUT THICKNESS HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis

axis
TABLE 30-12: CONTROLS OF THE CELL FEATURE HISTOGRAM TAB
Context Menu of the Cell feature histogram Tab
Right-clicking the chart area displays a context menu with the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Show/Hide x/y grid Toggles the display of dashed indicator lines for the
respective axis.
Create interval Creates a new interval. For details on the statistical

information, see section Controls of the Cell feature histo-
gram Tab on page 590.
STRUT THICKNESS HISTOGRAM TAB
Shows the number of voxels of the struts for the calculated strut thicknesses. The histogram
bars can be colored according to the settings on the Strut thickness colors tab.
This histogram is available only if the Strut thickness option has been checked in the Optional features

30 STRUT THICKNESS HISTOGRAM TAB
Controls of the Strut thickness histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Normalization drop-down field • Absolute: Displays the number of voxels in absolute

values.
• Relative: Displays the number of voxels in relative
values with respect to the number of analyzed
voxels.
histogram.
on the Strut thickness colors tab.

• Sum: Indicates the number of voxels of the struts

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Min./Max./Mean [<unit>] fields Indicate the minimum, maximum, and mean strut thick-
ness.
Standard deviation [<unit>] field Indicates the standard deviation of the strut thickness.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 30-14: CONTROLS OF THE STRUT THICKNESS HISTOGRAM TAB
Context Menu of the Strut thickness histogram Tab
Right-clicking the chart area displays a context menu with the following options:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Show/Hide x/y grid Toggles the display of dashed indicator lines for the
respective axis.

information, see section Controls of the Strut thickness
histogram Tab on page 593.
This curve shows how the parameter selected in the Active column field changes with respect to
the direction specified in the Analysis direction field of the Settings tab. You can use the Directional
variability curve to answer questions like “How do the pore sizes decrease from the top to the

bottom of the foam?” The actual curve indicates the mean value of the parameter. The light gray
area around the curve indicates the standard deviation of the values of the parameter.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
values at the specified location.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 30-16: CONTROLS OF THE DIRECTIONAL VARIABILITY TAB
Context Menu
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

30 FEATURE PLOT TAB
FEATURE PLOT TAB
Allows to plot a cell property, e.g., the volume, versus another property, e.g., the PCA deviation.
This allows to draw certain conclusions about the characteristics of the cells in the scanned
object.
Controls of the Feature plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Ordinate feature drop-down list Specifies the property to be shown on the y-axis of the
plot.
Abscissa feature drop-down list Specifies the property to be shown on the x-axis of the
plot.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 30-18: CONTROLS OF THE FEATURE PLOT TAB
Context Menu of the Feature plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis.

30 INTRINSIC VOLUMES TAB
INTRINSIC VOLUMES TAB
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Euler characteristic In convex geometry, the Euler characteristic may be

defined as the unique valuation on the convex ring
which gives χ(Κ)=1 on every convex body K. It
contains information about the connectivity of the
analyzed structure and is related to its number of
disconnected components and the n-dimensional
holes contained therein. It is given by the alternating
sum χ=#(components)–#(tunnels)+#(cavities).
Integral over mean curvature [length unit] The mean curvature of a surface is a local property that
is defined as half of the sum of the two principal curva-
tures at a point on the surface H=½(ĸ1+ĸ2). It contains
information about how an embedded surface is twisted
inside the surrounding space, without regard to its
internal geometry. The integral mean curvature is
related to the mean width via
Total Gaussian curvature The Gaussian curvature is the product of both principal
curvatures K=ĸ1ĸ2 of the surface. In contrast to the
mean curvature, the Gaussian curvature depends on
the inner geometry of the surface only. It is connected
to the Euler characteristic via the Gauss-Bonnet
theorem
TABLE 30-20: FIELDS OF THE INTRINSIC VOLUMES TAB
CELL/FACE/STRUT THICKNESS COLORS TABS
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


30 CELL/FACE/STRUT THICKNESS COLORS TABS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Sections Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

original section.
merged.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.

used:
• default preset
list.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
analyses.
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Faces Section
Specifies the visualization of the faces.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Faces field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color dialog
where you can set the color for the unselected faces.
Selected faces field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color dialog
where you can set the color for the selected faces.
Opacity spin box Specifies the opacity of the faces.
TABLE 30-26: CONTROLS IN THE FACES SECTION

30 IMAGES TAB
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected foam structure analysis. You can view the infor-
mation supplied by the annotations or edit the annotation properties.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

30 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Cell volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of the cell at the current annota-
tion position.
Cell surface [<length unit>³] Indicates the surface area of the cell at the current
annotation position.
Cell sphericity [%] Indicates the ratio between the surface of a sphere with
the same volume as the cell and the surface of the cell.
Strut thickness [mm] Indicates the strut thickness at the current annotation
position.

reporting.

views.
tolerance status is Out of tolerance. (Currently not
implemented.)
tab, the cells are shown only. The 2D slice position used
for taking the image is determined by the position of the
cell. The zoom factor of the image is chosen such that
the entire parent volume is visible.

Tolerance status Currently not implemented.

30 REPORT TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

report rule. (Currently not implemented.)
the user.
REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION



30 REPORT TAB
matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

30 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
 Print button
buttons preview.


30 REPORT TAB
into the window.


31 FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL ANALYSIS (FCMA) MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Fiber Composite Material Analysis (FCMA) module has been designed to process voxel data sets
to get information about fiber composite material. It provides detailed analysis results with infor-
mation on orientations, depending on the selected mode. A fiber composite material analysis
report can be generated, containing information about the results of the analysis.
Several parameters, e.g., the fiber volume fraction, can only be calculated if the fiber material is
defined. You should run a surface determination to define the fiber material before running an
FCMA.
Optionally, you can also define the fiber material manually within the FCMA using a single gray
value threshold.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new fiber composite material analysis,

 choose the Analysis > Create fiber composite material analysis menu item or
In order to open an existing fiber composite material analysis for modifying or viewing its
settings,
or
The Properties of Fiber composite material analysis dialog consists of several tabs on which you can
modify the analysis parameters or view the results of the fiber composite material analysis.

FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL ANALYSIS (FCMA) MODULE
The following buttons are available for each tab at the bottom of the dialog:
BUTTON DESCRIPTION

TABLE 31-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL ANALYSIS DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Object has no surface Use surface determination is selected in the Fiber material definition
determination section but the parent object has no surface determination. The
analysis can still be performed, but without calculating the fiber
volume fraction.
Select a plane To create a Plane projection or Reference orientation analysis, select a

plane from the drop-down list in the Plane projection or Reference orien-
tation section, respectively.
Select or define an integra- To create a Layered integration mesh or Integration mesh analysis,
tion mesh choose an integration mesh from the drop-down list in the Integration
mesh section or create a new regular integration mesh by clicking
the icon next to the drop-down list.
Select a porosity/inclusion When the Porosity checkbox is activated to perform a combined

analysis analysis, select an existing porosity/inclusion analysis from the
drop-down list.
Selected porosity/inclu- The selected porosity/inclusion analysis is invalid.

sion analysis has no
results

31 SETTINGS TAB
SETTINGS TAB
FIGURE 31-1: PROPERTIES OF FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL ANALYSIS DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
General Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scale spin box Specifies the resolution of the analysis. Select a value
according to the resolution of the structures to be
analyzed. It is recommended to start with a quarter of
the thickness of the structure to be analyzed, e.g., a
fiber.
You can specify the resolution either as a physical unit
or in a number of voxels.

31 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Integration area radius spin box Defines the radius of the volume around each grid point
that will be used to analyze the local gray values and
calculate the results. It is recommended to specify the
same or a higher value than for Scale.
You can specify the radius either as a physical unit or in
a number of voxels.
Gradient threshold spin box Specifies the local gray value gradient for differentiating
between real structures within the data set, which are
to be analyzed, and the noise within the data set. If the
local gradient is smaller than the threshold, this area will
not be analyzed. It is recommended to specify 5 % to
15 % (starting with 10 %) of the gray value difference
between the air peak and the fiber peak as start value.
Preview checkbox Check this option to display a preview of the areas

where the orientation is calculated, based on the spec-
ified values for Scale, Integration area radius, and Gradient
threshold.
Mode drop-down list Specifies the analysis mode:

• Plane projection: Calculates the orientation projected
to the specified projection plane.
This mode is useful, e.g., for woven or multiaxial
fabrics and injection molding parts with a preferred
plane or surface in which you want to analyze the
fibers. This mode calculates the 3D orientations of
the fibers, projects them to a user-defined plane
and then calculates the projected angle from the
reference axis within that plane. If your parts are
deformed or the preferred surface is non-planar,
you can use the non-planar view to create a
resampled volume with the preferred surface
projected to a plane.
• Reference orientation: Calculates the deviation of the

orientation from the specified reference orientation.
This mode is useful if you want to analyze the
deviations of the fibers from a reference orientation,
e.g., if you want to ensure that the fibers can
sustain a tensile force.

31 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
• Space orientation: Calculates the orientation in 3D.

This mode is typically used for complicated
injection molding parts. Such parts do not have a
preferred surface so you cannot use the features of
the non-planar view. They also do not have a
preferred fiber orientation. This mode displays the
calculated orientations completely in 3D. It is also a
good starting point if you want to get a first
impression of the fiber orientations within the
volume. Using the results of the Space orientation
analysis, you can then decide which other analysis
mode might be useful.
• Integration mesh: Calculates the mean orientation for

each cell of the specified integration mesh.
This mode is useful if you want to compare actual
orientations with your simulations or use results as
input for your simulations.
You can create a mesh or import your own
integration mesh to calculate orientation tensors
and the fiber volume fraction for each mesh cell.
You can then export the results and use them to
enhance your simulations and the underlying
mechanical models
• Layered integration mesh: Calculates the mean orienta-

tion and the orientations projected to a specified
plane for each cell of the specified integration mesh.
This mode is useful if you want to analyze materials
structured in layers, such as woven or multiaxial
fabrics.
You can import your own mesh or create a new
regular mesh. If you want to calculate orientations
for materials with rounded shapes, you can also
create a mesh from a geometry element. For
details, see section Create integration mesh from
geometry element... Menu Item on page 363 in
chapter 11 Analysis Menu.
Exclude boundary area spin box Allows to specify a distance from the border of the
analysis area to reduce or completely avoid the effect
of structures outside the analysis area on the analysis
results.
The distance from the border is derived from the
following parameters: Scale, Integration area radius,
Gradient threshold, and Exclude boundary area. The value is
indicated in percent, meaning that the effect of the
properties of the voxels outside the analysis area on the
analysis result for the outermost voxels of the new anal-
ysis area does not exceed this percentage.
TABLE 31-3: CONTROLS OF THE GENERAL SECTION

31 SETTINGS TAB
Fiber material definition Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Fiber material definition drop-down list Specifies the method to define the fiber material:
• Use surface determination: Defines the fiber material
using the surface determination.
• Define manually: Defines the fiber material applying
the Threshold value.
Threshold spin box Specifies the gray value threshold for the manually
defined fiber material (all voxels with a higher gray value
are taken as fibers).
Estimate button Click the Estimate button to have the gray value
threshold deduced from the data set if you are not sure
about the value.
Preview checkbox Check this option to display a preview of the areas

where the orientation is calculated, based on the spec-
ified values for Scale, Integration area radius, and Gradient
threshold.
TABLE 31-4: CONTROLS OF THE FIBER MATERIAL DEFINITION SECTION
Plane projection Section
Available when Plane projection is selected in the Mode field of the General section. Allows to calcu-
late the projected angles within a selected plane.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Plane normal fields Specify the normal of the projection plane. The speci-
fied vector is normalized to unit length before taken into
account in the calculation.

available in the workspace for specifying the normal of
the projection plane. The normal is the normal of the
selected 2D window or the current direction of view of
the 3D window.
Integration mode drop-down list Specifies whether the integration area shall be 2D or
3D:
• Isotropic: The average value is calculated from the 3D
integration area (e.g., for injection molding).
• Planar: The average value is calculated from the 2D
integration area parallel to the projection plane (e.g.,
for filaments).
TABLE 31-5: CONTROLS OF THE PLANE PROJECTION SECTION

31 SETTINGS TAB
Reference orientation Section
Available when Reference orientation is selected in the Mode field of the General section. Allows to
visualize the deviations of the fiber orientation from a defined orientation.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Reference orientation fields Specify the orientation relative to which the local fiber
orientation will be calculated. The specified vector is
normalized to unit length before taken into account in
the calculation.

available in the workspace for specifying the reference
orientation. The reference orientation is the normal of
the selected 2D window or the current direction of view
of the 3D window.
TABLE 31-6: CONTROLS OF THE REFERENCE ORIENTATION SECTION
Available when Integration mesh or Layered integration mesh is selected in the Mode field of the General
section. Allows to obtain information about the orientations in a user-defined integration mesh.
The information can then be exported and be used to run simulations of the processing and
behavior of fiber composite material parts.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Analysis Menu.

31 SETTINGS TAB
Porosity Section
Available when Integration mesh or Layered integration mesh is selected in the Mode field of the
General section.
When the Porosity checkbox is checked, the Porosity/inclusion analysis drop-down list becomes
enabled where you can select the porosity/inclusion analysis to be used for combined analysis.
For each analyzed mesh cell, not only the fiber orientation will then be calculated but also the
porosity. The results will be shown on the Mesh cells tab.
Performing a porosity/inclusion analysis may require additional licensing. Contact Volume
Graphics for details.
Only enabled when the analysis is performed on an integration mesh.

on the Colors tab.
When you select a mesh cell property, e.g., 1st eigenvalue from the Active column drop-down list,
the mesh cells are color coded according to their first eigenvalue as defined by the color lookup
table and the colors specified in the Sections section of the Colors tab. In the list on the Mesh cells
tab, the column of the selected property becomes the so-called active column and its values
are highlighted in bold and italic font.
When you select Uncoded from the Active column drop-down list, all mesh cells are shown in gray,
independently of their values. The Colors tab and the Histogram tab are not visible in this case.
You can also select the active column on the Mesh cells tab by right-clicking the column and
Tolerancing Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Tolerancing checkbox Checking this option allows to define and apply the
Fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Specifies a nominal value and the tolerance range for
(nom./min./max.) fields the fiber volume fraction in the analyzed data. When no
nominal value is specified, the min. and max. fields
specify the minimum and maximum permissible values
for the fiber volume fraction.
Note that the tolerance settings for the fiber volume
fraction always refer to the whole part, not to individual
cells of an integration mesh.

31 VISUALIZATION OF THE ANALYSIS RESULTS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Projected angle mean [<angle unit>] For Plane projection mode: Specifies a nominal value and
(nom./min./max.) fields the tolerance range for the mean value of the projected
angles in the analyzed data. When no nominal value is
specified, the min. and max. fields specify the minimum
and maximum permissible values for the mean value of
the projected angles.
Projected angle deviation [<angle unit>] For Plane projection mode: Specifies the maximum
< field permissible standard deviation of the projected angles.
Deviation angle 50th percentile [<angle For Reference orientation mode: Specifies the maximum
unit>] < field permissible deviation angle for 50 % of the analyzed
data.
unit>] < field permissible deviation angle for 75 % of the analyzed
data.
unit>] field permissible deviation angle for 90 % of the analyzed
data.
TABLE 31-8: CONTROLS OF THE TOLERANCING SECTION
VISUALIZATION OF THE ANALYSIS RESULTS
Visualization in the 2D and 3D Views
When displaying the projected angle of an orientation analysis of type Plane projection, the color
coding is visualized on a color disk at the right edge of the 2D views and the 3D view. The color
disk not only displays the color coding, but also the orientation of the projection plane. When
moving the object in 3D, the orientation of the color disk in the 3D view is updated according to
the new orientation of the projection plane in 3D.
When displaying the orientations of an orientation analysis of type Space orientation, the color
coding is visualized on a color sphere at the right edge of the 2D views and the 3D view. When
rotating the object in 3D, the orientation of the color sphere in the 3D view is updated according
to the new orientation of the analyzed object in 3D.

31 COLORS TAB
When the projected angles or the orientations of several orientation analyses are displayed, the
color disks and color spheres are displayed underneath each other.
The color disks or color spheres of orientation analyses which are selected in the Scene Tree are
displayed larger and have brighter colors than the color disks or color spheres of deselected
analyses.
COLORS TAB
The results of a fiber composite material analysis are displayed in the 2D and 3D views by a
color-coded scheme. After an analysis has been calculated, the color settings are displayed on
the Colors tab and can be changed.
All orientation analyses of the Plane projection and Reference orientation mode share the same color
lookup table. Orientation analyses of the Space orientation mode have individual color lookup
tables.
Plane projection and Reference orientation Modes
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Sections Section

31 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.

31 COLORS TAB
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Space orientation Mode
The Colors tab defines the color coding in the 2D and 3D windows. For the Space orientation mode
the results can be displayed using a color-coded scheme in two different ways according to the
Mode specified in the Settings section. You can view the results in a polar color plot as well as in a
spherical color plot.
Polar color plot Section
Visualizes the color coding in 2D on a polar color plot. The orientations calculated in the data set
are color-coded according to their deviation from the orientation with the highest frequency
which is indicated by a white cross-hairs cursor. You can specify a different orientation as
reference by moving the cursor to a new position.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag the white Moves the white cross-hairs to a new position.
cross-hairs
hold Ctrl key + click LMB Sets the white cross-hairs to the chosen position.
TABLE 31-12: CONTROLS OF THE POLAR COLOR PLOT SECTION
Spherical color plot Section
Visualizes the color coding on a sphere in 3D in the coordinate system currently selected in the
scene. The orientations are color-coded according to their deviation from the orientation with
the highest frequency which is indicated by the cursor (yellow point) on the sphere. You can
specify another orientation as reference by moving the cursor to a new position.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Rotates the sphere.

31 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
hold Ctrl key + turn MW Zooms in or out.
TABLE 31-13: CONTROLS OF THE SPHERICAL COLOR PLOT SECTION
Settings Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Mode drop-down list Allows to choose a particular mode for the color
coding:
• Deviation angle - rainbow:
The deviation angle of the orientation relative to a
reference orientation is coded in rainbow colors.
• Deviation angle - gradient:
The deviation angle of the orientation relative to a
reference orientation is color-coded as gradient.
• Projected angle - hue cycle:
The orientation is projected to a plane. The
resulting projected angle of the orientation is color-
coded following a hue cycle.
The reference orientation and the normal of the
projected plane are initially set to the most frequent
orientation in the analyzed volume. It is displayed as
cursor in the Polar plot and the Spherical plot and can be
changed by moving the cursor.
Topography spin box Visualizes the frequency of the different orientations as

the height of the surface of the sphere. The higher the
frequency of an orientation, the higher the surface at
this position.
You can specify the value for topography either via its
input field or by positioning the cursor on the Spherical
color plot and turning the MW while pressing the Shift
key.
Interval [<angle unit>] spin boxes Specify the angles for the color definition. You can also
manually specify the angles by dragging the white lines
in the Color definition section.
Cursor position [<angle unit>] spin Specify the values for azimuth φ and polar angle θ for
boxes the cursor position. You can also manually specify
these values by moving the cursor on the Polar color plot.
button Sets the cursor to the most frequent orientation.
TABLE 31-14: CONTROLS OF THE SETTINGS SECTION

31 COLORS TAB
Color definition Section
 If the Deviation angle - rainbow mode is selected, the result is coded in rainbow colors.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag the left Moves the white line in order to specify the range of
white line the deviation angle which shall be displayed in blue.
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the white line in order to specify the range of
right white line the deviation angle which shall be displayed in red.
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the white line in order to move the rainbow-
middle white line colored range.
TABLE 31-15: CONTROLS FOR THE DEVIATION ANGLE - RAINBOW MODE
 If the Deviation angle - gradient mode is selected, the orientations are color-coded as color
gradient.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag the left Moves the white line in order to specify the range of
white line the deviation angle which shall be displayed in red.
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the white line in order to specify the range of
middle white line the deviation angle which shall be displayed in
green.
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the white line in order to move the gradient-
right white line colored range.
TABLE 31-16: CONTROLS FOR THE DEVIATION ANGLE - GRADIENTMODE
 If the Projected angle - hue cycle mode is selected, the resulting projected angle of the orien-
tation is color-coded following a hue cycle. You can modify the transparency for the devi-
ation angle of the orientation relative to the plane normal. This way you can specify that
only orientations which deviate more than the specified value from the plane normal are
color-coded.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag the left Moves the white line in order to specify the devia-
white line tion range which is displayed transparently.
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the white line in order to move the range
middle white line between, with the transparency increasing from
transparent to opaque.
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the white line in order to specify the devia-
right white line tion range which is displayed transparently.
TABLE 31-17: CONTROLS FOR THE PROJECTED ANGLE - HUE CYCLE MODE

31 HISTOGRAM TAB
The three lines on the left, in the middle, and on the right correspond to the Interval spin boxes in
the Settings section.
HISTOGRAM TAB
The Histogram tab is available for the Plane projection, the Reference orientation and the Space orien-
tation modes. It displays a color-coded histogram of the results of the fiber composite material
analysis. The frequency is visualized according to the color code. The content differs depending
on the selected analysis mode.
Plane projection and Reference orientation Modes
The Histogram tab for the Plane projection and the Reference orientation modes shows the projected
angle distribution or deviation angle distribution, respectively, in a histogram using the color
coding defined on the Colors tab. The x-axis shows the angle, and the y-axis shows the number
of voxels.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Color drop-down list • From color bar: The values in the histogram are shown
Normalization drop-down list • Absolute: Displays the number of voxels versus the
analyzed orientation or deviation, respectively.
• Relative: Displays the percentage of voxels versus
the analyzed orientation or deviation, respectively.
histogram.
on the Colors tab.

31 HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create button Creates a new interval in the histogram with a default

range.
On the right hand side of the selected interval, statis-
• Left: Indicates the minimum projected angle or devi-
ation angle, respectively, within the interval, i.e., the
left interval border.
• Right: Indicates the maximum projected angle or
deviation angle, respectively, within the interval, i.e.,
the right interval border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the projected
angle or deviation angle, respectively, within the
interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the mean
projected angle or deviation angle, respectively,
interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the ratio between all analyzed
voxels and the voxels within the interval.
Create ROI button Generates a new ROI containing all voxels whose
projected angle or deviation angle, respectively, lies
within the range of the selected interval.
Projected angle mean [<angle unit>] For Plane projection analysis: Indicates the mean value of
field the selected angles.
Projected angle deviation [<angle unit>] For Plane projection analysis: Indicates the standard
field deviation of the selected angles.
Deviation angle 50th percentile field For Reference orientation analysis: The deviation angles of
50 % of the analyzed voxels belong to the interval
between 0° and this angle.
up/down

31 HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

axis

axis
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Show/Hide x/y grid Toggles the visibility of the grid lines for the corresponding
axis.
tion, see section Controls of the Histogram Tab on page 621.
Create ROI Generates a new ROI containing all voxels whose projected
angle or deviation angle, respectively, lies within the range of
the selected interval.
Space orientation Mode
The Histogram tab for the Space orientation analysis displays the frequency of each orientation
according to the color code in the Orientation histogram section and the Settings section. The three
visualization options Equatorial plot, Spherical plot, and Polar plot are available as buttons at the
bottom of the Orientation histogram section.
The color coding for the frequency is different from the color coding for the visualization of the
measured orientation in 2D and 3D.
Orientation histogram Section
The Orientation histogram displays the frequencies of the orientations on a sphere according to the
selected plot:

31 CUMULATED HISTOGRAM TAB
 Equatorial plot button

Shows the surface of the sphere unrolled into 2D with values with the same azimuth
displayed on a horizontal line.
 Spherical plot button
Shows a sphere in 3D. The tripod shows the axes of the current coordinate system. The
following options are available to move the sphere:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click and drag Rotates the sphere.
keep MMB pressed and move Rotates the sphere around the middle axis.
the cursor up and down
hold Ctrl key + MW Zooms in and out.
hold Shift key + MW Visualizes the frequency of the different orientations

as the height of the surface of the sphere. The
higher the frequency of an orientation, the higher
the surface at this position.
TABLE 31-20: CONTROLS FOR THE SPHERICAL PLOT
Right-clicking the Orientation histogram area displays a context menu with the following
options:
Reset Resets the sphere to its initial orientation and resets

the zoom level.
Orbiting Rotates the sphere around fixed axes (following the

longitude and the latitude).
TABLE 31-21: CONTEXT MENU OF THE SPHERICAL PLOT
 Polar plot button

Shows the surface of half the sphere in 2D (projected to the xy-plane of the current coor-
dinate system), with values with the same polar angle displayed on a line. The tripod shows
the axes of the current coordinate system.
Settings Section
The Settings section displays the color coding of the results. The default color coding uses a
rainbow spectrum from blue (low frequencies) to red (high frequencies). The color coding can be
changed by moving the vertical white lines.
CUMULATED HISTOGRAM TAB
For Reference orientation mode: Displays the cumulated percentage of the deviation angle. The
rate is given in proportion to the total analyzed volume. It is derived from the histogram data.

31 PLOT TAB
You can use the deviation angle distribution curve to answer questions like “What percentage of
the analyzed volume has a deviation angle less than 30°?” or, conversely, “What is the smallest
deviation angle that ninety percent of the analyzed volume do not exceed?”.
Controls of the Cumulated histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Deviation angle [<angle unit>] spin box This control is synchronized with the green cross-hairs
Count [<ratio unit>] spin box This control is synchronized with the green cross-hairs
cross-hairs lines the percentage of the analyzed volume with a given
deviation angle (or alternatively the deviation angle for
a given percentage).
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 31-22: CONTROLS OF THE CUMULATED HISTOGRAM TAB
Context Menu of the Cumulated histogram Tab
Right-clicking the chart area displays a context menu with the option Export as CSV... which opens
the Export as CSV... dialog for exporting the chart values to a .csv file.
PLOT TAB
For Plane projection mode: Displays the results of the fiber composite material analysis per plane
perpendicular to the specified plane normal. On the x-axis, the distance of the plane from the
origin of the current coordinate system is displayed. On the y-axis, the selected orientation
tensor is displayed. If the fiber volume fraction has been calculated, it will be displayed on an
additional y-axis.

31 PLOT TAB
Controls of the Plot Tab
The following options are available for the Plot tab:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Orientation tensor xx/xy/xz/yy/yz/zz When this curve is selected, the xx/xy/xz/yy/yz/zz

component of the mean orientation tensor per plane in
the current coordinate system is displayed.
Fiber volume fraction When this curve is selected, the ratio between fiber
volume and total volume is displayed.
use LMB to click an option of the list Toggles the visibility of the corresponding curve.
hover the cursor over one of the Displays the legend of the selected function together
curves with its values at the specified location and highlights
the curve of the selected function.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 31-23: CONTROLS OF THE PLOT TAB
Context Menu of the Plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

31 MESH CELLS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
MESH CELLS TAB
For Integration mesh and Layered integration mesh modes: Displays the results of the fiber composite
material analysis for each cell of the integration mesh. The Mesh cells list consists of the following
columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION

Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x, y and z position of the mesh cell center.
Orientation tensor xx/xy/xz/yy/yz/zz Indicates the xx/xy/xz/yy/yz/zz component of the mean

orientation tensor of the mesh cell in the current coor-
dinate system.
1st eigenvector x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x/y/z component of the first eigenvector
of the mesh cell in the current coordinate system.
2nd eigenvector x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x/y/z component of the second eigen-
vector of the mesh cell in the current coordinate
system.
3rd eigenvector x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the x/y/z component of the third eigenvector
of the mesh cell in the current coordinate system.
1st eigenvalue Indicates the eigenvalue of the first eigenvector.
2nd eigenvalue Indicates the eigenvalue of the second eigenvector.
3rd eigenvalue Indicates the eigenvalue of the third eigenvector.
Analyzed voxels Indicates the number of voxels within the mesh cell that
have been analyzed.
Fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between fiber volume and total
volume.
1st main direction x/y/z For Layered integration mesh mode only: Indicates the
x/y/z component of the first main direction of the
projected orientation within a mesh cell.
2nd main direction x/y/z For Layered integration mesh mode only: Indicates the
x/y/z component of the second main direction of the
3rd main direction x/y/z For Layered integration mesh mode only: Indicates the
x/y/z component of the third main direction of the

31 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Angular difference [<angle unit>] For Layered integration mesh mode only: Indicates the size
of the angle between the first and the second main
direction within a mesh cell.
Porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the porosity of the cell if an existing

Porosity/inclusion analysis has been selected on the
Settings tab.

reporting.

views.

shots section.
ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected fiber composite material analysis. You can view the
information supplied by the annotations or edit the annotation properties.

31 ANNOTATIONS TAB
The Annotations list consists of the following columns. The values displayed depend on the anal-
ysis mode:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Projected angle [<angle unit>] For Plane projection mode: Indicates the projected angle
at the position of the annotation.
Nom. projected angle [<angle unit>] For Plane projection mode: Indicates the nominal value
for tolerancing the projected angle.
Min. projected angle [<angle unit>] For Plane projection mode: Indicates the minimum value
Max. projected angle [<angle unit>] For Plane projection mode: Indicates the maximum value
Orientation x/y/z For Space orientation mode: Indicates the orientation at

the position of the annotation.
Deviation angle [<angle unit>] For Reference orientation mode: Indicates the deviation
angle at the position of the annotation.
Max. deviation angle [<angle unit>] For Reference orientation mode: Indicates the maximum
value for tolerancing the deviation angle.
Fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between fiber volume and the total
volume of the ROI/volume object.
Nom. fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Indicates the nominal value for tolerancing the fiber
volume fraction.
Min. fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Indicates the minimal value for tolerancing the fiber
volume fraction.
Max. fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Indicates the maximum value for tolerancing the fiber
volume fraction.

reporting.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION

views.
image is chosen such that the entire parent volume is
visible.

Tolerance status Indicates the overall tolerance status of all parameters

at the position of the annotation: Valid (green), Out of
tolerance (red), or No tolerance (gray).

report rule.
the user.
TABLE 31-26: COLUMNS OF THE ANNOTATIONS LIST
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

31 ORIENTATIONS TAB
ORIENTATIONS TAB
For Space orientation mode: Displays the settings for the visualization of the calculated orienta-
tions as needles.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scale spin box Specifies a scale factor for the length of the needles.
2D sample step spin box Specifies a sampling distance for the needles in 2D.
3D sample step spin box Specifies to define a sampling distance for the needles
in 3D.
3D rendering checkbox When this option is checked, the needles are displayed
in 3D.
3D slice view checkbox When this option is checked, the needles are displayed
in 3D only on the planes which are selected by current
slice views.
Thickness spin box Specifies the thickness of the needles.
Color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color dialog
where you can specify a color for the needles.
TABLE 31-30: CONTROLS OF THE ORIENTATIONS TAB
Since it might be time-consuming, 3D rendering of the needles is deactivated by default.
TENSORS TAB
For Integration mesh and Layered integration mesh modes: Displays the settings for the visualization
of the mean calculated orientation tensors within a cell. They are visualized as ellipsoids.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scale spin box Specifies the size of the ellipsoids representing the
tensors.
3D rendering checkbox When this option is checked, the ellipsoids repre-

senting the tensors are displayed in the 3D window.
Linear/Planar/Spheric fields Double-clicking a color box opens the Select color dialog
where you can set the color of the linear, planar, or
spherical components, respectively, of the ellipsoids
representing the tensors.
TABLE 31-31: CONTROLS ON THE TENSORS TAB

31 MAIN DIRECTIONS TAB
MAIN DIRECTIONS TAB
For Layered integration mesh mode only: Displays the settings for the visualization of the local
histograms and of the first and second main directions of the orientations within a mesh cell.
The first and second main directions are visualized as arrows.
 First/Second main direction section
Specifies the shape and the color for the visualization of the first/second main direction
calculated within a cell.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scale spin box Specifies a scale factor for the length of the arrows.
3D rendering checkbox When this option is checked, the arrows are

displayed in 3D.
Thickness spin box Defines the thickness of the arrows.
Color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color

dialog where you can set the color for the visualiza-
tion of the first/second main direction.
TABLE 31-32: CONTROLS OF THE FIRST/SECOND MAIN DIRECTION SECTION
 Local histogram section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scale factor spin box Allows to define a scale factor for the local histo-
gram.
Show tripod checkbox When this option is checked, the tripod for the cell
coordinate system is shown in the local histogram.
Show reference circles check box When this option is checked, reference circles are
displayed in the local histogram.
TABLE 31-33: CONTROLS OF THE LOCAL HISTOGRAM SECTION
STATISTICS TAB
Displays various statistical information about the analyzed volume object or ROI, grouped in the
sections Mean orientation tensor and Other global results. Depending on the selected analysis mode,
only a subset of the statistical data can be calculated.
Values for tolerancing the analysis results are only displayed on this tab. You can specify them
on the Settings tab.
 Mean orientation tensor section
Indicates the components of the mean orientation tensor in the current coordinate system.
 Other global results section

31 IMAGES TAB
Projected angle mean [<angle unit>] If available: Indicates the mean value of the
projected angles.
Projected angle deviation [<angle If available: Indicates the standard deviation of the
unit>] mean of the projected angles.
Fiber volume fraction [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between fiber volume and total
volume.
This parameter is only available when the surface of
the volume object is determined or a threshold
value is specified manually.
Deviation angle 50th percentile If available: The deviation angles of 50 % of the

[<angle unit>] analyzed voxels belong to the interval between 0°
and this angle.

and this angle.

and this angle.
TABLE 31-34: CONTROLS IN THE OTHER GLOBAL RESULTS SECTION
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

31 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area.

REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION



31 REPORT TAB
matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

31 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
 Print button
buttons preview.


31 REPORT TAB
into the window.


32 ENHANCED POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Enhanced Porosity/Inclusion Analysis (P 202/P 201) module has been designed to analyze voxel
data sets for pores in a specified 2D slice according to the standard VDG P 202/VW 50093 and
P 201/VW 50097. It provides detailed analysis results with information on individual pores and
reference faces as well as overall statistical information.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new P 202/P 201 analysis,

 choose the Analysis > Create P 202/P 201 analysis menu item or
In order to open an existing P 202/P 201 analysis for modifying or viewing its settings,
or
The Properties of P 202/P 201 analysis dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify the
analysis parameters or view the results of the P 202/P 201 analysis.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
Calculate button Triggers execution of the analysis. This button is disabled if invalid
parameters are specified or if an analysis has been performed and
the parameters have not changed in the meantime.

ENHANCED POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
Focus plane button Returns to the initially selected and analyzed slice after scrolling
through the slices.
TABLE 32-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF P 202/P 201 DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Select a plane Choose the plane in which the analysis is to be calculated from the
drop-down list in the Geometric settings section.
Diameter range: Max. The minimum value of the diameter range specified in the Filter
value must be larger than section is larger than the maximum value. Specify a smaller
min. value minimum value or a larger maximum value.
Invalid P201/P202 code The code specified in the Code section is invalid. For details on
allowed values refer to section Settings Tab on page 644.
Manual changes to result Some voids/inclusions have been manually deleted. To recover all
voids/inclusions, the analysis has to be recalculated by clicking the
Calculate button.

32 SETTINGS TAB
SETTINGS TAB
FIGURE 32-1: PROPERTIES OF P 202/P 201 ANALYSIS DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB
Geometric settings Section
In the Geometric settings section you can choose the plane and the slice position to be analyzed
by scrolling to the desired slice in a 2D window and selecting the respective 2D view by clicking
the Choose button. Apart from that, you can also specify the plane by entering an arbitrary
normal vector.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Plane X/Y/Z fields Specify the normal of the plane in which the
P 202/P 201 analysis will be calculated. The specified
vector is normalized to unit length before taken into
Offset [mm] spin box Specifies the distance of the plane to be analyzed to
the origin of the currently selected coordinate system.

32 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Choose button Opens a drop-down list showing the 2D windows

currently available in the workspace for specifying the
plane to be analyzed.
TABLE 32-3: CONTROLS IN THE GEOMETRIC SETTINGS SECTION
Segmentation settings Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Algorithm drop-down list • Local adaptive: This algorithm determines the voxels
belonging to a defect on the basis of a local contrast
threshold.
• Only threshold: This algorithm determines the voxels
belonging to a defect on the basis of a global gray
value threshold.
Contrast spin box Local adaptive algorithm: Specifies the local contrast
threshold. Every voxel with a local contrast larger than
the contrast threshold is considered as part of a defect.
Threshold spin box Only threshold algorithm: Specifies the maximum defect
gray value. Every voxel with a gray value less than or
equal to the gray value threshold is considered as part
of a defect.
Estimate button Automatically detects the contrast or gray value

threshold, respectively, based on the gray value histo-
gram and enters the value into the Contrast or Threshold
spin box, respectively, where it can be adapted manu-
ally.
Local area size spin box Local adaptive algorithm: Specifies the diameter of the
search area around the seed voxel for determining the
contrast.
Avoid boundary voxels checkbox Local adaptive algorithm: When this option is checked,
voxels located close to the material boundary will not
be considered as defects.
Preview checkbox When this option is checked, a preview of the defects

is displayed.
TABLE 32-4: CONTROLS IN THE SEGMENTATION SETTINGS SECTION
The preview is calculated using the parameters of the Segmentation settings section only. All other
parameters do not influence the preview.

32 SETTINGS TAB
Filter Section
The Diameter range [<length unit>] spin boxes allow to define the minimum and maximum allowed
diameter for the circumscribed circle of a defect. All defects smaller or larger than these limits
will be disregarded.
Code Section
In the Code section you can define a code as specified by VDG P 202 or VDG P 201.
 VDG P 201
The VDG P 201 codes consist of up to three parts – separated by a “/” (slash) – specifying
porosity, diameter, and minimum normalized distances.
– Porosity: The first part starts with a letter specifying the class, followed by a digit that
states the maximum permissible porosity in percent for the classes G, S and D, and
the maximum permissible number of defined pores related to a reference surface for
the class F, e.g., F1.
The classes pose the following restrictions on which digits are allowed: For D the
digits 1, 2, 3, 4 and all multiples of 5 are allowed; for S only multiples of 5 are
allowed; for F and G all integers are allowed.
These values are evaluated only for each reference face.
– Diameter: This optional part of the code specifies the maximum permissible diameter
of single pores in mm, e.g.,12. The values can be set in 0.5 steps starting from the
smallest value of 0.5. VGSTUDIO MAX computes the diameter of a pore using the
minimal enclosing circle around a pore.
This value is evaluated for the whole analyzed slice.
– Minimum normalized distances: This optional part of the code consists of the letter A
followed by a digit and specifies the minimum normalized distance between two
adjacent pores, e.g., A3. The digit can be any integer starting with 0.
The distance is the length of the smallest line segment connecting the borders of
two adjacent pores. The normalized distance is this value divided by the diameter
of the smaller pore. The minimum normalized distance is the smallest of these
values in an analyzed slice.
This value is evaluated for the whole analyzed slice.
The following examples show valid codes:

– D5/3,5/A2: Area porosity of 5 %, maximum diameter of 3.5 mm and a minimum
normalized distance of 2
– G3/A1: Area porosity of 3 %, minimum normalized distance of 1 (i.e., each pore
must be at least its own diameter away from a larger pore)
– F11/0,5: Maximum of 11 pores in each specific area, and a maximum diameter of
0.5 mm
You can run a P 201 analysis without specifying a code.
 VDG P 202

32 RESULTS TAB
According to the standard, VDG P 202 codes always start with the prefix “VDG P202-”.
After that, there are a set of specifications each starting with a symbol and separated by a
“/” (slash):
– Porosity: The character % followed by a digit specifies the maximum permissible
porosity in percent for the classes G, S, and D. The letter Z followed by a digit spec-
ifies the maximum permissible number of defined pores related to a reference
surface for the class F.
– Diameter: The diameter character Ø (or alternatively the letters O, OL or Ol) followed
by a digit specify the maximum diameter defined as Feret diameter.
– Minimum normalized distances: The letter A followed by a digit specifies the minimum
normalized distance between two adjacent pores as with P 201.
The following examples show valid VDG P 202 codes:
– VDG P202-%5/Z10/O2: Area porosity of 5 %, 10 pores, maximum diameter (Feret
diameter) of 2
– VDG P202-Z2/A2: 2 pores, minimum distance of two diameters for each pore to a
larger one
VGSTUDIO MAX also accepts the code without the prefix “VDG P202-”.
RESULTS TAB
P 202/P 201 actual code Section
Displays the code resulting from the current analysis.
Global parameters Section
If the specified code includes a value for the maximum defect size or the smallest normalized
distance, the result of the current analysis is evaluated accordingly and compared with the
values of the specified code. The result is highlighted in the following colors:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Diameter [<length unit>] field Displays the diameter of all pores.
Smallest normalized distance field Displays the smallest distance between the borders of
two adjacent pores.
TABLE 32-5: CONTROLS OF THE GLOBAL PARAMETERS SECTION
The smallest normalized distance as well as the largest pore are also shown in the 2D view of
the analyzed slice. The smallest normalized distance is displayed as a blue line, while the
circumscribed circle of the largest pore (P 201) and the Feret diameter (P 202) are displayed in
red, respectively.

32 RESULTS TAB
Reference faces Section
Allows to create new reference faces for the selected analysis and lists every reference face
created in a table.
In order to create a new reference face,
 choose the Analysis > Create analysis annotation menu item or
 click the icon in the icon bar or
 click the Create reference faces button in the Reference faces section
A floating toolbar opens for creating a new reference face. After the new reference face has
been created, a respective annotation is displayed in each 2D window and in the 3D window.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name template field Specifies the template for the annotation name.
Reset button Resets the name template to the default entry.
Default shape drop-down list Allows to select an appropriate shape for defining refer-
ence areas for which the porosity will be calculated:
• Square
• Circle
• Triangle
2D window: hold Ctrl key and use Creates a shape at the desired position in the selected
LMB to click and drag, then release slice.
LMB
2D window: use LMB to click and Repositions the shape.

drag the shape
If the selected shape is a square or Resizes the shape.

a triangle:
2D window: use LMB to click and
drag cyan handle in corner
If the selected shape is a circle: Resizes the shape.

2D window: use LMB to click and
drag highlighted border of circle
TABLE 32-6: CONTROLS IN THE REFERENCE FACES FLOATING TOOLBAR
An annotation label of a reference face contains the annotation name, the size of the area
covered by the selected shape, the porosity inside the reference face and the specified
maximum tolerance value. If the tolerance is met, the porosity is highlighted in green. If the
tolerance is not met, it is highlighted in red.
For details on annotations in general, see section Create analysis annotation Menu Item on

32 PORES TAB
The Reference faces table lists all reference faces created for the selected P 202/P 201 analysis
and their properties.The Reference faces list consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Name Indicates the name of the reference face.
Shape type Indicates the shape of the reference face.
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the center position of the reference face.
Area [<length unit>²] Indicates the size of the area covered by the selected
shape.
Porosity [<ratio unit>] Indicates the ratio between the pore area and the area
of the selected reference face area.
Pore count Indicates the number of pores in the selected reference

face.
Description Allows to enter a description of the reference face used

for reporting.
Image Allows to add a detailed 2D image and feature descrip-

• On: Creates a detailed 2D image and feature
description.
• If not OK: Automatically includes an image if the toler-
ance status is Out of tolerance.
defined on the Report tab.
Captures Indicates the number of images captured for this refer-

ence face using the Capture from button in the Screen-
shots section.
Tolerance status Indicates the Tolerance status of the analysis depending

on the tolerances specified for the reference faces in
the Code field of the Settings tab: Valid (green), Out of toler-
ance (red), or No tolerance (gray).
TABLE 32-7: COLUMNS OF THE REFERENCE FACES TABLE
Make sure not to include surrounding air when you define a reference area. This would falsify the
result of the analysis.
PORES TAB
The Pores table lists all pores detected by the selected P 202/P 201 analysis. Each pore selected
in the table is marked with red cross-hairs in each of the slice views.

You can also access any pore within the table by left-clicking on it.
The Pores table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Center x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the center position of the circumscribed circle
around the pore.
Diameter Displays the diameter of the circumscribed circle

around the pore.
Description Allows to enter a description of the pore used for

reporting.
Image Allows to add a detailed 2D image and feature descrip-

• On: Creates a detailed 2D image and feature
description.
• If not OK: Automatically includes an image, if the
Captures Indicates the number of images captured using the

Capture from button in the Screenshot section.
TABLE 32-8: COLUMNS OF THE PORES TABLE
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

32 IMAGES TAB
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

REPORT TAB

reporting function.

32 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options

32 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel

32 REPORT TAB
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.


33 NOMINAL/ACTUAL COMPARISON MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Nominal/Actual Comparison module has been designed for comparing volume data sets, CAD
and mesh objects to each other. As a result of such an analysis, the user will get a detailed
report about the detected deviations and a false-color coded data set for documentation
purposes.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new nominal/actual comparison,

 choose the Analysis > Create nominal/actual comparison menu item or
In order to open an existing nominal/actual comparison for modifying or viewing its settings,
or
The Properties of Nominal/actual comparison dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify
the analysis parameters or view the results of the nominal/actual analysis.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION

in the meantime.

NOMINAL/ACTUAL COMPARISON MODULE
TABLE 33-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF NOMINAL/ACTUAL COMPARISON DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Actual object has no No surface determination information is available for the actual
surface determination object. A valid determined surface is required to perform a
nominal/actual comparison (see section Surface determination... Menu
Item on page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu).
Nominal object has no No surface determination information is available for the nominal
surface determination object. A valid determined surface is required to perform a
nominal/actual comparison (see section Surface determination... Menu
Item on page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu).
Select a nominal object The nominal object is missing.
Max. distance must be The specified maximum distance value is zero. Specify a larger
larger than zero value.
Deviation interval: Max. The Calculate components option has been checked, but the maximum
value must be larger than value of the Deviation interval is smaller than the minimum value.
min. value Specify a larger maximum value or a smaller minimum value or
uncheck the Calculate components option.
Manual changes to result One or more components have been manually deleted. To update
all components, the analysis has to be recalculated by clicking the
Calculate button.

33 SETTINGS TAB
SETTINGS TAB
FIGURE 33-1: PROPERTIES OF NOMINAL/ACTUAL COMPARISON DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:
list.

33 SETTINGS TAB
The Nominal object parameter is not included in the preset.
Calculation parameters Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Actual object field Indicates the actual object for which the nominal/actual
comparison is to be performed.
Nominal object drop-down list Allows to select the nominal object against which the
actual object will be compared.
Components... buttons These buttons are enabled when you select a CAD
model with components from the Actual object or Nominal
object list. Clicking them opens a dialog box where you
can specify the components to be used:
nents.
model.
CAD model.
Max. distance [<length unit>] spin box The surface of the nominal object can be either above
or below the surface of the actual object within a
certain distance. This field determines the distance for
searching for the surface of the nominal object. For
color-coding, deviations above +Max. distance or below
-Max. distance are represented by the entry +inf or -inf in
the Colors tab. In the tables and annotations, this is indi-
cated by “>= <Max. distance value>” or “<= -<Max.
distance value>”, e.g., “>= 0.40 mm” or “<= -0.40 mm”.
Precision drop-down list Specifies the resolution for the comparison:

• Oversampling: The resolution is higher than the reso-
lution of the data set.
• Standard: The resolution is the same as the data set
resolution.
• Fast: The resolution is lower than the resolution of
the data set.
This setting affects the time and system memory
required for performing the analysis.
TABLE 33-4: CONTROLS IN THE CALCULATION PARAMETERS SECTION

33 SETTINGS TAB
Options Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Swap sign of deviation checkbox If the surface of the nominal object is below the surface
of the actual object, the deviation between the two
surfaces is positive. If the surface of the nominal object
is above the surface of the actual object, the deviation
is negative. If both surfaces match, the deviation is
zero. Checking this option inverts the deviation value.
The deviation must be between ± Max. distance. Devia-
tions above or below ± Max. distance are represented by
the entry ±inf in the Colors tab.
Consider surface orientation checkbox Ensures that the nominal/actual comparison is only
done between surfaces with similar surface orientation.
Compensate for mesh problems Relevant if the nominal object is a CAD or mesh object:
checkbox When this option is checked, the inner/outer discrimi-
nation is improved to compensate for, e.g., incorrect or
missing normal information, holes in the mesh, parts
with adjacent surfaces.
Memory optimized checkbox When this option is unchecked, the deviation values are
stored more precisely which will produce more precise
results at the cost of higher memory consumption.
Calculate components Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Calculate components checkbox When this option is checked, components will be

calculated and the corresponding controls become
enabled.
Deviation interval [<length unit>] spin Define the lower and upper limit of the permissible devi-
boxes ation of the components from the nominal object.
Interval mode drop-down list Allows to further specify the permissible values for the
components:
• Outside: Either below the lower or above the upper
limit.
• Inside: Between lower and upper limit.
• Left: Below the lower limit.
• Right: Above the upper limit.
Min. surface [<length unit>²] spin box Discounts all components with surfaces smaller than
this value.
TABLE 33-6: CONTROLS IN THE CALCULATE COMPONENTS SECTION

33 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cumulated absolute 90% [<length unit>] Specifies the maximum permissible absolute deviation
≤ field for 90 % of the analyzed surface.
Min. deviation [<length unit>] ≥ field Specifies the minimum permissible deviation of the
actual object from the nominal object.
Max. deviation [<length unit>] ≤ field Specifies the maximum permissible deviation of the
actual object from the nominal object.
Component surface [<length unit>²] ≤ Specifies the maximum permissible value for the area
field of the components.
Component min. deviation [<length Specifies the minimum permissible deviation of the
unit>] ≥ field components from the nominal object.
Component max. deviation [<length Specifies the maximum permissible deviation of the
unit>] ≤ field components from the nominal object.
COLORS TAB
results.

33 COLORS TAB
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Sections Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


33 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.

used:
• default preset
list.

33 COLORS TAB
Render hairlines Section
Defines the appearance of the deviation hairlines.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Length scale spin box Defines the length of the hairlines.
Distance mode drop-down list Defines the mode for specifying the distance between
the hairlines:
• Display relative: The distance (in pixels) between the
hairlines is relative to the screen, i.e., the distance
• Scene relative: The distance (in physical units, e.g.,
mm) between the hairlines is relative to the scene,
i.e., the distance changes when zooming in or out.
Distance spin box Allows to specify the distance between the hairlines.
TABLE 33-11: CONTROLS IN THE RENDER HAIRLINES SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
analyses.
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

33 DEVIATION HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Visualization options Section
When the Show components only option is checked, the color-coded results are only displayed for
the components. Results not included in a component are not displayed.
Annotations Section
DEVIATION HISTOGRAM TAB
Shows a histogram of the calculated deviations for the entire analyzed surface of the selected
object. The histogram bars can be colored according to the settings on the Colors tab. A bin at
the minimum or maximum deviation indicates the surface areas for which the deviations fall
below or exceed the Max. distance value.
Controls of the Deviation histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Normalization drop-down field • Absolute: Displays the surface in absolute values.

• Relative: Displays the surface in relative values with
respect to the entire analyzed surface.
histogram.
on the Colors tab.

33 DEVIATION HISTOGRAM TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Sum: Indicates the surface within the interval.
Min./Max. deviation [<length unit>] Indicate the minimum and maximum deviations
fields between actual object and reference object.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 33-14: CONTROLS OF THE DEVIATION HISTOGRAM TAB

Context Menu of the Deviation histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

information, see section Controls of the Deviation histo-
CUMULATED HISTOGRAM TAB
Displays the cumulated surface area (in absolute or relative values) for a certain deviation value.
It is derived from the histogram data. You can use the Cumulated deviation distribution curve to
answer questions like “How many percent of the analyzed surface differ less than x mm from
the nominal value?” or, conversely, “What is the smallest deviation that ninety percent of the
analyzed surface do not exceed?“.
Controls of the Cumulated histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cumulation drop-down field • Absolute: Shows the statistics for all deviations as a
function of their absolute numerical deviation.
• Only positive: Shows the statistics for positive devia-
tions.
• Only negative: Shows the statistics for negative devi-
ations.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Abs. deviation/Pos. deviation/Neg. devia- Indicates the deviation value that corresponds to the
tion [<length unit>] spin box cumulated surface area with this deviation indicated in
the Surface field. You can also specify a deviation value
for which you want to obtain the corresponding surface
area. This control is synchronized with the green cross-
hairs which indicate the corresponding position on the
curve.
Surface/Normalized surface [<ratio Indicates the cumulated surface area that corresponds
unit>] spin box to the deviation value indicated in the Abs. deviation/Pos.
deviation/Neg. deviation field. When the value for Abs. devi-
ation has been set to Max. distance, the entire surface
area of the object is indicated in the Surface field. You
can also specify a surface area value for which you
want to obtain the maximum deviation value. This
control is synchronized with the green cross-hairs
Cumulated absolute 90%/95%/98% Indicate the maximum absolute deviation values for
[<length unit>] fields 90 %, 95 %, or 98 % of the analyzed surface, respec-
tively.
cross-hairs lines the percentage of the analyzed surface within a given
deviation (or alternatively the maximum deviation for a
given percentage).
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 33-16: CONTROLS OF THE CUMULATED HISTOGRAM TAB
Context Menu of the Cumulated histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


33 COMPONENTS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
sponding axis.
COMPONENTS TAB
Lists all existing components and their properties.

The Components table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the position of the largest deviation of the
component.
Component surface [<length unit>²] Indicates the total surface of the component.
Component min./max. deviation [<length Indicates the minimum/maximum deviation calculated

unit>] for the component.

for reporting.

views.
position of the component. The zoom factor of the

shots section.

33 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Tolerance status Indicates the tolerance status of the component

depending on the tolerances specified for the compo-
nents in the Tolerance settings section of the Settings tab:
Valid (green), Out of tolerance (red), or No tolerance (gray).
TABLE 33-18: COLUMNS OF THE COMPONENTS TABLE
ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected nominal/actual analysis. You can view the infor-
and—optionally—snap directions by right-clicking the table and selecting Paste from the context
menu or by pressing the Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut. For details, see the Paste menu item in section
Table Context Menu.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Deviation [<length unit>] Indicates the deviation of the actual object from the
nominal object at the current annotation position.
If an individual tolerance has been specified in the
Min./Max. deviation fields of the Annotations table, the
annotation is evaluated accordingly and the Deviation
field is highlighted in the following colors:
• Green: The tolerance is met.
• Red: The tolerance is not met.
Min./Max. deviation [<length unit>] Allows to specify individual tolerance values, i.e., the
minimum/maximum permissible deviations between
actual and nominal object, for the corresponding anno-
tation. This setting is independent of the Min./Max. devi-
ation settings specified in the Tolerance settings section of
the Settings tab.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION

reporting.

views.


in the Min./Max. deviation fields of the Annotations table:

report rule.
the user.
 List section
views:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

placeholder
TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

33 IMAGES TAB
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

RULES TAB

33 RULES TAB
 New button
 Delete button
 Edit button
Rule Dialog
 Rule section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

list erty.

33 RULES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
tion.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Report tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
be generated.
be generated.
tation label.
 Ok button
 Cancel button

33 REPORT TAB
REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.

33 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

33 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.

33 REPORT TAB


34 WALL THICKNESS ANALYSIS MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Wall Thickness Analysis module processes a voxel data set or a CAD/mesh data set for the
occurring wall thicknesses (or, inversely, gap widths). As a result of such an analysis, the user
will get a detailed report about the detected wall thicknesses and a false-color coded data set
for documentation purposes.
The following analysis types are provided:
 Wall thickness analysis (Ray method)
Calculates the wall thicknesses for a specified thickness range by searching the opposite
surface for each point on the surface.
 Wall thickness analysis (Sphere method)
Determines the wall thicknesses by calculating the maximum inscribed sphere for each
voxel. Since yielding a result for each voxel—whether or not the analyzed part includes a
defect—, this analysis type is particularly suitable as combined analysis for a
porosity/inclusion analysis.
In order to perform a Wall thickness analysis of the Sphere method mode, the selected object requires
a surface determination.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new wall thickness analysis, select a valid object (a voxel data set, a CAD
model, a component of a CAD model, or a mesh) in the Scene Tree,
 choose the Analysis > Create wall thickness analysis menu item and select the required analysis
type or
In order to open an existing wall thickness analysis for modifying or viewing its settings,
or

WALL THICKNESS ANALYSIS MODULE

The Properties of Wall thickness analysis dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify the
analysis parameters or view the results of the wall thickness analysis.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION

TABLE 34-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF WALL THICKNESS ANALYSIS DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
determination object. Either determine the surface of the selected object (see
section Surface determination... Menu Item on page 119 in chapter 5
Object Menu) or uncheck the Use determined surface option and specify
an isosurface value (see section Material Section on page 689).
Thickness range: Max. The minimum value of the thickness range specified in the Wall thick-
value must be larger than ness section is larger than the maximum value. Specify a smaller
min. value minimum value or a larger maximum value.
Manual changes to result Some components have been manually deleted. To recover all
components, the analysis has to be recalculated by clicking the
Calculate button.
The result of a wall thickness analysis of type Ray method always refers to the specified wall thick-
ness interval, i.e., only the wall thickness within this interval is analyzed.
E.g., if an analysis is performed for a wall thickness of 2.5 mm to 5 mm and the thickest result is
4.6 mm, this does NOT mean that the whole part does not contain a wall thicker than 4.6 mm.
Instead there might be a wall thickness larger than 5 mm.

34 SETTINGS TAB FOR THE RAY METHOD ALGORITHM
SETTINGS TAB FOR THE RAY METHOD ALGORITHM
FIGURE 34-1: PROPERTIES OF WALL THICKNESS ANALYSIS (RAY METHOD) DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:

list.
Material Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Actual object field Indicates the object for which the wall thickness anal-
ysis is to be performed.
Components... button This button is enabled when the Actual object is a CAD
model with components. Clicking it opens a dialog box
where you can specify the components to be used:
nents.
model.
CAD model.
Use determined surface checkbox For volume objects only.

When this checkbox is checked, the analysis uses the
surface determination information for determining the
transition between background and material. For this
purpose, a surface determination must have been
performed prior to the wall thickness analysis. For
details on surface determination, see section Surface
determination... Menu Item on page 119 in chapter 5
Object Menu.
Iso value spin box For volume objects only.

When the Use determined surface checkbox is
unchecked, the analysis uses the gray value of the
isosurface specified in the Iso value field as transition
between background and material.
Analysis mode drop-down list • Material: The analysis is performed on the material.
ground. This option can be used for determining the
gap width of an object.

TABLE 34-4: CONTROLS IN THE MATERIAL SECTION
Wall thickness Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Thickness range [<length unit>] spin Specify the wall thickness interval you are interested in.
boxes Only wall thicknesses within this interval are calculated
and displayed.
Search angle [<angle unit>] field At each point on the object surface, the software
searches for the nearest point on the opposite surface
within a search cone with the surface normal of the
start point as centerline. This procedure is repeated for
the end point of the shortest distance line on the oppo-
site surface. If the start point lies within the search cone
of the end point, the distance between the two points
is taken as wall thickness, otherwise no wall thickness
is available at this location. The search angle specifies
the aperture angle of the search cone. See Figure 34-2
below for an illustration of this principle.
Min. volume spin boxes Specify the minimum size for a component to be listed
as a result either as a volumetric dimension or as a
number of voxels. Components smaller than the spec-
ified minimum size are not included in the results.
TABLE 34-5: CONTROLS IN THE WALL THICKNESS SECTION
FIGURE 34-2: SEARCH ANGLE

For a search angle larger than 45°, the adjoining surface might be taken into account instead of
the opposite surface.
Component analysis Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Position property drop-down list Specifies the part of a component to be recognized as

its position: the point of its Min. thickness, Max. thickness
or its Spatial center. This affects, e.g., the values in the
Pos. x/y/z columns of the Components table.
Note that for performance reasons the Spatial center
value may vary from run to run.
TABLE 34-6: CONTROLS IN THE COMPONENT ANALYSIS SECTION
Algorithm details Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create closed surface checkbox When this option is checked, additional boundaries are
introduced. For example, if the analysis is performed
within a region of interest (ROI) and Create closed surface
is enabled, the ROI boundaries can be interpreted as
opposite surface. See Figure 34-3: Effect of the Create
closed surface option below for an illustration of this prin-
ciple.
Use advanced mode checkbox When this option is checked, the risk to get gaps in the
analysis is reduced—at the cost of significantly longer
computing time.
High encoding precision checkbox When this option is checked, the wall thickness values
are stored more precisely which will produce more
precise results at the cost of significantly higher
computing time and memory consumption. The
resulting precision is displayed below this option.
TABLE 34-7: CONTROLS IN THE ALGORITHM DETAILS SECTION

The image on the left-hand side has been obtained using the Create closed surface option, the
image on the right-hand side without this option:
FIGURE 34-3: EFFECT OF THE CREATE CLOSED SURFACE OPTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
corresponding tolerance settings to each component
(see section Components Tab on page 704).
Min. wall thickness [<length unit>] >= Specifies the minimum permissible thickness of a
field component.
Max. wall thickness [<length unit>] <= Specifies the maximum permissible thickness of a
field component.
Mean wall thickness [<length unit>] Specifies a permissible range for the mean value of the
>=/<= field wall thickness values.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.
Wall thickness deviation [<length unit>] Specifies a permissible range for the standard devia-
>=/<= field tion of the wall thickness values.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.

34 SETTINGS TAB FOR THE SPHERE METHOD ALGORITHM
SETTINGS TAB FOR THE SPHERE METHOD ALGORITHM
FIGURE 34-4: PROPERTIES OF WALL THICKNESS ANALYSIS (SPHERE METHOD) DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB


used:
list.
General Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Analysis mode drop-down list • Material: The analysis is performed on the material.
ground. This option can be used for determining the
gap width of an object.
TABLE 34-10: CONTROLS IN THE GENERAL SECTION
Components Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Thickness range [<length unit>] spin Specify an interval for the wall thickness of the compo-
boxes nents you are interested in. All the wall thicknesses are
calculated and displayed but only components with
wall thicknesses within this interval are listed on the
Components tab.
Min. volume spin boxes Specify the minimum size for a component to be listed
as a result either as a volumetric dimension or as a
number of voxels. Components smaller than the spec-
ified minimum size are not included in the results.
TABLE 34-11: CONTROLS IN THE COMPONENTS SECTION

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
corresponding tolerance settings to the calculated wall
thicknesses and components (see section Components
Tab on page 704).
Min. wall thickness [<length unit>] >= Specifies the minimum permissible wall thickness.
field
Max. wall thickness [<length unit>] <= Specifies the maximum permissible wall thickness.
field
Mean wall thickness [<length unit>] Specifies a permissible range for the mean value of the
>=/<= field wall thickness values.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.
Wall thickness deviation [<length unit>] Specifies a permissible range for the standard devia-
>=/<= field tion of the wall thickness values.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.
Component min. wall thickness [<length Specifies the minimum permissible thickness of a
unit>] >= field component.
Component max. wall thickness [<length Specifies the maximum permissible thickness of a
unit>] <= field component.
Component mean wall thickness [<length Specifies a permissible range for the mean value of the
unit>] >=/<= field wall thickness value of the components.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.

34 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Component wall thickness deviation Specifies a permissible range for the standard devia-
[<length unit>] >=/<= field tion of the wall thickness values of the components.
the upper limit.
the lower limit.
COLORS TAB
results.
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


34 COLORS TAB
Sections Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.

34 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Options Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Display mode drop-down list Specifies the visual representation of the analysis
results. The following modes are available:
• Overlay: The color of the analyzed object will be set
according to its local wall thickness.
• Constant: Every component is fully opaque inde-
pendently of its gray value.
• Ramp: The lower the gray value of the respective
component, the lower its opacity value. The higher
the gray value of the respective component, the
higher its opacity value. Available only if the analysis
was performed on the material of the object and the
volume data of the object are loaded.
• Inverse ramp: The lower the gray value of the respec-
tive component, the higher its opacity value. The
higher the gray value of the respective component,
the lower its opacity value. Available only if the anal-
ysis was performed on the background of the object
and the volume data of the object are loaded.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
analyses.

34 COLORS TAB
Annotations Section

used:
• default preset
list.
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

34 HISTOGRAM TAB FOR THE RAY METHOD ALGORITHM
HISTOGRAM TAB FOR THE RAY METHOD ALGORITHM
Shows a histogram of the calculated wall thicknesses for the entire analyzed surface of the
selected object. The histogram bars are colored according to the settings on the Colors tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

histogram.
on the Colors tab.

34 HISTOGRAM TAB FOR THE RAY METHOD ALGORITHM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the wall thick-
nesses within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the wall
thicknesses within the interval.
• Sum: Indicates the surface area within the interval.
Min./Max. thickness [<length unit>] Indicate the minimum and maximum wall thicknesses
fields detected.
Mean thickness [<length unit>] field Indicates the mean value of the wall thicknesses.
Thickness deviation [<length unit>] field Indicates the standard deviation of the wall thick-
nesses.
Analyzed volume [<length unit>³] field Indicates the sum of the volumes of all components.
up/down

axis

axis

34 HISTOGRAM TAB FOR THE SPHERE METHOD ALGORITHM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

information, see section Controls of the Histogram Tab
on page 700.
HISTOGRAM TAB FOR THE SPHERE METHOD ALGORITHM
Shows the wall thickness distribution in a histogram using the color coding defined on the Colors
tab. The x-axis shows the wall thickness, and the y-axis shows the number of voxels.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Normalization drop-down field • Absolute: Displays the number of voxels in absolute

values.
• Relative: Displays the number of voxels in relative
values with respect to the entire analyzed volume.
histogram.
on the Colors tab.

34 HISTOGRAM TAB FOR THE SPHERE METHOD ALGORITHM
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the wall thick-
nesses within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the wall
thicknesses within the interval.
interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of voxels within
the interval.
Min./Max. thickness [<length unit>] Indicate the minimum and maximum wall thicknesses
fields detected.
Mean thickness [<length unit>] field Indicates the mean value of the wall thicknesses.
Thickness deviation [<length unit>] field Indicates the standard deviation of the wall thick-
nesses.
up/down

axis

axis

34 COMPONENTS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

information, see section Controls of the Histogram Tab
on page 700.
COMPONENTS TAB
For Ray method algorithm: Lists all connected regions detected by the wall thickness analysis
according to the parameters specified in the Wall thickness section of the Settings tab.
For Sphere method algorithm: Only available when the Components checkbox is activated on the
Settings tab. Lists all connected regions detected within the specified Thickness range.
For Ray method algorithm only: Removing a component entry will automatically update the current
analysis and change its status to Manual changes to result.
The Components table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Pos. x/y/z [<length unit>] For Sphere method algorithm: Indicates the position of
the corresponding component area.
For Ray method algorithm: Indicates the position of the
minimum thickness, maximum thickness, or spatial
center of the corresponding component, depending on
what has been chosen from the Position property drop-
down list (see section Component analysis Section on
page 691).
Volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of the component.
Surface [<length unit>²] Available for sphere method algorithm only: Indicates
the surfaces area of the component.
Mean thickness [<length unit>] Available for sphere method algorithm only: Indicates
the mean wall thickness of the component.

34 COMPONENTS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Thickness deviation (<length unit>] Available for sphere method algorithm only: Indicates
the standard deviation of the wall thicknesses within
the component.
Minimum thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the minimum wall thickness detected within
the component.
Maximum thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the maximum wall thickness detected within
the component.
Voxel count Available for sphere method algorithm only: Indicates

the number of voxels the component consists of.

for reporting.

views.
position of the component. The zoom factor of the

Tolerance status Indicates the tolerance status of the component

depending on the tolerances specified for the compo-
nents in the Tolerance settings section of the Settings tab:
settings Section on page 692 and section Tolerance settings Section on page 692), each entry is
evaluated separately according to the specified tolerance and highlighted in the following
colors:

34 ANNOTATIONS TAB

ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected wall thickness analysis. You can view the infor-
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Wall thickness [<length unit>] Indicates the wall thickness of the analyzed data set at
the current annotation position.
If an individual tolerance has been specified in the
Min./Max. wall thickness fields of the Annotations table, the
annotation is evaluated accordingly and the Wall thick-
ness field is highlighted in the following colors:
• Green: The tolerance is met.
• Red: The tolerance is not met.
Min./Max. wall thickness [<length unit>] Allows to specify individual tolerance values, i.e., the
minimum/maximum permissible wall thickness for the
corresponding annotation. This setting is independent
of the Min./Max. thickness settings specified in the Toler-
ance settings section of the Settings tab.

reporting.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION

views.


in the Min./Max. wall thickness fields of the Annotations
table: Valid (green), Out of tolerance (red), or No tolerance
(gray).

report rule.
the user.
 List section
views:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

placeholder
TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION


Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.

34 IMAGES TAB
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

RULES TAB

34 RULES TAB
 New button
 Delete button
 Edit button
Rule Dialog
 Rule section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

list erty.

34 RULES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
tion.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Report tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
be generated.
be generated.
tation label.
 Ok button
 Cancel button

34 REPORT TAB
REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.

34 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

34 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.

34 REPORT TAB


35 STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Structural Mechanics Simulation module calculates the mechanical stress distribution in an
object, based on a user-defined loading setup. The part can be either voxel data from a CT scan
or mesh data, e.g., imported from a CAD model. A linear-response material model is assumed,
defined by Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. As such, the simulation is valid only for defor-
mations which are very small compared to the extent of the analyzed object.
In order to set the loading condition, the user marks a part of the object surface subject to
fixture and another part of the surface subject to a load. The load can be one of a directed force,
a torque about a given axis, or pressure/suction.
The simulation is carried out using a mesh-free finite-element method, with linear basis
functions and a conjugate gradient solver.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new structural mechanics simulation,

 choose the Analysis > Create structural mechanics simulation menu item or
In order to open an existing structural mechanics simulation for modifying or viewing its
settings,
or
The Properties of Structural mechanics simulation dialog consists of several tabs on which you can
modify the analysis parameters or view the results of the analysis.

STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION MODULE
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
Calculate Triggers execution of the analysis. This button is deactivated if an

in the meantime.
Close Exits the dialog without performing an analysis. Parameter settings

TABLE 35-1: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Result is up to date The calculation has been finished and can be continued. The
(continuable) internal information necessary to continue is available.
Result is up to date The calculation is up to date and cannot be continued. The internal
information necessary to continue is no longer available.
Manually stopped (contin- The calculation was stopped manually and can be continued. The
uable) internal information necessary to continue is available.
Manually stopped The calculation was stopped manually and cannot be continued.
The internal information necessary to continue is no longer avail-
able. This state occurs when a stopped analysis is saved to and re-
loaded from disk or when the Free memory / Clear undo queue function
was executed.
Specify the direction/axis Click the Choose button to specify the direction of the force or of the
axis for the torque applied to the surface.
Specify the fixed ROI Use the drop-down list to select a previously defined ROI for the
fixed part of the object.
Specify the load ROI Use the drop-down list to select a previously defined ROI for the
part of the object that is to be subjected to load.
determination valid determined surface is required to perform a structural
mechanics simulation (see section Surface determination... Menu Item
on page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu).

35 SETTINGS TAB
In the Manually stopped and Manually stopped (continuable) states, the values of the Convergence error
and/or Max. number of iterations settings do not correspond to the actual result. The analysis result
may not be reproducible.
SETTINGS TAB
The Settings tab of the Properties of Structural mechanics simulation dialog allows to set all physics
and simulation parameters to control the details of the simulation.
FIGURE 35-1: PROPERTIES OF STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

35 SETTINGS TAB

used:
list.
Material parameters Section
Defines the elastic properties of the object material. A linear material model is used, determined
by the Young’s modulus and the Poisson’s ratio.
Constant material parameters mode vs. Variable material parameters mode
In the Constant material parameters mode, the entire simulated volume is assumed to consist of the
same physical material, characterized by Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio. The simulated
volume is the volume enclosed by the determined surface, optionally intersected by an ROI (if
the analysis is created below an ROI), and optionally diminished by the defect volume (if a
porosity/inclusion analysis is taken into account). In the Variable material parameters mode, the
simulated volume consists of material with locally varying parameters, dependent on the local
gray value of the loaded volume.
The Variable material parameters mode does not work with geometry or CAD data, or when gray-
value data are unloaded.
On the Settings tab, the user imports two lookup curves which map a given gray value to the
material parameters. One lookup curve determines the Young's modulus, the other lookup
curve determines the Poisson's ratio.
Interfaces between domains with different material parameters are not explicitly modeled. The
simulated domain is assumed to be coherent with no occurrence of slipping or cracking. Due to
the partial volume effect, the gray values tend to diminish near the determined surface. This
might result in apparent material variations which are unwanted. By default, the partial volume
effect is corrected in a narrow band around the determined surface. The corrected gray values
will be used for the material lookup.
 Constant material parameters option

35 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Young’s modulus spin box Specifies the Young’s modulus (also known as the
“elastic modulus”) of the object material.
Poisson’s ratio spin box Specifies the Poisson’s ratio of the object material.
TABLE 35-4: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL PARAMETERS SECTION
 Variable material parameters option
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Young’s modulus field Indicates the Young’s modulus after import of a .csv
file.
Poisson’s ratio field Indicates the Poisson’s ratio after import of a .csv file.
Import CSV button (Young’s modulus) Allows to import a .csv file that contains value pairs of
gray value and Young’s modulus. In order to obtain a
complete gray value range, a linear interpolation is
performed between the gray values. For missing gray
values at the beginning and end of the gray value
range, the first and last gray values available in the csv
table are used, respectively.
Import CSV button (Poisson’s ratio) Allows to import a .csv file that contains value pairs of
gray value and Poisson’s ratio. In order to obtain a
complete gray value range, a linear interpolation is
performed between the gray values. For missing gray
values at the beginning and end of the gray value
range, the first and last gray values available in the csv
table are used, respectively.
Correction of partial volume effect The partial volume effect (i.e., image blurring) causes a
checkbox drop in the gray values near the determined object
surface. Depending on the user-supplied lookup
curves, this can cause unwanted artifacts in the
assumed material properties. When this option is
checked, the gray values are corrected in a small band
around the determined surface to compensate for the
gray value drop.
Correction distance radio buttons Specifies the distance for the correction of the partial
volume effect in mm or in number of voxels.
TABLE 35-5: CONTROLS OF THE MATERIAL PARAMETERS SECTION

35 SETTINGS TAB
Fixture definition Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Fixed ROI drop-down list Specifies an ROI for the fixed part of the object. The
intersection of the object surface with this ROI is
regarded to be fixed. The fixed ROI is represented by a
red color overlay in the 2D and the 3D windows. See
Figure 35-2 for an illustration.
Note that if the fixed ROI overlaps with the load ROI,
the overlapping area is considered as fixed.
TABLE 35-6: CONTROLS OF THE FIXTURE DEFINITION SECTION
Load definition Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list Specifies the type of load applied to the object, either
Directed force, Torque, or Pressure.
Load ROI drop-down list Specifies an ROI for the part of the object that is to be
subjected to load. The intersection of the object
surface with this ROI is regarded to be subject to load.
The load ROI is represented by a green color overlay in
the 2D and the 3D windows. See Figure 35-2 for an
illustration.
Note that if the load ROI overlaps with the fixed ROI,
the overlapping area is considered as fixed.
Direction fields For load type Directed force only: Specify the direction of
the force applied to the surface. The specified vector is
normalized to unit length before taken into account in
the calculation.
Axis fields For load type Torque only: Specify the direction of the
axis for the torque applied to the surface. The specified
vector is normalized to unit length before taken into

available in the workspace for specifying the direction.
The direction is the normal of the selected 2D window
or the current direction of view of the 3D window.
Force spin box For load type Directed force only: Specifies the magni-
tude of the force to be applied. A negative value
reverses the orientation.
Torque spin box For load type Torque only: Specifies the magnitude of
the torque to be applied. A negative value reverses the
sense of rotation.

35 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Pressure spin box For load type Pressure only: Specifies the magnitude of
the pressure to be applied. A negative value represents
suction.
TABLE 35-7: CONTROLS OF THE LOAD DEFINITION SECTION
FIGURE 35-2: REPRESENTATION OF THE LOADED AND FIXED SURFACES
Simulation settings Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Simulation cell size spin boxes Specify the simulation grid resolution. You can either
enter a value as a physical unit or in a number of voxels.
Larger values result in faster simulation and less
memory requirement, smaller values produce more
accurate results.
A value smaller than 1 voxel is recommended in cases
where the diameters of relevant gaps in the object are
below 2 to 3 voxels or where the thicknesses of rele-
vant material structures are less than 4 to 5 voxels.
For a simulation cell size larger than 1 voxel, the simu-
lation is carried out on a subsampled version of the
determined surface. Small structures in the surface are
smoothed out and will not be accounted for in the
simulation. The effect is stronger for larger simulation
cell sizes.

35 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
FIGURE 35-3: SMOOTHING OF THE DETERMINED SURFACE FOR

SIMULATION CELL SIZE GREATER THAN THE VOXEL SIZE
In Figure 35-3, a stress simulation was carried out with

a simulation cell size of four times the original voxel
size. Shown is a slice showing the von Mises stress
field as a color overlay. The original determined surface
is displayed as a white line. The boundary of the color
overlay corresponds to the simulated object boundary.
Convergence error spin box The simulation algorithm is an iterative process through
which the calculation result converges to the exact
solution iteration by iteration. The convergence error is
an estimate of how close a given solution is to the exact
solution.
This parameter specifies an upper threshold for the
convergence error. The computation finishes when
either the convergence error is below this threshold or
a maximum number of iterations (see below) has been
performed. A smaller value of the convergence error
means better accuracy of the result. A value of 10-6 is
usually safe.
Max. number of iterations spin box A fall-back stopping criterion if the desired conver-
gence error (see above) cannot be reached. The algo-
rithm will stop at the latest after the specified number of
iterations.
Remote calculation option For Structural Mechanics Cluster Extension. When this
option is checked, the computation of the simulation is
done via cluster.
RAM required field Indicates the predicted approximate peak additional

memory requirement corresponding to the current
setting in the Simulation cell size field. If the RAM is not
sufficient, increase the simulation cell size.
RAM required locally field Only visible if the Remote calculation option is checked:
Indicates the predicted approximate peak additional
memory requirement on the local computer.

35 SETTINGS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
RAM required on cluster field Only visible if the Remote calculation option is checked:
Indicates the predicted approximate peak additional
memory requirement on the worker computers.
TABLE 35-8: CONTROLS OF THE SIMULATION SETTINGS SECTION
Porosity Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Porosity checkbox When this option is checked, an existing porosity/inclu-

sion analysis (Void analysis mode) can be selected in
oder to consider the effects of the detected voids in the
structural mechanics simulation.
Porosity/inclusion analysis drop-down Specifies the porosity/inclusion analysis.

list
Refine defects checkbox When this option is checked, the defect geometry will
be refined to a sub-voxel precise level using Volume
Graphics' surface determination technology.
TABLE 35-9: CONTROLS OF THE POROSITY SECTION
Analyzed Volume section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Exclude area around fixed/loaded object The simulation result can be unrealistic in the vicinity of
boundaries checkbox the object boundary within the fixed/load ROI because
of boundary effects.
When this option is checked, the area defined in the
Excluded area size [sim. cells] field around the object
boundary within the load ROI or fixed ROI is not consid-
ered in the results.
Excluded area size [sim. cells] spin box Specifies the number of simulation cells around the
object boundaries that will not be considered in the
results (e.g., hot spots, histograms, etc.).
Analyze custom ROI only checkbox When this option is checked, only the area defined by
the ROI specified in the Custom ROI drop-down list will
be considered in the results (e.g., hot spots, histo-
grams, etc.).
Custom ROI drop-down list Only the area defined by the specified ROI is consid-
ered in the results.
TABLE 35-10: CONTROLS OF THE ANALYZED VOLUME SECTION

35 SETTINGS TAB
Visualization options Section
Since each visualization option requires additional memory, you can enable or disable the
creation of color overlays and force lines for the visualization of the results and specify the
precision they are created with. Higher precision results in more memory consumption. The
settings done here can be changed even after the calculation has completed. In this case,
clicking the Calculate button is required again, however, the update will happen quickly because
internal simulation results are re-used.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Overlay checkboxes Allow to enable/disable the creation of color overlays

for the following quantities: Von Mises stress, Max. shear
stress, Max. principal stress, Displacement, and Force lines.
For the definition of these quantities, see section Visu-
alization of the Analysis Results on page 748.
Note that the von Mises stress overlay will always be
created.
If the creation of a color overlay is enabled, its visibility
can still be turned on and off in the Scene Tree after the
calculation has completed.
Precision drop-down lists • Normal (8 bit): Color/force line information is stored

with 8 bit per voxel. This option can encode up to
256 different values.
• High (16 bit): Color/force line information is stored
with 16 bit per voxel. This option can encode up to
65536 different values.
• Full (32 bit float): Color/force line information is stored
as a 32 bit floating point number per voxel. This
option preserves the full simulation precision.
The specified precisions affect the color overlays, the
annotations, and the hot spot calculation. The histo-
grams, however, are always based on the full simulation
precision, regardless of these settings.

settings.
TABLE 35-11: CONTROLS OF THE VISUALIZATION OPTIONS SECTION

35 SETTINGS TAB
Calculate hot spots Section
Allows to detect local maxima of an underlying field, e.g., the von Mises stress field.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Calculate hot spots checkbox When this option is checked, local maxima of an under-
lying field, e.g., the stress field, will be detected. Hot
spots can be calculated both for the quantities checked
in the Visualization options section as well as for the differ-
ences of these quantities, if a comparison of two anal-
ysis has been calculated.
Based on drop-down list Specifies the quantity for hot spot calculation: von Mises
stress, Max. shear stress, Max. principal stress, or Magnitude
of displacement. For the definition of these quantities, see
section Visualization of the Analysis Results on
page 748.
For Max. shear stress, Max. principal stress, or Magnitude of
displacement: The selected option must be checked in
the Visualization options section.
For Δ von Mises stress, Δ max. shear stress, Δ max. principal
stress or Δ magnitude of displacement: The quantity must
be calculated in two analyses, and the comparison
must have been calculated.
Threshold spin box Specifies a threshold to be applied to the field. The

areas where the field value is larger than the threshold
are regarded as hot spots. You can set an absolute
value or a volume percentile. If the volume percentile is
chosen, the respective volume fraction with the highest
stress value will be regarded as a hot spot. After calcu-
lation, the corresponding absolute threshold will be
displayed in the field at the far right.
Min. size spin box Specifies the minimum volume of a hot spot to be
included in the result, i.e., hot spots smaller than the
specified volume will be filtered out. You can enter a
value as a physical unit or in a number of voxels.
TABLE 35-12: CONTROLS OF THE CALCULATE HOT SPOTS SECTION
Stress hot spots found directly adjacent to the fixed or loaded ROIs may be numerical artifacts.
(For details see section Singularities Near the Boundary Conditions on page 752).

35 STATISTICS TAB
Compare with reference analysis section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Compare with reference analysis When this option is checked, results from a reference
checkbox structural mechanics simulation carried out on the
same or a similar object can be loaded for comparison
purposes.
Reference analysis drop-down list Specifies the reference analysis the current analysis is
to be compared to.
Comparison function (Δ) drop-down This function only affects the fields shown in the Scene
list Tree as Comparison results (Δ).
• Difference:
Uses the difference between current analysis and
reference analysis as a basis for the calculation of
the comparison.
• Magnitude of difference:
Uses the magnitude of difference between the
current analysis and reference analysis as a basis
for the calculation of the comparison.
TABLE 35-13: CONTROLS OF THE COMPARE WITH REFERENCE ANALYSIS SECTION
STATISTICS TAB
Simulation performance section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Convergence error Indicates the convergence error actually reached. This

value can be greater than the target error set by the
user, e.g., when the algorithm stops because the
maximum number of iterations was reached.
Degrees of freedom Indicates the total number of degrees of freedom of the

finite elements in the simulation.
Simulation time Indicates the actual time spent for simulating.
Total number of iterations Indicates the actual number of iterations calculated.

This value is equal to or less than the corresponding
simulation parameter set by the user.
TABLE 35-14: FIELDS OF THE SIMULATION PERFORMANCE SECTION

35 STATISTICS TAB
Geometry of analyzed volume section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Volume [<length unit>³] field Indicates the volume that is analyzed in the simulation.
This volume depends on the simulation cell size, and
on the settings specified in the Analyzed volume section.
Surface area [<length unit>²] field Indicates the surface area of the volume that is
analyzed in the simulation. This surface area depends
on the simulation cell size, and on the settings specified
in the Analyzed volume section.
Simulation cell size field Indicates the simulation grid resolution as a length.
Simulation cell volume field Indicates the simulation grid resolution in a volumetric
dimension.
TABLE 35-15: CONTROLS OF THE GEOMETRY OF ANALYZED VOLUME SECTION
Von Mises stress/Max. shear stress/Max. principal stress and Magnitude of displacement
sections
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Max. value field Indicates the maximum value of the quantity.
Mean value field Indicates the mean value of the quantity.
Percentile field Indicates the value of percentile defined in the Percentile

spin box at the bottom of this tab.
TABLE 35-16: CONTROLS OF THE VON MISES STRESS/MAX. SHEAR STRESS/MAGNITUDE OF DISPLACEMENT
SECTIONS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Percentile spin box Specifies a volume percentile for each of the quantities
von Mises stress, Max. shear stress, and Magnitude of
displacement.
Copy CSV to clipboard button Copies the statistics results in CSV format to the
system clipboard.
Export CSV to file button Allows to export the statistics results in CSV format.
TABLE 35-17: CONTROLS OF THE STATISTICS TAB

35 HISTOGRAMS TAB
HISTOGRAMS TAB
Shows the volume histogram within the determined surface of the selected object for the
selected quantity. The histogram bars can be colored according to the settings on the Colors tab.
Controls of the Histograms Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Select drop-down list Specifies the quantity to be shown in the histogram.
Normalization drop-down field • Absolute: Displays the volume in absolute values.

• Relative: Displays the volume in relative values with
respect to the entire volume within the determined
surface.
histogram.
on the Colors tab.

35 HISTOGRAMS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Left: Indicates the minimum value of the selected
quantity within the interval, i.e., the left interval
border.
• Right: Indicates the maximum value of the selected
quantity within the interval, i.e., the right interval
border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the selected
quantity within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the selected
quantity within the interval.
• Sum: Indicates the volume within the interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of the volume
Create ROI button Generates a new ROI containing all voxels whose
volumes lie within the selected interval.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 35-18: CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAMS TAB
Context Menu of the Histograms Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


35 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
sponding axis.

information, see section Controls of the Histograms Tab
on page 732.
Create ROI Generates a new ROI containing all voxels whose

volumes lie within the selected interval.
COLORS TAB
Here you can specify the color-coding scheme used for the representation of the simulation
results.
Select Section
Specifies the quantity for which you want to specify the color-coding scheme.
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Sections Section

35 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.

35 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
analyses.

used:
• default preset
list.
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

35 HOT SPOTS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
HOT SPOTS TAB
Lists all calculated hot spots and their properties.

The Hot spots table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Max./Min./Mean value [<unit>] Indicates the maximum, minimum, and mean value of
the quantity selected for the calculation of the hot spot.
Std. deviation [<unit>] Indicates the standard deviation.
Pos. of max. value x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicates the position of the largest value of the hot
spot.
reporting.

views.
implemented.)
tab, the color overlay specified by the Based on option in
the Calculate hot spots section of the Settings tab is
shown. The 2D slice position used for taking the image
is determined by the position of the maximum value of
the hot spot. The zoom factor of the image is chosen
such that the entire parent object# is visible.

35 ANNOTATIONS TAB
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Captures Indicates the number of images captured for this hot

spot using the Capture from button in the Screenshots
section.
TABLE 35-25: COLUMNS OF THE HOT SPOTS TABLE
ANNOTATIONS TAB
Lists all annotations created for the selected simulation. You can view the information supplied
by the annotations or edit the annotation properties.
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Von Mises stress [unit] Indicates the von Mises stress at the position of the
annotation.
Magnitude of displacement [<length Indicates the magnitude of displacement at the posi-

unit>] tion of the annotation.
Displacement x/y/z [<length unit>] Indicate the x, y, and z components of the displace-
ment vector at the position of the annotation. In the
linear approximation used here, the simulation results
are valid only if the displacements are very small
compared to the extent of the simulated object.
Stress tensor xx/xy/xz/yy/yz/zz [<unit>] Indicate the xx/xy/xz/yy/yz/zz components of the

stress tensor.

reporting.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION

views.
implemented.)
tab, the Von Mises stress color overlay is shown. The 2D
slice position used for taking the image is determined
by the position of the annotation. The zoom factor of
the image is chosen such that the entire parent object
is visible.

Tolerance status Currently not implemented.

the user.
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

TABLE CONTEXT MENU
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.


35 FORCE LINES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.
FORCE LINES TAB
Specifies the appearance of the force lines for the 2D and 3D windows.

35 IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Length (0-100) spin box Specifies the length of the individual force lines.
Density (0-100) spin box Specifies the density and thus the number of force
lines.
Width (0-100) spin box Specifies the width of the individual force ines.
Show in 3D window checkbox Switches the visibility of the force lines in the 3D
window on/off. Note that the Force lines checkbox in the
Scene Tree must also be checked in order to display
the force lines.
TABLE 35-30: CONTROLS OF THE FORCE LINES TAB
IMAGES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.


35 REPORT TAB
REPORT TAB

reporting function.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

35 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML

35 REPORT TAB
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel
 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.


35 VISUALIZATION OF THE ANALYSIS RESULTS
VISUALIZATION OF THE ANALYSIS RESULTS
Various overlays are provided for the visualization of the analysis results in the 2D and 3D
windows. These overlays can be switched on/off in the Scene Tree tool below the analysis node
by checking/unchecking the corresponding checkboxes.
Load case definition
 Fixed ROI overlay

The fixed ROI is represented in red. This overlay is available both in uncalculated and
calculated states.
 Load ROI overlay
The load ROI is represented in green. This overlay is available both in uncalculated and
calculated states.
 Force arrow overlay
This overlay visualizes the applied force. Depending on the force type, the force is either
represented by a single arrow (for Directed force) or by five arrows in a circle (for Torque). For
the force type Pressure, this overlay is not available. This overlay is available both in uncal-
culated and calculated states.
Simulation results
 Max. principal stress overlay

The maximum principal stress is shown color-coded at each point in the object. By default,
tension is shown in green and compression is shown in red. The maximum principal stress
is the eigenvalue of the stress tensor with the largest magnitude. Positive eigenvalues are
tension, negative ones are compression.
 Force lines overlay
The stress tensor field is shown in the form of force lines (tension = green, compression =
red). The force lines point in the direction of the eigenvectors of the stress tensor. As such
they cross each other in normal direction. The magnitudes of the eigenvalues are encoded
in the force line density. If the force lines are turned on in the Visualization options section, the
full stress tensor is available in the Annotations table.
 Magnitude of displacement overlay
The length of the displacement vector is shown color-coded at each point in the object. If
the displacement is turned on in the Visualization options section, the x-, y- and z-compo-
nents of the displacement are available in the Annotations table.
In the linear approximation used here, the simulation results are valid only if the magnitude of
displacement is very small compared to the extent of the simulated object.
 Max. shear stress overlay

The maximum shear stress, also known as the Tresca yield criterion, is used for predicting
failure of ductile material, like most metals, due to yielding. It is shown color-coded at each
point in the object.
 Von Mises stress overlay

35 CONTINUING OR RECALCULATING A STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION
The von Mises stress is used for predicting the failure of ductile material, like most metals,
due to yielding based on the von Mises criterion. It is shown color-coded at each point in
the object.
Comparison results
 Δ max. principal stress overlay

The Δ maximum principal stress is the difference between the maximum principal stress
of the current analysis and the reference analysis, and is shown color-coded at each point
in the object.
 Δ magnitude of displacement overlay
The Δ magnitude of displacement is the difference between the magnitude of displace-
ment of the current analysis and the reference analysis, and is shown color-coded at each
point in the object.
 Δ max. shear stress overlay
The Δ maximum shear stress is the difference between the maximum shear stress of the
current analysis and the reference analysis, and is shown color-coded at each point in the
object.
 Δ von Mises stress overlay
The Δ von Mises stress is the difference between the von Mises stress of the current anal-
ysis and the reference analysis, and is shown color-coded at each point in the object.
CONTINUING OR RECALCULATING A STRUCTURAL

MECHANICS SIMULATION
There are several possibilities for continuing or recalculating a structural mechanics simulation,
making use of previously computed results:
 Stop a running calculation and continue it with the same or with different parameters
(status Manually stopped (continuable)).
 Continue a finished calculation with different parameters (status Result is up to date (continu-
able)).
The parameters that can be changed for continuing a simulation are Convergence error and/or Max.
number of iterations. Changing any other parameter will invalidate the intermediate results and—
depending on the parameter changed—a complete or a partial recalculation will be necessary.
 Partially recalculate the simulation with different visualization options and/or hot spots
parameters (status Result is up to date, Result is up to date (continuable), Manually stopped, or
Manually stopped (continuable)).
Stopping and Continuing a Calculation
Depending on the selected parameters, calculating a structural mechanics simulation may take
a long time. In order to view intermediate results and decide on the suitability of the parameters,
it may be useful to stop the analysis, inspect the intermediate results and either continue with
the same or with different parameters.

35 CONTINUING OR RECALCULATING A STRUCTURAL MECHANICS SIMULATION
After you have clicked the Calculate button on the Settings tab, the progress of the calculation is
shown in the Calculating... dialog.
FIGURE 35-4: CALCULATING... DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show details on warnings checkbox When this option is checked, the messages section will
unfold automatically if a warning message is issued.
Apart from that, the Calculating... dialog will remain open
after the calculation has been completed.
When this option is unchecked, the messages section
unfolds only when you click the Details button, and the
Calculating... dialog closes automatically after the calcu-
lation has been completed.
Stop button This button becomes enabled as soon as intermediate

results are available. Clicking this button stops the
calculation and changes the status of the analysis to
Manually stopped (continuable). The intermediate results
are shown.
Abort button Aborts the analysis without displaying any results.
Details button Unfolds/collapses the messages section.
Close button Available after the calculation has been finished if the
Show details on warnings checkbox had been checked
and warnings are present in the messages section.
Closes the Calculating... dialog.
TABLE 35-37: CONTROLS OF THE CALCULATING... DIALOG
To continue the analysis with the same parameters, click the Calculate button at the bottom of
the Properties of Structural mechanics simulation dialog. The analysis is continued from the point
where it had been stopped.
To continue the analysis with different parameters, change at least one of the Convergence error
and Max. number of iterations parameters. As soon as you change one of these parameters, the
status changes to Calculation required. Clicking the Calculate button starts the calculation from the
point where it had been stopped.

35 HOW TO OBTAIN RELIABLE RESULTS
Changing any parameter other than Convergence error or Max. number of iterations will invalidate the
intermediate results and—depending on the parameter changed—a complete or a partial recal-
culation will be necessary.
Continuing a Finished Calculation
After an analysis has been completed and the project has not yet been closed and reloaded and
the Edit > Free memory/Clear undo queue command has not been carried out, it is still possible to
continue the simulation with different Convergence error or Max. number of iterations parameters.
This status is indicated by the message Result is up to date (continuable) in the status bar of the
Properties of Structural mechanics simulation dialog. As soon as you change one of these param-
eters, the status changes to Calculation required. Clicking the Calculate button starts the calculation
from the point where it had stopped.
Changing any parameter other than Convergence error or Max. number of iterations will invalidate the
intermediate results and—depending on the parameter changed—a complete or a partial recal-
culation will be necessary.
Freeing Temporary Memory
In order to keep a calculation continuable, large amounts of internal information must be kept in
memory in addition to the actual calculation results. When a calculation is finished, it is therefore
recommended to delete the internal information in order to ensure the application remains most
responsive. For this purpose, either select the Edit > Free memory/clear undo queue menu item or
save and reload the project.
Since the internal information required for continuing a calculation is not saved in the project, a
calculation cannot be continued after the project has been closed and reloaded.
Partially Recalculating the Simulation
If the analysis is in one of the green states—Result is up to date, Result is up to date (continuable),
Manually stopped, or Manually stopped (continuable)—and one of parameters in the Visualization options
or Calculate hot spots sections is changed, the analysis will go to the Calculation required state.
However, when the Calculate button is clicked, the recalculation will be performed fast since the
internally stored results will be re-used.
HOW TO OBTAIN RELIABLE RESULTS
Convergence Error
The simulation algorithms in VGSTUDIO MAX are iterative processes. The calculation result
converges towards the exact solution iteration by iteration. In some cases, especially in highly
structured or porous objects and/or with the Poisson’s ratio approaching its upper limit of 0.5,
approaching the exact solution is numerically difficult. It is therefore important to let the
algorithm converge sufficiently, i.e., run a sufficient number of iterations. The user can set the

35 HOW TO OBTAIN RELIABLE RESULTS
maximum convergence error (an estimate of how close the result is to the exact solution) and
the maximum number of iterations in the analysis settings (see section Settings Tab on
page 721.) Whichever of these two criteria is reached first will make the algorithm stop. The
number of iterations and the convergence error necessary to reach the desired quality of the
result depend on the specific case and have to be determined by trial and error. The default
convergence error of 10-6 will be small enough in many, but not all, cases. For other cases, a
larger convergence error may give a sufficiently accurate solution while saving a huge amount of
calculation time. In order to determine a reasonable convergence error for a given type of data,
it is a good idea to inspect the result for a series of convergence errors (e.g., 10-5, 10-6, 10-7,
etc.) to determine the point at which the result does not change significantly. For inspecting the
result, you can, e.g., set a number of analysis annotations at critical (e.g., high-stress) locations
in your data set and refer to the reported stress values. In order to see small changes, set the
precision of the von Mises stress in the Visualization options section to Full (32 bit float).
Simulation Cell Size
The spatial discretization can constitute another source of inaccuracy. The Simulation cell size
parameter in the Simulation settings section controls the resolution at which the space is repre-
sented in the simulation. In many cases, e.g., for large objects with relatively smooth surfaces, a
value of 2 voxels or even 4 voxels may be sufficient, saving huge amounts of simulation time
and needed computer memory. However, to capture the effects of small structures such as little
pores, a fine resolution (1 voxels or even less) is necessary. It is recommended that the diameter
of the smallest structures (pores or wall/rod thicknesses) be at least 4—5 times the simulation
cell size to prevent effects like shear locking, which is an over-estimation of shear stresses.
Like with the convergence error, it is a good idea to simulate a representative data set on a
number of resolutions, from coarse to fine, to determine the point where the results do no longer
change significantly.
Singularities Near the Boundary Conditions
In Figure 35-5, a beam is fixed at two drill holes at one end and a bending force is applied at the
other end. There are points of very high stress visible at the border of the fixed boundary condi-
tions. Here, the stress is probably unrealistically high. The simulation assumes a hard transition
between a region of infinite rigidity to a region which is elastic. In a physical setup, firstly, infinite
rigidity does not exist and, secondly, the transition from constrained to moving parts is smooth
due to the yielding effects. In general, stress hot spots directly adjacent to the fixed and force
ROIs are to be interpreted with care. As a recommendation, plan the simulation setup in a way
that relevant object parts are far away from the fixed and force boundary condition. In some
cases, the object may be extended by an artificial support structure which, in place of the object
itself, is subject to the boundary conditions.
FIGURE 35-5: LEFT: FIXED REGIONS (RED) AND AREA OF APPLIED FORCE (GREEN). RIGHT: THE POINTS OF HIGH
STRESS NEAR THE FIXTURE ARE OVERESTIMATED

35 PHYSICS REFERENCE
PHYSICS REFERENCE
Notation Conventions
The following conventions are used for denoting quantities and operations:
 Scalar quantities are denoted with italic letters, e.g., x.
 Vector-valued quantities are marked with an underline, e.g., x.
 The i-th component of a vector-valued quantity is written like xi.
 Tensor-valued quantities are denoted with bold letters, e.g., x.
 The matrix component (i, j) of a tensor-valued quantity is written like xij.
 The partial derivative of a function f(r) with respect to the i-th component of the vector r
is denoted by f,i(r).
 The dependence on the position vector r is sometimes omitted for a clearer appearance
of formulas, e.g., instead of sij(r) we also write simply sij.
Mathematical Description
Calculated is the equilibrium state of an isotropic, linear elastic solid S characterized by the
Young’s modulus E and the Poisson’s ratio ν.
Let u(r) be the field of displacements at every point r S of the solid object. The linearized
strain tensor e is defined as
eij(r) = (ui,j(r) + uj,i(r))/2
The stress tensor s is calculated from e by means of the generalized Hooke’s law:
where δij is the Kronecker symbol, assuming 1 for i = j and 0 otherwise.

The equilibrium state is defined by canceling of forces at every point expressed by the equations
for j = 1..3 (1)
The loading boundary conditions are applied to portions of the surface of S, dSfixed and dSforce:
u(r) = 0 for r dSfixed (2)
for r dSforce (3)
where n(r) is the unit vector normal to the surface dSforce and t*(r) is a prescribed traction.
Equation (1) is solved with the boundary conditions (2) and (3) using a mesh-free finite element
method with linear basis functions.

35 VALIDATION
VALIDATION
Bending a Cantilever Beam
A beam with the dimensions 500 mm x 50 mm x 50 mm is used, represented as a volume data

set with a voxel size of 1 mm. As shown in Figure 35-6, the leftmost x/y-slice is fixed (red
surface) and the rightmost x/y-slice is subject to a lateral force in negative y-direction (green
surface and arrow).
FIGURE 35-6: CANTILEVER BEAM SUBJECT TO BENDING
VGSTUDIO MAX was used for simulating this setup with a simulation cell size of 1 voxel. Three
simulation runs were conducted with different settings for the Young’s modulus E and the
applied force F. The results were compared to theoretical predictions.
Displacement
According to the Bernoulli beam theory, the displacement in y-direction varies along the beam’s
central axis like
where rz is the distance from the fixed end, F is the applied force, E is the Young’s modulus, a is
the side length of the beam’s cross section, and L is the total length of the beam. The lateral
displacement was checked at 13 points along the central axis using the import annotations
functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX to define the points (see Figure 35-7). Picture a in Figure 35-9
shows that the simulation results match the theory.
FIGURE 35-7: VON MISES STRESS VISUALIZATION: 13 SAMPLE POINTS ON THE CENTRAL AXIS
Stress Tensor
The stress components were checked for the simulation run with E = 1 MPa and F = 1 N.

35 VALIDATION
The stress component szz carries the bending moment. It is expected as
where ry is the y-component of the distance from the beam’s central axis. The stress tensor was
checked at three cross sections at 50 mm, 250 mm, and 450 mm from the fixed end. Each
cross section was sampled using the import annotations functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX at
10x10 equally spaced points (see Figure 35-8).
FIGURE 35-8: VON MISES STRESS VISUALIZATION: SAMPLE POINTS AT PLANES AT Z = 50 MM, Z = 250 MM,
AND Z = 450 MM, 10 X 10 POINTS EACH
Picture b in Figure 35-9 shows the simulation results vs. the theory. Note that the plot contains
300 points, but every 10 points do almost exactly overlap since they share the same y- and z-
coordinates. The blue data points (at z = 450 mm) do slightly miss the theory. This is because
the points are very close to the loaded end of the beam where the Bernoulli beam theory breaks
down. The theory is only valid for distances from the end much larger than the diameter of the
beam. The stress component syz carries the shear force. It is independent of the z-position and
assumes a parabolic shape:
The tensor components are checked for 10x10 points at the cross section at z = 250 mm (see
Figure 35-8,middle plane). Picture c in Figure 35-9 shows the simulation results vs. the theory.
The scattering of the simulated points is due to the fact that the theory does neglect the depen-
dence of the stress on the x-coordinate. Independently of the Bernoulli theory it must hold that
the integral of syz about any cross section must be equal to the applied force:
This was checked for the three planes z = 50 mm, z = 250 mm, and z = 450 mm by numerically
integrating the 10x10 sampled points. Picture d in Figure 35-9 shows that the simulation
matches the physical requirement.

35 VALIDATION
FIGURE 35-9: BENT CANTILEVER BEAM—SIMULATION VS. THEORY. A: LATERAL DISPLACEMENT; B:

HORIZONTAL STRESS COMPONENT SZZ; C AND D: SHEAR STRESS COMPONENT SYZ
Twisting a Cylindrical Rod
A cylinder with a length of L = 500 mm and a radius R = 50 mm is used, represented as a

volume data set with a voxel size of 1 mm and a gray value resolution of 8 bit per voxel in order
to get a smooth surface. As shown in Figure 35-10, the leftmost xy-slice is fixed (red surface)
and the rightmost xy-slice is subject to a torque of T = 0.1 Nm around the z-axis (green surface
and arrows).

35 VALIDATION
FIGURE 35-10: CYLINDRICAL ROD SUBJECT TO TWISTING
VGSTUDIO MAX was used for simulating this setup with a simulation cell size of 1 voxel. Three
simulation runs were conducted with a Young’s modulus E = 1 MPa and three different settings
for the Poisson’s ratio ν = 0, ν = 0.3, and ν = 0.49.
From solid mechanics theory, the resulting twisting angle ϕ is expected to vary over the rod
length like:
where G is the shear modulus, connected to E and ν by the formula
For small twisting angles, the tangential displacement at the surface is ut=ϕR. The
displacement was determined at 13 points along the rod length using the analysis annotations
functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX (see Figure 35-11). Note that for the chosen points, ux can be
identified with ut.
FIGURE 35-11: DISPLACEMENT IN X-DIRECTION WITH 13 SAMPLE POINTS ALONG THE Z-AXIS

35 VALIDATION
Figure 35-12 shows that the simulation is in good agreement with the theory:
FIGURE 35-12: TWISTED CYLINDRICAL ROD: LATERAL DISPLACEMENT AT THE SURFACE ALONG THE LENGTH OF
THE ROD FOR THREE DIFFERENT VALUES OF THE POISSON’S RATIO
Hollow Sphere Subject to Internal Pressure
A hollow sphere with inner radius a = 12.5 mm and an outer radius b = 25 mm is represented as
a volume data set with a voxel size of 1 mm and a gray value resolution of 8 bit per voxel in
order to get a smooth surface. The inner surface is subject to a pressure of p = 1 Pa, while the
outer surface can move freely. In order to prevent divergence of the simulation, a fixture is
needed. Therefore, a small patch at the negative z-pole of the surface is fixed. In Figure 35-13
the upper half sphere is drawn semi-transparently. The inner surface, subject to pressure, is
colored in green. The small fixed patch at the negative z-pole of the surface is colored in red.
FIGURE 35-13: HOLLOW SPHERE SUBJECT TO INTERNAL PRESSURE

35 VALIDATION
VGSTUDIO MAX was used for simulating this setup with a simulation cell size of 0.5 voxels, a
Young’s modulus of E = 1 MPa and a Poisson’s ratio of ν = 0.3. From solid mechanics theory,
the resulting radial displacement is (e.g., [1], Chapter 4.1.4):
The radial and tangential stress components are:
The radial displacement was determined at 13 points along the y-axis between y = a and y = b
using the analysis annotations functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX. Figure 35-14 shows the
simulated displacement in y-direction (color-coded) and the 13 sample points along the y-axis.
Note that for these points, the y-direction is identical to the r-direction and the z-direction is
identical to the ϕ-direction.
FIGURE 35-14: HOLLOW SPHERE SUBJECT TO INTERNAL PRESSURE: DISPLACEMENT IN Y-DIRECTION WITH 13
SAMPLE POINTS ALONG THE Y-AXIS

35 REFERENCES
Figure 35-15 shows that the simulation does match the theory:
FIGURE 35-15: HOLLOW SPHERE: LEFT: RADIAL DISPLACEMENT, RIGHT: RADIAL AND TANGENTIAL STRESS
COMPONENTS
REFERENCES
[1] A. F. Bower: Applied Mechanics of Solids. CRC Press (2010)

36 TRANSPORT PHENOMENA MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The Transport Phenomena module has been designed to simulate transport processes in porous or
two-component materials for the following physical phenomena:
 Viscous flow/permeability
Stationary low-Reynolds flow of an incompressible fluid through the voids of a porous
material which are assumed to be completely flooded with the fluid.
 Electric conduction
Stationary electric current through a two-component material where the components have
different specific conductances. Porous material is modeled by setting the conductivity of
one of the components to zero.
 Molecular diffusion
Stationary diffusion of a solute through the voids of a porous material which are assumed
to be completely flooded with the solvent. The solid component can also have a non-zero
diffusion coefficient.
 Thermal conduction
Stationary conduction of heat through a two-component material (e.g., fiber-reinforced
plastics) where the components have different thermal conductivities. Porous material is
modeled by setting the conductivity of one of the components to zero.
 Capillary pressure
Pore size distribution and capillary pressure drainage curve for a scanned porous material
sample.
Each of the first four transport simulations comes in two flavors, corresponding to two different
simulation goals: experiment mode and tensor calculation mode.
The covered transport processes can be characterized by their transported quantity, driving
quantity, and effective material properties:
TRANSPORT PROCESS TRANSPORTED QUAN- DRIVING QUANTITY MATERIAL PROPERTIES

TITY
Viscous flow Fluid matter Pressure Absolute permea-

bility, hydraulic tortu-
osity
Electric conduction Electric charge Voltage Electric conductivity,

formation factor
Molecular diffusion Dissolved molecules Molar concentration Diffusion coefficient,

diffusive tortuosity
Thermal conduction Heat Temperature Thermal conductivity
Capillary pressure Fluid matter Capillary force Capillary pressure

curve
TABLE 36-1: TRANSPORT PROCESSES PROVIDED BY VGSTUDIO MAX

TRANSPORT PHENOMENA MODULE
36 LICENSE INFORMATION
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
OPENING THE DIALOG
In order to create a new transport phenomena analysis,

 choose the Analysis > Create transport phenomena simulation menu item and select the required
analysis type or
In order to open an existing transport phenomena analysis for modifying or viewing its settings,
or
The Properties of ... dialog consists of several tabs on which you can modify the analysis param-
eters or view the results of the analysis.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION

in the meantime.
TABLE 36-2: BUTTONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF ... DIALOG

STATUS DESCRIPTION
Result is up to date The calculation has been finished and can be continued. The
(continuable) internal information necessary to continue is available.
Result is up to date The calculation is up to date and cannot be continued. The internal
information necessary to continue is no longer available.
Manually stopped (contin- The calculation was stopped manually and can be continued. The
uable) internal information necessary to continue is available.
Manually stopped The calculation was stopped manually and cannot be continued.
The internal information necessary to continue is no longer avail-
able. This state occurs when a stopped analysis is saved to and re-
loaded from disk or when the Free memory / Clear undo queue function
was executed.
Specify the inlet/outlet Click the corresponding Choose button to specify the inlet/outlet
plane planes of the transport process.
determination valid determined surface is required to perform a transport
phenomena analysis (see section Surface determination... Menu Item
on page 119 in chapter 5 Object Menu).
In the Manually stopped and Manually stopped (continuable) states, the values of the Convergence error
and/or Max. number of iterations settings do not correspond to the actual result. The analysis result
may not be reproducible.

36 OVERVIEW OF THE CREATE TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION MENU ITEMS
OVERVIEW OF THE CREATE TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION

MENU ITEMS

Absolute permeability material in terms of a transport field. See section Trans-
experiment port Phenomena Simulation Experiment on page 765.

Absolute permeability material in terms of a tensor defined by six independent
tensor values. See section Transport Phenomena Simulation
Tensor on page 783.

phenomena simulation > the voids of a porous material in terms of a transport
Molecular diffusivity field. See section Transport Phenomena Simulation
experiment Experiment on page 765.

phenomena simulation > the voids of a porous material in terms of a tensor
Molecular diffusivity defined by six independent values. See section Trans-
tensor port Phenomena Simulation Tensor on page 783.

phenomena simulation > two-component material in terms of a transport field.
Thermal conductivity See section Transport Phenomena Simulation Experi-
experiment ment on page 765.

phenomena simulation > two-component material in terms of a tensor defined by
Thermal conductivity six independent values. See section Transport
tensor Phenomena Simulation Tensor on page 783.

phenomena simulation > component material in terms of a transport field. See
Electric conductivity section Transport Phenomena Simulation Experiment
experiment on page 765.

phenomena simulation > component material in terms of a tensor defined by six
Electric conductivity independent values. See section Transport Phenomena
tensor Simulation Tensor on page 783.
Create transport Computes the pore size distribution and the capillary
phenomena simulation > pressure drainage curve for a scanned porous material
Capillary pressure curve sample. See section Capillary Pressure Curve on
page 796.
TABLE 36-4: CREATE TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION MENU ITEMS

36 TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION EXPERIMENT
TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION EXPERIMENT
For experiment mode, inlet and outlet are defined by two parallel planes intersecting the
simulated volume or ROI. Two different values of the driving quantity are assigned to inlet and
outlet. E.g., for viscous flow, the differential pressure between inlet plane and outlet plane is set.
The resulting stationary transport field (e.g., velocity) is computed. The results include a visual-
ization of the transport field and of the driving quantity field, along with the (non-tensorial)
effective material properties (in case of viscous flow: the absolute permeability and hydraulic
tortuosity), and various statistical evaluations of the computed fields.
Settings Tab
The Settings tab of the Properties of ... experiment dialog allows to set all physics and simulation
parameters to control the details of the simulation.
FIGURE 36-1: PROPERTIES OF ... EXPERIMENT DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB


used:
list.
Inlet and outlet Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Inlet/Outlet plane coordinates X, Y, Z Specify the normal of the inlet and outlet planes,
fields respectively. The specified vector is normalized to unit
Offset spin boxes Specify the distances of the inlet and outlet planes,
respectively, to the coordinate system origin. The
current positions of the planes are displayed in the 2D
and 3D windows.
Choose... button Opens a drop-down list showing the 2D windows

planes for the inlet and outlet of the transport process.
color box Double-clicking the box opens the Select color dialog
where you can specify the colors for the inlet and outlet
planes, respectively.
Specified quantity drop-down list Absolute permeability experiment only. Specifies the
quantity imposed between inlet and outlet, either Pres-
sure difference or Total flow rate.
Pressure difference spin box Absolute permeability experiment only. Enabled when
the Pressure difference option is selected in the Specified
quantity field. Specifies the differential pressure
imposed between inlet and outlet.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Total flow rate spin box Absolute permeability experiment only. Enabled when
the Total flow rate option is selected in the Specified quan-
tity field. Specifies the total flow rate imposed between
inlet and outlet.
Potential difference spin box Electric conductivity experiment only. Specifies the
potential drop imposed between inlet and outlet.
Molar concentration difference spin box Molecular diffusivity experiment only. Specifies the
concentration difference imposed between inlet and
outlet.
Relative temperature difference spin Thermal conductivity experiment only. Specifies the
box temperature difference imposed between inlet and
outlet.
Display planes in 3D window checkbox When this option is checked, the inlet and outlet planes
are displayed in the 3D window.
TABLE 36-6: CONTROLS OF THE INLET AND OUTLET SECTION
Physics settings Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Dynamic viscosity of fluid spin box Absolute permeability experiment only. Specifies the
dynamic viscosity of the fluid. The default setting of
0.001 Pa·s is the dynamic viscosity of water. The mate-
rial space is assumed to be impenetrable.
Electric conductivity (material)/(pore Electric conductivity experiment only. Specify the

space) spin boxes specific conductance of the material or pore space,
respectively.
Molar diffusion coefficient (mate- Molecular diffusivity experiment only. Specify the diffu-
rial)/(pore space) spin boxes sion coefficient of the material or pore space, respec-
tively.
Thermal conductivity (material)/(pore Thermal conductivity experiment only. Specify the

space) spin boxes thermal conductivity of the material or pore space,
respectively.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Boundary conditions drop-down list • Sealed: The volume or ROI boundaries other than
inlet and outlet are assumed to be impenetrable.
• Embedded: The volume or ROI boundaries other than
inlet and outlet are assumed to be penetrable. The
surrounding (unknown) material is approximated by
a fixed-pressure boundary condition where the
prescribed pressure (concentration, temperature,
and voltage, respectively) drops linearly between
inlet and outlet. This is based on the assumption
that the flow follows Darcy’s law.
See the physics reference on boundary conditions
(section Absolute Permeability Experiment and Tensor
Calculation on page 816) for more information.
TABLE 36-7: CONTROLS OF THE PHYSICS SETTINGS SECTION
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
accurate results.
where the diameters of the flow channels (i.e., the pore
diameter) are below 4 to 5 voxels. The predicted
approximate peak additional memory requirement
corresponding to the current setting is shown in the
RAM required field to the right.
For a simulation cell size larger than 1 voxel, the simu-
lation is carried out on a subsampled version of the
determined surface. Small structures in the surface are
smoothed out and will not be accounted for in the
simulation. The effect is stronger for larger simulation
cell sizes.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
FIGURE 36-2: SMOOTHING OF THE DETERMINED SURFACE FOR

SIMULATION CELL SIZE GREATER THAN THE VOXEL SIZE
In Figure 36-2, a permeability simulation was carried

out with a simulation cell size of three times the original
voxel size. Shown is a slice showing the pressure field
as a color overlay. The original pore surface is displayed
as a white line. The boundary of the color overlay corre-
sponds to the simulated pore surface.

setting in the Simulation cell size field. If the RAM is not
sufficient, increase the simulation cell size.
Analyzed volume spin box The simulation result can be unrealistic in the vicinity of
the volume border because of boundary effects. For
this reason, only the inner part of the volume or ROI is
considered when calculating effective material proper-
ties (e.g., absolute permeability).
This value specifies the amount of volume to be
considered. A value of 100 means that the entire
volume is regarded. A value below 100 means that the
volume up to a certain distance from the border is
disregarded. You can visualize the analyzed volume by
checking the corresponding element in the Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
All numeric results and plots are calculated within the

analyzed volume, except for the Total flow rate plot which
is calculated for the entire volume or ROI.
Changing the Analyzed volume value in either of the
states Result is up to date (continuable) or Manually stopped
(continuable) will invalidate the analysis. However, since
internal simulation results are still present, re-calcula-
tion will go quickly. On the Convergence tab, the plot
showing the current estimate of the effective material
property will be removed.
solution.
usually safe. In many cases, using larger values, e.g.,
10-5, will yield good results in much shorter time. In
other situations, e.g., very tortuous and low-porosity
samples, you might need even smaller values. See also
section How to Obtain Reliable Results on page 780.
iterations.
Use GPU(s) Section
Available for absolute permeability analysis only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use GPU(s) checkbox When this option is checked, calculation will be

performed on the available GPUs (graphics processing
unit) instead of the CPU (central processing unit).

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Floating point precision drop-down list Specifies the numeric precision for GPU calculations.
Generally, Double is recommended. On some graphics
cards, calculating in single precision has a significant
speed advantage over calculating in double precision.
However, convergence to the desired error might be
impossible using Single. If the convergence error does
not decrease any more using Single, stop the calcula-
tion, select Double, and click Calculate again. The
computation will continue using double precision.
GPU memory required field Indicates the predicted approximate GPU memory
requirement corresponding to the current setting.
TABLE 36-9: CONTROLS OF THE USE GPU(S) SECTION
Results Tab
The Results tab of the Properties of ... experiment dialog window shows the numeric results of the
experiment.
FIGURE 36-3: PROPERTIES OF ... EXPERIMENT DIALOG, RESULTS TAB

FIELD DESCRIPTION
Absolute permeability/Effective electric Indicates the effective transport-enabling material

conductivity/Effective diffusion coeffi- property of the simulated volume.
cient/Effective thermal conductivity coef- The effective diffusion coefficient Deff is reported as the
ficient apparent diffusion coefficient in <length unit>²/<time
unit>. In some texts, the term “effective diffusion coef-
ficient” denotes the unitless ratio Deff/D, where D is the
bulk diffusivity of the unconstrained solution.
Hydraulic tortuosity Absolute permeability experiment only.

This unitless quantity is the factor by which the length
of a typical fluid streamline through the medium devi-
ates from the length of a straight line. It is calculated
according to [4] (see section References on page 830)
as
TH = <u>/<un>
where <u> is the volume-averaged magnitude of the
velocity and <un> is the volume-averaged velocity
component in the direction of the applied pressure
gradient. The average is taken over the Analyzed volume
(see section Simulation settings Section on page 768).

FIELD DESCRIPTION
Diffusive tortuosity (geometric)/(alge- Molecular diffusivity, thermal conductivity and electric

braic) conductivity experiments only.
This unitless quantity is the factor by which the average
path length of a diffusing molecule (electron or heat
phonon, respectively) deviates from the length of a
straight line.
• Diffusive tortuosity (geometric)
In analogy to the hydraulic tortuosity, the geometric
diffusive tortuosity is calculated as
TD = <j>/<jn>
where <j> is the volume-averaged magnitude of the
molar flux, and <jn> is the volume-averaged molar
flux component in the direction of the applied
pressure gradient. The average is taken over the
Analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings
Section on page 768).
• Diffusive tortuosity (algebraic)
The algebraic diffusive tortuosity is calculated
according to [9] (see section References on
page 830) as
where D is the diffusion coefficient of the solute in

the bulk solvent, ϕ is the porosity, Deff the effective
(apparent) diffusion coefficient of the porous
material, and θ is the algebraic diffusive tortuosity.
For a parallel set of inclined straight capillaries, the
geometric and algebraic definitions of the tortuosity are
equivalent.
The tortuosity is reported only if either the pore space
or the material has zero conductivity/diffusion coeffi-
cient. Otherwise, the tortuosity is undefined.
Formation factor Molecular diffusivity, thermal conductivity and electric

conductivity experiments only.
The formation factor f is a dimension-less quantity
corresponding to the overall hindering of transport
processes by the porous medium. In the context of
diffusion, the quantity is defined as f = θ2/ϕ= D/Deff.
In the context of electric conductivity experiments, the
formation factor is f = Reff/R0, where Reff is the effective
resistivity of the saturated porous medium and R0 is the
resistivity of the unconstrained bulk solution.
The tortuosity is reported only if either the pore space
or the material has zero conductivity/diffusion coeffi-
cient. Otherwise, the tortuosity is undefined.

FIELD DESCRIPTION
Void fraction Indicates the fraction of void volume divided by the

total simulated volume (including both voids and mate-
rial). This quantity is also known as porosity.
Effective void fraction Absolute permeability experiment only.

Indicates the fraction of the void volume which is actu-
ally accessible for transport. Isolated pores do not
count for the effective void fraction.
Total flow rate/Total current/Total mass Indicates the total fluid volume/charge/mass/heat per
transport/Total heat transport second transported through the simulated volume.
Pressure gradient/Electric field Indicates the specified difference in pressure/electric

strength/Concentration field strength/concentration/temperature divided by
gradient/Temperature gradient the normal distance between the inlet and outlet
planes.
Convergence error Indicates the convergence error actually reached. This

value can be greater than the target error set by the
user, e.g., when the algorithm stops because the
maximum number of iterations was reached.
Total number of iterations Indicates the actual number of iterations calculated.

This value is equal to or less than the corresponding
simulation parameter set by the user.
Simulation time Indicates the actual time spent for simulating.
TABLE 36-10: FIELDS OF THE RESULTS TAB
Plot Tabs
Some results are shown in the form of plots. The x-axis of each plot corresponds to the position
on a line connecting the inlet plane and the outlet plane. The plots show quantities integrated on
slices parallel to the inlet and outlet planes, cutting through each point on the x-axis.
Velocity plot/Current density plot/Molar flux plot/Heat flux plot Tab
Shows the x-, y-, and z-components of the flow velocity (current density, molar flux, or heat flux,
respectively), averaged over slices between inlet and outlet. The vector components are given in
the coordinate system chosen in the application toolbar. The average is taken only in the inter-
section of the slice, the Analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings Section on page 768), and
the conducting domain. In the absolute permeability experiment, the conducting domain is the
pore volume. In the electric and thermal conductivity as well as the molecular diffusivity experi-
ments, the conducting domain is the volume where the conductivity is non-zero.
Void fraction plot Tab
Shows the fraction of the void volume within each slice between inlet and outlet. The void
fraction is computed in the analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings Section on
page 768). In the absolute permeability experiment, the effective void fraction is reported

additionally. This is the fraction of the void volume which is actually accessible for transport.
Isolated pores do not count for the effective void fraction.
Total flow rate plot/Total current plot/Total mass transport plot/Total heat transport plot Tab
Shows the total flow rate (total current, total mass transport, or total heat transport, respectively)
through the slices between inlet and outlet. This plot considers all simulated volume (not only
the analyzed volume). When computed with the boundary condition Sealed, this plot should be
constant. This plot can be used as an indicator of numerical convergence of the calculation (see
also section How to Obtain Reliable Results on page 780).
Convergence Plot
Shows both the development of the convergence error and the current estimate of the effective
material property (absolute permeability, effective diffusion coefficient, effective thermal
conductivity, or effective electric conductivity, respectively) against the iteration number. In a
successful simulation run, the convergence error should converge to zero while the material
property estimate should settle at a constant value (see also section How to Obtain Reliable
Results on page 780).
The preliminary material property shown in the plot is computed on a coarser level than the final
result shown in the Result tab. Therefore the values can differ slightly. The value shown in the Result
tab is the more accurate one.
Controls of the Plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 36-11: CONTROLS OF THE PLOT TAB

Context Menu of the Plot Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.
Streamlines Tab
Specifies the layout of the streamlines for the 2D and 3D windows.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Length (0-100) spin box Specifies the length of the individual streamlines.
Density (0-100) spin box Specifies the density and thus the number of stream-
lines.
Width (0-100) spin box Specifies the width of the individual streamlines.
Show in 3D window checkbox Switches the visibility of the streamlines in the 3D

window on/off. Note that the Streamlines checkbox in
the Scene Tree must also be checked in order to
display the streamlines.
TABLE 36-13: CONTROLS OF THE STREAMLINES TAB
Visualization of the Analysis Results
windows. When the analysis status is Result is up to date, these overlays can be switched on/off in
the Scene Tree tool below the analysis node by checking/unchecking the corresponding check-
boxes.
 Color overlay of the analysis result
The color mappings of the various color overlays can be adapted in the corresponding
sections of the Colors tab.

FIGURE 36-4: VISUALIZATION OF THE PRESSURE OVERLAY FOR A PERMEABILITY EXPERIMENT
FIGURE 36-5: VISUALIZATION OF THE VELOCITY OVERLAY FOR A PERMEABILITY EXPERIMENT
 Streamlines
In the 2D windows, white streamlines illustrate the local direction of the flow. For the 3D
window, the streamlines can be switched on/off by checking/unchecking the corre-
sponding checkbox on the Streamlines tab (note that the Streamlines checkbox in the Scene
Tree must also be checked in order to display the streamlines).
The layout of the streamlines for the 2D and 3D windows can be adapted in the corre-
sponding sections of the Streamlines tab.
FIGURE 36-6: VISUALIZATION OF THE STREAMLINES
 Analyzed volume

The analyzed volume is shown in blue.
FIGURE 36-7: VISUALIZATION OF THE ANALYZED VOLUME
Continuing the Calculation of an Experiment
There are two possibilities for continuing the calculation of an experiment, making use of
already available results:
 Stop a running calculation and continue it with the same or with different parameters
(status Manually stopped (continuable)).
 Continue a finished calculation with different parameters (status Result is up to date (continu-
able)).
The parameters that can be changed for continuing an experiment are Convergence error, Max.
number of iterations, Analyzed volume, and/or Use GPU(s). Changing any other parameter will invalidate
the intermediate results and a complete recalculation will be necessary.
Stopping and Continuing a Calculation
Depending on the selected parameters, calculating the simulation of transport processes may
take a long time. In order to view intermediate results and decide on the suitability of the param-
eters, it may be useful to stop the analysis, inspect the intermediate results and either continue
with the same or with different parameters.
After you have clicked the Calculate button on the Settings tab, the progress of the calculation is
shown in the Calculating... dialog.

FIGURE 36-8: CALCULATING... DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Show details on warnings checkbox When this option is checked, the messages section will
unfold automatically if a warning message is issued.
Apart from that, the Calculating... dialog will remain open
after the calculation has been completed.
When this option is unchecked, the messages section
unfolds only when you click the Details button, and the
Calculating... dialog closes automatically after the calcu-
lation has been completed.
Stop button This button becomes enabled as soon as intermediate

results are available. Clicking this button stops the
calculation and changes the status of the analysis to
Manually stopped (continuable). The intermediate results
are shown.
Abort button Aborts the analysis without displaying any results.
Details button Unfolds/collapses the messages section.
Close button Available after the calculation has been finished if the
Show details on warnings checkbox had been checked
and warnings are present in the messages section.
Closes the Calculating... dialog.
TABLE 36-14: CONTROLS OF THE CALCULATING... DIALOG
To continue the analysis with the same parameters, click the Calculate button at the bottom of
the Properties of ... experiment dialog. The analysis is continued from the point where it had been
stopped.
To continue the analysis with different parameters, change at least one of the Convergence error,
Max. number of iterations, Analyzed volume, and Use GPU(s) parameters. As soon as you change one
of these parameters, the status changes to Calculation required. Clicking the Calculate button starts
the calculation from the point where it had been stopped.

Changing any parameter other than Convergence error, Max. number of iterations, Analyzed volume, or
Use GPU(s) will invalidate the intermediate results and a complete recalculation will be necessary.
Continuing a Finished Calculation
After an analysis has been completed and the project has not yet been closed and reloaded and
the Edit > Free memory/Clear undo queue command has not been carried out, it is still possible to
continue the experiment with different Convergence error, Max. number of iterations, Analyzed volume,
or Use GPU(s) parameters. This status is indicated by the message Result is up to date (continuable) in
the status bar of the Properties of ... experiment dialog. As soon as you change one of these param-
eters, the status changes to Calculation required. Clicking the Calculate button starts the calculation
from the point where it had stopped.
Changing any parameter other than Convergence error, Max. number of iterations, Analyzed volume, or
Use GPU(s) will invalidate the intermediate results and a complete recalculation will be necessary.
Freeing Temporary Memory
In order to keep a calculation continuable, large amounts of internal information must be kept in
memory in addition to the actual calculation results. When a calculation is finished, it is therefore
recommended to delete the internal information in order to ensure the application remains most
responsive. For this purpose, either select the Edit > Free memory/clear undo queue menu item or
save and reload the project.
Since the internal information required for continuing a calculation is not saved in the project, a
calculation cannot be continued after the project has been closed and reloaded.
How to Obtain Reliable Results
Convergence
The simulation algorithms in VGSTUDIO MAX are iterative processes. The calculation result
converges towards the exact solution iteration by iteration. Especially in porous material,
approaching the exact solution is numerically difficult since the coupling between far-away
points is weak and indirect (e.g., narrow throats between pores). It is therefore important to let
the algorithm converge sufficiently, i.e., run a sufficient number of iterations. The user can set
the maximum convergence error (an estimate of how close the result is to the exact solution)
and the maximum number of iterations in the analysis settings. Whichever of these two criteria
is reached first will make the algorithm stop. The number of iterations and the convergence error
necessary to reach the desired quality of the result depend on the specific case and have to be
determined by trial and error.
For any given type of data sets it is recommended to thoroughly determine viable stopping
criteria using at least one example. Similar data sets may then be run with the same stopping
criteria. Viable stopping criteria are best determined using the Experiment analysis types. The
Tensor analysis types do not report as much information about the simulation details. The
techniques described next assume that you are running an Experiment analysis type.
As a first check of convergence, it is recommended to look at the Convergence tab which plots
the development of the convergence error and the effective material property estimate (absolute

permeability, effective diffusivity, specific electric or thermal conductance) against the iteration
number. Once the algorithm has converged sufficiently, there should be no big change in the
results when running the algorithm for more additional iterations. In the plot, the estimated
effective material property should have settled at a constant value. The convergence error has
fallen to close to zero.
The following figure shows the convergence plots of a electric conductivity calculation. In the
plot to the left, the estimated effective conductivity has settled at its final value, and the conver-
gence error has decreased to close to zero. The simulation has converged. In the plot to the
right, both the estimated effective specific conductance and the convergence error have not yet
settled at a final value. More iterations are necessary in order to obtain a reliable result.
FIGURE 36-9: CONVERGENCE PLOTS OF AN ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY CALCULATION
Another useful indicator of convergence is the total flow rate plot. Here, the transported volume,
mass flux, heat transport, or electric current, depending on the simulator type, is integrated
separately over parallel slices between inlet and outlet. For sealed lateral faces, the total
transport through all planes must be constant, otherwise, mass or energy conservation (div v =
0) is not fulfilled.
The following figure shows the total flow rate plots of a permeability calculation in sandstone
with 13 % porosity. In the plot to the left, the computed total fluid transport through parallel
slices varies between 1.405 x 10-12m3/s and 1.425 x 10-12m3/s (1.4 % variation). This is
considered almost constant as expected from theory. In the plot to the right, the computed total
flow rate varies between 1.6 x 10-12m3/s and 2.6 x 10-12m3/s (63 % variation). This is not
constant, in contradiction to theory. The cause might be insufficient convergence of the
simulation algorithm or numerical limitations.
The total flow rate plot is expected to be constant only if the boundary condition setting is set to
Sealed.

FIGURE 36-10: TOTAL FLOW RATE PLOT OF A PERMEABILITY CALCULATION IN SANDSTONE WITH 13 %
POROSITY
In some cases, an approximately constant total flow plot cannot be obtained even after a huge
number of iterations, indicating that the algorithm is operating beyond its numerical limits. This
can happen when the porosity is very low or the pores throats are very small (<4–5 voxels in
diameter). It may help to chose a sub-voxel simulation grid by choosing a simulation cell size of
less than one voxel. It might, however, be necessary to provide CT data sets with a higher
resolution.
To facilitate the determination of adequate stopping criteria, VGSTUDIO MAX supports a start-
stop-continue functionality. You can stop the calculation after some iterations, inspect the inter-
mediate result, and decide on this basis whether to continue with the calculation or whether the
result is already satisfactory. It is also possible to continue a finished calculation at the point
where it had stopped without having to start from scratch.
Representative Elementary Volume (REV)
The effective material properties (absolute permeability, effective diffusivity or effective conduc-
tivity) are calculated by volume-averaging of pore-scale effects. In order to capture the effective
properties in a statistically meaningful way, the simulated material sample must be large enough
such that local fluctuations average out reliably. In other words, the material sample must
capture the typical behavior of the given material type as a whole. On the other hand, if the
analyzed sample is too large, long-range fluctuations may appear, such as cracks or long-range
variations of the overall porosity. Practically, the size of the simulated samples is limited by the
resources necessary for CT scanning and simulating. Therefore, it is desired to find the size of
the representative elementary volume (REV) which can be defined as the smallest volume size
still allowing representative measurements.
In practice, a reasonable REV size can be found by starting with a very small volume size and
performing simulations for a number of such volumes (e.g., a number of small ROIs in a larger
data set). Since the volume is likely to be smaller than the REV, the computed averaged material
property will fluctuate. This procedure is repeated for larger and larger volume sizes. The fluctu-
ations should get smaller and smaller until they level out at an acceptable range when the REV
has been reached. See the following figure for illustration (drawing adapted from [1]).

36 TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION TENSOR
FIGURE 36-11: DEPENDENCE OF A VOLUME-AVERAGED QUANTITY ON THE SIZE OF THE ANALYZED SAMPLE
TRANSPORT PHENOMENA SIMULATION TENSOR
In tensor calculation mode, the tensorial effective material properties are calculated. The
effective material property is a macroscopic quantity, indicating the ability of the porous or
compound material to conduct the transported quantity. E.g., in case of viscous flow, the
material property is absolute permeability. A foam sample with large pores and high inter-pore
connectivity has a higher permeability than a foam sample with small pores and low inter-pore
connectivity. In the general case of anisotropic material, the transport-enabling material property
assumes different values for transport along different orientations. Mathematically, such an
orientation-dependent quantity is described as a tensor which is defined by six independent
values. In the tensor calculation mode, the simulator performs three transport simulations in
perpendicular directions in order to determine the six tensor values.

Settings Tab
The Settings tab of the Properties of ... tensor dialog allows to set all simulation parameters to
control the details of the simulation.
FIGURE 36-12: PROPERTIES OF ... TENSOR DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:

list.
Available for electric and thermal conductivity as well as molecular diffusivity tensor calculations
only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Electric conductivity (material)/(pore Electric conductivity tensor calculation only. Specify

space) spin boxes the specific conductance of the material or pore space,
respectively.
Molar diffusion coefficient (mate- Molecular diffusivity tensor calculation only. Specify the
rial)/(pore space) spin boxes diffusion coefficient of the material or pore space,
respectively. The material space is assumed to be
impenetrable.
Thermal conductivity (material)/(pore Thermal conductivity tensor calculation only. Specify

space) spin boxes the thermal conductivity of the material or pore space,
respectively.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
accurate results.
where the diameters of the flow channels (i.e., the pore
diameters) are below 4 to 5 voxels. The predicted
approximate peak additional memory requirement
corresponding to the current setting is shown in the
RAM required field to the right (not available for integra-
tion meshes).
For more detailed information, see section Simulation
settings Section on page 785 in section Transport
Phenomena Simulation Experiment.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
RAM required field Not available for integration meshes. Indicates the
predicted approximate peak additional memory
requirement corresponding to the current setting in the
Simulation cell size field. If the RAM is not sufficient,
increase the simulation cell size.
Analyzed volume spin box The simulation result can be unrealistic in the vicinity of
the volume border because of boundary effects. For
this reason, only the inner part of the volume or ROI is
considered when calculating effective material proper-
ties (e.g., absolute permeability).
This value specifies the amount of volume to be
considered. A value of 100 means that the entire
volume is regarded. A value below 100 means that the
volume up to a certain distance from the border is
disregarded. You can visualize the analyzed volume by
checking the corresponding element in the Scene Tree.
When an integration mesh is selected, the analyzed
volume is applied to each mesh cell separately. For
performance reasons, the analyzed volumes are visual-
ized for the first 1000 mesh cells only.
solution.
usually safe. In many cases, using larger values, e.g.,
10-5, will yield good results in much shorter time. In
other situations, e.g., very tortuous and low-porosity
samples, you might need even smaller values. See also
section How to Obtain Reliable Results on page 780.
iterations has been reached.

Use GPU(s) Section
Available for absolute permeability analysis only.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Use GPU(s) checkbox When this option is checked, calculation will be

performed on the available GPUs (graphics processing
unit) instead of the CPU (central processing unit).
Floating point precision drop-down list Specifies the numeric precision for GPU calculations.
Generally, Double is recommended. On some graphics
cards, calculating in single precision has a significant
speed advantage over calculating in double precision.
However, convergence to the desired error might be
impossible using Single. If the convergence error does
not decrease any more using Single, stop the calcula-
tion, select Double, and click Calculate again. The
computation will continue using double precision.
GPU memory required field Not available for integration meshes. Indicates the
predicted approximate GPU memory requirement
corresponding to the current setting.
TABLE 36-18: CONTROLS OF THE USE GPU(S) SECTION
When this option is checked, the drop-down list becomes enabled which lists all integration
meshes available in the Scene Tree.
Separate simulation runs will be executed on each mesh cell, and for each cell, the result tensor
will be computed. Cells outside the volume or ROI will be assigned a zero tensor, and for cells
which intersect the volume or ROI border, only the intersecting volume will be simulated.
Clicking the Create regular integration mesh button opens the Mesh dialog where you can define
a new integration mesh (see section Create regular integration mesh... Menu Item on page 362 in
chapter 11 Analysis Menu).
Only enabled when the analysis is performed on an integration mesh.

on the Colors tab. The default setting is Void fraction, i.e., all cells are shown in gray, independently
of their values. The Colors tab is not visible in this case. When you select a cell property, e.g., Void
fraction, from the Active column drop-down list, the cells are color-coded according to their void
fraction value as defined by the color lookup table and the colors specified in the Sections
section of the Colors tab. In the list on the Results tab, the column of the selected cell property
becomes the so-called active column and its values are highlighted in bold and italic font.
You can also select the active column on the Results tab by right-clicking the column and

Results Tab
Shows the results of the tensor calculation. When the Integration mesh option on the Settings tab is
checked, the results are listed in a table, with each table row showing the results for an
integration mesh cell.
The Results tab provides following information:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Cell index Results table only: Indicates the global cell index,
starting from 0.
Void fraction Indicates the fraction of void volume divided by the

total simulated volume (including voids and material).
Mean abs. permeability/Mean eff. diffu- Indicates the mean of the eigenvalues of the permea-
sion coefficient/Mean eff. conductivity bility/diffusion coefficient/thermal conductivity/electric
conductivity tensor.
Abs. permeability tensor/Eff. diffusion Indicates the matrix components of the permea-
coefficient tensor/Eff. conductivity tensor bility/diffusion coefficient/thermal conductivity/electric
xx/yx/zy/xy/yy/zy/xz/yz/zz conductivity tensor.
Abs. permeability/Eff. diffusion coeffi- Indicates the eigenvalues of the permeability/diffusion

cient/Eff. conductivity (1st/2nd/3rd coefficient/thermal conductivity/electric conductivity
eigenvalue) tensor.
Eigenvalues λ1/λ2/λ3
Abs. permeability/Eff. diffusion coeffi- Indicates the x, y, and z components of the three eigen-
cient/Eff. conductivity (1st/2nd/3rd vectors of the permeability/diffusion coefficient/thermal
eigenvector) x/y/z conductivity/electric conductivity tensor.
Eigenvectors v1/v2/v3 x/y/z
Conv. error (run 1/2/3) Indicates the convergence error actually achieved in
each of the three simulation runs.
Num. iterations (run 1/2/3) Indicates the number of iterations actually calculated in
each of the three simulation runs.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Status (run 1/2/3) Indicates the result status of each of the three simula-
tion runs.
Possible status messages:
• Ok: The calculation has reached the desired conver-
gence error and no error occurred.
• Maximum number of iterations reached: The conver-
gence error was not reached within the maximum
number of iterations.
• Analyzed volume too small or outside of ROI: The analyzed
volume in the integration mesh cell is too small or its
intersection with the ROI is too small.
• Simulated volume too small or outside of ROI: The simu-
lated volume in the integration mesh cell is too small
or its intersection with the ROI is too small.
• No further improvement: The algorithm does not
converge. This can happen if the cell contains no or
too few pores.
All vector-valued quantities are expressed in the coor-
dinate system currently selected for the application.
Cell position x/y/z Results table only: Indicates the x, y, and z position of
the cell center.
Description Results table only: Allows to enter a description for the

result row used for reporting.
Captures Results table only: Indicates the number of images

captured for this result row using the Capture from button
in the Screenshots section.
TABLE 36-19: COLUMNS OF THE RESULTS TABLE
 List section
views:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

mode.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

filter criterion.
criteria.

criteria.
list.
rion.
Scene Tree.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
area
then release LMB
Theme)
selected.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder

Table Context Menu
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

possible size.
user.
Menu.
Menu.

items.


CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Example: 8.89;25.82;-0.55;1;0;0
the Colors tab.
coding.
selected option.
windows. When the analysis status is Result is up to date, these overlays can be switched on/off in

the Scene Tree tool below the analysis node by checking/unchecking the corresponding check-
boxes.
 Tensor visualization
The computed tensor is shown as an ellipsoid in the center of the simulated volume or—
when the analysis was performed on an integration mesh—in the center of each cell. The
main axes of the ellipsoid are aligned with the eigenvectors of the tensor while the lengths
of the axes are proportional to the eigenvalues of the tensor.
The representation of the tensor can be adapted in the Tensor visualization tab.
FIGURE 36-13: VISUALIZATION OF THE TENSORS COMPUTED FOR AN INTEGRATION MESH
 Color overlay of the selected active column

When the analysis was performed on an integration mesh, you can select a column of the
Results table as the active column to have its values displayed according to the color
mapping specified on the Colors tab.
In order to specify an active column, select the column from the Active column drop-down list on
the Settings tab or right-click the column in the Results table and select Set as active column from the
context menu.
FIGURE 36-14: VISUALIZATION OF THE VALUES IN THE ACTIVE COLUMN AS COLOR OVERLAY
 Avg. perfusion color overlay

The average perfusion color overlay is similar to a velocity (mass flux density, power
density, or current density field, respectively), averaged over all flow directions. We define
the average perfusion as the weighted summed flow velocity (mass flux density, power

density, or current density, respectively) at any point, over the three simulation runs. The
velocities are weighted by the inverse applied pressure gradient (gradient of concentration,
temperature, or voltage, respectively) to compensate for variations in the side length of the
sample.
This quantity is shown only in the analyzed volume. It is reported as a unitless value in the
interval [0,1].
The average perfusion overlay is not shown when calculating with an integration mesh.
FIGURE 36-15: VISUALIZATION OF THE AVERAGE PERFUSION COLOR OVERLAY
Tensor visualization Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scale spin box Specifies the size of the ellipsoids representing the
tensors.
3D rendering checkbox When this option is checked, the ellipsoids repre-

senting the tensors are displayed in the 3D window.
Linear/Planar/Spheric fields Double-clicking a color box opens the Select color dialog
where you can set the color of the linear, planar, or
spherical components, respectively, of the ellipsoids
representing the tensors.
TABLE 36-23: CONTROLS ON THE TENSOR VISUALIZATION TAB
Continuing the Calculation of Tensors
If the tensor calculation is performed on an integration mesh (see section Integration mesh
Section on page 787), the Stop button in the Calculation... dialog can be used for interrupting the
calculation. For all mesh cells computed so far, the results will be displayed. Clicking the
Calculate button at the bottom of the Properties of ... experiment dialog again will continue calcu-
lation with the next mesh cell.
If the tensor calculation is not performed on an integration mesh, the Stop button is disabled since
intermediate results do not exist.

36 CAPILLARY PRESSURE CURVE
The same conditions apply as described for the transport phenomena experiment, see section
Convergence on page 780 and section Representative Elementary Volume (REV) on page 782 in
section How to Obtain Reliable Results.
CAPILLARY PRESSURE CURVE
The capillary pressure functionality computes the pore size distribution and the capillary
pressure drainage curve for a scanned porous material sample.
The pore size distribution is calculated using the approach of maximal inscribed spheres.
Spheres of varying size are used as probes and attempted to be fit into the pore space. For
each point, the largest fitting sphere overlapping this point is found. The diameter of that sphere
is assigned to this point as the local pore diameter.
For determining the capillary pressure curve, a quasi-static drainage experiment is simulated.
The sample is connected to two fluid reservoirs, a wetting phase (WP) and a non-wetting phase
(NWP) reservoir, at user-defined sections of the volume boundary. The pore space is initially
filled with WP. The pressure in the NWP reservoir is increased in discrete steps, resulting in
injection of NWP into the pore space. After each increase in pressure, equilibrium is attained
before the next increase.

Settings Tab
The Settings tab of the Properties of Capillary pressure curve dialog allows to set several physics and
simulation parameters to control the details of the simulation.
FIGURE 36-16: PROPERTIES OF CAPILLARY PRESSURE CURVE DIALOG, SETTINGS TAB

used:
list.

Geometry setup Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
WP/NWP reservoir boundary X, Y, Z fields Specify the normal of the boundary plane for the
wetting phase (WP)/non-wetting phase (NWP) reser-
voir. The specified vector is normalized to unit length
before taken into account in the calculation. The half
space at the side of the WP/NWP plane facing away
from the NWP/WP plane is regarded as the WP/NWP
reservoir.
Portions of the volume or ROI intersecting with a reser-
voir are subtracted from the reservoir, so the volume or
ROI itself is never part of a reservoir. The portion of the
volume or ROI boundary which does not interface a
reservoir is regarded as sealed.
The reservoirs are indicated by a magenta and yellow
stripe pattern in the 2D views. By placing the reservoir
bounds in specific ways, several experimental settings
can be mimicked. See also Figure 36-17: Example
settings of reservoir boundaries on page 799.
Offset spin boxes Specify the distances of the wetting phase and non-
wetting phase boundary planes, respectively, to the
coordinate system origin. The current positions of the
planes are displayed in the 2D and 3D windows.
Choose... button Opens a drop-down list showing the 2D windows

boundary planes for the wetting phase (WP) and non-
wetting phase reservoirs.
color box Double-clicking the box opens the Select color dialog
where you can specify the colors for the boundary
planes.
TABLE 36-25: CONTROLS OF THE GEOMETRY SETUP SECTION
The following figure shows example settings of reservoir boundaries:

 Setup a): Top and bottom are connected to reservoirs, sides sealed. This resembles a
Tempe cell.
 Setup b): Bottom is connected to WP, all other faces are connected to NWP. This resem-
bles a porous-plate setup.
 Setup c): All faces are connected to NWP. This resembles a mercury injection experiment
where an evacuated sample is completely drowned in mercury.

Setup c) is not valid when Simulate trapped WP is selected in the Physics settings section.
FIGURE 36-17: EXAMPLE SETTINGS OF RESERVOIR BOUNDARIES
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Surface tension spin box The surface tension between WP and NWP. For air and
water at room temperature, this is about 73 mN/m. For
mercury and vacuum, it is about 436 mN/m.
Simulate trapped WP checkbox When this option is checked, portions of the WP which
are isolated from the WP reservoir are regarded to be
trapped and form the residual WP.
When this option is unchecked, the WP is allowed to
drain even if it is not directly connected to the WP
reservoir. In the latter case, the WP reservoir is not
required to interface the volume or ROI.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Sphere diameter step spin box The capillary pressure curve is computed at a finite
number of sampling points. This parameter influences
the number of sampling points. The lower the param-
eter, the more sampling points are computed. The
default is 1 voxel width. If you feel that there are too few
sampling points computed, lower this value to
0.5 voxels, then to 0.25 voxels. Setting even lower
values does not make much sense since this is already
below the resolution of the image data. The sampling
points are determined by starting with a sequence of
length values Li = (V/2, V/2+S, V/2+2S, V/2+3S, ... ,
MAX), where V the side length of a voxel, S is the
sphere diameter step, and MAX is the maximum pore
diameter present in the analyzed volume. The values Li
are converted into pressure values by the Young-
Laplace Equation Pi= 4γ/Li. The values Pi are the
sampling points.
Porosity Tab
Displays the porosity values as a slice profile. The x-axis corresponds to a line connecting the
WP and NWP reservoir planes in the normal direction. The y-axis corresponds to the porosity
averaged over planes parallel to the WP and NWP reservoir planes passing through the points
defined on the x-axis.
Controls of the Porosity Tab
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Accessible porosity field Indicates the accessible porosity as a fraction of the

region of interest volume.
Isolated porosity field Indicates the isolated porosity (i.e., pores without
connection to either the WP reservoir or the NWP reser-
voir) as a fraction of the region of interest volume.
Total porosity field Indicates the total porosity (accessible + isolated) as a

fraction of the region of interest volume.
Accessible pore volume field Indicates the volume of all accessible pores in the
region of interest.
Isolated pore volume field Indicates the volume of all isolated pores (i.e., pores
without connection to either the WP reservoir or the
NWP reservoir) in the region of interest.

FIELD DESCRIPTION
Total pore volume field Indicates the volume of all pores (accessible + isolated)
in the region of interest.
up/down

axis

axis
use LMB to click and drag the Moves the line to the new position on the x-axis. The
vertical line in the chart corresponding 2D window will be updated to show the
slice at the selected position.
use LMB to click an entry in the Toggles the visibility of the corresponding curve.
legend
hover over a border of the legend Moves the legend to a different position.
and when mouse pointer changes
to a hand use LMB to click and drag
the legend
TABLE 36-28: FIELDS OF THE POROSITY TAB
Context Menu of the Porosity Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

Pore size histogram Tab
Shows a histogram of the pore diameters in the accessible pore volume of the specified region
of interest.
The average values and the histogram are based on the accessible pore volume only.
Controls of the Pore size histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Normalization drop-down field • Absolute: Displays the volume in absolute values.

• Relative: Displays the volume in relative values with
respect to the entire accessible pore volume.
histogram.
on the Colors tab.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION

• Left: Indicates the minimum pore diameter within the
• Right: Indicates the maximum pore diameter within
the interval, i.e., the right interval border.
• Mean: Indicates the mean value of the pore diame-
ters within the interval.
• Dev: Indicates the standard deviation of the pore
diameters within the interval.
• Sum: Indicates the pore volume within the interval.
• Percentage: Indicates the percentage of the pore
volume within the interval.
Average pore diameter [<length unit>] Indicates the average pore diameter.
field
Std. dev. of pore diameter [<length unit>] Indicates the standard deviation of the pore diameters.
field
Accessible pore volume [<length unit>³] Indicates the volume of all accessible pores in the
field region of interest.
up/down

axis

axis
TABLE 36-30: CONTROLS OF THE PORE SIZE HISTOGRAM TAB

Context Menu of the Pore size histogram Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.

information, see section Controls of the Pore size histo-
Four overlays are provided for the visualization of the results in the 2D/3D windows. When the
analysis status is Result is up to date, these can be switched on and off in the Scene Tree tool
below the analysis node by checking and unchecking the corresponding checkboxes.
For an optimal 3D view of the pore diameter, swap the inner and outer areas of the volume to
visualize pores instead of material, and use clipping objects to look inside the sample.
For an optimal 3D view of the isolated pore space, NWP front, and trapped WP, it is recom-
mended to set the transparency of the scanned volume to a large value.
 Isolated pore space

The pore space not connected to either WP or NWP reservoir is shown in red.

FIGURE 36-18: VISUALIZATION OF THE ISOLATED PORE SPACE
 Non-wetting phase (NWP) front

The space occupied by the NWP is displayed in yellow. The visualization corresponds to
the point on the capillary pressure curve currently selected in the Capillary pressure tab.
FIGURE 36-19: VISUALIZATION OF THE NON-WETTING PHASE FRONT
 Pore size
The pore diameter at any point in the pore space. The color mapping can be adjusted in
the Colors tab.

FIGURE 36-20: VISUALIZATION OF THE PORE DIAMETER
 Trapped wetting phase (WP)

The residual wetting phase is shown in magenta.
The trapped WP overlay is present only if the analysis was calculated with the Simulate trapped WP
option checked.
FIGURE 36-21: VISUALIZATION OF RESIDUAL (TRAPPED) WETTING PHASE
Capillary pressure Tab
 Capillary pressure curve

Displays the WP saturation on the x-axis and the capillary pressure on the y-axis.
 Saturation profiles

Displays the WP saturation as a slice profile. The x-axis corresponds to a line connecting
the WP and NWP reservoir planes in the normal direction. The y-axis corresponds to the
WP saturation averaged over planes parallel to the WP and NWP reservoir planes passing
through the points defined on the x-axis.
Three saturation profiles are shown:
– Maximum pressure on the capillary pressure curve
– Pressure at NWP break-through (i.e., the pressure where the NWP first reaches the
WP reservoir)
– Pressure selected in the Capillary pressure curve plot
Controls of the Capillary pressure Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Break-through pressure field Indicates the pressure where the NWP first reaches the
WP reservoir.
Break-through wetting saturation field Indicates the WP saturation corresponding to the

break-through pressure.
Max. pressure field Indicates the maximum pressure computed (left end of
capillary pressure curve).
Max. pressure WP saturation field Indicates the WP saturation corresponding to the max.
pressure.
Selected pressure field Indicates the pressure currently selected in the capillary
pressure curve plot.
Selected wetting saturation field Indicates the WP saturation corresponding to the max.
pressure.
Diameter of max. percolating sphere Indicates the diameter of the largest spherical probe
field which can reach the WP reservoir starting from the
NWP reservoir.
up/down

axis

axis
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click into Capillary pressure curve: Displays a handle to select a
the chart point on the capillary pressure curve.
Saturation profiles: Displays a handle to select a posi-
tion on the x-axis. The corresponding 2D window will
be updated to show the slice at the selected position.

36 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
use LMB to click an entry in the Toggles the visibility of the corresponding curve.
legend
hover over a border of the legend Moves the legend to a different position.
and when mouse pointer changes
to a hand use LMB to click and drag
the legend
TABLE 36-32: CONTROLS OF THE CAPILLARY PRESSURE TAB
Context Menu of the Capillary pressure Tab
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

sponding axis.
The same conditions regarding the representative elementary volume apply as described for the
transport phenomena experiment, see section Representative Elementary Volume (REV) on
page 782.
COLORS TAB
results.
Select Section
Specifies the quantity for which you want to specify the color-coding scheme.

36 COLORS TAB
Caption Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION

Sections Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


36 COLORS TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
analyses.

36 IMAGES TAB

used:
• default preset
list.
Color bar Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
IMAGES TAB

36 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
image:

placeholder
area.

REPORT TAB

reporting function.

36 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


matic 3D images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
options

36 REPORT TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
shot.
 Cells section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
 Save button
– HTML
– PDF
– XLSX via Excel
– PDF via Excel

 Print button
buttons preview.

into the window.

PHYSICS REFERENCE
Notation Conventions
The following conventions are used for denoting quantities and operations:
 Scalar quantities are denoted with italic letters, e.g., x.
 Vector-valued quantities are marked with an underline, e.g., x.
 The i-th component of a vector-valued quantity is written like xi.
 Tensor-valued quantities are denoted with bold letters, e.g., x.
 The matrix component (i, j) of a tensor-valued quantity is written like xij.
 The partial derivative of a function f(r) with respect to the i-th component of the vector r
is denoted by f,i(r).

 The dependence on the position vector r is sometimes omitted for a clearer appearance
of formulas, e.g., instead of sij(r) we also write simply sij.
Absolute Permeability Experiment and Tensor Calculation
Simulated is the Stokes flow, also known as creeping flow, which is a simplification of the
stationary Navier-Stokes equation for an incompressible fluid at low Reynolds numbers, i.e., low
flow velocity or high viscosity. Note that for high flow velocities or low viscosities, or for
compressible material like gases, the results will be incorrect. In particular, the occurrence of
vortices is not covered and the flow is assumed to be laminar. Simulated is a one-component
flow, i.e., the pore space is assumed to be entirely flooded. The Stokes flow is described by the
equations
where v is the velocity of the fluid, p is the pressure, μ is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid, Δ is
the Laplace operator, grad is the gradient operator, and div is the divergence operator.
The simulation is performed using a Lattice-Boltzmann method with the BGK collision model
(see [8] in section References on page 830). The following boundary conditions are applied (for
an illustration of the symbols see Figure 36-22: Boundaries of the simulation domain on
page 817):
v=0 at Γpm
p = p0 at Γi
p=0 at Γo
v=0 at ΓR in Sealed mode
at ΓR in Embedded mode
where
Γpm boundary between pore and material (= determined object

surface)
Γi, Γo inlet and outlet planes, respectively
ΓR remaining volume or ROI boundary (except inlet and outlet)
p0 user-defined pressure difference
r position
do(r) normal distance of r to the outlet plane
dio normal distance between inlet and outlet plane
Sealed, Embedded user-defined boundary mode

The following figure illustrates the geometry of the simulated domain. Only the dotted region is
simulated. The parts of the ROI which are not between the inlet/outlet planes are excluded from
the simulation.
FIGURE 36-22: BOUNDARIES OF THE SIMULATION DOMAIN
The Boundary condition used in the Embedded mode is based on a mean-field approximation of the
(unknown) surrounding material and requires some deeper explanation. In some situations,
especially with anisotropic materials, sealing the lateral boundaries will produce wrong results.
Sealing introduces artificial barriers in the material. In Figure 36-23, the white square is the ROI
on which a simulation experiment is performed. The upper and lower edges of the square are
inlet and outlet, respectively. The right and left edges are considered to be sealed. Only the
green capillary can be used for transport. The red capillaries cannot be used for transport
because they are dead-ends. These dead ends are artificially introduced by the boundary
condition and are not a property of the original material. The computed permeability will be
wrong.
FIGURE 36-23: MATERIAL WITH INCLINED CAPILLARIES

Generally, it is desired to simulate the porous sample in its natural context, in particular, without
introducing artificial barriers. Often, periodic boundary conditions are imposed to accomplish
this goal. This approach works well with artificial data, but it is problematic with natural samples
since opposing faces do not match on the pore scale. In VGSTUDIO MAX, a different approach
is chosen based on the assumption that the surrounding material obeys Darcy’s law (which is
reasonable, since otherwise the concept of absolute permeability would not be defined at all).
Darcy’s law postulates a linear pressure drop in the sample. This is exactly what the Embedded
boundary condition prescribes.
The absolute permeability k of the material is defined by Darcy’s law as
(Darcy’s Law)
where dp is the pressure difference between inlet and outlet, dL is the length of the sample
(thus, dp/dL is the volume-averaged pressure gradient), μ is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid,
and 〈v〉 is the volume-averaged flow velocity in the medium. In an isotropic medium, the average
flow velocity points into the same direction as the applied pressure gradient. Generally, the
average velocity can deviate from this direction, in which case 〈v〉 is the component of the
average flow velocity in the direction of the pressure gradient. According to Darcy’s law, k is
computed from the simulation result as:
k = –〈v〉µdL/dp,
with dp = p0, dL = dio, μ being the dynamic viscosity of the fluid, and the average velocity
component in the direction of the pressure gradient, averaged over the Analyzed volume (see
section Simulation settings Section on page 768), including non-pore space where we assume
v = 0.
In three dimensions, Darcy’s law reads
(Darcy’s Law 3 Dim.)
where v and grad p are the three-dimensional flow velocity and the pressure gradient, respec-
tively, 〈·〉 denotes volume averaging, and k is the symmetric absolute permeability tensor of
rank two. In order to infer all the six independent components of this tensor, three distinct virtual
experiments simulation runs are performed with the pressure gradient pointing, in turn, along
each of the three coordinate axes, j = 1..3. The three runs are performed automatically in a
sequence. Let dpj and dLj be the pressure difference and the distance between inlet and outlet,
respectively, applied in the j-th simulation run, and vj be the resulting computed velocity field,
with vector components , i = 1..3. The absolute permeability tensor is then calculated,
according to Darcy’s law, as
where is the average over the Analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings Section on
page 785), including non-pore space where we assume v = 0. Due to computational artifacts,
the such computed tensor is only approximately symmetric. In order to obtain a perfectly
symmetric tensor, the result is finally symmetrized as

Molecular Diffusivity Experiment and Tensor Calculation
Computed are the stationary molecular concentration and flux fields which are reached asymp-
totically when a sample is connected to reservoirs of different molar concentrations. The pores
of the sample are assumed to be completely filled with the solvent. The concentration in the
reservoirs is assumed to be constant, like in very large reservoirs. The asymptotically reached
stationary concentration and molar flux fields are given by the following differential equations.
ΔC = 0 in Ω (Time-independent Fick’s 2nd Law)
J= –DagradC in Ωa (Fick’s 1st Law)
where Ω is the entire simulation domain and Ωa is the domain of component a (with a = 1 for
pore space and a = 2 for material). It is assumed that Ω1 Ω2 = Ω and Ω1 Ω2 = Ø. C is the
molecular concentration, J is the molar flux, Da is the diffusion coefficient of component a, Δ is
the Laplace operator, and grad is the gradient operator.
We use a mesh-free finite-element method, with linear basis functions and a conjugate gradient
solver.
The following boundary conditions are applied (see also Figure 36-22: Boundaries of the
simulation domain on page 817):
C = C0 at Γi
C=0 at Γo
D1gradnC1 = D2gradnC2 at Γ12
gradnC = 0 at ΓR in Sealed mode
where
Γ12 boundary between Ω1 and Ω2 (= determined object surface)
Γi, Γ o inlet and outlet planes, respectively
gradn spatial derivative in direction of the boundary normal
C0 user-defined concentration difference
r position

For an explanation of the Embedded boundary condition, see section Absolute Permeability
Experiment and Tensor Calculation on page 816 and Figure 36-23: Material with inclined capil-
laries on page 817.
The effective diffusivity Deff relates the macroscopic (volume-averaged) concentration gradient
to the macroscopic (volume-averaged) molar flux, in perfect analogy to Fick’s first law:
〈J〉 = –DeffdC/dL
where dC is the concentration difference between inlet and outlet and dL is the length of the
sample (thus, dC/dL is the applied volume-averaged concentration gradient), and 〈J〉 is the
volume-averaged molecular flux. In an isotropic medium, the flux points into the same direction
as the applied concentration gradient. Generally, the flux can deviate from this direction, in
which case 〈J〉 is the component of the average flux in the direction of the concentration
gradient. According to the above equation, Deff is computed from the simulation result as:
Deff = –〈J〉dL/dC
with dC = C0, dL = dio, and 〈J〉 the average molar flux component in the direction of the
concentration gradient, averaged over the Analyzed Volume (see section Simulation settings Section
on page 768).
In three dimensions, the volume-averaged Fick’s law reads
〈J〉 = –Deff〈grad C〉,
where J and grad C are the three-dimensional average molar flux and concentration gradient,
respectively, 〈·〉 denotes volume averaging, and Deff is the symmetric effective diffusivity tensor
of rank two. In order to infer all components of this tensor, three distinct virtual experiment
simulation runs are performed with the concentration gradient pointing, in turn, along each of
the three coordinate axes, j = 1..3. The three runs are performed automatically in a sequence.
Let dCj and dLj be the concentration difference and the distance between inlet and outlet,
respectively, applied in the j-th simulation run, and Jj be the resulting computed molar flux field,
with vector components , i = 1..3. The effective diffusivity tensor is then calculated as
where is the average over the analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings Section on
page 785). Due to computational artifacts, the such computed tensor is only approximately
symmetric. In order to obtain a perfectly symmetric tensor, the result is finally symmetrized as
Thermal Conductivity Experiment and Tensor Calculation
Simulated are the stationary temperature and thermal flux fields in a two-component material,
where each material has a different thermal conductivity, with the boundary condition that inlet
and outlet are connected to heat reservoirs, each at a different constant temperature.
Convection and heat radiation are neglected. If any of the components is fully non-conducting,
the respective conductivity can be set to zero. The stationary temperature and heat flux fields in
a two-component material are described by the following differential equations:
ΔT = 0 in Ω

φ= –kagradT in Ωa (Fourier’s Law)
where Ω is the entire simulation domain and Ωa is the domain of component a (with a = 1, 2). It
is assumed that Ω1 Ω2 = Ω and Ω1 Ω2 = Ø. T is the temperature, φ is the heat flux, ka is
the thermal conductivity of component a, Δ is the Laplace operator, and grad is the gradient
operator.
Used is a mesh-free finite-element method, with linear basis functions and a conjugate gradient
solver.
T = T0 at Γi
T=0 at Γo
T1 = T2 at Γ12
k1gradnT1 = k2gradnT2 at Γ12
gradnT = 0 at ΓR in Sealed mode
where
T1 , T2 temperatures adjacent to Γ12 in Ω1 and Ω2, respectively
T0 user-defined temperature difference
r position
laries on page 817.
The effective thermal conductivity keff relates the macroscopic (volume-averaged) temperature
gradient to the macroscopic (volume-averaged) heat flux, in perfect analogy to Fourier’s law:
〈φ〉 = –keffdT/dL
where dT is the temperature difference between inlet and outlet, dL is the length of the sample
(thus, dT/dL is the applied volume-averaged temperature gradient), and 〈φ〉 is the volume-

averaged heat flux. In an isotropic medium, the flux points into the same direction as the applied
temperature gradient. Generally, the flux can deviate from this direction, in which case 〈φ〉 is the
component of the average flux in the direction of the temperature gradient. According to the
above equation, keff is computed from the simulation result as:
keff = –〈φ〉dL/dT
with dT = T0, dL = dio, and 〈φ〉 being the average heat flux component in the direction of the
temperature gradient, averaged over the Analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings Section
on page 768).
In three dimensions, the volume-averaged Fourier’s law reads
〈φ〉 = –keff〈grad T〉,
where φ and grad T are the three-dimensional heat flux and temperature gradient, respectively,
〈·〉 denotes volume averaging, and keff is the symmetric effective thermal conductivity tensor of
rank two. In order to infer all components of this tensor, three distinct virtual experiment
simulation runs are performed with the temperature gradient pointing, in turn, along each of the
three coordinate axes, j = 1..3. The three runs are performed automatically in a sequence. Let
dTj and dLj be the temperature difference and the distance between inlet and outlet, respec-
tively, applied in the j-th simulation run, and φj be the resulting computed heat flux field, with
vector components , i = 1..3. The effective thermal conductivity tensor is then calculated as
Electric Conductivity Experiment and Tensor Calculation
Simulated are the stationary electric potential and current fields in a two-component material,
where each material has a different electric conductivity, with the boundary condition that inlet
and outlet are each clamped to a different constant electric potential. If any of the components
is fully non-conducting, the respective conductivity can be set to zero. The stationary voltage
and current density fields in a two-component material are described by the following differ-
ential equations:
ΔU = 0 in Ω
J = –σagradU in Ωa (Fourier’s Law)
where Ω is the entire simulation domain and Ωa is the domain of component a (with a = 1, 2). It
is assumed that Ω1 Ω2 = Ω and Ω1 Ω2 = Ø. U is the electric potential (in volts), J is the
current density, σa is the conductivity of component a, Δ is the Laplace operator, and grad is the
gradient operator.
Used is a mesh-free finite-element method, with linear basis functions and a conjugate gradient
solver.

U = U0 at Γi
U=0 at Γo
U1 = U2 at Γ12
σ1gradnU1 = σ2gradnU2 at Γ12
gradnU = 0 at ΓR in Sealed mode
where
U 1, U 2 electric potentials adjacent to Γ12 in Ω1 and Ω2, respectively
U0 user-defined potential difference
r position
laries on page 817.
The effective conductivity σeff relates the macroscopic (volume-averaged) electric field strength
to the macroscopic (volume-averaged) current density, in perfect analogy to Ohm’s law:
〈J〉 = –σeffdU/dL
where dU is the potential difference between inlet and outlet, dL is the length of the sample
(thus, dU/dL is the applied volume-averaged electric field strength), and 〈J〉 is the volume-
averaged current density. In an isotropic medium, the current points into the same direction as
the applied field. Generally, the current can deviate from this direction, in which case 〈J〉 is the
component of the current in the direction of the electric field. According to the above equation,
σeff is computed from the simulation result as:
σeff = –〈J〉dL/dU,
with dU = U0, dL = dio, and 〈J〉 being the average current density component in the direction of
the electric field, averaged over the Analyzed volume (see section Simulation settings Section on
page 768).
In three dimensions, the volume-averaged Ohm’s law reads
〈J〉 = –seff〈grad U〉,

36 VALIDATION
where J and grad U are the three-dimensional current density and electric field strength, respec-
tively, 〈·〉 denotes volume averaging, and seff is the symmetric effective electric conductivity
tensor of rank two. In order to infer all components of this tensor, three distinct virtual exper-
iment simulation runs are performed with the electric field pointing, in turn, along each of the
three coordinate axes, j = 1..3. The three runs are performed automatically in a sequence. Let
dUj and dLj be the potential difference and the distance between inlet and outlet, respectively,
applied in the j-th simulation run, and Jj be the resulting computed current density field, with
vector components , i = 1..3. The electric conductivity tensor is then calculated as
Capillary Pressure Curve
The pore size distribution is calculated using the approach of maximal inscribed spheres.
Spheres of varying size are used as probes and attempted to be fit into the pore space. For
each point, the largest fitting sphere overlapping this point is found. The diameter of that sphere
is assigned to this point as the local pore diameter.
For determining the capillary pressure curve, a quasi-static drainage experiment is simulated.
The sample is connected to two fluid reservoirs, a wetting phase (WP) and a non-wetting phase
(NWP) reservoir, at user-defined sections of the volume boundary. The pore space is initially
filled with WP. The pressure in the NWP reservoir is increased in discrete steps, resulting in
injection of NWP into the pore space. After each increase in pressure, equilibrium is attained
before the next increase. The simulation is carried out using a pore-morphological heuristic
approach (see [10] in section References on page 830). The pressure is connected to the
curvature diameter of the phase interface using the Young-Laplace Equation:
d = 4γ cosΘ/pc,
where d is the diameter of curvature of the interface, γ is the interfacial tension, and pc is the
capillary pressure. The contact angle Θ is a property of the specific fluid-fluid-solid system
considered and is assumed to be zero. In this model, the space occupied by the NWP at a given
pressure is defined as the domain reachable by a spherical probe of diameter d starting from the
NWP reservoir.
Optionally, the residual WP can be computed as described in [11] (see section References on
page 830). Portions of WP which are isolated from the WP reservoir during the drainage process
are regarded to be trapped and form the residual WP.
VALIDATION
Stokes Flow
For the fluid simulations, a Lattice-Boltzmann algorithm with the BGK collision model is used
(see [8] in section References on page 830). It was validated against theoretical and experi-
mental data. The comparison with theoretical data was done with synthetic data sets of cubic

36 VALIDATION
packings of spheres. The comparison with experimental data was performed with scanned data
sets of Fontainebleau sandstone samples.
Inclined Capillaries
The absolute permeability was calculated for gratings of inclined parallel capillaries. The artificial
data sets had a dimension of 147³ voxels. The capillaries were aligned in a hexagonal packing
with inter-capillary spacing d. The following figure shows a 3D rendering of one of the data sets
with annotated geometry.
FIGURE 36-24: EXAMPLE OF A CAPILLARY DATA SET
The computed permeability was compared to theory, as follows:

The total volume flux Φ through a pipe of radius r, length Lc, and a pressure at inlet and outlet of
P0 and P1, respectively, is
(Hagen-Poisseuille Law) (1)
where μ is the viscosity.

In a hexagonal grid of parallel pipes, the average velocity in pipe direction is
where d² sin 60° is the cross-sectional area occupied by one pipe in the hexagonal packing with
spacing d. With an inclination angle α, the average velocity component in the z-direction is
(2)
The permeability k is calculated according to Darcy’s Law (see section Absolute Permeability
Experiment and Tensor Calculation on page 816) as
(3)

36 VALIDATION
where L is the height of the sample and P1 and P0 are the pressures applied at the top and
bottom faces, respectively (see Figure 36-24: Example of a capillary data set). Substituting (1)
and (2) into (3) and canceling terms yields
(4)
where we used that L = Lc cos α.

The pressure difference was applied in the z-direction and the boundary conditions were set to
Embedded mode. The calculations were repeated with varying capillary radius r (left in the figure
below) and inclination angle α (right in the figure below). For varying capillary radius r, k is
normalized by the capillary spacing d. The voxel size was 1 mm³, so 1 mm corresponds to
1 voxel length. The results are shown in the following figure. The theoretical curves are given by
equation (4).
FIGURE 36-25: COMPUTED VS. THEORETICAL PERMEABILITIES K OF CAPILLARY GRATINGS
Cubic Lattice of Spheres
The absolute permeability was calculated on artificial data sets of simple cubic lattices of
spheres of varying diameters. Depending on the diameter, the spheres were allowed to overlap.
The data sets had a size of 300³ voxels and a voxel resolution of 1 mm³. The sphere centers
were spaced 20 voxels apart.
The absolute permeability was calculated in the z-direction using the Embedded boundary
condition for the faces which are not inlet or outlet. (Using the Sealed boundary condition yields
indistinguishable results, except for very high porosity (> 90 %) where Sealed yields slightly too
low values.) The porosity was varied by changing the sphere diameter while keeping the lattice
spacing d constant. The permeability values are normalized by d². Theoretical algebraic results
published in [3] (see section References on page 830) are used as a reference. The results are
shown in the following figure.

36 VALIDATION
FIGURE 36-26: LEFT: COMPUTED VS. THEORETICAL VALUES OF THE ABSOLUTE PERMEABILITY K OF SPHERES
ON A SIMPLE CUBIC LATTICE; RIGHT: RENDERING OF ONE OF THE DATA SETS USED (40 % POROSITY)
Fontainebleau Sandstone
The absolute permeability was calculated on micro-tomography scans of Fontainebleau

sandstone samples with varying porosity. The scans had a size of 512³ voxels and a voxel
resolution of 5.72 μm. (Data sets kindly provided by the authors of [5] (see section References
on page 830).) The absolute permeability was calculated in the z-direction, all faces except inlet
and outlet were sealed. The results are compared to experimental measurements performed on
a large number of Fontainebleau sandstone samples published in [2] (see section References on
page 830). The results are shown in the following figure.
FIGURE 36-27: LEFT: COMPUTED VERSUS EXPERIMENTAL VALUES OF THE ABSOLUTE PERMEABILITY OF
FONTAINEBLEAU SANDSTONE SAMPLES; RIGHT: RENDERING OF SCANNED SANDSTONE SAMPLE WITH 22 %
POROSITY

36 VALIDATION
Diffusion/Heat Conduction/Electric Conduction
For the simulation of diffusion, heat conduction, and electric conduction, a mesh-free finite-
element code is used with linear basis functions and a conjugate gradient solver. All three
phenomena obey the same mathematical equation, namely the Poisson equation. Therefore,
they are validated simultaneously by the example of heat conduction. Validation is performed
against theoretical data.
Inclined Capillaries
The effective thermal conductivity was calculated for gratings of inclined parallel capillaries,
where the capillaries had a conductivity of D and the inter-capillary space was completely non-
conducting. The artificial data sets had a dimension of 147³ voxels. The capillaries were aligned
in a hexagonal packing with radius r and inter-capillary spacing 3r. Figure 36-24: Example of a
capillary data set on page 825 shows a 3D rendering of one of the data sets with annotated
geometry. The computed effective thermal conductivity was compared to theory, as follows:
For a hexagonal grating of capillaries with capillary radius r and inter-capillary spacing d, the
effective thermal conductivity in capillary direction is
Deff = DФ (5)
where Φ is the porosity. This is because the cross section available for heat transport is reduced
by the factor Φ compared to the unrestricted conduction.
If the effective thermal conductivity is measured in a direction inclined from the capillary
direction by an angle α, the value of Deff is decreased both by a factor cos α because of the
increase in capillary length, and by another factor cos α because only the heat flux component in
the measuring direction accounts for the effective conductivity. All in all, for the present data
sets, the theory predicts
Deff = DФcos²α (6)
The samples were calculated with the Boundary condition parameter set to Embedded. The calcula-
tions were repeated with varying capillary radius r (left in the following figure) and inclination
angle α (right in the following figure). The values are given as deviation from the theoretical
values according to equation (6). For computing the deviation from theory, the observed
porosity in each data sample was assumed as Φ in (6). The theoretical porosity of 40.31 % was
usually missed by a few percent in the data samples since the samples were not multiples of the
unit cell. The results are given in the following figure.

36 VALIDATION
FIGURE 36-28: COMPUTED EFFECTIVE CONDUCTIVITIES OF CAPILLARY GRATINGS
Sphere Packings
Thermal conduction was simulated on different close packings of equal-sized spheres: Simple
cubic, body-centered cubic and face-centered cubic packings. The data sets had a size of
300³ voxels. The sphere radius was 10 voxels. Using the Thermal conductivity experiment analysis,
the effective conductivity k* was determined given a homogeneous conductivity of k1 of the
spheres and k0 of the inter-sphere matrix. Analytically derived values published in [7] (see
section References on page 830) serve as a reference. In order to most closely resemble the
theoretical case of infinitely extended sphere arrays, the calculations were done on regions of
interest which cover most of the data set while having boundaries at integer multiples of the
respective lattice’s unit cell. The Analyzed volume parameter was set to 100 % and the Boundary
condition parameter was set to Embedded. The used data sets are displayed in Figure 36-29:
FIGURE 36-29: PACKED SPHERES DATA SETS USED FOR VALIDATION OF THE FINITE-ELEMENT CODE
The following figure shows the computed versus the algebraically derived values of the effective
conductivity k* of various sphere packings for varying conductivity ratios k1/k0 of spheres to
matrix. The simulations were conducted on data sets with spheres with a radius of 10 voxels,
except for k1/k0 = 5, where the spheres had a radius of 30 voxels. For k1/k0 much greater than
1, the heat flux is dominated by the (in theory) infinitely small contact points between the
spheres. However, in the representation by a discrete voxel data set, the singular contact points
are always of finite size, proportional to the voxel size. In order to reach a satisfactory

36 REFERENCES
agreement to theory, the voxel resolution was increased. The results achieved with a sphere
radius of 10 voxels are depicted as green crosses (x).
FIGURE 36-30: COMPUTED VS ALGEBRAICALLY DERIVED VALUES OF THE EFFECTIVE CONDUCTIVITY K* OF

VARIOUS SPHERE PACKINGS FOR VARYING CONDUCTIVITY RATIOS K1/K0 OF SPHERES TO MATRIX
Capillary Pressure
Results were validated against experimental data and against simulations using a reference
implementation. The results used as a reference were published in [10] (see section References
on page 830). The digital voxel data were provided by one of the authors. The samples consist
of two different bead packs, labeled C-109 and Gb1b. The digital volumes were available as
binarized images with 800³ voxels each. Compared were the experimentally found and
simulated capillary pressure curves for each of the two samples. The simulations in
VGSTUDIO MAX were carried out without the Simulate trapped WP option set since this is equiv-
alent to the reference implementation. A very good agreement was found between
VGSTUDIO MAX and the reference data, as shown in the following figure:
FIGURE 36-31: EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED AND SIMULATED CAPILLARY PRESSURE CURVES FOR TWO BEAD
PACK SAMPLES; LEFT: C-109, RIGHT: GB1B
REFERENCES
[1] J Bear: Dynamics of Fluids in Porous Media. Dover Publications, p. 20 (1972)

36 REFERENCES
[2] T Bourbie, B Zinszner: Hydraulic and Acoustic Properties a Function of Porosity in Fontaine-
bleau Sandstone. Journal of Geophysical Research 90, 11524 (1985)
[3] A M Chapman, J J L Higdon: Oscillatory Stokes flow in periodic porous media. Physics of
Fluids A: Fluid Dynamics 4, 2099 (1992)
[4] A Duda, Z Koza, M Matyka: Hydraulic tortuosity in arbitrary porous media flow. Phys. Rev. E
84, 036319 (2011)
[5] W B Lindquist, A Venkatarangan, J Dunsmuir, T-F Wong: Pore and throat size distributions
measured from synchrotron X-ray tomographic images of Fontainebleau sandstones. Journal of
Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 105, 21509 (2000)
[6] N S Martys, J G Hagedorn: Multiscale modeling of fluid transport in heterogeneous materials
using discrete Boltzmann methods. Materials and Structures 35, 650 (2002)
[7] A S Sangani, A Acrivos: The Effective Conductivity of a Periodic Array of Spheres. Proc. R.
Soc. Lond. A 386, 263 (1983)
[8] S Succi: The Lattice Boltzmann Equation. Oxford University Press (2001)
[9] W J Ullman, R C Aller: Diffusion coefficients in nearshore marine sediments, Limnol.
Oceanogr. 27, 552 (1982)
[10] M Hilpert and C. T. Miller: Pore-morphology-based simulation of drainage in totally wetting
porous media. Advances in Water Resources 24 (3), 243 (2001)
[11] Ahrenholz B et al., Prediction of capillary hysteresis in a porous material using Lattice-
Boltzmann methods and comparison to experimental data and a morphological pore network
model. Advances in Water Resources 31 (9), 1151 (2008)

37 CT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES
INTRODUCTION
The CT reconstruction modules have been designed for creating voxel data sets by reconstructing
them from projection data files generated by a CT scanner. This is achieved by using a filtered
back projection (Feldkamp) or other reconstruction approaches.
The different CT reconstruction modules offer algorithms for the following CT scanner types:
 Cone beam CT
 Fan beam CT
 Parallel beam CT
 Planar CT
 Helix CT
The CT reconstruction modules include, e.g., a beam hardening correction and an automatic
horizontal and angular detector offset calculation. All calculations are done in single precision
(32 bit float). The software places no limit on the size of the volume that is to be reconstructed.
The volume size might be limited by the hardware configuration, e.g., the available disk space.
All CT reconstruction modules are optional add-on modules for VGSTUDIO MAX and require
additional licensing.
OPENING THE DIALOG
Select the File > Import > CT reconstruction... menu item to open the CT reconstruction dialog.
The CT reconstruction dialog consists of different tabs which guide you through the complete
reconstruction process. Several tabs have Info fields describing the options on the fly. You can
navigate through the dialog step by step using the Back/Next buttons at the bottom of the dialog
or directly click on a tab to access the desired parameters.
The following controls are always available at the bottom of the CT reconstruction dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Load parameters button Opens the Select parameter file dialog where you can
select a file with a predefined parameter set that you
want to import. For details on the supported import
parameter formats, see section File Formats on
page 940, in chapter 43 Appendix.
Save parameters button Opens the Select parameter save name dialog where you
can save the current parameter set. For details on the
supported export parameter formats, see section File
Formats on page 940, in chapter 43 Appendix.
If you use the import modes Write to disk and import or Do
not write to disk, reference projection data on the Result
options tab, VGSTUDIO MAX will automatically attach
the reconstruction parameters to the volume object in
the Scene Tree.

CT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Projection preview button Opens the Projection preview dialog which can be used
for quickly checking the effects of all settings related to
projections.
The preview will be available only if all relevant settings
on the Projection files and the Geometry tabs have been
filled in correctly. For details see section Projection
preview Dialog on page 875.
Sinogram view button Opens the Sinogram view dialog which allows to manu-
ally define the horizontal detector offset if the automatic
calculation on the Geometry tab cannot be used.
It can also be used for checking if the projections and
their gray values are continuous or show any breaks.
For details see section Sinogram view Dialog on
page 878.
Slice preview button Opens the Slice preview dialog which can be used for
quickly checking parameters and having a first look at
the reconstructed volume. For details see section Slice
preview Dialog on page 878.
Back/Next buttons Navigate through the reconstruction dialog.
Finish button Executes the reconstruction process. This button will

be enabled only if sufficient information has been
provided.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without executing the reconstruction

process.
TABLE 37-1: CONTROLS OF THE CT RECONSTRUCTION DIALOG
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Angle correction not supported in Fan Rotation axis tilt correction is not supported when fan
beam CT mode beam CT is selected on the Reconstruction approach tab.
Auto region of interest failed It is not possible to automatically determine an ROI.

This may be the case for bad projection data (low signal
quality).
Beam hardening correction log range is No beam hardening correction function was found.
empty
Beam hardening correction LUT has bad The size of the lookup table is not valid.
size
Beam hardening correction LUT is empty The proposed lookup table holds no values.
Beam hardening correction LUT range is There is no valid data range in the proposed lookup
empty table.

STATUS DESCRIPTION
Calibration file <file name> does not exist A calibration file selected on the Calibration tab is no
longer available.
Compensation for variation in radiation This mode is not allowed for the selected scenario.
intensity not allowed
Found existing result files which will be On the Result options tab, a write to disk mode and an
overwritten already existing file name are specified. Choose
another import mode or a new file name, otherwise the
existing file will be overwritten.
GPU acceleration not available (unsup- GPU is not supported.

ported)
Identical z-positions are not allowed In fan beam CT, the slice positions are not defined. In
order to apply manually specified slice positions, click
the Init positions button on the Projection files tab.
Internal error, possibly out of memory An internal error is occurred which is possibly due to
insufficient memory (RAM).
Intensity correction is not supported in Compensation for variation in radiation intensity is not
Fan beam CT mode supported when fan beam CT is selected on the Recon-
struction approach tab.
Invalid angle section The angular section specified in the Further parameters
section of the Geometry tab is 0 degree.
Invalid clamp interval The clamping parameters selected on the Result options
tab are invalid.
Invalid distances to detector/object The distance between source and detector is, e.g.,
smaller than the distance between source and object.
Invalid geometry setup The position of the reconstructed volume does not
match the FOV (field of view) defined by the geometry.
License for Special Algorithms (Helix, The add-on module is not licensed.
ART) for CT Reconstruction missing
License for CT Reconstruction (Cone The module is not licensed.

Beam, Fan Beam, Parallel Beam) missing
License for CT Reconstruction (Planar) The module is not licensed.

missing
License for CT Reconstruction missing The module is not licensed.
No direct import modes are supported. A direct import mode is not supported when fan beam
Change to one of the write modes CT is selected on the Reconstruction approach tab.
Not enough memory available for The memory (RAM) is not sufficient for the selected
memory based write mode import mode. (Write to disk only, in combination with
ART.)

STATUS DESCRIPTION
Not enough memory available for perfor- If Algorithmic optimization option Performance is selected
mance mode (Auto region of interest on the Reconstruction approach tab, writing the data to
mode may change memory consumption) disk will be slow.
Object cube touches source The result volume specified on the Geometry tab is
wrong. The reconstructed volume would touch the
source trajectory.
Only laminography angles between – The laminography angle specified in the Planar CT
89.9° and +89.9° are supported section of the Geometry tab is too large or too small.
Performance mode ignores projection If you want to manually specify projection skip settings,
skip settings select the Algorithmic optimization option Quality on the
Reconstruction approach tab.
Performance mode ignores voxel skip If you want to manually specify voxel skip settings,
settings select the Algorithmic optimization option Quality on the
Reconstruction approach tab.
Projection statistics is running The projection data are still being analyzed, e.g., to
calculate the beam hardening correction function.
Ready to go All required parameters have been specified and are

consistent; you can click Finish to start the import
process.
Ring artifact reduction is only supported Ring artifacts are amplified by using a filtered back
in “Filtered back projection” and “Loga- projection. If the reconstruction is based on an unfil-
rithmization and filtered back projection” tered back projection, ring artifact correction will not be
modes necessary.
Slice preview is running Indicates that the reconstruction cannot be finished

because the slice preview is still running.
Temporary file path does not exist. Using No temporary file path is specified (see Edit > Preferences
default path > General > CT reconstruction).
The distance between the lower and The slice difference is less than 20 % of the detector
upper slice for the detector tilt correction height.
is very small
The table feed is too high to reconstruct The table feed specified in the Helix CT section of the
an artifact-free volume Geometry tab results in an automatically calculated pitch
higher than 1.6.
The table feed is very high, an artifact- The table feed specified in the Helix CT section of the
free reconstruction cannot be assured Geometry tab results in an automatically calculated pitch
higher than 2.0.
Yet missing: calibration file(s) One of the radio buttons for supplying bright and/or
dark images is checked on the Calibration tab but no
corresponding file is selected.
Yet missing: distance to detector/object There was no distance defined (zero).

37 RECONSTRUCTION APPROACH TAB
STATUS DESCRIPTION
Yet missing: projection files On the Projection files tab, no projection files are selected
or the selected projection files are not available.
Yet missing: projection size Pixel size or projection size is too small (zero).
Yet missing: reconstruction size Result physical size is too small (zero).
Yet missing: result file name No file name is specified in the Result file name section of
the Result options tab.
Yet missing: result number of voxels Result number of voxels is not specified.
TABLE 37-2: STATUS MESSAGES FOR CT RECONSTRUCTION
RECONSTRUCTION APPROACH TAB
The gray values in the original projection (intensity domain) images (without any kind of prepro-
cessing) correspond to the weakening of the X rays by the material(s) through which the X rays
have passed. If the X rays only pass through air, they will be weakened imperceptibly, but if they
pass through (a part of) the object, the X rays will be weakened according to the atomic number,
the density and the thickness of the material(s). In the original projection images, high gray
values represent air, low gray values represent material.
Depending on the software of the respective CT scanner, the projection images might already
have been partly or completely preprocessed. The usually preprocessing steps that are
necessary before the actual back projection (reconstruction) can be calculated including
 the calibration of the projection images (either with bright and dark reference files or using
the gray value range of each projection image),
 logarithmization of the gray values of the projection, and
 convolution with a kernel.
Unless already included in the scanner software, all three steps can be done in VGSTUDIO
MAX. These parameters are listed on the Reconstruction approach tab.
The Reconstruction approach tab consists of the following sections:
 General system geometry section
Allows to select a specific reconstruction algorithm:
– Cone beam CT: For projection files created by a CT scanner equipped with a flat panel
detector.
– Fan beam CT: For projection files created by a CT scanner equipped with a line
detector.
– Parallel beam CT: For projection files created by a CT scanner with a flat panel detector
exposed to X rays aligned in parallel.
– Planar CT: For projection files created by a flat panel detector. The trajectory of the
source and the detector is thereby comparable to a laminography setup. To set the
respective parameters, see section Geometry Tab on page 847.
– Helix CT: For projection files created by a helix CT scanner with a flat panel detector.
 Algorithmic optimization section
Allows to optimize the reconstruction for quality or performance.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Quality option When this option is checked, the reconstruction

leads to highest quality, but needs more time.
Performance option If available: When this option is checked, the recon-

struction will be faster, but it slightly reduces the
quality of the reconstructed data.
TABLE 37-3: CONTROLS OF THE ALGORITHMIC OPTIMIZATION SECTION
 Projection handling section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Unfiltered back projection option Check this option if your projection files have
already been completely preprocessed, even
including the Feldkamp high-pass filtering step.
VGSTUDIO MAX will use the projection files as is
for the back projection process.
Filtered back projection option Check this option if your projection files have
already been calibrated and logarithmized, but
VGSTUDIO MAX still needs to apply the Feldkamp
high-pass filter.
Logarithmization and filtered back Check this option if your projection files originate
projection option directly from the CT scanner. Most likely they
contain intensities in the 16-bit range. These files
must be logarithmized and can optionally be
corrected using one or two additional calibration
images, see section Calibration Tab on page 846.
Afterwards, the data will be high-pass filtered
(FBP).
TABLE 37-4: CONTROLS OF THE PROJECTION HANDLING SECTION
 Algorithm section
– FBP (default): Applies the standard filtered back projection algorithm to the recon-
struction.
– ART: Applies an iterative reconstruction method (Algebraic Reconstruction Tech-
nique).
If ART is selected, the number of iterations has to be specified in the ART options
section.
 ART options section

Enabled when ART is selected in the Algorithm section.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Iterations spin box Specifies the number of reconstruction passes

performed for ART.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Relax spin box Specifies the relaxation factor, i.e., the strength of
the correction. Appropriate values normally lie
between 0 and 1.
TABLE 37-5: CONTROLS OF THE ART OPTIONS SECTION
 FBP options section

Enabled when FBP (default) is selected in the Algorithm section.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Filter mode drop-down list For projection handling modes Filtered back projection
and Logarithmization and filtered back projection: Speci-
fies the high-pass filter applied to the projection
data:
• Shepp-Logan: A Shepp-Logan filter will slightly
smoothen the result volume appearance and
reduce noise.
• Ramp: A ramp filter will slightly more emphasize
high frequencies, possibly resulting in a sharper
image of the result volume.
Interpolation drop-down list When projecting the voxel position on the detector,
VGSTUDIO MAX performs 2D interpolations
between neighboring image pixels.
• Linear: A linear interpolation between neigh-
boring image pixels is carried out.
• Nearest: Nearest-neighbor interpolation is
fastest, but only recommended for preview-
quality reconstructions or extremely high resolu-
tion reconstructions in combination with a very
low noise level.
TABLE 37-6: CONTROLS OF THE FBP OPTIONS SECTION
If you are unsure whether calibration is still necessary for your input projections, use the Projection
preview to inspect the images: If “empty” regions appear black (low gray values), the files have
already been logarithmized.
 Calculation mode section

VGSTUDIO MAX can make use of modern graphics hardware to speed up the CT recon-
struction process.

37 PROJECTION FILES TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Calculation mode drop-down field • CPU: Runs the CT reconstruction process using
the CPU only.
• GPU (OpenGL, only single GPU): Runs the CT recon-
struction process using the system graphics
card. The OpenGL platform only allows to use
one single graphics card at a time.
• GPU (OpenCL, single and multiple GPU): Runs the CT
reconstruction process using one or multiple
system graphics cards.
In most cases, OpenCL provides the shortest
reconstruction times, compared to CPU and
OpenGL, even if it is performed only on one
graphics card.
The default setting is taken from the application
preferences, where you can also change the
amount of graphics hardware RAM used for recon-
structions (see chapter 4 General Preferences on
page 90).
TABLE 37-7: CONTROLS OF THE CALCULATION MODE SECTION
If you enable GPU acceleration, check the status bar of the CT reconstruction dialog for possible
warnings/errors. Your hardware may not support accelerated reconstruction at all, or only with
reduced (16-bit floating point) precision.
PROJECTION FILES TAB
On the Projection files tab, choose the projection files to be imported and specify the format of the
projection files used for reconstruction.
 Projection files section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Projection files field Shows the list of added projection files and
displays the number of added files. The list includes
the full file name with directory for each file.
Add files button Opens the Select projection files dialog. Select all
projection files you wish to import, then click Open.
The files will be added to the file list. You can click
the Add files button again to add further files. Note
that if you add the same file twice, it will be
imported twice.
Add directory button Allows to navigate to a directory and add all files
located in this directory to the list of files to be
imported.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Remove button Removes the currently selected file(s) from the list.
This will not delete files from your disk.
Remove all button Removes all files from the list. This will not delete
files from your disk.
Init positions button Only available for fan beam CT:

Click this button to apply the settings specified in
the Required parameters section of the Geometry tab
for defining the slice positions (Projection: physical
size in pixel in z).
You can also manually define a slice position by
clicking the slice position number in the Projection
files section once to highlight it and then clicking
once again to make it editable and type in the
desired volume slice position.
Projection pixel: physical size (z) Only available for fan beam CT:
[<length unit>] spin box Specifies the size of each pixel in a length unit.
TABLE 37-8: CONTROLS OF THE PROJECTION FILES SECTION
VGSTUDIO MAX will automatically suggest invalid projection files for removal from the file list.
The current number of projection files is displayed on top of the list. This is useful for ensuring
you did not select any wrong files (having 721 instead of 720 files can lead to surprising failures
at the end of a probably long reconstruction process).
 Sorting section
Determines the sort order of the imported files and reflects the assumed angular order
used at reconstruction time.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Sorting drop-down list • Alphabetic: Sorts the files in alphabetical order.

Fits in most cases, but causes problems if the
slice numbers are not padded to an equal
number of digits (such as ...8, 9, 10, ... instead
of 08, 09, 10).
• Canonic: Sorts the files first according to length of
the file name, then file names of the same length
in alphabetical order. You will find this option
useful if you have file names like file1, file2, ...,
file9, file10, file11, ..., file99, file100, ...
• Numbers: Use this option if you want to sort only
by the trailing numbers and ignore the rest of the
file name. This will scan each file name from its
last symbol until it reaches a letter. All numbers
found so far will be taken into account for
sorting.
• Reverse: Sorts the files in reverse numerical
order, i.e., first all files with last digit 0, then files
with last digit 1, ... Files with the same last
number will be sorted according to their second
last digit. Example for reverse: file0, file00,
file10, file1, file001, ... You would get the same
result if you extracted the trailing numbers, put
their digits in reverse order (123 -> 321) and then
sorted them alphabetically.
• Unsorted: Leaves the file order unchanged.
TABLE 37-9: CONTROLS OF THE SORTING SECTION
An inverted sort order is a common cause for unsatisfactory reconstruction results. If you see
blurred, ghostly results in the final volume, try inverting the projection order, see section Geometry
Tab on page 847.
 File format drop-down list

Specifies the format for all provided projection files. Mixed formats are not possible. For
more details on the available formats, see section File Formats on page 940 in chapter 43
Appendix.
 Mirror checkboxes
Use these options to mirror one or both axes of the imported projection files.
In different CT scanners, the manipulator might rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The
numbering of the projection images follows the rotation direction and must be taken into
account when selecting the rotation direction option.
Some scanners might create mirrored projection images, e.g., if an image intensifier is
used and the scanner software does not correct for mirroring. Use the mirror parameter to
correct such images.

Figure 37-1 shows a clockwise (red arrow) and a counterclockwise rotation (blue arrow) of the
object around the rotation axis:
D detector
F focus of the source
C center of the detector
V volume to be reconstructed
FIGURE 37-1: OBJECT ROTATION
 Data type drop-down list

For raw file formats, you must explicitly specify the data type of the projection files. Avail-
able formats are:
– 16 bit unsigned
– 16 bit signed
– 32 bit unsigned
– 32 bit signed
– 32 bit float (0–1)
The format is 32 bit float, the values vary from 0 to 1.
– 32 bit float (16 bit unsigned)
The format is 32 bit float, the values vary from 0 to 216–1.
– 32 bit float (20 bit unsigned)
The format is 32 bit float, the values vary from 0 to 220–1.
 Endian drop-down list

For raw file formats, you can specify the byte order of the data type elements of the projec-
tion files (either Little or Big endian).
 Ignore border pixels spin box

Projection images might include bright or dark pixels along the image borders. Such pixel
errors are caused, e.g., by lead covers along the borders of the detector which protect the
electronic parts. These pixels falsify the actual gray value range of the projection images,
which might create artifacts in the reconstructed volume.
Set this option to a value greater than zero to indicate that VGSTUDIO MAX is to ignore the
given amount of pixel rows/columns at the border of each projection. This is a simple way
to define a (symmetric) “import ROI” for the projection data.
Some CT scanners tend to produce single rows of zero-valued pixels which are detrimental to
the calibration and back projection procedure. Use the Ignore border pixels option if you experience
artifacts with exceedingly high gray values in the reconstructed volume.
 Orientation drop-down list

The detector has an internal coordinate system with y- and z-axes that lie parallel to the
detector sides. Each projection created with this detector inherits its coordinate system.
Due to constructional considerations, the detector can be installed into the CT scanner in
different orientations. Depending on the orientation, the z-axis of the coordinate system of
the detector is parallel or perpendicular to the rotation axis of the manipulator. By defini-
tion, the z-axis of the reconstructed volume will be parallel to the rotation axis of the
manipulator. If the z-axis of the detector is perpendicular to the rotation axis, you need to
adjust the orientation parameter.
The following images show the geometry parameters in a typical cone-beam scanner
setup.

The first image (Figure 37-2) shows a cone beam setup with a flat detector where the y-axis is
horizontal and the z-axis is vertical (parallel to the rotation axis):
D detector
FIGURE 37-2: CONE BEAM SETUP WITH DETECTOR Y-AXIS HORIZONTAL

Figure 37-3 shows a setup in which the y-axis of the detector is vertical (parallel to the rotation
axis) and the z-axis is horizontal:
D detector
FIGURE 37-3: CONE BEAM SETUP WITH DETECTOR Y-AXIS VERTICAL
Use the YZ/ZY options to swap the axes of the imported projections in case the stored
“rows” in your files do not represent “horizontal rows” (perpendicular to the rotation axis)
in your physical reconstruction setup. The yz-orientation is the unswapped default, the zy-
orientation swaps the axes. The axes are named y and z to correspond with the recon-
struction setup definitions, where z is the direction of the rotation axis.
For a fan beam CT scanner setup, the Orientation drop-down list offers the YA/AY options.
When the object is scanned with a collimated cone beam (resulting in a fan beam geom-
etry), e.g., to suppress scatter, only one detector line is illuminated during the rotation of
the object. Therefore, the 2D image resulting from the scanner is a sinogram, where each
line of the sinogram represents the same detector line under different angular positions. In
most cases, there are multiple sinograms which are taken from different object heights.
The two dimensions of the sinogram are the actual detector line in horizontal Y-direction
and the different angular positions during the rotation in angular A-direction. The orienta-
tion of the sinogram may be different due to the way the projection files are saved. In this
case the orientation can be switched using the YA/AY options in the Orientation drop-down
menu. (For details on the sinogram, see chapter 37 Sinogram view Dialog on page 878.)
 Header skip [bytes] spin box

37 CALIBRATION TAB
For raw file formats, you can optionally specify the size of a “header” to be ignored from
the beginning of each file. This value must be given in number of bytes.
 Projection smoothing section
This option is only available if no calibration files are used.
Checking the Projection smoothing checkbox enables the Projection smoothing drop-down list
for selecting a Gauss filter (Low, Medium, High) to smooth the projection.
CALIBRATION TAB
This tab is only enabled if you select the Logarithmization and filtered back projection option in the
Projection handling section of the Reconstruction approach tab. It allows to specify additional image
files needed for calibrating all projections. The calibration file(s) must have dimensions greater
than or equal to all other projection files. If you do not specify any calibration images, each
projection will be normalized independently and then logarithmized.
The following options are available on the Calibration tab:
 Calibration files section
Raw detector images must be logarithmized before being used for reconstruction. Before
doing so, each projection image must be normalized to a gray value range of [0,1]. These
options specify whether you want to normalize the gray value range by supplying one or
two reference images or none:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
None No special reference image is supplied.
Bright only A reference image that shows the detector levels with full, unab-
sorbed X-ray intensity (calibration file “bright”) is supplied. The
projections are calibrated pixel by pixel using the zero-to-bright
intensity range.
Both bright and dark Two reference images showing the detector levels with full,
unabsorbed X-ray intensity (calibration file “bright”) and, addi-
tionally, no intensity at all (calibration file “dark”) are supplied.
The projections are calibrated pixel by pixel using the dark-to-
bright intensity range.
Bright file field Displays the path and name of the selected “bright” calibration
file.
Dark file field Displays the path and name of the selected “dark” calibration
file.
Browse button Opens the Select calibration file dialog where you can select a cali-
bration file to be added as reference image.
TABLE 37-10: CONTROLS OF THE CALIBRATION FILES SECTION
Defective detector pixels with zero gray values will result in extremely high calibrated intensities
that are detrimental to the reconstruction process. If you encounter such effects, try the Speckle
removal option on the Reconstruction options tab.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Using Speckle removal will considerably prolong calculations in the Slice preview.
 File type override section

If the calibration files have a different format than the projection files, activate File type over-
ride and specify the File format, Data type, Endian and Header skip of the calibration files.
If the data type of the calibration images is not the same as the data type of the acquired projec-
tions, the gray values of the intensities will be totally shifted towards the borders of the histogram.
When you select a file format which automatically determines the data type of the calibration files
like TIF, you can use the Compensation for variation in radiation intensity modes on the Reconstruction
options tab to achieve the correct histogram range for the intensities.
 Calibration filter drop-down list

Select one of the available Calibration filter options to apply a Low, Medium or High median
filter to the calibration file(s) and to remove speckles from the calibration files. This reduces
ring artifacts in the reconstructed volume introduced by high noise in the bright or dark
images.
 File size override section
Check this option if your calibration images are larger than the actual projection images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Number of pixels spin boxes Specify the entire calibration image.
Pixel offset spin boxes Specify the position of the image section you want
to use. The position is determined by the distance
from the first pixel of the calibration file to the first
pixel of the actual projection images.
TABLE 37-11: CONTROLS OF THE FILE SIZE OVERRIDE SECTION
GEOMETRY TAB
In an ideal scanner, the rotation axis of the manipulator is parallel to the vertical detector axis,
and the center of the rotation axis is positioned exactly on the connection between the source
and the center of the detector. In reality, the rotation axis might be tilted slightly and there might
also be a horizontal offset of the rotation axis relative to the center due to the mechanical
properties of the manipulator. Since the offset/tilt of the rotation axis will be amplified when
being projected on the detector, even a small offset/tilt will have a significant influence on the
projection images.
A horizontal shift of the rotation axis usually causes (symmetrical) shadowed images (single
edges become double edges) in the middle of the reconstructed data set. A tilted rotation axis
usually causes shadowed images in the upper and lower area of the data set, while the middle
images will be correct.
The following images show the geometry parameters in a typical cone-beam scanner setup.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
The first image (Figure 37-4) shows the top view of a geometric setup with a horizontally
misaligned detector.
RF distance focus — isocenter
RD distance isocenter — detector
C center of the misaligned detector
C’ isocenter projected on the detector plane
dHDO horizontal detector offset
rFC’ center ray
FIGURE 37-4: HORIZONTALLY MISALIGNED DETECTOR (TOP VIEW)

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-5 shows the front view of a geometric setup with a vertically misaligned detector.
Because of the front view, the source position is projected on the detector.
D detector
C center of the misaligned detector
C’ isocenter projected on the detector plane
dVDO vertical detector offset
wDet detector width (corresponding number of pixels x pixel width)
hDet detector height (corresponding number of pixels x pixel height)
FIGURE 37-5: VERTICALLY MISALIGNED DETECTOR (FRONT VIEW)

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-6 shows a geometric setup with the reconstruction volume at zero angle. Each dimen-
sion is defined by the number of voxels (in each direction) times the corresponding size.
D detector
C detector plane center
Ixyz volume edge length (result physical size)
FIGURE 37-6: RECONSTRUCTION VOLUME CUBE AT ZERO ANGLE

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-7 shows the front view of a geometric setup with a tilted rotation axis. Because of the
front view, the source is projected on the detector plane.
D detector
τ rotation axis tilt angle
wDet detector width (corresponding number of pixels x pixel width)
hDet detector height (corresponding number of pixels x pixel height)
FIGURE 37-7: TILTED ROTATION AXIS (FRONT VIEW)
These geometry parameters are listed on the Geometry tab. The following options are available
and can be used for correcting a detector offset or axis tilt in your scanner setup. You can see
the effects of these parameters in the Slice preview.
Required parameters Section
The z-axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the manipulator.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Ensure isotropic voxel size of reconstruc- When this option is checked, the dimensions of the
tion volume checkbox result volume are calculated automatically from the
detector number of pixels.
When this option is unchecked, the result number of
voxels can be specified manually.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Result number of voxels (x/y/z) spin Specify the desired number of voxels for the recon-
boxes struction result volume.
The final resulting volume can still be reduced by
defining ROI and skip settings.
Projection: number of pixels (y/z) spin Specify the number of rows and columns in each
boxes projection file.
Sinogram: number of pixels (y/z) spin If available: Specify the number of rows and columns in
boxes each sinogram.
Projection: physical size (y/z) [<length Specify the physical size of the detector or the size of
unit>] spin boxes each pixel in a length unit. Select the option from the
corresponding drop-down list:
• detector: Indicates the physical size of the detector.
• pixel: Indicates the size of each single pixel.
Distance [<length unit>] source – object Specifies the distance from the X-ray source to the
spin box object, i.e., to the rotation axis of the manipulator.
Distance [<length unit>] drop-down • source – detector: Choose this option to specify the
list distance from the X-ray source to the detector.
• object – detector: Choose this option to specify the
distance from the object (i.e., the rotation axis of the
manipulator) to the detector.
TABLE 37-12: CONTROLS OF THE REQUIRED PARAMETERS SECTION
Scanner geometry correction Section
The options available depend on the scanner setup selected on the Reconstruction approach tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list Select an option from the drop-down list, depending on

whether a standard or a short scan has been
performed:
• Misalignment calculation optimized for standard
scan (large angular section)
• Misalignment calculation optimized for short scan
(angular section around 180 deg)
Use Rotation axis tilt and Horizontal When this option is checked, the calculated values will
detector offset correction values as initial be used as starting values for a further finer automatic
values for automatic calculation adjustment.
checkbox

37 GEOMETRY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Skip for misalignment correction spin Allows to reduce the resolution during the automatic
box misalignment correction by incrementing the voxel size
and adapting the projection skip. The actually used
voxel number is displayed in parentheses.
Select an option in the drop-down list to specify the
reduction method:
• Auto: Reduces the number of projections to a
minimum without reducing the actual system reso-
lution.
• On: Allows to manually set a skip factor which
increases the voxel size and reduces the number of
projections. This option will also influence the
displayed detector offset height in the projection
preview.
• Off: Uses the original number of projections.
Note that though using Skip for misalignment correction will
reduce the calculation time, it will also reduce the
quality of the detector geometry correction.
Horizontal detector offset [<length unit>] Specifies a horizontal (y-axis of detector) shift of the X-
spin box ray source towards the detector center. Use the drop-
down list to specify the value as a physical unit or in
detector pixels (px).
Calculate button VGSTUDIO MAX calculates the horizontal shift of the

detector and shows the result in the slice preview.
Automatic checkbox When this option is checked, the parameters are auto-
matically calculated later during actual reconstruction.
Vertical detector offset [<length unit>] Specifies a vertical (z-axis of detector) shift of the X-ray
spin box source towards the detector center. Use the drop-
down list to specify the value as a physical unit or in
detector pixels (px).
Rotation axis tilt correction [<angle Specifies a vertical shift of the rotation axis in the
unit>] spin box detector plane.
Calculate button VGSTUDIO MAX calculates the horizontal shift of the

rotation axis, taking into account the calculated axis tilt,
and shows the result in the projection preview.
Automatic checkbox When this option is checked, the parameters are calcu-
lated automatically during the actual reconstruction.
Detector row offset [<length unit>] spin For Advanced planar CT:
box Specifies a detector offset to correct a shift along the
detector row. Because of the unique geometry situa-
tion, this correction is mainly visible in the slices farther
away from the center slice.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Detector column offset [<length unit>] For Advanced planar CT:

spin box Specifies a detector offset to correct a shift along the
detector column. Because of the unique geometry situ-
ation, this correction is mainly visible in the slices
farther away from the center slice.
Detector tilt correction [<angle unit>] For Advanced planar CT:

spin box Allows to compensate for a rotational misalignment of
the detector by rotating it around the normal vector of
the detector plane.
Perform Rotation axis tilt correction using When this option is checked, the rotation axis tilt
specified volume slices (see the Projec- correction is applied according to the lower and upper
tion preview) checkbox slice positions specified in the Projection preview.
TABLE 37-13: CONTROLS OF THE SCANNER GEOMETRY CORRECTION SECTION
Further parameters Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Angular difference correction [<angle For Advanced planar CT:

unit>] spin box Allows to correct an angular misalignment due to
different starting angles of separate tables.
Angular offset [<angle unit>] spin box The angle offset will alter the orientation of the result
volume cube. Either set it manually or use the Projection
preview dialog to choose the desired rotation. For
Advanced planar CT the Angular offset specifies a starting
angle for the first projection file.
Angular section [<angle unit>] spin box Allows to adjust the angular section if the projections
do not cover a full circle, but only a portion.
Note that reconstruction results will be poor for such
projection data.
Rotation direction drop-down menu Indicates the rotation direction of the detector (clock-
wise or counterclockwise), as seen from above along
the z-axis (see Figure 37-1: Object rotation on
page 842).

37 GEOMETRY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Extend FOV drop-down menu Allows to specify an enlargement of the field of view
(FOV) if the object at a given resolution of the system is
too large to be completely covered by the detector:
• none: No enlargement of the FOV will be applied.
• Shifted detector: Enlarges the FOV by shifting the
detector to the left or right side (see Figure 37-8).
• Shifted object: Enlarges the FOV by shifting the rota-
tion axis and thereby the complete object parallel to
the detector surface (see Figure 37-9).
Shifting the object instead of the detector will lead
to a more compact system design.
Use the spin box on the right of the drop-down menu
to specify the value for the shift.
If Shifted detector is selected to enlarge the FOV, you can
specify the value for the shift as a physical unit or in
detector pixels using the drop-down menu on the right
of the spin box.
The Result number of voxels and the Result physical size are
calculated according to the performed shift.
TABLE 37-14: CONTROLS OF THE FURTHER PARAMETERS SECTION
To avoid limited angle artifacts, an angular section of at least 360° is required and the center of
rotation should be visible in the resulting detector images.
If you want to scan a large object with a cavity in the center, e.g., a tire, you can use large shifts
in a way that a blind spot is shown in the center of the FOV.
When you specify the Reconstruction volume ROI in the projection preview after having applied Extend
FOV, the object might not appear centered around the rotation axis. Thus you might not be able
to set the ROI properly. To specify the ROI properly, click the Overlay 180°-opposite image icon in
the projection preview to add the projection image after 180° to the initial images. The overlap-
ping images will then show the maximum dimensions of the object so that you can specify the
ROI over the complete object.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-8 shows a geometric setup with a shifted detector.
D detector
detector shift
FIGURE 37-8: FOV ENLARGEMENT WITH SHIFTED DETECTOR

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-9 shows a geometric setup with a shifted object.
D detector
object shift
FIGURE 37-9: FOV ENLARGEMENT WITH SHIFTED OBJECT
Manual result volume specification Section
In a default reconstruction, only the area within the cone beam will be considered. Usually, the
object is positioned within the cone beam during the entire scan. The complete object is then
pictured in all projection images, regardless of the rotation of the manipulator, and the complete
object will be reconstructed with ideal quality.
When scanning a larger object, parts of the object might lie outside the cone beam for some
part of the rotation. These parts will not be reconstructed during a default reconstruction. In
such cases it might be still possible to reconstruct the complete object.
Figure 37-10 shows the effect of the manual result volume specification. The object lies partly
outside the cone beam during the rotation. The projection images are projected to a larger recon-
struction volume (blue border) instead of the original one (orange border), which leads to the

37 GEOMETRY TAB
complete object being reconstructed. The coordinate system of the volume is associated to the
scanned object and rotates together with the object.
D detector
FIGURE 37-10: MANUAL RESULT VOLUME SPECIFICATION
If, e.g., the detector has 512 x 512 pixels, the default reconstruction volume usually would be
512 x 512 x 512 voxels. You can specify a user-defined size of the reconstruction volume as well
as the position of its center in the Manual result volume specification section. The projection images
will then be projected to this larger volume, resulting in a larger reconstructed volume.
Though the complete object will be reconstructed, only the parts of the object which were within
the cone beam for the entire scan will be reconstructed with optimal quality. The part of the object
that was outside the cone beam for some part of the scan will be reconstructed with lower quality,
since this part will not be included in all projection images.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Manual result volume specification When this option is checked, the physical size of the
checkbox reconstructed volume data set can be set manually.
When this option is unchecked, VGSTUDIO MAX will
determine the size automatically, based on the covered
volume calculated from detector size, source –
detector distances, etc.
Result physical size (x/y/z) [<length Specify a user-defined size of the reconstruction
unit>] spin boxes volume in length units. Together with the number of
reconstruction voxels (given above), this will determine
the voxel sampling distance of the resulting volume.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Result offset (x/y/z) [<length unit>] spin Specify the position of the center of the reconstruction
boxes volume.
TABLE 37-15: CONTROLS OF THE MANUAL RESULT VOLUME SPECIFICATION SECTION
These parameters are only available in VGSTUDIO MAX, but not in the VG Project SDK.
Planar CT Section
Available for Planar CT as general system geometry.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Laminography angle [<angle unit>] spin Defines the angle between the source – detector center
box ray and the rotation axis.
Geometric setup drop-down list You can use projection files from three geometric
setups of planar CT:
• Tilt cone beam
• Tilt and warp cone beam
• Advanced planar CT
TABLE 37-16: CONTROLS OF THE PLANAR CT SECTION
The following images show the geometry parameters in typical (advanced) planar CT scanner
setups.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
The first image (Figure 37-11) shows a tilt cone beam setup of a planar CT.
D detector
RF(dir) direct distance focus — isocenter
RD(dir) direct distance isocenter — detector
V volume to be reconstructed (low z-elongation)
FIGURE 37-11: PLANAR CT — TILT CONE BEAM

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-12 shows a tilt and warp cone beam setup of a planar CT.
D detector
RF(dir) direct distance focus — isocenter
RD(dir) direct distance isocenter — detector
V volume to be reconstructed (low z-elongation)
FIGURE 37-12: PLANAR CT — TILT AND WARP CONE BEAM
The following images show the geometry parameters in a typical advanced planar CT scanner.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-13 shows a geometric setup similar to Tilt and warp cone beam but the relative detector
orientation (according to the object) is not changed during the acquisition.
D1234 different detector positions
F1234 different source positions
O object (e.g., a printed circuit board)
FIGURE 37-13: ADVANCED PLANAR CT 1

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-14 shows an initially misaligned (rotated) detector. In order to correct such a misalign-
ment, you can use the Detector tilt correction option in the Scanner geometry correction section.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-15 shows a geometric setup with a constant shift in row (solid arrows) or column
(dotted arrows) direction which can be corrected by the Detector row offset and Detector column offset
options in the Scanner geometry correction section.

37 GEOMETRY TAB
Figure 37-16 shows a geometric setup with a constant angular offset (e.g., 2°) between the
source and the detector table which can be corrected using the Angular difference correction option
in the Further parameters section.
Helix CT Section
Available for Helix CT as general system geometry.
Table start position [<length unit>] field Indicates the starting position of the CT setup before
performing the lift in z-direction. The table start position
is automatically set according to the table feed.
Table feed per 360° [<length unit>] spin Specifies the movement of the object or alternatively
box the movement of the source and the detector along the
z-axis during one complete rotation.

37 RECONSTRUCTION OPTIONS TAB
Pitch The automatically calculated Pitch indicates the

detector feed per 360° rotation divided by the scaled
detector height.
Lifting axis tilt correction [<angle unit>] Specifies the vertical shift of the rotation axis relative to
spin box the lifting axis.
TABLE 37-17: CONTROLS OF THE HELIX CT SECTION
RECONSTRUCTION OPTIONS TAB
 Speckle removal section

The Speckle removal option compensates for defective detector pixels. Defective pixels in
the detector will create pixels with incorrect gray values in the projection images. These
might be bright, dark, or have an arbitrary gray value. Such errors in the projection images
typically lead to ring artifacts in the reconstructed volume. In extreme cases, e.g., if the
defective detector pixel leads to a very bright pixel in the projection images, the gray value
range will be distorted so much that the reconstruction will not give satisfactory results.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Speckle removal drop-down list The speckle removal will be applied such that
VGSTUDIO MAX tries to find and correct pixels of
extremely high or low intensity in the projection
images.
• On (multi pixel): This default option is useful if
some of these defective pixels are neighboring
pixels.
• On (single pixel): This option is useful if single
defective pixels are to be corrected.
• Off: The speckle removal will not be applied.
TABLE 37-18: CONTROLS OF THE SPECKLE REMOVAL SECTION
 Ring artifact reduction section

The Ring artifact reduction option reduces concentric ring artifacts caused, e.g., by mis-cali-
brated or defective detector pixels. As these artifacts deteriorate the image quality by
hiding significant image details, it is recommended to remove them, otherwise analyses
performed on the reconstructed data might not yield correct results. VGSTUDIO MAX
offers three settings which specify the ring artifact reduction depending on the expected
width of the ring artifacts in your data.
This option is not available if Unfiltered back projection is selected in the Projection handling
section of the Reconstruction approach tab.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Ring artifact reduction drop-down • Off: The ring artifact correction will not be
list applied.
• Low: Reduces narrow ring artifacts.
• Medium: Reduces medium-size ring artifacts.
• High: Reduces wide ring artifacts.
TABLE 37-19: CONTROLS OF THE RING ARTIFACT REDUCTION SECTION
 Compensation for variation in radiation intensity section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Compensation for variation in radiation If available:

intensity drop-down list • Off: Uses the projection images as they are. This
may be useful if the object covers the whole
projection image (no values for air present).
• Max: Normalizes each projection image to its
maximum value.
• Peak: Normalizes each projection image to its air
peak value to correct for fluctuations of the tube
output during the scan.
• Fix value: Normalizes each projection image to
the relative air peak position according to the
data range of the imported projection file.
Only use Max or Peak if each of the images contains
air. In all other cases, the Fix value option may be
useful.
Relative air peak position spin box Specifies a fix scaling factor in percent to be
applied to all intensity values.
If the gray values (intensities) of the projection do
not cover the complete gray value range of the data
set, you can calculate a fix scaling factor in order to
stretch out the histogram to the available data
range. The scaling factor is calculated from the
maximum gray value of the object divided by the
total number of available gray values of the data
set, e.g., a maximum gray value of 200 in an 8-bit
data set would result in a scaling factor of 78 %.
TABLE 37-20: CONTROLS OF THE COMPENSATION FOR VARIATION IN RADIATION INTENSITY SECTION
 Beam hardening correction section

Ideally, an object consisting of a homogenous material should have homogenous gray
values after the reconstruction. In reality, the beam hardening effect causes the appear-
ance of artifacts, i.e., continuous gray value variations within the reconstructed volume.
VGSTUDIO MAX offers three options for the beam hardening correction:

– You can use one of the three preset curves as the intensity curve. They define real
intensity curves which simulate a high, medium and low beam hardening.
– You can use the optional add-on module IAR1 (Iterative Artifact Reduction) which
creates the real intensity curve using a preliminary reconstructed volume.
– You can import an LUT (lookup table) which provides energy-dependent and object-
dependent information to perform the beam hardening correction. This LUT has to
be generated out of simulations or measurements.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Beam hardening correction Check this option to select predefined or user-

checkbox defined presets from the drop-down list. To add
user-defined presets to the drop-down list, see
section Slice preview Dialog on page 878.
drop-down list • Low: Preset defining a real intensity curve which

simulates a low beam hardening.
• Medium: Preset defining a real intensity curve
which simulates a medium beam hardening.
• High: Preset defining a real intensity curve which
simulates a high beam hardening.
These predefined presets do not overwrite the LUT
(lookup table) range of the current data set. User-
defined presets overwrite the LUT range of the
current data set with the saved values.
Activate Adapt LUT range to histogram in the Slice
preview dialog to adjust the user-defined presets to
the actual data range of the current data set (see
section Slice preview Dialog on page 878).
TABLE 37-21: CONTROLS OF THE BEAM HARDENING CORRECTION SECTION
 Intensity offset correction section

This option is available only if a filtered back projection handling is selected on the Recon-
struction approach tab.
For different reasons, the primary intensity inside each detector pixel can be overlapped
by an additional intensity signal which does not correspond to the initial X-ray attenuation
through the object. These reasons may be an imperfect detector calibration, scatter from
walls or errors during the data acquisition. By using the bias, a constant percentage of the
complete intensity range is subtracted from each intensity pixel value. As a result, cupping
effects can be reduced and gray value homogeneity increases.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Intensity offset correction checkbox Activate this checkbox to enable the corresponding
option.
1
Technology licensed from Fraunhofer EZRT.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Bias [%] spin box Specifies a percentage of the global intensity range
to be subtracted from each intensity pixel value
(intensity domain).
Note that values up to 1 % may already have posi-
tive effects.
TABLE 37-22: CONTROLS OF THE INTENSITY OFFSET CORRECTION SECTION
Values for the bias that are too high can lead to subtraction of the primary intensity signal and
therefore lead to artifacts similar to metal artifacts.
If you choose Projection handling: Filtered back projection on the Reconstruction approach tab in combi-
nation with Intensity offset correction, the reconstruction process will be slowed down, because the
correction approach has to convert the projection data into the intensity domain and back again.
 Metal artifact reduction section

This option is available only if Cone beam CT or Parallel beam CT is selected in the General system
geometry section of the Reconstruction approach tab.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Metal artifact reduction Use this option to reduce artifacts caused by metal
objects.
• Off: No metal artifact reduction is applied.
• MAR: Applies a standard metal artifact correc-
tion.
• sMARt: Allows to partially recover regions which
are blurred due to large amounts of metal in the
object.
Threshold spin box Specifies the gray value threshold for metal
objects.
The metal objects with gray values exceeding the
specified threshold value will be shown in red in the
Slice preview image. These metal objects will be
omitted in the projections.
Threshold mode drop-down list • Relative: Specifies a threshold in percent.

• Absolute: Specifies a threshold in absolute
values.
Strength spin box Allows to control the gray value percentage of the
initial non-corrected and the metal-artifact reduced
images.
TABLE 37-23: CONTROLS OF THE METAL ARTIFACT REDUCTION SECTION

37 ROI AND SKIP TAB
ROI AND SKIP TAB
Allows to define a region of interest and/or skip voxels/pixels on the reconstruction volume
and/or projection images.
 Reconstruction volume ROI section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
X/Y/Z spin boxes Allow to set the desired region of interest in each
direction manually. The blue frames in the Projection
preview will then change to green.
You can also use the Projection preview to define a
region of interest. The X/Y/Z spin boxes on the ROI
and skip tab will then be highlighted in orange indi-
cating that an ROI has already been applied.
Auto region of interest mode Defines a region of interest automatically based on

checkbox the position and the size of the scanned object.
Reset ROI button Sets all parameters to their default settings.

Note that the complete volume defined in the Geom-
etry tab will then be reconstructed.
TABLE 37-24: CONTROLS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION VOLUME ROI SECTION
You can also use the Projection preview dialog to choose a region of interest interactively.
Using Auto region of interest requires high-contrast data. If the data set contains a lot of noise or
artifacts, this option might not give optimal results. Always check the reconstructed volume after
running the reconstruction. If necessary, repeat the reconstruction and set the region of interest
manually (see section Reopen CT-reconstruction Menu Item on page 434 in chapter 22 Scene Tree
Tool).
In VG Project SDK, only use Auto region of interest if you have high-contrast data.
Auto region of interest is not available for Planar CT.
 Projection skip section

Use the Y/Z spin boxes to define a pixel skip to be applied when loading the projection files.
Specify the number of pixels to be skipped in the respective direction. A skip rate of 0
applies no skipping. A skip rate of 1 for one axis will load only every other line so that the
memory needed is reduced by half. A skip rate of 5 will skip 5 lines, load one line, then skip
5 lines, etc.
Use the A spin box to define an angular skip for omitting whole projections in the measure-
ment series.
Click the Reset skip button to set the projection skip parameters to their default settings.
 Reconstruction skip section

37 RESULT OPTIONS TAB
Use the X/Y/Z spin boxes to define a voxel skip for the reconstruction volume based on the
Result number of voxels given on the Geometry tab.
Specify the number of voxels to be skipped in the respective direction. A skip rate of 0
applies no skipping. A skip rate of 1 for one axis will load only every other slice so that the
memory needed is reduced by half. A skip rate of 5 will skip 5 slices, load one slice, then
again skip 5 slices, etc.
Click the Reset skip button to set the reconstruction skip parameters to their default
settings.
Increasing the Projection skip has little influence on memory consumption, but reduces disk
transfer, as less data needs to be loaded from the hard drive.
Increasing the Reconstruction skip reduces memory consumption and reconstruction time, as the
result volume becomes smaller.
It is common practice to test newly composed reconstruction parameters with a high (3 or more)
skip setting for both projections and result volume to create a low-resolution “preview” recon-
struction. This way, faulty parameter settings can be easily spotted without wasting much time
in the reconstruction process.
 Projection binning drop-down list

– Off: No binning is applied.
– Mean: Calculates the mean value from the surrounding pixels (defined by the skip).
– Gauss: Calculates the weighted sum (according to a Gaussian distribution) of the
surrounding pixels (defined by the skip).
RESULT OPTIONS TAB
 Import mode section

Specifies if the reconstruction result is to be saved to disk and/or if it should be referenced
in the current scene afterwards. Possible modes are:

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
drop-down list • Write to disk and import: Saves the result slices to
disk and then imports them into the current
scene.
• Write to disk only: Saves the result slices to disk
and finishes without importing the volume data.
• Write to disk later: Does not save the result imme-
diately, but keeps the reconstruction result in
the current scene. You will be asked to save the
resulting volume as soon as you save the scene
to a .vgl file. Choose this option to reduce saving
time during reconstruction.
Note that the reconstructed volume will
nevertheless be saved to disk during
reconstruction if Auto save modified data grids is
checked in the Preferences dialog (see section
General Preferences on page 90 in chapter 4
Edit Menu).
• Do not write to disk, reference projection data: Does
not save any result data, but keeps the recon-
struction result in the current scene. You will not
be asked again when saving the scene to a .vgl
file. Instead, the .vgl file will refer to the original
projection files and reconstruct it on-the-fly
each time the .vgl file is loaded.
TABLE 37-25: OPTIONS OF THE IMPORT MODE SECTION
When not writing to disk at reconstruction time and choosing a Result data type other than 32 bit
float, VGSTUDIO MAX will have to convert the entire result data set, resulting in a high memory
consumption.
When writing to disk only, you can theoretically reconstruct volumes of arbitrary sizes.
VGSTUDIO MAX will split the reconstruction into multiple passes if the memory of the system
does not suffice. This will come at the cost of increased reconstruction time.
 Low/High clamping sections

The contrast between material and background is ideal if their gray values are mapped to
the complete available gray value range. This might be prevented if either very low or very
high gray values are assigned to some voxels during the reconstruction.
The reconstruction module of VGSTUDIO MAX calculates the data in an unsigned data
format. Nevertheless, negative gray values might be calculated during the reconstruction
due to numerical issues. Additionally, very high gray values can be assigned to small high
density inclusions, attached particles or simply due to scattering or noise.
Those outliers will reduce the contrast between the background and the material. Use
Low/High clamping to restrict the results to a specified data range.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Low/High clamping checkbox When this option is checked, a smaller interval of

reconstructed gray values is mapped to the avail-
able data range, which increases the contrast. All
values outside this data range will be clamped to
the respective lower/upper value.
Type drop-down lists • Absolute: Specifies the lower/upper limit using

absolute values.
• Percental: Specifies the lower/upper limit using
percental values.
Value spin boxes Define the lower/upper limit of the data range.
TABLE 37-26: CONTROLS OF THE LOW/HIGH CLAMPING SECTIONS
High clamping can be used to optimize the comparability of different data sets. Using a small
percental value (e.g., 0.001) for this parameter will neutralize outliers and create similar gray value
ranges for similar data sets. If the data sets are of the same type, the same effect can be achieved
by specifying absolute values for high and low clamping. The gray value scaling will remain
constant over all scans and the data range will be optimally used.
 Result data type drop-down list

Specifies the data type of the final reconstruction volume. The following data types are
available:
– 8 bit unsigned
– 12 bit unsigned
– 16 bit unsigned
– 32 bit float
Note that the reconstruction is internally performed with floating point precision, and conversion
to the specified data type happens at the very end of the process. If you choose the 32 bit float
output type, the internal result values (possibly clamped to zero), will be taken without further
conversion. For 12-bit and 16-bit types, the result data will be optimally converted with respect
to the overall float value range.
 Result file name section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Result file name field Specifies the result file name for the reconstruction
volume if saving the result to disk is selected in the
Import mode section.
The reconstructed volume will always be written
slice-by-slice in z-direction (perpendicular to the
rotation axis). According to the base name and file
extension settings, the resulting file names will have
the form “<base name><slice number starting from
zero>.<file extension>”.

37 SCANNER MANUFACTURER INFO TAB
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Browse button Opens the Select result base name dialog for speci-
fying the file name and directory in which to save
the reconstruction volume.
TABLE 37-27: CONTROLS OF THE RESULT FILE NAME SECTION
 Export mode section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Export mode field Indicates the export mode selected in the Prefer-
ences dialog (see section General Preferences on
page 90 in chapter 4 Edit Menu).
Change preferences button Opens the Preferences > General > CT reconstruction
dialog, where you can specify whether you want to
write the reconstructed volume to a single file or to
an image stack.
TABLE 37-28: CONTROLS OF THE EXPORT MODE SECTION
 Memory requirements of the final volume section

Indicates the predicted memory requirements corresponding to the current settings for the
data type and the settings on the ROI and skip tab.
SCANNER MANUFACTURER INFO TAB
Shows the manufacturer information supported by the imported data (e.g., Name, Address,
Homepage, Device name, Acquisition software, manufacturer logo).
 Scanner manufacturer info section
 Set scanner manufacturer info read-only checkbox

 Browse manufacturer logo... button
Opens the Browse scanner manufacturer logo file dialog where you can select a graphics file to
be added to the scanner manufacturer info.
The logo must have a height of 80 pixels and an aspect ratio of less than 15:4.

37 SCAN INFO TAB
SCAN INFO TAB
Shows the scan information supported by the imported data (e.g., Tube voltage, Tube current, Scan
time, Reconstruction time, Total process time, Reconstruction algorithm, Scan method, Geometry, Integration
time, Filter, Number of projections, Date time, User).
 Scan info section
 Set scan info read-only option

COMPONENT INFO TAB
Shows the information on the scanned part supported by the imported data (e.g., Description, Lot
 Component info section
 Set component info read-only option

PREVIEWS
Depending on the hardware, the properties of the projection images, and the parameter
settings, running a reconstruction might take some time. To avoid unnecessary time-consuming
calculations, the CT reconstruction dialog available in VGSTUDIO MAX offers two previews, the
Projection preview and the Slice preview. Both previews allow you to view and optimize the effects
of the selected parameter settings before running the reconstruction.
Projection preview Dialog
Consists of two orthogonal projection images showing all projection data corresponding to the
current parameters. The Projection preview can be used to quickly check if the projections can be
imported properly.
To open the Projection preview dialog it is necessary to first import the projection images on the
Projection files tab and fill in the required geometry parameters on the Geometry tab or open a
parameter file. The preview will be available only if all relevant settings on the Projection files and
the Geometry tabs have been filled in.

37 PREVIEWS
If the displayed projections seem exceptionally dark and contrastless, your data might contain
defective pixels with extreme gray values. Try working with the Ignore border pixels option on the
Projection files tab, or with the Speckle removal option on the Reconstruction options tab.
The following controls are available in the Projection preview dialog:
View uncalibrated image Toggles between showing the images in their cali-
brated and uncalibrated state, respectively.
If no calibration settings are given, each projection
pair will be displayed after its gray values have been
normalized. This normalization does not take into
account any earlier projections you viewed. Thus,
perceived image brightness may differ slightly when
you look at consecutive projections; this is normal
and does not indicate problems with your settings or
projection data.
Overlay 180°-opposite image Overlays the selected projection images with those
from the opposite site (+180°).
/ Zoom in/out Zooms the preview in/out.
Reset zoom Resets the zoom.
Automatic aspect ratio fix Since the projection files from a line detector are
only 1 voxel high, the preview shows by default only
one line. Click the Automatic aspect ratio fix button to
stretch the preview along the z-axis, and click again
to reset the original aspect ratio.
Projection spin box Specifies the projection number of the left projec-
tion. The right projection corresponds to +90°.
Rotation angle field Indicates the rotation angle corresponding to the left
projection.
Projected slice position for Available for cone beam, fan beam and parallel
Horizontal detector offset beam CT:
calculation spin box Specifies the height in which the horizontal detector
offset will be calculated. The detector offset height
corresponds to the slices of the reconstructed
volume.
Perform Rotation axis tilt Only available for cone beam CT and parallel beam
correction using specified CT:
volume slices checkbox When this option is checked, the spin boxes for
specifying the volume slices become enabled and
the rotation axis tilt correction will be applied
according to the lower and upper slice positions
specified.
Lower and upper slice position Use the spin boxes to move the red lines in the
for rotation axis tilt correction preview which represent the position of the lower
spin boxes and upper slices inside the volume.

37 PREVIEWS
ROI mode drop-down list • Volume ROI: Allows to move and resize the blue
frames in each of the two projection images to
clip away unneeded (empty) portions of the
projection data (relative to the current rotation
angle).
• Beam hardening correction ROI: Allows to define the
area which will be analyzed for the histogram of
the beam hardening correction or for the Iterative
Artifact Reduction (IAR), respectively, see section
Reconstruction options Tab on page 866.
use LMB to click and drag Moves and resizes the blue frames defining an ROI
the blue frames in the on the volume. When they are moved, the blue
preview frames turn green.
use LMB to click and drag Moves and resizes the yellow frames defining an
the yellow frames in the ROI for the beam hardening correction.
preview
Apply ROI and orientation Only enabled if Volume ROI is selected.

button Translates the current rotation angle and the projec-
tion ROI indicated by the frames into suitable values
for Angular offset and Reconstruction volume ROI:
The offset corresponds directly to the current angle,

effectively rotating the axes of the cube of the result
volume to be aligned to the two projections you are
currently viewing. After the settings have been
applied, the effective angle of the current (left)
projection will be zero (due to the new angle offset).
Because of the perspective projection of the cone

beam setup, the ROI on the result volume does not
directly correspond to the projection image ROI. It
will be calculated based on the dimensional propor-
tions prescribed by the source – object and source –
detector distances and detector/volume sizes.
After the settings have been applied, the ROI frame

color will be blue, indicating that the offset and
volume ROI settings are synchronized with what you
see. Choosing a different projection pair or moving
the frames again will turn them green again.
Close button Closes the Projection preview dialog.
TABLE 37-29: CONTROLS OF THE PROJECTION PREVIEW DIALOG
Use the preview images to confirm the correct orientation of your projection images. The
scanned object must appear to be upright and rotate around the vertical screen axis.

37 PREVIEWS
Sinogram view Dialog
The Sinogram view dialog allows you to manually define the horizontal detector offset if the
automatic calculation on the Geometry tab cannot be used. You can also use this view to check if
the projections and their gray values are continuous or show any defective projections.
The following controls are available in the Sinogram view dialog:
/ Zoom in/out button Zooms the sinogram view in/out.
Reset zoom button Resets the zoom.
Snap mode button If the snap mode is activated, the gray value gradi-
ents within the search rectangle are used to auto-
matically position the lines.
Position spin box Specifies the detector height for which the sinogram
will be shown.
Skip spin box Reduces the resolution and the number of projec-
tions used to create the sinogram view.
Offset [px] field Indicates the manually determined horizontal

detector offset in pixels. The horizontal detector
offset is visualized as a yellow line.
Offset [<length unit>] field Indicates the manually determined horizontal

detector offset as a physical unit. The horizontal
detector offset is visualized as a yellow line.
use LMB to click and drag To manually determine the horizontal detector offset,
the green lines drag the green lines inward to fit them to the
maximum amplitudes on the left and right hand
sides of the sinus curve.
red line Indicates the detector offset as specified in the Hori-

zontal detector offset on the Geometry tab.
yellow line Indicates the manually determined horizontal

detector offset.
Apply button Sets the offset calculated manually in the sinogram

view as the Horizontal detector offset on the Geometry
tab.
Close button Closes the Sinogram view dialog.
TABLE 37-30: CONTROLS OF THE SINOGRAM VIEW
Slice preview Dialog
 Preview area
The Slice preview shows a preliminary reconstruction of the selected slice using the current
parameter settings.
The following controls are available in the Preview area:

37 PREVIEWS
/ Zoom in/out Zooms the preview in/out.
Reset zoom Resets the zoom.
/ Lock gray value range for slice When the gray value range for slice
scrolling scrolling is locked, it is also used for
displaying other slices.
Higher gray values of the other slices will
be clamped to the maximum gray value of
the originally selected slice.
TABLE 37-31: CONTROLS OF THE PREVIEW AREA
The following controls are available in the Preview section:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Slice position spin box Specifies the slice visible in the Preview area.
Projection skip spin box Reduces the number of projection slices used for
calculating the preview for faster rendering.
Resolution skip spin box Reduces the resolution of the calculated preview
for faster rendering.
Value range field Indicates the minimum and the maximum voxel
gray values of the selected slice.
The Projection skip and Resolution skip settings in the Slice preview do not influence the actual recon-
struction. These parameters are only used for calculating the slice preview.
 Histogram section
The following controls are available for the Beam hardening correction, histogram zoom section:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Beam hardening correction, histogram When this option is checked, VGSTUDIO MAX will
checkbox analyze the projection images and create a histo-
gram of their gray values. The red line in the histo-
gram shows an ideal intensity curve (straight line).
Check this option to activate the beam hardening
correction. The currently used LUT will be
displayed in the histogram.

37 PREVIEWS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Settings drop-down list Select a predefined or user-defined preset from the

drop-down list to adjust the intensity curve.
• Low: Preset defining a real intensity curve which
simulates a low beam hardening.
• Medium: Preset defining a real intensity curve
which simulates a medium beam hardening.
• High: Preset defining a real intensity curve which
simulates a high beam hardening.
Save preset Saves the selected preset under the specified

name.
down list.
Edit mode drop-down list • Handle: Displays the red intensity curve in the
histogram with handles which can be moved to
adjust the LUT.
• Function: Displays the intensity curve as a line
without handles.
Mode parameters section Defines the shape of the intensity curve/LUT. If

Function has been selected as Edit mode, the param-
eters Log range and Points are available:
• Log range spin box: Specifies the shape of the
intensity curve/LUT.
• Points spin box: Specifies the number of handles
for the intensity curve/LUT.
If Handle has been selected as Edit mode, the param-
eters Position and Tension are available:
• Position spin boxes: Adjust the intensity
curve/LUT by changing the position of the
selected handles.
• Tension slider: Depending on the position of the
slider, the handles of the intensity curve are
connected with rather straight lines or smooth
curves.
You can either adjust the LUT in the histogram by
dragging the function or the handles, respectively,
or by changing the Mode parameters manually.

37 PREVIEWS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Import LUT (Step wedge) button Opens the Select txt/csv file to import step wedge dialog
where you can import a predefined LUT from a .csv
or text file containing a step wedge LUT.
The .csv file must contain rows with pairs of values,
consisting of the intensity I (between 0 and 65535)
and the length L of the X-ray path through the
material (in mm). The two values are separated by
one or more blank(s). Comment rows, starting with
#, can be included, as well as empty rows.
The LUT range is defined by the minimum and
maximum intensity values in the .csv file.
The text file has the same structure.
If the material of the step wedge and your object
are different or if you have used a different scan
setup, you need to modify the curve derived from
the step wedge to fit the intensities in the projection
images of the scanned object.
Create LUT by IAR button Only available for cone beam CT:
Select Create LUT by IAR to calculate the LUT using
the Iterative Artifact Reduction (IARa).
The IAR uses a reconstruction of the volume to iter-
atively calculate the LUT for the beam hardening
correction. The IAR either calculates the beam
hardening correction using the complete volume or,
if a ROI is defined in the projection preview, using
only the material inside this ROI.
LUT range section Allows to adjust the LUT range manually.
Adapt LUT range to histogram When this option is checked, the intensity curve of
checkbox the step wedge is fitted to the intensity range of the
projection images of the scanned object.
User-defined presets overwrite the LUT range of
the current data set. Click Adapt LUT range to histo-
gram to adjust a user-defined preset to the data
range of the actual data set.
Projection statistics section • Min: Shows the minimum intensity found in the
scanned projections.
• Max: Shows the maximum intensity found in the
• Avg: Shows the average intensity found in the
• Dev: Shows the standard deviation of the
maximal intensity of all scanned projections.

37 PREVIEWS
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Scan mode drop-down list • Minimal: Uses the minimum number of projec-
tions needed to calculate.
• Partial: Uses the first 180° of the projections to
calculate.
• Full: Uses the full scan range to calculate.
For performance reasons, only a small number of
projection images are scanned by default to calcu-
late the histogram and the statistics used for the
beam hardening correction. If projection images
with outlying gray value distributions are skipped,
this might lead to suboptimal results. To reduce or
avoid that problem, set Scan mode to Partial or Full
when the Beam hardening correction is activated.
Close button Closes the Slice preview dialog.

a
Technology licensed from Fraunhofer EZRT .
TABLE 37-33: CONTROLS OF THE HISTOGRAM SECTION
The IAR was implemented for single-material volumes only. In a multi-material volume, create an
ROI including only one material to use the IAR.
The Iterative Artifact Reduction (IAR) – technology licensed from Fraunhofer EZRT – is
an optional add-on module for the CT reconstruction module and requires additional licensing.

38 MANUFACTURING GEOMETRY CORRECTION MODULE
INTRODUCTION
The CAD geometry correction function is part of the Manufacturing Geometry Correction module of
VGSTUDIO MAX and has been designed for the following purposes:
 Surface reconstruction: reconstructing areas of the actual surface of a scanned part, e.g.,
as a basis for reverse engineering.
 Part correction: correcting the geometry of the part based on the deviation between the
actual and the nominal part, e.g., for correcting the CAD model for 3D printing.
 Tool correction: correcting the geometry of the tool based on a part correction and the
deviation between the CAD models of the nominal part and the current tool.
The data for the actual part can be available as the surface of a volume object from a CT scan or
as mesh data.
As a result of the CAD geometry correction, the user will get new CAD components and
optionally a color-coded visualization showing where and how the manufactured part deviates
from the nominal part, including curvatures and undercuts.
LICENSE INFORMATION
 For Japan:
CREATE CAD GEOMETRY CORRECTION MENU ITEM
Opening the Dialog
In order to create a new CAD geometry correction, choose the CAD/Mesh > Create CAD geometry
correction menu item.
In order to open an existing CAD geometry correction for modifying its settings or adding new
components,
 right-click the corresponding entry in the Scene Tree and choose the Edit geometry correction
menu item or

MANUFACTURING GEOMETRY CORRECTION MODULE
38 CREATE CAD GEOMETRY CORRECTION MENU ITEM
FIGURE 38-1: CAD GEOMETRY CORRECTION DIALOG (WITH COMPONENTS)
Create component(s) Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Create component(s) button Creates one or more components from the face(s)
currently selected in the 3D view of the nominal part
and adds the new component(s) to the table.
You can also create a component from a geometry
element previously fitted to the actual part. This is
supported only for planes, cylinders, cones, and
spheres.
On actual object drop-down list Specifies the actual part from the surface of which the
new component(s) will be created.
With preset drop-down list Specifies the parameter preset to be applied.

Note that increasing the accuracy of the sampling
process will considerably increase the computation
time.
Calculate button Triggers the calculation of the newly created and modi-
fied component(s) and synchronizes the current state
with the Scene Tree. The corresponding components
need not be selected in the CAD geometry correction
dialog.
TABLE 38-1: CONTROLS OF THE CREATE COMPONENT(S) SECTION

Result visualization Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Uniform color radio button Displays the components in a uniform color.

You can change the default color by highlighting the
CAD geometry correction item in the Scene Tree and
selecting a different color on the Solid tab of the
Rendering tool.
Curvature radio button Displays the components color-coded according to

their curvature as defined by the color lookup table and
the colors specified on the Curvature tab of the Visualiza-
tion settings dialog.
Draft radio button Displays the components color-coded according to the

draft angle as defined by the color lookup table and the
colors specified on the Draft angle tab of the Visualization
settings dialog. Double-clicking a Pull direction cell in the
table of components opens the Pull direction dialog
where you can specify the direction in which the part is
demolded. The pull direction must be specified to visu-
alize undercuts which may prevent the part from being
smoothly demolded.
Settings button Opens the Visualization settings dialog where you can
specify the colors of the construction grid as well as
modify the lookup table and choose a color scheme for
visualizing the curvature and the draft angle of the
components. For details on the Visualization settings
dialog, see below.
TABLE 38-2: CONTROLS OF THE RESULT VISUALIZATION SECTION
Visualization settings Dialog
The Visualization settings dialog consists of three tabs where you can specify the color coding for
the construction grid, the curvature, and the draft angle.
The following buttons are available on each tab:
 Default button:
Resets the current settings to the default settings for the tab.
 Close button:
Applies the settings and closes the Visualization settings dialog.
Construction grid Tab
On this tab you can change the color of the borders and of the vertical and horizontal lines of
the construction grid which is applied to the face(s) of the nominal part for creating a
component. You can also specify the look of the needle that indicates the pull direction.
 UV isolines section

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
U-axis color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can choose a color for the u-axis.
For details, see section Construction grid section on
page 899.
V-axis color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can choose a color for the v-axis.
For details, see section Construction grid section on
page 899.
C0 color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color

dialog where you can choose a color for the C0
continuity curves. For details, see section Construc-
tion grid section on page 899.


Line width (px) spin box Specifies the line width of the corresponding axis or
grid line.
TABLE 38-3: CONTROLS IN THE UV ISOLINES SECTION
 Pull direction section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Direction color field Double-clicking the field opens the Select Color
dialog where you can choose a color for the needle
that indicates the pull direction.
Axis length (px) spin box Specifies the length of the needle that indicates the
pull direction.
Line width (px) spin box Specifies the width of the needle that indicates the
pull direction.
TABLE 38-4: CONTROLS IN THE PULL DIRECTION SECTION
Curvature Tab
Defines the color coding for the components according to their curvature. The curvature is
measured in 1/mm, i.e., one divided by the radius of a sphere which matches the surface best at
the point. The higher the value, the flatter the surface.

Draft angle Tab
Defines the color coding of the draft angle for visualizing critical areas, e.g., undercuts that may
prevent the part from being demolded. You can modify the color scale to specify the acceptable
draft angle for the selected component. By default, the color scale consists of two colors, green
and red. The transition between the two colors represents the acceptable draft angle. The
colors for the values close to the threshold are brighter, while they become darker, the farther
away from the threshold they are. A negative draft angle indicates an undercut.
If no pull direction has been specified, the draft angle is colored in gray. In order to visualize
possible undercuts, the direction in which the part is demolded has to be specified. Double-
clicking a Pull direction cell in the table of components opens the Pull direction dialog where you
can specify the pull direction.
Sections Section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION


CONTROL DESCRIPTION
original section.
merged.
color section.
coloring scheme.
color sections.
coloring scheme.
Export Section
The created components can be exported separately for the different use cases as .stp files,
e.g., to import them into a CAD system:
The colors of the buttons in the Export section correspond to the background colors of the
components, indicating how the component has been calculated and thus helping to avoid
mixing up the different use cases:
 Cyan: Surface reconstruction: rebuilds individual surfaces as is, i.e., with possible devia-
tions from the nominal surface.
 Magenta: Part correction: rebuilds individual surfaces and compensates for possible devi-
ations by inverting the offset; this function is useful, e.g., for 3D printing.
 Yellow: Tool correction: is based on a part correction and additionally considers the devi-
ation between the CAD models of the nominal object and the current tool.

Buttons in the Export Section
The following buttons are available in the Export section:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Surface reconstruction button Opens the CAD export dialog for exporting surface
reconstruction components.
Part correction button Opens the CAD export dialog for exporting part correc-
tion components.
Tool correction button Opens the CAD export dialog for exporting tool correc-
tion components.
TABLE 38-6: CONTROLS OF THE EXPORT SECTION
CAD export Dialog
The following options are available in the CAD export dialog:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system drop-down field Specifies the coordinate system that defines the origin
and orientation for the exported components.
By default, the coordinate system is selected
depending on the selected export type, but it is still
possible to choose the scene coordinate system.
• For exporting Surface reconstruction and Part correction
components, the coordinate system of the nominal
part is selected.
• For exporting Tool correction components, the coordi-
nate system of the tool is selected.
CAD component tree • Checkbox of component: Clicking it checks/

nents.
• Select all button: Selects all components.
• Deselect all button: Deselects all components.
are set visible in the CAD geometry correction dialog.
Result section • Single file: Creates one CAD file with the selected
components. The tree structure is preserved.
• Multiple files: Creates a CAD file for each of the
selected “leaves” of the tree structure.
• Flatten structure: Creates one CAD file with the
selected components without preserving the tree
structure.
OK button Opens the Export CAD... dialog where you can specify the
path and file name for saving the selected components
as *.stp file.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Cancel button Closes the dialog without exporting the components.
TABLE 38-7: CONTROLS OF THE CAD EXPORT DIALOG
Components Table
The components created for the CAD geometry correction are listed in the table in the main area
of the dialog. Each component is displayed with a background color indicating how the
component has been calculated. The components table consists of the following columns:
COLUMN DESCRIPTION
S. Indicates the current status of the component:

• Gray icon: Not yet calculated
• Green icon: Valid result
• Yellow icon: Partial result (e.g., face reconstructed
without its original boundary)
• Red icon: Calculation error
• Exclamation mark (!): Recalculation required after
parameter change
V. Specifies the visibility of the component in the scene.

When the checkbox is checked, the component is
displayed in the scene. When the checkbox is
unchecked, the component is not displayed in the
scene.
Name Displays the name of the component. Double-click the

Name cell to edit the name of the component.
Nominal Usually indicates a face of the CAD model but it can

also indicate a geometry element on the actual object.
Double-click the Nominal cell to open the Customize
construction grid dialog. For details, see section Customize
construction grid Dialog on page 895.
Actual Indicates the actual object. Double-click the Actual cell

to open the Choose actual object dialog.
Preset Indicates the preset applied to the component for

specifying the parameters. Double-click the Preset cell
to open the Choose preset dialog.
Sampling filter Indicates the name of the ROI applied to the compo-
nent as a sampling filter. Double-click the Sampling filter
cell to open the Choose sampling filter dialog. For details,
see section Choose sampling filter Dialog on page 893.

COLUMN DESCRIPTION
Tool offset Indicates the nominal/actual comparison performed

between nominal part and tool as a basis for calculating
the tool offset. Double-click the Tool offset cell to open
the Choose tool offset dialog.
Pull direction Indicates the direction in which the part will be

demolded. Double-click the Pull direction cell to open the
Pull direction dialog. For details, see section Pull direction
Dialog on page 894.
Points Indicates the number of sampling points used for

creating the component. Double-clicking the Points cell
shows/hides the sampling points and the Fit point devia-
tion color bar in the scene.
Result Indicates the status of the component.
When hovering a component in the table, the component is highlighted in the 3D view.
Context Menu of the CAD geometry correction Dialog
Right-clicking a component in the table shows a context menu with the following options. Most
dialogs available via the context menu are also accessible by double-clicking the corresponding
table cell.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Change actual object... Opens the Choose actual object dialog where you can
select the actual object from the surface of which the
selected component(s) will be created.
Change preset... Opens the Choose preset dialog where you can select a
preset from the drop-down list to be applied to the
selected component(s) for specifying the parameters.
Note that increasing the accuracy of the sampling
process will considerably increase the computation
time.
Change sampling filter... Opens the Choose sampling filter dialog where you can
select a previously created ROI the sampling points of
which are to be included in/excluded from the sampling
process. For details, see section Choose sampling filter
Dialog on page 893.
Change tool offset... Opens the Choose tool offset dialog where you can select
a previously performed nominal/actual comparison
between nominal part and tool for calculating the tool
offset.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Change pull direction... Opens the Pull direction dialog where you can define the
direction in which the part is demolded. You can specify
different pull directions for different components. For
details, see section Pull direction Dialog on page 894.
Copy settings from... Opens the Copy settings dialog where you can select a
component for copying its settings and apply these
settings to the selected component(s). For details, see
section Copy settings Dialog on page 894.
Customize construction grid... Opens the Customize construction grid dialog where you
can specify the projection of the construction grid. For
details, see section Customize construction grid Dialog on
page 895.
Unite Combines the selected components to a single

component.
Split Creates an individual component for each face of the

selected component.
Visibility on Checks the checkbox in front of the selected compo-

nent(s) in order to set them visible in the components
table.
Visibility off Unchecks the checkbox in front of the selected compo-

nent(s) in order to set them invisible in the components
table.
Group visibility Specifies the visibility of a group of components.

• Exclusive on: Sets only the selected components
visible and all other components invisible.
• Exclusive off: Sets only the selected components
invisible and all other components visible.
• Surface reconstruction only: Sets only the surface
reconstruction components visible.
• Part correction only: Sets only the part correction
components visible.
• Tool correction only: Sets only the tool correction
components visible.
Show sampling points Shows all sampling points for the currently selected
component(s). Shown sampling points are displayed in
all 2D and 3D views using a color-coding scheme indi-
cating the fit point distance from the nominal face.
Hide sampling points Hides all sampling points for the currently selected
component(s).
Delete Removes the selected component(s).
Duplicate Copies the selected component(s) and adds them to

the table.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Duplicate and adjust... Opens the Duplicate components dialog for copying the
selected component(s), modifying the name, adjusting
the deviation compensation and tool offset settings,
and adding the new components to the table. For
details, see section Duplicate components Dialog on
page 896.
Export Opens the CAD export dialog for exporting the selected
components:
• Surface reconstruction components: Of the selected
components, only the surface reconstruction
components are exported.
• Part correction components: Of the selected compo-
nents, only the part correction components are
exported.
• Tool correction components: Of the selected compo-
nents, only the tool correction components are
exported.
• Other components: Of the selected components, only
other components, e.g., components created from
geometry elements on the actual part are exported.
TABLE 38-9: CONTEXT MENU ITEMS OF THE CAD GEOMETRY CORRECTION DIALOG
Choose sampling filter Dialog
This dialog opens when selecting the Change sampling filter item from the context menu in the
table or double-clicking the corresponding table cell. It allows to select a region of interest (ROI)
created on the actual part which can be used as a sampling filter. This is useful to exclude
certain areas from calculation, e.g., print marks which may result from the ejector pins used for
pushing the part out of the mold. In these areas, the surface will be taken from the CAD model
of the nominal object.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
ROI drop-down list Specifies the ROI to be used as sampling filter.
Valid points section Specifies which sampling points are to be ignored for
the correction.
• Inside: The sampling points outside the ROI will be
ignored.
• Outside: The sampling points inside the ROI will be
ignored.
TABLE 38-10: CONTROLS OF THE CHOOSE SAMPLING FILTER DIALOG

Pull direction Dialog
This dialog opens when selecting the Change pull direction item from the context menu in the table
or double-clicking the corresponding table cell. Use this dialog to specify the directions in which
the different areas of your part are demolded. This is necessary to visualize the draft angle and
thus critical areas, e.g., possible undercuts.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Coordinate system drop-down list Specifies the coordinate system to be used for defining
the pull direction.
Direction radio buttons Click the radio button of the corresponding axis to
specify the pull direction. Clicking the Undefined radio
button discards the specified pull direction and the
draft angle will be displayed in gray.
Advanced button Switches to advanced options for specifying the pull

direction. The X, Y, and Z spin boxes allow to specify an
arbitrary vector for defining the pull direction.
Standard button Switches back to the radio buttons for specifying the
pull direction.
TABLE 38-11: CONTROLS OF THE PULL DIRECTION DIALOG
Copy settings Dialog
This dialog opens when selecting the Copy settings from... item from the context menu in the table.
It allows to apply the settings and parameters of a chosen component to the component(s)
selected in the table.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Component drop-down list Specifies the component from which the settings will
be copied.
Copy section Allows to select the settings to be copied from the Copy
section by checking the corresponding checkboxes.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Parameters (Preset) section Specifies which parameters will be copied from the
Parameters (Preset) section:
• All: All the parameters in the Parameters (Preset)
section are checked and the corresponding check-
boxes are disabled.
• None: All the parameters in the Parameters (Preset)
section are unchecked and the corresponding
checkboxes are disabled.
• Custom: The checkboxes in front of all parameters in
the Parameters (Preset) section are enabled and can
be checked or unchecked individually.
Check all button Checks all the settings and parameters available in the
dialog.
Uncheck all button Unchecks all the settings and parameters availabe in
the dialog.
OK button Applies the checked settings and parameters of the

selected component to the component(s) currently
selected in the table.
Cancel button Closes the dialog without copying any settings.
TABLE 38-12: CONTROLS OF THE COPY SETTINGS DIALOG
Customize construction grid Dialog
This dialog opens when selecting the Customize construction grid item from the context menu in the
table or double-clicking the Nominal cell in the table. Use this dialog to adjust the initially created
construction grid. This can be useful, if you want to
 unite multiple faces which are based on different surfaces and should nevertheless have
smooth transitions;
 use a UV layout other than the default provided by the face of the CAD model.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Origin section Specifies the origin of the initially created construction

grid:
• From CAD: The construction grid is defined according
to the original face of the CAD model. Available only
for components created from individual faces of the
CAD model. For components consisting of united
faces and therefore no longer corresponding to the
original CAD face the option is grayed out.
• Plane: Uses a plane as basic geometric shape to
create the construction grid.
• Cylinder: Uses a cylinder as basic geometric shape to
create the construction grid.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Projection section Specifies how the construction grid is to be projected

onto the surface of the actual part. The coordinate
system used for projecting the construction grid is
always the coordinate system of the nominal part.
Available when Cylinder is selected as origin:
• Center: Defines the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the
center of the axis of the cylinder.
• Axis: Defines the direction of the axis of the cylinder.
• Orientation seam: Defines the position of the seam on
the surface of a closed cylinder.
Available when Plane is selected as origin:
• Normal: Defines the plane normal of the construction
grid.
• Orientation u-axis: Defines the orientation of the u-axis
of the construction grid.
Reset button Resets the parameters to the last calculated.
TABLE 38-13: CONTROLS OF THE CUSTOMIZE CONSTRUCTION GRID DIALOG
Duplicate components Dialog
This dialog opens when selecting the Duplicate and adjust... item from the context menu in the
table. It provides several options for duplicating components and changing, e.g., a surface
reconstruction component into a part correction component or a tool correction component.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Component name section Use the corresponding fields to add a prefix and/or a
suffix to the original name of the selected component(s).
Adjust deviation compensation Checking this option enables the On/Off radio buttons.
checkbox
On radio button When this option is checked, the Compensation factor

spin box is enabled for specifying the factor to
compensate for deformations.
Off radio button When this option is checked, the Compensation factor
spin box is disabled and no compensation factor will be
applied.
Adjust tool offset checkbox Checking this option enables the Nominal/actual compar-
ison drop-down list where you can choose a previously
performed nominal/actual comparison between
nominal part and tool for specifying the tool offset. In
order to discard an already specified tool offset choose
None.
TABLE 38-14: CONTROLS OF THE DUPLICATE COMPONENTS DIALOG

Parameters of the CAD geometry correction Dialog
The following parameters are available in the sections on the right-hand side of the CAD geometry
correction dialog. If you want to use the same parameter settings again, you can save them as a
preset.
The parameters are available only when exactly one component is selected. If no or more than
one component is selected, the parameter section will be grayed out.

used:
• default preset
list.
 CAD result section

Specifies the shape used as a basis for reconstructing the CAD face on the surface of the
actual part.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Freeform radio button When this option is checked, a freeform surface is

used for reconstructing the surface.
Geometric primitive radio button When this option is checked, a geometric primitive
is used for reconstructing the surface. This option
is especially useful for very small faces when the
shape is less important than the position, e.g., for
moving a cylinder rather than deforming it.
Note that a freeform surface is nevertheless used if
no geometric primitive is available.
TABLE 38-16: CONTROLS IN THE CAD RESULT SECTION
 Sampling options button

Toggles the visibility of additional sampling options.

 CAD sampling options section

Available only if the visibility of the Sampling options is activated.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Max. point distance spin box Specifies the maximum grid spacing of the automati-
cally generated fit points. This option is significant for
larger faces where it might be useful to reduce the
number of fit points in favor of the calculation time.
Min. number of points per face Specifies the minimum number of automatically gener-
spin box ated fit points per face. This option is significant for
small faces, in order to create enough fit points.
TABLE 38-17: CONTROLS IN THE CAD SAMPLING OPTIONS SECTION
 Fit method section

Available only if the visibility of the Sampling options is activated and Geometric primitive is
selected in the CAD result section. For details on the various fit methods, see section Fit
method section in chapter 10 Measurements Menu/CM Module.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Iterations spin box Not available for freeform geometry elements.

Automatic fit point generation or filtering of existing fit
points can be done iteratively, i.e., each iteration for
creating/filtering fit points is based upon the interme-
diate geometry element from the previous pass.
Specifying zero iterations will disable the filtering
mechanism altogether.
Search distance spin box When creating automatic fit points or adjusting existing
fit points (see Iterations option), VGSTUDIO MAX probes
for the surface of the volume/mesh object in both
directions along a given search direction. Probing
continues at increasing distance from the intermediate
geometry element until either the surface is intersected
(and a fit point is created at this location) or a maximum
search distance is reached (in which case no fit point is
created).
Note that the search distance is decreased with each
iteration step until, at the final iteration, it reaches the
value specified by the user. This implies that previous
iterations use a search distance larger than specified.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Safety distance spin box Due to the nature of CT scanning, a typical voxel data
set never shows sharp edges. Instead, edges are
rounded due to the finite scan resolution and the partial
volume effect. Thus, fit points close to an edge may
result in or contribute to a false fit of a geometry
element. If a fit point is discarded due to the Max.
gradient criterion or due to the maximum Search distance,
then this could be indicative of an edge. In these cases,
all other fit points within a user-defined Safety distance
around such a fit point are automatically discarded as
well.
Gradient mode drop-down list • Default: Considers the Max. gradient value for
discarding fit points.
• Off: Does not consider the Max. gradient value, i.e., all
points within the search distance are used.
• Ignore orientation: Considers the Max. gradient value
independently of the surface orientation.
Max. gradient spin box Specifies the maximum allowed angular deviation
between the normal of the intermediate geometry
element and the surface normal of a fit point. If the
actual angle is larger than the Max. gradient value, the fit
point is discarded.
TABLE 38-18: CONTROLS IN THE FIT POINT FILTER OPTIONS SECTION
 Construction grid section

The parameters in this section allow to define the grid lines of the construction grid. For
periodic surfaces, V usually specifies the axial direction and U the direction of rotation.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Segments spin boxes Determine the number of segments of the

construction grid separately for the u- and v-direc-
tions.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Degree spin boxes Specify the curvature of an individual segment. The

higher the value, the stronger the possible curva-
ture:
Continuity radio buttons Specify the smoothness of the curve at the

connecting points. The higher the continuity, the
smoother the transitions between the segments.
FIGURE 38-2: C0 – POSITIONAL CONTINUITY
FIGURE 38-3: C1 – TANGENTIAL CONTINUITY
FIGURE 38-4: C2 – CURVATURE CONTINUITY
Since a high continuity requires a higher degree,

the degree is automatically increased according to
the continuity.

CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Enlarge spin boxes Specify the size of the protrusion of the construc-
tion grid in the u- and v-directions.
With a lower value, the influence of the nominal
surface on the curvature at the edges of the
constructed surface increases, while with a larger
value, the influence of the actual surface increases.
TABLE 38-19: CONTROLS IN THE CONSTRUCTION GRID SECTION
 Deviation compensation section

Allows to create a part correction from a surface reconstruction by inverting the deviation.
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Deviation compensation checkbox When this option is checked, the Compensation factor
spin box is enabled.
Compensation factor spin box Specifies the compensation factor to be applied. A

default compensation factor of 1 will result in an
inverted deviation relative to the surface of the
nominal part. A compensation factor of 0.5 will
halve the compensation and a factor of 2 will
double the compensation.
TABLE 38-20: CONTROLS IN THE DEVIATION COMPENSATION SECTION
 CAD boundary creation section
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Original radio button Applies the original boundaries of the CAD face to
the component.
Original w/o holes radio button Ignores possible holes and applies only the outer
boundaries of the CAD face to the component.
None radio button Applies the boundaries of the construction grid to

the component, thus generating a surface that
protrudes from the original CAD face. This is useful
for subsequent CAD operations.
TABLE 38-21: CONTROLS IN THE CAD BOUNDARY CREATION SECTION

39 EVALUATIONS
INTRODUCTION
In VGSTUDIO MAX, it is possible to evaluate items in the Scene Tree, e.g., volume objects,
analyses, or GD&T features.
The result of the evaluation is indicated by an evaluation icon in front of each item in the Scene
Tree, showing whether the item is invalid, valid or without evaluation. For a list of evaluation
icons, see section Entries in the Scene Tree on page 427 in chapter 22 Scene Tree Tool.
The evaluation status is passed on from the child items to the parent items in the Scene Tree
hierarchy. An item can be valid only if all child items are valid. E.g., if a volume object has several
analyses and one of the analyses is invalid, the volume object will be invalid, too.
The information that a geometry element is invalid (e.g., the geometry element could not be fitted)
does not affect the evaluation state of its parent item in the Scene Tree.
If a GD&T feature depends on this geometry element, the GD&T feature is marked with a warning
sign and its evaluation status is “invalid”.
The warning sign of a GD&T feature is only passed upwards if a tolerance has been defined for it.
This default behavior can be overwritten by a user-defined evaluation using the Evaluation dialog,
see section Evaluation Dialog on page 903. To open this dialog, highlight the volume, CAD, mesh,
or ROI in the Scene Tree and
 choose the Analysis > Evaluation properties... menu item or
 right-click the object in the Scene Tree and choose the Evaluation properties menu item.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The following paragraph describes the evaluation criteria applied to the individual objects in the
Scene Tree.
 Volume object
– A volume object has no evaluation if it has no child items or if all of its child items
have no evaluation.
– A volume object without a user-defined evaluation is valid if all its child items are
valid. If one or more of its child items are invalid, the volume object is invalid.
– If the volume object has a user-defined evaluation, it is evaluated according to the
result of the user-defined evaluation.
 CAD/Mesh/ROI
– A CAD model, a mesh, or an ROI has no evaluation if it has no child items or if all its
child items have no evaluation.
– A CAD model, a mesh, or an ROI without a user-defined evaluation is valid if all its
child items are valid. If one or more of its child items are invalid, the mesh, CAD
model, or ROI is invalid.
– If the CAD model, mesh, or ROI has a user-defined evaluation, it is evaluated
according to the result of the user-defined evaluation.
 GD&T feature
A GD&T feature is invalid if it does not fulfill its tolerance. It is valid if it fulfills its tolerance
or if it does not have a tolerance.

EVALUATIONS
39 EVALUATION DIALOG
 Analysis
– An analysis is marked as having no evaluation/no tolerance if no tolerance is defined
for it or if it has not been calculated yet.
– An analysis is invalid if it does not fulfill one of its tolerances. An analysis is valid if it
fulfills all its tolerances.
– The tolerances available for the individual analysis types are described in the
chapter about the corresponding analysis.
EVALUATION DIALOG
The default evaluation behavior (i.e., passing on the evaluation status to parent entries) can be
overwritten by a user-defined evaluation which can be defined for a volume object, an ROI, a
mesh, a CAD model, or the Scene using the Evaluation dialog.
In order to open the Evaluation dialog, select the object in the Scene Tree and
 select the Analysis > Evaluation properties menu item or
 double-click the evaluation icon in front of the volume, CAD, or mesh object in the Scene
Tree.
The Evaluation dialog lists the evaluation rules for the volume, CAD, or mesh object selected in
the Scene Tree. The name of the selected object is shown in the caption of the dialog. When
starting the dialog the very first time, the default rule is applied: The evaluation state of each
item in the Scene Tree is passed to its parent item. You can define further rules.
A rule can be based on:
 The evaluation of a child item.
 The tolerance of a GD&T feature.
The tolerance must be defined in the dialog of the GD&T feature, e.g., in the Dimensioning
dialog or in the Geometric tolerancing dialog.
 The tolerance of an analysis.
The tolerance can either be set in the Evaluation dialog or in the Tolerance settings section of
the Properties dialog of the analysis. If a tolerance is specified in both places, the tolerance
settings in the Evaluation dialog overwrite the tolerance settings of the analysis.
Rules can be combined by the logical operators AND, OR, NOT. You can use parentheses to
logically group the rules.
Columns of the Rules List
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Name Name of the rule. By default, the rules are named rule1,
rule2, rule3, etc.
Source Object All child items being evaluated can be used as source
object for a rule.

EVALUATIONS
39 EVALUATION DIALOG
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Property Lists the properties of the source object. The properties

of an analysis are all tolerances of this type of analysis.
The properties of an analysis annotation can either be
its deviation value or its evaluation status. For all other
source objects, it is their evaluation status.
Actual Value Indicates the actual value of the property, if it is a value

and not a status.
Nominal Value Indicates the nominal value of the property, if it is a

value and not a status.
Min. Tolerance Indicates the minimum tolerance of the property, if the

property specifies a minimum value.
Max. Tolerance Indicates the maximum tolerance of the property, if the

property specifies a maximum value.
Visual Tolerance Graphically indicates the tolerance of the property, if it

is a value and not a status.
Status Indicates the status of the rule:

• No Tolerance: No tolerance settings have been
defined for the source object.
• Out of Tolerance: The tolerance is not fulfilled.
• Undefined:
– Tolerance settings have been defined for the
feature, but at least one of its source objects is in
undefined or inconsistent state, i.e., it shows a
warning sign in the Scene Tree.
– Tolerance settings have been defined for the
analysis or analysis annotation, but the analysis
must be recalculated or the analysis annotation
is not snapped to the surface.
• Undefined Source Object: No source object has been
specified.
• Undefined Source Parameter: No property has been
specified.
• Valid: The tolerance is fulfilled.
• Valid But Unused: The tolerance is fulfilled, but the rule
is not applied.
TABLE 39-1: COLUMNS OF THE RULES LIST
Controls in the Evaluation Dialog
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
New button Adds a new rule.

EVALUATIONS
39 EXPORT EVALUATION(S)
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Remove button Deletes the selected rule.
Reset button Deletes all rules except for the default rule.
Rule Combination field Allows to combine all rules to create the user-defined
evaluation. The logical operators AND, OR, NOT are
supported. You can use parentheses to logically group
the rules.
Close button Closes the dialog.
use LMB to click on a table row Selects the row.
hold Ctrl key + use LMB to click on Selects the rows.

several table rows
hold Shift key + use LMB to click on Selects the two rows including all rows between the
two separate table rows two.
hold Shift key + use up/down arrow Selects the rows.

keys
use LMB to double-click cell high- Allows to edit the contents of the cell. Apart from that,
lighted in light-gray a Reset button is displayed that allows to restore the
original value. Make sure to press the Enter key to store
the entered value.
TABLE 39-2: CONTROLS OF THE EVALUATION DIALOG
EXPORT EVALUATION(S)
User-defined evaluations can be used as a template: They can be exported to a .xvge file and
later be imported and applied to the volume, CAD, or mesh object selected in the Scene Tree.
All analyses, geometry elements, and GD&T features included in the evaluation template will be
calculated/fitted.
In order to export an evaluation,
 right-click a volume, CAD, or mesh object with a user-defined evaluation in the Scene Tree
and select Export > Evaluation(s) from the context menu or
 highlight a volume, CAD, or mesh object with a user-defined evaluation in the Scene Tree
and select the Analysis > Export evaluation(s)... menu item.
menu.
IMPORT EVALUATION(S)
User-defined evaluations can be used as a template: They can be exported to a .xvge file and
later be imported and applied to the volume, CAD, or mesh object selected in the Scene Tree.

EVALUATIONS
39 IMPORT EVALUATION(S)
All analyses, geometry elements, and GD&T features included in the evaluation template will be
calculated/fitted.
In order to import an evaluation,
 right-click a volume, CAD, or mesh object in the Scene Tree and select Import > Evaluation(s)
from the context menu or
 highlight a volume, CAD, or mesh object in the Scene Tree and select the Analysis > Import
evaluation(s)... menu item.
The Import evaluation template dialog opens:
CONTROL DESCRIPTION
Calculate analyses automatically option When this option is checked, the analyses included in
the evaluation template are calculated for the volume,
CAD, or mesh object selected in the Scene Tree. When
this option is unchecked, the analyses are loaded but
not calculated.
Use existing Regions of Interest if present When this option is checked, the ROIs existing on the
option selected volume are used, if available. If this option is
unchecked, the ROIs included in the evaluation
template are loaded.
TABLE 39-3: CONTROLS OF THE IMPORT EVALUATION TEMPLATE DIALOG
When importing an evaluation template on an object, make sure that referenced objects (e.g., a
CAD model/mesh for a nominal/actual comparison) have the same names as in the original
project. If not, the referenced objects will not be recognized, and the respective analyses will be
imported but not calculated.
When importing an evaluation template on an object, existing user-defined evaluations will be

overwritten by the ones included in the template.

40 VGEXPLORER INTEGRATION
The VGExplorer Integration allows you to get information about the contents of a project without
opening it.
This feature is only available on Microsoft Windows operating systems.
In the Windows Explorer, right-click a project file and select Preview from the context menu to
open the preview dialog.
The following controls are available:
 Preview
The Preview shows a screenshot of the 3D view as saved last with an icon showing the
overall evaluation state. You can use the Preview to visually identify a project.
 Top-level objects such as volumes, CAD, and mesh models
If a volume includes ROIs, this is indicated by a + sign in front of the volume. Clicking the
+ sign lists all ROIs.
Click one of the top-level objects to see more information about the contents of the
project. Some information is only available for volumes.
– Registration
Provides information on the registration method and corresponding tolerance
settings, if available. For details, see section Registration Tab on page 174 in chapter
5 Object Menu.
– Scanner manufacturer information
Shows the scanner manufacturer information available in the project file. For details,
see section Scanner manufacturer info Dialog on page 50 in chapter 3 File Menu.
– Component information
Shows the information on the scanned part available in the project file. For details,
see section Component info Dialog on page 51 in chapter 3 File Menu.
– Scan information
Shows the scan information available in the project file. For details, see section Scan
info Dialog on page 51 in chapter 3 File Menu.
– Reconstruction parameters
Shows the parameters used for reconstructing the volume.
This information is available only if the volume data has been reconstructed using the optional
CT reconstruction module of VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO.
– Import settings
Shows the settings used for importing the data into the project.
– Analysis information
Shows the number of analyses, geometry elements and GD&T features attached to
the selected object as well as their evaluation state.
– File list
Shows a list of the CT data files which are referenced in the project and some of their
properties (file path, dimensions, format, type, etc.).
 Bookmarks
Show the titles and bookmark images of all bookmarks included in the project.
 open all
Shows all ROIs.

VGEXPLORER INTEGRATION
40
 close all
Shows only the top-level objects.
 Printer icon
Clicking the printer icon at the bottom right of the dialog opens the Print preview dialog.

41 GLOSSARY
Bounding box
The bounding box delimits the data set of a scanned object (left) or the region of interest (right)
in the 3D view, usually including the surrounding air.
Comma separated values (.csv)

Files of the .csv format store tabular data using a semicolon, a tab, or a blank to separate values.
Coordinate system
VGSTUDIO MAX uses right-handed, Cartesian coordinate systems to display data. The orienta-
tion of each 2D or 3D window with respect to the currently chosen coordinate system is indicated
by the tripod in the lower left corner. To align the slices seen in the 2D windows in different ways,
you can choose between several coordinate systems.
Endianness
Specifies the byte order used for representing certain data. There are two choices: big endian
and little endian. Big-endian systems store the most significant byte of a word in the smallest
address and the least significant byte in the largest address. Little-endian systems, in contrast,
store the least significant byte in the smallest address and the most significant byte in the largest
address.
Isosurface line
Defines surface of the object, i.e., the boundary between darker gray values (e.g., air) and brighter
gray values (e.g., metal) by using a global surface gray value for the whole data set.
Keyframe
An individual image in a series of consecutive images used for creating an animation or movie.
Partial Volume Effect
Describes the effect that due to the limited resolution of CT scans, properties of different mate-
rials can be merged within a single voxel. For example, if you zoom into an air/metal transition,
you will see voxels with intermediate gray values (see picture below). VGSTUDIO MAX uses these
voxels of intermediate gray value to find the surface of an object with sub-voxel precision.

GLOSSARY
41
PCA, Principal Component Analysis

A statistical procedure allowing to reduce a large number of variables to a few linear combina-
tions of the data, each of these linear combinations corresponding to a principal component.
Preset
In VGSTUDIO MAX you can save various sets of parameters as presets, e.g., the settings made
for a specific object in the Rendering tool. You can load these presets later to apply them to
different objects or export them to different computers.
Geometry element
VGSTUDIO MAX offers the following geometry elements: points, lines, (corner) circles, planes,
spheres, cylinders, cones, tori, freeform lines, and freeform surfaces. They can either be fitted to
the volume object or CAD/mesh object, defined by entering the required coordinates or
constructed by geometry element manipulation. Geometry elements can be used for creating
dimensioning or tolerance features. Furthermore, you can use geometry elements for registering
an object.
Registration
Registering an object changes its position in the scene. Reasons for registering an object include
aligning it in an upright position, setting it up for GD&T tasks in a given coordinate system, or
aligning it to another part for geometric comparison. Two simple registration options are available
in VGSTUDIO. Additional advanced registration options are available in VGSTUDIO MAX and
VGMETROLOGY.
Rendering
The process of computing and displaying an image based on a model is called rendering. The
rendering process can include the application of shadows, lighting, perspective, and texture.
Spin box
A spin box is a combination of a text box with an up/down control. The value ascends or
descends incrementally. The user can
 manually edit the text box,
 position the cursor in the text box and press the up or down arrow key on the keyboard,
 click the up/down arrow buttons of the spin box,
 move the mouse pointer on the scroll area to the right of the up/down arrows until the
mouse pointer changes its shape and drag the mouse up/down while pressing the left
mouse button, or
 position the mouse pointer anywhere on the spin box and scroll the mouse wheel.
Surface determination
A surface determination defines the boundary between material and surrounding air. This
boundary is displayed as an outline in the 2D windows (except for Original display mode). While
the isosurface determination uses one gray value which is applied globally to the object, the
advanced mode uses locally adapted gray values instead. Performing a surface determination is

GLOSSARY
41
only possible using VGSTUDIO MAX and VGMETROLOGY (advanced surface determination
during import).

42 SHORTCUTS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides an overview of the keyboard shortcuts and mouse actions available in
VGSTUDIO MAX.
GENERAL
Menu Items
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Create an empty scene Ctrl+N
Open project Ctrl+O
Save project Ctrl+S
Save project as Ctrl+Shift+S
Undo last action Ctrl+Z
Redo last action Ctrl+Y
Cut selected object(s) Ctrl+X
Copy selected object(s) Ctrl+C
Paste selected object(s) Ctrl+V
Delete selected object(s) Del
Switch to Rotate mode Ctrl+Shift+R
Switch to Move mode Ctrl+Shift+M
If a volume object is selected: Ctrl+Shift+A

Open Surface determination dialog
Toggle Navigation Cursor on/off Ctrl+Shift+C
Open CT reconstruction dialog Ctrl+Shift+X
Quit application Alt+F4
TABLE 42-1: KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS FOR MENU ITEMS
Tables
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Select table row Click table row

SHORTCUTS
42 SCENE TREE
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Select several disconnected rows Hold Ctrl + click several table rows
Select several consecutive rows • Click first table row to be included in

selection, hold Shift and click last table row
to be included in selection
• Click first table row to be included in
selection, hold Shift and press up or down
arrow key
Select all table rows Ctrl+A
Step up/down through table rows Press up/down arrow key
Display context menu Use RMB to click table area
Sort table Click column heading; clicking subsequently

toggles between ascending and descending
order
Move column to new position Click and drag column heading to new posi-
tion, then release LMB
Edit cell contents If applicable: Double-click cell highlighted in

white (Bright Theme) or medium gray (Dark
Theme)
TABLE 42-2: SHORTCUTS IN TABLES
Charts or Histograms
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Display context menu Use RMB to click chart area
Zoom x-axis of chart out/in Scroll MW in chart area or x-axis up/down
Zoom y-axis of chart out/in Scroll MW in y-axis up/down
Scroll x-axis Click and drag x-axis
Scroll y-axis Click and drag y-axis
TABLE 42-3: SHORTCUTS IN CHARTS OR HISTOGRAMS
SCENE TREE
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Select object Click corresponding entry in Scene Tree

SHORTCUTS
42 3D WINDOW
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Select several objects Hold Ctrl + click several entries in Scene Tree
Select several consecutive objects • Click first entry to be included in selection,

hold Shift and click last entry to be
included in selection
• Click first entry to be included in selection,
hold Shift and press up or down arrow key
Display context menu for object Use RMB to click corresponding entry in
Scene Tree
Open properties dialog for object Double-click corresponding entry in Scene

Tree
Delete object Click corresponding entry in Scene Tree +

press Del
Rename object • Click corresponding entry in Scene Tree +

press F2
• Click corresponding entry in Scene Tree
twice (first click to select, second click to
enable renaming)
Show/hide object in scene Check/uncheck checkbox in front of corre-

sponding entry in Scene Tree
Unlock/lock object Click transformation status indicator (padlock

icon)
Open Evaluation dialog for volume, CAD, or Double-click evaluation indicator in front of
mesh object volume, CAD, or mesh object
TABLE 42-4: SHORTCUTS IN THE SCENE TREE
3D WINDOW
General
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Toggle window between full size and current F11

window layout
Toggle between Move and Rotate mode Use MMB to double-click in window
Switch to Rotate mode Ctrl+Shift+R
Switch to Move mode Ctrl+Shift+M
Select object Double-click object
Select multiple objects Hold Ctrl + double-click objects

SHORTCUTS
42 3D WINDOW
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Deselect all objects Double-click background
Zoom object at POI (point of interest), i.e., at Scroll MW up/down

current mouse pointer position out/in Note: To reverse the zoom direction, check
the Reverse mouse wheel zoom option in the 3D
window section of the Preferences > General >
Window dialog.
Center object and adjust zoom level When the Spherical navigation mode is
selected in the preferences:
Use MMB to double-click in window
Open Colors tab of analysis Double-click analysis color bar
Create analysis annotation When the Create analysis annotation function is

active:
Hold Ctrl + click
TABLE 42-5: SHORTCUTS IN THE 3D WINDOW
Rotate mode: Rotate Object
Controls available in the 3D window for rotating an object in the scene (object is unlocked):
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Rotate object Hold LMB + drag
Rotate object more slowly When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
the 3D window section of the Preferences >
General > Window dialog is set to Never:
Hold Ctrl + LMB + drag
Rotate object around either vertical or hori- • When the Use dynamic rotation center option
zontal screen axis in the 3D window section of the Preferences
> General > Window dialog is set to Never:
Hold Shift + LMB + drag
• When the Use dynamic rotation center option
in the 3D window section of the Preferences
> General > Window dialog is set to Always or
Hotkey:
Hold Ctrl + Shift + LMB + drag
Rotate object more slowly around either When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
vertical or horizontal screen axis the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Rotate object counterclockwise/clockwise Hold MMB + move up/down
TABLE 42-6: SHORTCUTS IN THE 3D WINDOW, ROTATE MODE: ROTATE OBJECT

SHORTCUTS
42 3D WINDOW
Rotate mode: Rotate Camera
Controls available in the 3D window for rotating the camera around an object (object is locked):
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Rotate camera around object Hold LMB + drag
Rotate camera more slowly around object When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Rotate camera around either vertical or hori- • When the Use dynamic rotation center option
Hotkey:
Rotate camera more slowly around either When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Rotate camera using current mouse pointer When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
position as rotation center the 3D window section of the Preferences >
General > Window dialog is set to Hotkey:
Rotate camera counterclockwise/clockwise Hold MMB + move up/down
Rotate camera around vertical screen axis Press left/right arrow key
Rotate camera around horizontal screen axis Press up/down arrow key
TABLE 42-7: SHORTCUTS IN THE 3D WINDOW, ROTATE MODE: ROTATE CAMERA
Move Mode: Move Object
Controls available in the 3D window for moving an object in the scene (object is unlocked)
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move object Hold LMB + drag
Move object more slowly When the Use dynamic rotation center option in

SHORTCUTS
42 3D WINDOW
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move object along either vertical or horizontal • When the Use dynamic rotation center option
screen axis in the 3D window section of the Preferences
Hotkey:
Move object more slowly along either vertical When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
or horizontal screen axis the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Move object to back/front Hold MMB + move up/down
TABLE 42-8: SHORTCUTS IN THE 3D WINDOW, MOVE MODE: MOVE OBJECT
Move Mode: Move Camera
Controls available in the 3D window for moving the camera (object is locked):
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move camera along object Hold LMB + drag
Move camera more slowly along object When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Move camera along either vertical or hori- • When the Use dynamic rotation center option
Hotkey:
Move camera more slowly along either When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Move camera to back/front Hold MMB + move up/down
Move camera along vertical screen axis Press up/down arrow key
Move camera along horizontal screen axis Press left/right arrow key

SHORTCUTS
42 2D WINDOWS
TABLE 42-9: SHORTCUTS IN THE 3D WINDOW, MOVE MODE: MOVE CAMERA
2D WINDOWS
General
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Toggle window between full size and current F11

window layout
Scroll through slices Page Up/Page Down

Or:
• When the Mouse wheel option in the 2D
windows section of the Preferences > General
> Window dialog is set to Scroll slices:
Scroll MW
> Window dialog is set to Zoom view:
Hold Ctrl + scroll MW
Go to first/last slice in data set Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End
Scroll in horizontal direction Press left/right arrow key
Scroll in vertical direction Press up/down arrow key
Scroll in horizontal/vertical direction • Click object with MMB and drag

• Hold Alt + click and drag object
Zoom in/out +/–
Zoom object at POI (point of interest), i.e., at • When the Mouse wheel option in the 2D
current mouse pointer position out/in windows section of the Preferences > General
> Window dialog is set to Scroll slices:
Hold Ctrl + scroll MW up/down
> Window dialog is set to Zoom view:
Scroll MW up/down
Note: To reverse the zoom direction, check
the Reverse mouse wheel zoom option in the 2D
window section of the Preferences > General >
Window dialog.
Reset zoom Ctrl+0

SHORTCUTS
42 2D WINDOWS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Center slice view of object and adjust zoom When the Spherical navigation mode is
level selected in the preferences:
Use MMB to double-click in window
Open Colors tab of analysis Double-click analysis color bar
Create analysis annotation When the Create analysis annotation function is

active:
Hold Ctrl + click
TABLE 42-10: SHORTCUTS IN THE 2D WINDOWS
Rotate Transformation Mode
Controls available in the 2D window for rotating an object in the scene (object is unlocked):
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Rotate object around red cross-hairs Hold LMB + drag
Rotate object counterclockwise/clockwise Hold MMB + move up/down
Switch to Move transformation mode Ctrl+Shift+M
Toggle between Move and Rotate transforma- Use MMB to double-click in window
tion mode
TABLE 42-11: SHORTCUTS IN THE 2D WINDOW, ROTATE TRANSFORMATION MODE
Move Transformation Mode
Controls available in the 2D window for moving an object in the scene (object is unlocked):
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move object Hold LMB + drag
Move object to front/back Hold MMB + move up/down
Move object along either vertical or horizontal Hold Shift + LMB + drag
axis
Switch to Rotate transformation mode Ctrl+Shift+R
Toggle between Move and Rotate transforma- Use MMB to double-click in window
tion mode
TABLE 42-12: SHORTCUTS IN THE 2D WINDOW, MOVE TRANSFORMATION MODE

SHORTCUTS
42 PROFILE WINDOW
Transformation Mode for an ROI
Controls available in the 2D window for modifying an ROI in transformation mode (ROI is
unlocked):
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Rescale ROI Hold Shift + scroll MW
Rescale ROI more slowly Hold Shift + Ctrl + scroll MW
Mirror the ROI Press X or Y key
TABLE 42-13: SHORTCUTS IN THE 2D WINDOW, TRANSFORMATION MODE FOR AN ROI
PROFILE WINDOW
General
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move start or end point of instrument Click and drag vertical line A or B, respec-
tively
TABLE 42-14: SHORTCUTS IN PROFILE WINDOW
Analysis Interval
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move interval Click and drag interval
Increase or decrease interval width Click and drag interval border
Resize interval Scroll MW
Resize interval faster Hold Shift + scroll MW
Display the values of all selected intervals Hold Ctrl + click several intervals
TABLE 42-15: SHORTCUTS FOR ANALYSIS INTERVALS IN PROFILE WINDOW

SHORTCUTS
42 RENDERING TOOL
RENDERING TOOL
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Change isosurface For isosurface renderer only:

Click and drag red isosurface line
Note: The isosurface line can be moved only
if the selected object has no surface determi-
nation or if the volume component of the
selected volume has been disabled by
clicking the Enabled surface determination
render settings button.
Display axis tick labels Hover mouse pointer over histogram axis
Display gray value of isosurface line as well as Click and hold LMB in histogram area
minimum and maximum gray value of volume
Insert color handle Use MMB to click color area
Remove color handle Use MMB to click handle in color area
Show gray value of color handle Click color handle
Move color handle Click and drag color handle
Assign color to gray value of color handle Double-click color handle to open Select Color
dialog
Move color segment Possible only if color handle is not associated

with start or end of interval:
Click and drag color segment
Assign color to all gray values in color Double-click color segment to open Select
segment Color dialog
Insert opacity handle Use MMB to click histogram area
Remove opacity handle Use MMB to click opacity handle
Move opacity handle Click and drag opacity handle
If more than one interval is available: Hover mouse pointer over interval divider line
Move interval divider line to new position until mouse pointer changes to double-
headed arrow, then click and drag double-
headed arrow
If more than one interval is available: Hover the mouse pointer over an interval
Create new interval divider line until triangular handles appear to
the left and right of the interval divider line,
then click and drag the right or left handle into
the indicated direction to create the new
interval from the interval divider line to the
point where you release the mouse button
Rename interval label Click interval label

SHORTCUTS
42 FITTING A GEOMETRY ELEMENT
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Zoom y-axis of gray value histogram out/in Scroll MW on left y-axis up/down
Zoom opacity curve out/in Scroll MW on right y-axis up/down
Zoom x-axis of gray value histogram out/in Scroll MW in histogram area or x-axis
up/down
Open context menu Use RMB to click the histogram area or the
color area
TABLE 42-16: SHORTCUTS ON THE VOXEL TAB OF THE RENDERING TOOL
FITTING A GEOMETRY ELEMENT
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Set fit point Hold Ctrl + click desired position in 2D or 3D

window
Delete fit point Hold Ctrl + Shift + click fit point in 2D or 3D

window
Append fit point at end of freeform line For defining a freeform line:
Hold Ctrl + Alt + click desired position in 2D or
3D window
Highlight face For CAD models with CAD selection option

checked:
Hold Ctrl + hover mouse pointer over face of
CAD model in 2D or 3D window
Highlight wire and face which defines the For CAD models with CAD selection option
probing direction checked:
Hold Alt + hover mouse pointer over wire of
CAD model in 2D or 3D window
Highlight edge and face which defines the For CAD models with CAD selection option
probing direction checked:
Hold Alt + Shift + hover mouse pointer over
edge of CAD model in 2D or 3D window
Highlight vertex as well as pertaining edge, For CAD models with CAD selection option
wire, and face checked:
Hold Alt + Ctrl + hover mouse pointer over
vertex of CAD model in 2D or 3D window
TABLE 42-17: SHORTCUTS FOR FITTING A GEOMETRY ELEMENT

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
SELECT FUNCTIONS
Selection mode Dialogs
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Create new ROI Alt+Shift+N
Replace ROI selected in Scene Tree Alt+Shift+R
Add selection to ROI selected in Scene Tree Alt+Shift+A
Subtract selection from ROI selected in Alt+Shift+S

Scene Tree
TABLE 42-18: KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS IN THE SELECTION MODE DIALOGS
Selection Mode: Draw
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Add painted area to ROI 2D window: Hold LMB and drag
Subtract painted area from ROI 2D window: Hold Shift + LMB and drag
Change radius of brush 2D window: Hold Shift + scroll MW
Change value for smoothing 2D window: Hold Alt + scroll MW
TABLE 42-19: SHORTCUTS FOR THE DRAW SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Rectangle
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw rectangle 2D window: Click to set first corner, drag

across 2D window and release LMB to set
opposite corner
Resize rectangle 2D window: Click and drag red cross in

corner
Draw square 2D window: Hold Alt + click to set first corner,

drag across 2D window and release LMB to
set opposite corner
Resize square 2D window: Hold Alt + click and drag red

cross in corner
Reposition selection 2D window: Click and drag yellow selection

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Extend selection into third dimension In any of the other 2D windows: Click and
drag red marker lines
Extend selection equidistantly in both direc- In any of the other 2D windows: Hold Shift +
tions into the third dimension scroll MW
Discard selection 2D window: Esc

Pressing Esc again closes the dialog
TABLE 42-20: SHORTCUTS FOR THE RECTANGLE SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Round rectangle
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw rounded rectangle 2D window: Click to set first corner, drag

opposite corner
Resize rounded rectangle 2D window: Click and drag red cross in

corner
Draw rounded square 2D window: Hold Alt + click to set first corner,
drag across 2D window and release LMB to
set opposite corner
Resize rounded square 2D window: Hold Alt + click and drag red
cross in corner
Change radius of rounded corners 2D window: Click and drag red cross at the
end of an arc

TABLE 42-21: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ROUND RECTANGLE SELECTION MODE

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
Selection Mode: Ellipse
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw ellipse 2D window: Click to set first corner of

inscribed rectangle, drag across 2D window
and release LMB to set opposite corner
Resize ellipse 2D window: Click and drag red cross in

corner
Draw circle 2D window: Hold Alt + click to set first corner

of inscribed rectangle, drag across 2D
window and release LMB to set opposite
corner
Resize circle 2D window: Hold Alt + click and drag red

cross in corner

TABLE 42-22: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ELLIPSE SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Polyline
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw polyline 2D window: Click to set control points at

desired positions
Add control point 2D window: Hold Alt + click line segment
Remove control point 2D window: Hold Alt + click control point
Move control point/line segment 2D window: Click and drag red control point
or yellow line segment
Reposition selection 2D window: Hold Alt + click and drag yellow

selection

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT

TABLE 42-23: SHORTCUTS FOR THE POLYLINE SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Polygon lasso
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw polygon 2D window: Click and drag to set control

points at desired positions, release LMB to
complete polygon
Reposition selection 2D window: Hold Alt + click and drag yellow

selection

TABLE 42-24: SHORTCUTS FOR THE POLYGON LASSO SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Region growing
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Select seed point for region growing 2D window: Click at desired position, release
LMB to start region growing
Define a sphere for limiting region growing 2D window: Hold LMB on desired location
and drag, release LMB to start region growing
Note: Once in this mode, pressing the Shift
key and clicking at a different voxel will apply
a region growing sphere of the same radius
and with the selected voxel at the center.
Change Tolerance value 2D window: Hold Shift and scroll MW

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Discard selection and close dialog Esc
TABLE 42-25: SHORTCUTS FOR THE REGION GROWING SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Material region growing
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Select seed point for material region growing 2D window: Click at desired position, release
LMB to start material region growing
Define a sphere for limiting material region 2D window: Hold LMB on desired location
growing and drag, release LMB to start material region
growing
Note: Once in this mode, pressing the Shift
key and clicking at a different voxel will apply
a material region growing sphere of the same
radius and with the selected voxel at the
center.
TABLE 42-26: SHORTCUTS FOR THE MATERIAL REGION GROWING SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Adaptive rectangle
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw rectangle 2D window: Click to set first corner, drag

opposite corner
Resize rectangular selection 2D window: Click and drag red cross in

corner

TABLE 42-27: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ADAPTIVE RECTANGLE SELECTION MODE

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
Selection Mode: Adaptive polygon
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw polygon 2D window: Click to set first point of polyg-

onal area and drag pointer along edge to be
traced to create further points
Delete points in the reverse order of definition 2D window: Backspace
Add individual points 2D window: Click
Connect the first and last points to close the 2D window: Press MMB
polygonal shape
Move control point 2D window: Click and drag red control point

TABLE 42-28: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ADAPTIVE POLYGON SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Adaptive line
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw line 2D window: Click to set first point of line and

drag pointer along edge to be traced to
create further points
Delete points in the reverse order of definition 2D window: Backspace
Add individual points 2D window: Click
Move control point 2D window: Click and drag red control point

TABLE 42-29: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ADAPTIVE LINE SELECTION MODE

SHORTCUTS
42 SELECT FUNCTIONS
Selection Mode: Polyline 3D
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw polyline 3D window: Ctrl + click to set control points at

desired positions
TABLE 42-30: SHORTCUTS FOR THE POLYLINE 3D SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Crack segmentation
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Resize limiting box 2D window: Click and drag red rectangle

borders
Note: This is possible only in the volume
coordinate system or the volume grid coordi-
nate system; for resizing the limiting box in
the scene coordinate system, use the Region
of interest spin boxes.
Close dialog Esc
TABLE 42-31: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CRACK SEGMENTATION SELECTION MODE
Selection Mode: Erode/dilate
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Change the number of voxels by which the Hold Shift and scroll MW
ROI is to be expanded or contracted
Close dialog Esc
TABLE 42-32: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ERODE/DILATE SELECTION MODE

SHORTCUTS
42 CLIPPING FUNCTIONS
Selection Mode: Smoothing
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Change the Smoothing strength value Hold Shift and scroll MW
Close dialog Esc
TABLE 42-33: SHORTCUTS FOR THE SMOOTHING SELECTION MODE
CLIPPING FUNCTIONS
Clipping Plane: Rotate Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Rotate clipping plane around its origin Click and drag
Slowly rotate clipping plane around its origin When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Hold Ctrl + click and drag
Rotate clipping plane around its origin and use MMB to click and drag
the viewing direction
Slowly rotate the clipping plane around its When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
origin and the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Hold Ctrl + use MMB to click and drag
TABLE 42-34: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING PLANE IN ROTATE MODE
Clipping Plane: Move Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move clipping plane relative to 3D view, i.e., Click and drag

perpendicularly to the viewing direction
Move clipping plane relative to 3D view, i.e., Hold Shift + click and drag
perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
restricting movement to horizontal or vertical
direction

SHORTCUTS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Slowly move clipping plane relative to 3D When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing the 3D window section of the Preferences >
direction General > Window dialog is set to Never:
Slowly move clipping plane relative to 3D When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
direction, restricting movement to horizontal General > Window dialog is set to Never:
or vertical direction Hold Shift + Ctrl + click and drag
Move clipping plane in/out relative to 3D view, use MMB to click and drag
i.e., along the viewing direction
Slowly move clipping plane in/out relative to When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-35: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING PLANE IN MOVE MODE
Clipping Box: Rotate Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Resize clipping box perpendicularly to sides Click and drag yellow handles
of clipping box
Rotate clipping box around its origin Click and drag
Slowly rotate clipping box around its origin When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Rotate clipping box around its origin and the Use MMB to click and drag
viewing direction
Slowly rotate clipping box around its origin When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
and the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-36: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING BOX IN ROTATE MODE

SHORTCUTS
Clipping Box: Move Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
of clipping box
Move clipping box relative to 3D view, i.e., Click and drag

perpendicularly to the viewing direction
Move clipping box relative to 3D view, i.e., Hold Shift + click and drag
perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
direction
Slowly move clipping box relative to 3D view, When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Slowly move clipping box relative to 3D view, When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction, the 3D window section of the Preferences >
restricting movement to horizontal or vertical General > Window dialog is set to Never:
direction Hold Shift+ Ctrl + click and drag
Move clipping box in/out relative to 3D view, use MMB to click and drag
i.e., along the viewing direction
Slowly move clipping box in/out relative to 3D When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
view, i.e., along the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-37: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING BOX IN MOVE MODE
Clipping Polyline 3D: General
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Create control point Hold Ctrl + click
Remove control point Hold Alt + click control point
Move control point to new position Click and drag red control point
Move line segment to new position Click and drag yellow line segment
Move polyline to new position Click and drag yellow polyline area
Close polyline Click with MMB
Resize polygon perpendicularly to top and Click and drag yellow handles at top and
bottom faces bottom of clipping polygon

SHORTCUTS
TABLE 42-38: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING POLYLINE 3D IN GENERAL
Clipping Polyline 3D: Rotate Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Rotate clipping polygon around its origin Click and drag
Slowly rotate clipping polygon around its When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
origin the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Rotate clipping polygon around its origin and use MMB to click and drag
the viewing direction
Slowly rotate clipping polygon around its When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
origin and the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-39: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING POLYLINE 3D IN ROTATE MODE
Clipping Polyline 3D: Move Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Move clipping polygon relative to 3D view, Click and drag

i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction
Move clipping polygon relative to 3D view, Hold Shift + click and drag
i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing direction,
direction
Slowly move clipping polygon relative to 3D When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Slowly move clipping polygon relative to 3D When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
Move clipping polygon in/out relative to 3D use MMB to click and drag
view, i.e., along the viewing direction

SHORTCUTS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Slowly move clipping polygon in/out relative When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
to 3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-40: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING POLYLINE 3D IN MOVE MODE
Aligned Clipping Box
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
of aligned clipping box
TABLE 42-41: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ALIGNED CLIPPING BOX
Clipping Sphere: Rotate Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Resize clipping sphere/ellipsoid Click and drag yellow handles
Resize clipping sphere/ellipsoid proportion- Hold Ctrl + click and drag yellow handles
ally
Force a clipping sphere and resize it propor- Hold Alt + click and drag yellow handles
tionally
Rotate clipping sphere/ellipsoid around its Click and drag

origin
Slowly rotate clipping sphere/ellipsoid around When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
its origin the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Rotate clipping sphere/ellipsoid around its Use MMB to click and drag
origin and the viewing direction
Slowly rotate clipping sphere/ellipsoid around When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
its origin and the viewing direction the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-42: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING SPHERE IN ROTATE MODE

SHORTCUTS
42 INSTRUMENTS
Clipping Sphere: Move Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Resize clipping sphere/ellipsoid Click and drag yellow handles
Resize clipping sphere/ellipsoid proportion- Hold Ctrl + click and drag yellow handles
ally
Force a clipping sphere and resize it propor- Hold Alt + click and drag yellow handles
tionally
Move clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative to 3D Click and drag

view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing
direction
Move clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative to 3D Hold Shift + click and drag

view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing
direction, restricting movement to horizontal
or vertical direction
Slowly move clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
to 3D view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Slowly move clipping sphere/ellipsoid relative When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
to 3D view, i.e., perpendicularly to the viewing the 3D window section of the Preferences >
Move clipping sphere/ellipsoid in/out relative Use MMB to click and drag
to 3D view, i.e., along the viewing direction
Slowly move clipping sphere/ellipsoid in/out When the Use dynamic rotation center option in
relative to 3D view, i.e., along the viewing the 3D window section of the Preferences >
TABLE 42-43: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CLIPPING SPHERE IN MOVE MODE
INSTRUMENTS
Distance Instrument
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw line for measuring distance between Click and drag

start and end points
Modify position of start or end point Click and drag handle

SHORTCUTS
42 INSTRUMENTS
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Modify position of start or end point, allowing Hold Ctrl + Shift + click and drag handle
current direction of measurement line to
change only in steps of 45°
Modify position of start or end point, Hold Shift + click and drag handle
restricting measurement line to horizontal or
vertical direction
Move whole instrument Click and drag baseline between handles
TABLE 42-44: SHORTCUTS FOR THE DISTANCE INSTRUMENT
Angle Instrument
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Modify angle Click and drag handle
Modify current direction of line only in steps Hold Ctrl + Shift + click and drag handle
of 45°
Modify position of handle, restricting move- Hold Shift + click and drag handle
ment to horizontal or vertical direction
TABLE 42-45: SHORTCUTS FOR THE ANGLE INSTRUMENT
Polyline length Instrument
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Create control points • 2D window: Click

• 3D window: Hold Ctrl + click
Add new point • 2D window: Use MMB to click between

existing points
• 3D window: Hold Ctrl + use MMB to click
between existing points
Remove point • 2D window: Use MMB to click point

• 3D window: Hold Ctrl + use MMB to click
point
Move point to new position Click and drag point
Move whole instrument 2D window: Click and drag baseline between

handles
TABLE 42-46: SHORTCUTS FOR THE POLYLINE LENGTH INSTRUMENT

SHORTCUTS
42 INSTRUMENTS
Min/max distance Instrument
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw frame to define capture area Click and drag
Move capture frame to new position Click and drag frame border
Resize capture frame Click and drag frame corner
TABLE 42-47: SHORTCUTS FOR THE MIN/MAX DISTANCE INSTRUMENT
Caliper Instrument
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Draw line for measuring distance between Click and drag

start and end points
Modify position of start or end point Click and drag middle handle
Resize additional line Click and drag handle of additional line
Modify current direction of measurement line Hold Ctrl + Shift + click and drag handle
only in steps of 45°
Modify position of handle, restricting Hold Shift + click and drag handle
measurement line to horizontal or vertical
direction
TABLE 42-48: SHORTCUTS FOR THE CALIPER INSTRUMENT
Navigation Cursor
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Position Navigation Cursor Hold Ctrl + click a point in any (2D or 3D)
window
Modify position of Navigation Cursor Click and drag Navigation Cursor
TABLE 42-49: SHORTCUTS FOR THE NAVIGATION CURSOR

SHORTCUTS
42 AUTOMATION TOOL
AUTOMATION TOOL
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Start/stop recording macro F8
Play selected macro/run selected job F5
TABLE 42-50: KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS IN THE AUTOMATION TOOL
ANIMATION TOOL
2D Windows in Classic Keyframer Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Make keyframe the current frame Click handle on trajectory curve
Make keyframe the current frame and prevent Hold Shift + click handle on trajectory curve
handle from being moved accidentally
Remove handle Use MMB to click handle on trajectory curve
Create new keyframe Use MMB to click the trajectory curve
Move handle to new position Click and drag keyframe handle
Change curvature of trajectory Click and drag one of the two tangent
handles of the keyframe
Select keyframes Hold Shift + click several handles
Move several handles at a time Hold Shift + Ctrl and click and drag one of
several selected handles
TABLE 42-51: SHORTCUTS IN THE 2D WINDOWS IN CLASSIC KEYFRAMER MODE
Velocity Curve in Classic Keyframer Mode
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Insert control point Use MMB to click on velocity curve
Move control point and adapt velocity curve Click and drag control point
to new position
Move whole graph within the displayed area Click and drag graph background
Zoom display along vertical or horizontal axis Hold Shift + click and drag graph up/down or
left/right

SHORTCUTS
42 ENHANCED POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Make keyframe the current keyframe Click bar
Select one or more keyframes Hold Shift key + click one or more bars
TABLE 42-52: SHORTCUTS FOR THE VELOCITY CURVE IN CLASSIC KEYFRAMER MODE
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Create shape 2D window: Hold Ctrl + click and drag, then

release LMB
Reposition shape Click and drag shape
Resize shape • If the shape is a square or a triangle:

Click and drag cyan handle in corner
• If the shape is a circle:
Click and drag highlighted border of circle
TABLE 42-53: SHORTCUTS FOR CREATING AND MODIFYING REFERENCE FACES
DRAW MODE (OBJECT MENU)
OBJECTIVE SHORTCUT
Add painted area to data 2D window: Click and drag
Change gray value Hold Shift + Ctrl + scroll MW
Change radius of brush Hold Shift + scroll MW
Change value for smoothing Hold Alt + scroll MW
Pick gray value from data Hold Ctrl + click
TABLE 42-54: SHORTCUTS IN DRAW MODE

43 APPENDIX
DATA TYPES
The following table gives an overview of the data types used by VGSTUDIO MAX:
DATA TYPE DESCRIPTION
8 bit unsigned/8 bit signed 8 bit code one gray value, each bit has either value 0 or
value 1. Consequently, 28= 256 different gray values
are possible.
Gray values range from 0 to 255 (unsigned) or -128 to
127 (signed).
16 bit unsigned/16 bit signed 216= 65536 different gray values.

Gray values range from 0 to 65535 (unsigned) or -
32768 to 32767 (signed).
32 bit unsigned/32 bit signeda More than one million different gray values.
Gray values range from 0 to 1048575 (unsigned) or -
524288 to 524287 (signed).
32 bit float Effective gray value dynamics 32 bit float, 3D rendering

as 16 bit.
RGB 8 8 bit per RGB component color images for a total of

24 bit color.
a
Objects with 32 bit signed/unsigned data have an effective data range of 20 bit for all rendering procedures (full data
range for analysis procedures).
TABLE 43-1: DATA TYPES
FILE FORMATS
Import File Formats
 Image stack file formats (in alphabetical order)
FORMAT EXTENSION DESCRIPTION
Aracor image stack *.IMLA, grayscale images, from Rapiscan® CT

*.IM?LA systems
Bitmap images *.bmp color and grayscale images
DICOM image stack *.*, *, *.dcm signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, typically
from medical CT systems
DICONDE image *.*, *, *.dcm signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer,

stack superset of DICOM, typically from aviation
industry

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
HDF images *.hdf signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer

(HDF 4.x), 32 bit float
For further information on the Hierarchical
Data Format, visit the website of the HDF
Group: www.hdfgroup.org
IMTEC image stack *.rec grayscale images, from IMTEC CT systems
JPEG images *.jpg, *.jpeg color and grayscale images
JPEG2000 images *.jp2 8/16-bit grayscale images, 8 bit RGB, 8 bit

RGBA
Portable PixMap *.p?m color and grayscale images, binary 24 bit

images
Raw data *.raw, *.*, * signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
Use this option for importing slices in raw
format. If a single raw file contains the whole
object, use the Import > Raw volume menu
instead.
Shimadzu image *.cb grayscale images, from Shimadzu CT

stack systems
Tiff images *.tif, *.tiff signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer, 8 bit RGB,
8 bit RGBA
Toshiba images *.inf signed 16 bit, from Toshiba CT systems
Varian/BIR images *.*, * 16-bit grayscale images, from Varian/BIR CT

systems
YXLON images *.*, * images from YXLON line detector CT

systems
The file names must match the following
form: *-xxxx,xx.flt (xxxx,xx is the detector
position in mm).
For YXLON line detector data, you have to
enter the correct x- and y-size manually as
specified in the text file accompanying the
data. Only the z-dimensions are detected
automatically from the files.
TABLE 43-2: IMAGE STACK FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORT
 Volume file formats (in alphabetical order)
Advantest volume *.atv signed 16 bit integer, 32 bit float, from

Advantest CT systems

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
ANALYZE™ volume *.hdr signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 8 bit

RGB
For further information, visit Biomedical
Imaging Resource at the Mayo Clinic
website: www.mayo.edu/bir
HDF volume (HDF *.*, * signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

4.x) float
For further information on the Hierarchical
Data Format, visit the website of the HDF
Group: www.hdfgroup.org
Hitachi volume *.sbm 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 bit grayscale images, from

Hitachi CT systems
NSI volume *.nsihdr, grayscale images, from North Star Imaging

*.nsivol CT systems
Phoenix|x-ray *.vgi imports volumes specified within a .vgi

volume project file
Raw volume *.*, * signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer,

signed/unsigned 32 bit integer, 32 bit float,
8 bit RGBA
REK volume *.rek unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, from Fraun-

hofer CT systems or Werth CT systems
Shimadzu volume *.inf 32 bit float, from Shimadzu CT systems
TEMographie (JEOL) *.*, *, *.bin signed 16 bit integer, from JEOL System
volume Technology Transmission Electron Micro-
scope (TEM) systems
Toshiba volume *.img and signed 16 bit integer, from Toshiba industrial
associated CT systems
*.inf files
Varian/BIR volume *.*, * 16-bit grayscale images, from Varian/BIR CT

systems
YXLON volume *.flt volumes from YXLON line detector CT

systems
The file names must match the following
form: *-xxxx,xx.flt (xxxx,xx is the detector
position in mm).
For YXLON line detector data, you have to
enter the correct x- and y-size manually as
specified in the text file accompanying the
data. Only the z-dimensions are detected
automatically from the file name.
TABLE 43-3: VOLUME FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORT
 CAD file formats

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
Some file formats may require additional licensing.
STEP File Format *.stp, *.step STandard for the Exchange of Product
model data
IGES File Format *.igs, *.iges Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
CATIA V5 File Format *.catpart, Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interac-

*.catproduct tive Application, up to V5-6 R2018
ProEngineer/Creo *.prt, *.prt.*, part file, assembly file

File Format *.asm, *.asm.* Creo (up to 5.0 Beta)
in beta status: Pro/Engineer (up to 19.0)
Unigraphics/NX File *.prt in beta status: V11.0 to NX 12.0

Format
JT File Format *.jt in beta status: up to 10.0
CATIA V4 File Format *.model, *.dlv, in beta status: up to 4.2.5

*.exp
Solid Edge File *.asm, *.par in beta status: V19-20, ST-ST10

Format
SolidWorks File *.sldprt, in beta status: from 97 up to 2018

Format *.sldasm
TABLE 43-4: CAD FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORT
 Mesh file formats
Stereolithography file *.stl, *.STL A 3D geometry file format developed by 3D

format Systems describing the surface of an object
but no vertex colors or textures.
This option opens both ASCII and binary
coded files.
Wavefront Object File *.obj A 3D geometry file format developed by

Format Wavefront Technologies.
This option opens ASCII coded files and
supports vertex colors and textures.
Polygon File Format *.ply Also referred to as Stanford Triangle Format.

A file format developed by Stanford univer-
sity to store 3D data from 3D scanners.
This option opens both ASCII and binary
coded files and supports vertex colors and
textures.
TABLE 43-5: MESH FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORT

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
 File formats for importing point clouds
Character-separated *.txt, *.csv, plain text file with values separated by a

values format *.asc, *.xyz separator
FARO format *.lsproj, *.fls, project files, scan files, or workspace files
*.fws from FARO® scanners
TABLE 43-6: FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORTING POINT CLOUDS
 File formats for importing integration meshes
Patran file format *.pat data from the finite element analysis (FEA)
pre/post-processing software Patran
Nastran file format *.bdf data from the finite element analysis (FEA)
program code Nastran (NASA STRucture
ANalysis)
Magma file format *.emv MAGMA/Volume Graphics file exchange

format
TABLE 43-7: FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORTING INTEGRATION MESHES
 File formats for importing CT reconstruction parameters
VGSTUDIO *.vgx CT reconstruction parameter file created by

MAX/VGSTUDIO VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO. Do not edit or
parameters delete these files.
VGL referenced *.vgl VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO project file. By

parameters opening this file using the Load parameters
button in the CT reconstruction dialog, the
reconstruction parameters are imported like
with .vgx files. By opening this file directly in
VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO, the recon-
struction is performed and the reconstructed
volume is included in the scene.
IMTEC parameters *.hdr CT reconstruction parameter file from

3M/IMTEC CT systems. By opening this file
using the Load parameters button in the CT
reconstruction dialog, all necessary recon-
struction parameters are imported.

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
PHOENIX parame- *.pca CT reconstruction parameter file from

ters GE/Phoenix CT systems. By opening this file
Dage parameters *.prm CT reconstruction parameter file from

Nordson DAGE CT systems. By opening this
file using the Load parameters button in the CT
YXLON parameters *.act CT reconstruction parameter file from

YXLON line detector CT systems. By
opening this file using the Load parameters
button in the CT reconstruction dialog, all
necessary reconstruction parameters are
imported.
DaimlerChrysler *.* CT reconstruction parameter file from Daim-

parameters lerChrysler CT systems. By opening this file
TABLE 43-8: FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR IMPORTING CT RECONSTRUCTION PARAMETERS
Export File Formats
 Image stack file formats (in alphabetical order)
ASCII raw stack *.raw signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
Bitmap *.bmp unsigned 8 bit integer, 8 bit RGB
DICOM *.dcm signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer
JPEG *.jpg unsigned 8 bit integer, 8 bit RGB
JPEG2000 *.jp2 signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer, 8 bit RGB,

8 bit RGBA
Raw stack *.raw signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
Tiff *.tif signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer, 8 bit RGB,

8 bit RGBA
Zip stack *.gz signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
TABLE 43-9: IMAGE STACK FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR EXPORT
 Volume file formats (in alphabetical order)
ANALYZE™ volume *.hdr signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 8 bit RGB

Imaging Resource at the Mayo Clinic website:
www.mayo.edu/bir
ASCII raw volume *.raw signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
HDF volume *.hdf signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer (HDF 4.x),

8 bit RGB, 8 bit RGBA
For further information on the Hierarchical Data
Format, visit the website of the HDF group:
www.hdfgroup.org
Raw volume *.raw signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
Zip volume *.gz signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
TABLE 43-10: VOLUME FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR EXPORT
 Movie file formats
AVI movie *.avi Uses the codecs installed on your system.

Operating systems usually provide a set of
standard codecs. Codecs are not part of the
VGSTUDIO MAX product package.
ASF movie *.wmv Uses the Windows Media Video codec.
TABLE 43-11: MOVIE FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR EXPORT
The general restrictions of codecs apply.
 File formats for exporting multiple volumes (in alphabetical order)

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
ANALYZE™ volume *.hdr signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 8 bit RGB

Imaging Resource at the Mayo Clinic website:
www.mayo.edu/bir
ASCII raw *.raw signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

volume/stack float, 8 bit RGBA
AVI movie *.avi Uses the codecs installed on your system.

Operating systems usually provide a set of
standard codecs. Codecs are not part of the
VGSTUDIO MAX product package.
Bitmap *.bmp unsigned 8 bit integer, 8 bit RGB
DICOM *.dcm signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer
HDF volume *.hdf signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer (HDF 4.x),

8 bit RGB, 8 bit RGBA
For further information on the Hierarchical Data
Format, visit the website of the HDF group:
www.hdfgroup.org
JPEG images *.jpg unsigned 8 bit integer, 8 bit RGB
JPEG2000 images *.jp2 signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer, 8 bit RGB,

8 bit RGBA
Raw volume/stack *.raw signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
Tiff images *.tif signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer, 8 bit RGB,

8 bit RGBA
Zip volume/stack *.gz signed/unsigned 8/16/32 bit integer, 32 bit

float, 8 bit RGBA
TABLE 43-12: FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR EXPORTING MULTIPLE VOLUMES
 CAD file formats

May require additional licensing.
STEP File Format *.stp, *.step STandard for the Exchange of Product model
data (STEP AP 214)
TABLE 43-13: CAD FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR EXPORT
 Mesh file formats

APPENDIX
43 FILE FORMATS
ASCII Point Cloud *.txt, *.TXT x, y, z-coordinates of one vertex per line (coor-
dinates separated by spaces), six decimal
places
OOGL File Format *.off, *.OFF Object Oriented Graphics Library

This option allows to save both ASCII and
binary coded files.
Stanford PLY File *.ply, *.PLY Also referred to as Stanford Triangle Format or
Format Polygon File Format, a file format developed by
Stanford university.
binary coded files and supports vertex colors
and textures.
Stereolithography *.stl, *.STL A file format developed by 3D Systems,

File Format describing the surface geometry of a 3D object.
binary coded files.
VRML V1.0 File *.wrl, *.WRL Virtual Reality Modeling Language

Format This option allows to save ASCII coded files.
VRML V1.0 File *.wrz, *.WRZ Virtual Reality Modeling Language

Format [compressed] This option allows to save compressed ASCII
coded files.
VRML V2.0 File *.wrl, *.WRL Virtual Reality Modeling Language

Format This option allows to save ASCII coded files.
VRML V2.0 File *.wrz, *.WRZ Virtual Reality Modeling Language

Format [compressed] This option allows to save compressed ASCII
coded files.
Wavefront Object File *.obj, *.OBJ A 3D geometry file format developed by Wave-
Format front Technologies.
This option allows to save ASCII coded files and
supports vertex colors and textures.
TABLE 43-14: MESH FILE FORMATS SUPPORTED FOR EXPORT
 MAGMA/Volume Graphics file exchange format
MAGMA-VG- *.emv MAGMA/Volume Graphics file exchange format

Exchange Format
TABLE 43-15: MAGMA FILE EXCHANGE FORMAT
 File formats for exporting CT reconstruction parameters

APPENDIX
43 FILE EXTENSIONS
VGSTUDIO *.vgx CT reconstruction parameter file created by

MAX/VGSTUDIO VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO. Do not edit or
parameters delete these files.
VG project file *.vgl VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO project file.
TABLE 43-16: FILE FORMATS FOR EXPORTING PARAMETERS
File Formats for Saving an Image, Image Stack, or Movie
Supported file formats for saving an image, image stack, or movie:
Bitmap *.bmp color and grayscale images
JPEG *.jpg, *.jpeg color and grayscale images
JPEG2000 *.jp2 8/16 bit grayscale images, 8 bit RGB, 8 bit RGBA
Portable PixMap *.ppm color and grayscale images, binary 24 bit
Tiff *.tif, *.tiff signed/unsigned 8/16 bit integer, 8 bit RGB, 8 bit
RGBA
AVI movie *.avi Uses the codecs installed on your system. Oper-
ating systems usually provide a set of standard
codecs. Codecs are not part of the VGSTUDIO
MAX product package.
TABLE 43-17: FILE FORMATS FOR SAVING AN IMAGE, IMAGE STACK, OR MOVIE
Creating AVI (*.avi) or ASF (*.wmv) movies is possible on Microsoft Windows systems only.
FILE EXTENSIONS
The table below lists the file extensions used by VGSTUDIO MAX.
Do not edit or delete files in the project folder: This can lead to inconsistencies and system
crashes or simply destroy your project.

APPENDIX
43 FILE EXTENSIONS
FILE EXTENSION DESCRIPTION
.lic License file. To activate the software, copy the license file into the
installation directory of VGSTUDIO MAX. Do not edit or otherwise
modify this file as this will invalidate your license.
.mvgl VGMETROLOGY project file. Includes references to all imported

objects, modifications such as rotation, transparency settings and
analysis results. Do not edit these files.
.preset Preset file. Presets are available for various areas of the application.
Each preset combines parameters of a specific area. You can
transfer these files to another computer, but be warned that presets
of the same name will be overwritten on that computer. Do not edit
these files.
.vgarchive VGSTUDIO MAX/VGSTUDIO archive file. Compact single-file

format created by the Pack and go function that can be used for
exchanging or forwarding projects. Do not edit these files.
.vge Evaluation template file created by VGSTUDIO MAX 2.2. Available

for import only. Do not edit these files.
.vgl VGSTUDIO MAX or VGSTUDIO project file. Project files include

references to all imported objects, modifications such as rotation,
transparency settings and analysis results. Do not edit these files. A
.vgl file combines with a project folder and–optionally–with a data
folder of the same name to a project. Neither can be used without
the other.
.vgr File created by VGSTUDIO MAX 2.2 containing information about

ROIs. Available for import only. Do not edit or delete these files.
.vgrf VG report directory containing a subdirectory structure with a

complete collection of all data relevant for reporting. These data can
be used for further processing through other applications.
.vgsettings VGSTUDIO MAX application settings file. For use in VGinLINE, the
Volume Graphics software package for advanced in-line or at-line
CT inspection and analysis.
.vgt Measurement or indicator template file created by VGSTUDIO MAX

2.2. Available for import only. Do not edit or delete these files.
.vgx CT reconstruction parameter file. Do not edit or delete these files.
.xvgb Bookmark template file. Do not edit these files.
.xvgc Macro file. Do not edit these files.
.xvge Evaluation template file. Do not edit these files.
.xvgj VGinLINE job file. Do not edit these files.
.xvgr File containing information about ROIs. Do not edit these files.
.xvgt Measurement, instrument, or indicator template file. Do not edit

these files.

APPENDIX
43 LICENSE CONDITIONS OF 3RD PARTY LIBRARIES
TABLE 43-18: FILE EXTENSIONS
LICENSE CONDITIONS OF 3RD PARTY LIBRARIES
For a complete list of the 3rd party libraries used in our software, see the document
License_Conditions_of_3rd_Party_Libraries in the installation directory.

INDEX
NUMERICS label 360

16 bit signed/unsigned 940 menu 362
2D window nominal/actual comparison 673
center object 28 porosity/inclusion analysis 561
center ROI 28 preferences 102
context menu 28 structural mechanics simulation 738
coordinate system 30, 378 wall thickness analysis 706
coordinate system tripod 31 Aracor image stack 940
move an object 19 arrow size 104
preferences 108 ART (Algebraic Reconstruction Technique) 837
reset zoom 28 ASCII file format 945
rotate an object 19 ASCII point cloud 948
transform an object 19 ASCII raw volume 946, 947
zoom in/out 27, 378 ASF file format 949
32 bit float 940 ASF movie 946, 947
32 bit signed/unsigned 940 auto save 90
3-2-1 registration 128 AVI file format 949
simple 149 AVI movie 946, 947
3D camera view 12, 405
3D window B
background color 14 background color
center object 12 in 3D window 14
context menu 13 preferences 91, 93
coordinate system tripod 12 batch processing 76
move an object 8 beam hardening
rotate an object 8 histogram 879
transform an object 8 ROI 877
zoom in/out 9, 10, 11, 915, 918 beam hardening curve->see intensity curve 868, 880
8 bit signed/unsigned 940 best fit registration 134
best fit registration against several geometry elements
A 145
active column binning
foam structure analysis 581 fit point histogram 285
porosity/inclusion analysis 505, 521, 530, 544 foam structure analysis 591
transport phenomena simulation tensor 787 gray value analysis 473
adaptive line 206 nominal/actual comparison 593, 668
adaptive polygon 205 pore size distribution 802
adaptive rectangle 204 porosity/inclusion analysis 552, 557
add-on modules 1 structural mechanics simulation 732
Advantest volume 941 wall thickness analysis 700, 702
align an object 127 BIR image stack 941
analysis annotation->see annotation 360 BIR volume 942
ANALYZE volume 942, 946, 947 bitmap 947
angle measurement bitmap file format 945, 949
coordinate measurement 252 bitmap image stack 940
angularity 254 bookmark 457
animation create 457
preferences 102 edit 457
annotation export template 458
color 472, 668, 699 file extension 950
tolerance status 472, 668, 699 import template 458
annotations bounding box 7, 909
create 360 preferences 91
export template 439 bright theme 90
fiber composite material analysis 628 brightness 19, 381
foam structure analysis 601
gray value analysis 479 C
import template 438 CAD file formats 942, 947
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 i

INDEX
CAD model components

color 392 nominal/actual comparison 672
create fit points automatically 264 wall thickness analysis 691, 704
create from geometry element 325 concentricity 254
export as .stp 72, 889 cone 252
properties 171 cone beam CT 832, 836
rendering 394 detector offset 876
calculation parameters configure
nominal/actual comparison 662 custom-path view 23
calibration non-planar view 24
projection files 836 rotation view 22
caliper 228 conicity 254
camera constraint
focus 405 best fit against several geometry elements registra-
position 405 tion 147
up vector 405 best fit registration 136
camera view 12, 405 fit geometry element 269
CATIA V5 file format 943 RPS registration 144
center object context menu
in 2D window 28 2D window 28
in 3D window 12, 405 3D window 13
center of rotation 402 chart 173, 286, 287, 475, 477, 555, 556, 559, 595,
center point size 105 596, 623, 626, 670, 671, 702, 704, 733, 776, 801,
center ROI in 2D window 28 804, 808
chart scene tree 434
context menu 173, 286, 287, 475, 477, 555, 556, contrast 19, 381
559, 595, 596, 623, 626, 670, 671, 702, 704, 733, convert
776, 801, 804, 808 CAD to mesh 155, 163
Chebyshev 262, 331, 334 CAD to volume 151
Chebyshev inner 262, 331 mesh to volume 151
Chebyshev outer 262, 331 objects to golden surface 164, 447
circle 251 volume to mesh 155, 156
clipboard 16, 32, 35 coordinate measurement
clipping 112 angle measurement 252
clipping color 393 diameter 253
clipping surface 393 distance measurement 252
coaxiality 254 opening angle 253
codec 946, 949 position 253
color radius 253
annotation 472, 668, 699 coordinate system
clipped surface 393 create 347
fiber composite material analysis 616 datum coordinate system 350
fit point 287 edit 347
geometry element 106 grid box 12
instrument 107 properties 347
nominal/actual comparison 664 specify for 2D window 30, 378
point cloud 394 view 347
porosity/inclusion analysis 544 coordinate system box 14
render object 384, 392 preferences 107
transport phenomena analysis 808 coordinate system tripod 7
triangle vertices 393 2D window 31
wall thickness analysis 696 3D window 12, 14
wireframe 394 preferences 107
combine geometry elements 330 copy to clipboard
combined analysis 498, 514, 523, 538, 614 active window 16, 32, 35
common datum 351 chart/histogram 173, 286, 287, 389, 475, 477, 555,
compactness 556, 559, 592, 594, 595, 596, 623, 626, 670, 671,
of a cell 582 702, 704, 733, 776, 801, 804, 808
of a defect 548 fit point table rows 276, 285
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 ii

INDEX
table rows 183, 303, 484, 569, 589, 633, 653, 678, cylinder 252
711, 742, 792 cylindricity 254
core dump 101
corner circle 251
D
fit method 263
dark theme 90
CPU usage 36
data types 940
crack segmentation 208
datum coordinate system
create
settings 350
bookmark 457
datum object 318
CAD model from geometry element 325
decimal places 98
coordinate system 347
defect analysis->see porosity/inclusion analysis 492
dimensioning feature 288
density 387
fiber composite material analysis 607
deviation plot
fit points 260, 267
tolerance feature 320
diameter 253
geometry element 260
DICOM file format 945
geometry element from source element 325
DICOM image stack 940
gray value analysis 465
DICOM volume 947
mesh from geometry element 324
dimensioning feature
nominal/actual comparison 659
angle 252
P 202/P 201 analysis 642
create 288
porosity/inclusion analysis 493
diameter 253
structural mechanics simulation 719
distance 252
symmetry object 332
edit 288, 297
tolerance feature 313
opening angle 253
transport phenomena analysis 762
position 253
wall thickness analysis 686
properties 292
Creo file format 943
radius 253
CSV file format 944
status messages 355
CT artifacts 502, 519, 528, 541
tolerance 291
beam hardening 867
directory settings 95, 99
ignore border pixels 842
distance measurement
reduce metal artifacts 869
coordinate measurement 252
reduce ring artifacts 866
dongle license 383
remove speckles 866
download account 2
CT reconstruction
dump files 101
ART (Algebraic Reconstruction Technique) 837
artifacts 842, 866, 867, 869
beam hardening 867, 877, 879, 881 E
cone beam CT 832, 836 edit
detector offset 833, 851, 876 bookmark 457
fan beam CT 832, 836 coordinate system 347
file extension 950 dimensioning feature 288, 297
filtered back projection 837 fit point 275
helix CT 832, 836 GD&T feature 297
intensity bias 868 geometry element 300, 335
log files 95 text overlay 462
logarithmization 837 tolerance feature 297, 321
normalization 876 workspace layout 459
OpenGL 839 evaluation
parallel beam CT 832, 836 export template 905
planar CT 832, 836 file extension 950
preferences 95 import template 359, 905
skip pixels 870 status 902
skip projections 853, 878, 879, 882 user-defined 902, 903
skip voxels 870 evaluation critera 902
status messages 833 Excel Add-In 97
cupping->see intensity offset correction 868 expand fit points 263
custom-path view 23 export
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 iii

INDEX
annotations 439 file extensions 949

as CSV 183, 276, 285, 286, 287, 303, 475, 477, fill mode (2D windows) 27
484, 555, 556, 559, 568, 589, 592, 594, 595, 596, filter options for fit points 266, 898
623, 626, 633, 653, 670, 677, 702, 704, 710, 733, filtered back projection 837
742, 776, 792, 801, 804, 808 fit geometry element 260
bookmark template 458 constraint 269
CAD model as .stp 72, 889 in current slice 275
evaluation template 905 fit method
features as measurement template 342 Chebyshev 262
geometry element as .stl 325 Chebyshev inner 262
geometry element as .stp 325 Chebyshev outer 262
geometry elements as measurement template 342 corner circle 263
indicator template 222, 230 Gauss 261
instrument template 219, 230 least squares 261
measurement template 342 maximum inscribed 263
mesh 72 minimum circumscribed 263
ROI template 218 minimum zone 262
minimum zone inner 262
minimum zone outer 262
F
fit point 257
fan beam CT 832, 836
add 275
detector offset 876
color 287
pixel size 840
create 260
slice position 840
create automatically 267
FDK (Feldkamp Davis Kress)->see filtered back projection
create on CAD model 264
832, 837
cumulated histogram 286
feature 252
define 275
preferences 105
deviation from geometry element 283
rename 340
deviation threshold 268
feature descriptions 105
edit 275
feature handle
expand 263
size 104
filter options 266, 898
snap to grid 104
hide 321, 441
feature-based registration 131
histogram 285
Feldkamp high-pass filter->see filtered back projection
import 275
837
iterations 266, 898
fiber composite material
override creation settings 272
create 607
refit 271
open 607
sampling options 265, 898
fiber composite material analysis
save 321, 441
annotations 628
search distance for fitting 267, 898
color settings 616
search distance for refitting 271
cumulated histogram 624
show 321, 441
define fiber material 612
size 105
histogram 621
snap to vertex 267
integration mesh 613
spacing 265, 898
integration mesh mode 611
fit to window
layered integration mesh 613
2D window 28, 378
layered integration mesh mode 611
3D window 12
plane projection mode 610
flatness 254
reference orientation mode 610
space orientation mode 611
active column 581
status messages 608
annotations 601
tolerance settings 614
compactness 582
file
create 577
new 40
histogram 590
open 40
open 577
save 40
principal component analysis 583
save as 41, 42
sphericity 582
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 iv

INDEX
status messages 578 transport phenomena analysis 770

focus object 405 GPU usuage
framebuffer object extension 100 transport phenomena analysis 787
freeform line 252 gray value analysis
freeform surface 252 analysis mode 467
full screen 12, 28 annotations 479
create 465
gray value range 467
G
histogram 473
Gauss 261, 331, 334
hot spots of density 478
GD&T feature 252
local density 467
edit 297
local density hot spots 467
export as measurement template 342
open 465
import as measurement template 337
status messages 465
properties 292
tolerance settings 468
rename 340
grid spacing (geometry element) 105
group
center point size 105
child objects in Scene Tree 449
circle 251
rename 341
cone 252
render objects 151, 448
corner circle 251
create 260
create from source elements 325 H
create symmetry object 332 hairlines
create through combination 330 nominal/actual comparison 667
create through intersection 326 hardware configuration 383
cylinder 252 hardware renderer 100
define 278 hardware requirements 2
edit 300, 335 HDF image stack 941
export as .stl file 325 HDF volume 942, 946, 947
export as .stp file 325 height marks mode 24
export as measurement template 342 helix CT 832, 836
fit point size 105 hidden surfaces 394
freeform line 252 hide
freeform surface 252 scale bar 11, 26
grid spacing 105 hide fit point 321, 441
import as measurement template 337 histogram
label 105 beam hardening 879
line 251 fiber composite material analysis 621
plane 252 fiber composite material analysis, cumulated 624
point 251, 275 file import 122
preferences 106 fit point deviation 285
projection 331 fit point deviation, cumulated 286
properties 280, 298 foam structure analysis 590
remove unused objects 311, 441 gray value analysis 473
rename 339 nominal/actual comparison 668
replace 321, 441 nominal/actual comparison, cumulated 670
representation 105 pore size distribution 802
resize 311 porosity/inclusion analysis 551, 557
rotate 333 strut thickness 592
sphere 252 wall thickness analysis 700
status messages 353 Hitachi volume 942
torus 252 hot spots
transform 333 structural mechancis simulation 729, 737
translate 333 hot spots of density
geometry elements gray value analysis 478
combine 330
intersect 326
I
GPU usage
icon
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 v

INDEX
preferences 90 caliper 228

icon bar 35 color 107
icon dock 35 create 220
icons in scene tree 428 create dimension-style feature 221
IGES file format 943 display 221
IGS file format 943 distance 228
image 185, 305, 488, 570, 601, 637, 655, 679, 712, 744, export template 230
811 handle size 106
file formats 949 handling 220
save 78 import template 229
image stack indicator 222
file formats 940, 945, 949 indicator display 106
import 42 label 221
save 80 list 178
import min/max distance 227
annotations 438 modify 220
apply ROI 49 tolerance 223, 224, 225, 226, 228, 229
bookmark template 458 instrument template
CAD file 55 export 230
change axes 50 file extension 950
data set size 45 import 229
data type 45 instruments
evaluation template 359, 905 color settings 107
features as measurement template 337 integration mesh 362, 363
fit points 275 fiber composite material analysis 613
geometry elements as measurement template 337 from geometry element 363
gray value 121 regular 362
gray value histogram 122 transport phenomena simulation tensor 787
gray value mapping 47 intensity curve
image stack 42 preset 868
indicator template 230 interpolation 31
instrument template 219, 229 intersect geometry elements 326
measurement template 337 isosurface renderer 386
memory requirements 43 iterations for fit point generation 266, 898
mesh 60
object 42
J
point cloud 60
JEOL volume 942
preferences 94
JPEG file format 945, 949
preview 54
JPEG images 947
raw file 42
JPEG2000 file format 945, 949
reduce memory requirements 49
JPEG2000 images 947
reference points 439
JPG file format 949
resolution 46
JPG image stack 941
ROI template 218
JPG images 947
single file 42
JPG2000 image stack 941
skip voxels 50
slice distance 46
import preferences 94 L
IMTEC image stack 941 label
indicator 222 geometry element 105
display in all slices 106 instrument 221
export template 230 language
import template 230 documents 4
indicator template language settings 94
export 230 layered integration mesh 613
file extension 950 layout editor 459
import 230 least squares 261, 331, 334
installation instructions 2 level/window settings 381
instrument 219 license 383
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 vi

INDEX
file extension 950 minimum zone 262

path 97, 101 minimum zone inner 262
license information 383 minimum zone outer 262
light intensity 392 mirror measurement template objects 337
light source MMR 316
directional 397 MMR reciprocal 316
point 397 move an object 401
spot 398 in 2D window 19
line 251 in 3D window 8
line color movie
attenuation for unselected objects 108 file formats 949
line profile 255 save 80
line width 394 movie file formats 946
render object 392 multi-apply measurement template 338
LMR 316 multi-apply ROI 88
LMR reciprocal 316 multithread 101
local density myVGL
gray value analysis 467 preferences 96
local density hot spots
N
lock object 151, 447
navigation cursor 230
log files
center 107
CT reconstruction 95
size 106
navigation plane 21
M preferences 93
macro 76, 410 never show this dialog again 90
file extension 950 nominal/actual comparison
status bar 36 annotations 673
MAGMA file format 944, 948 calculation parameters 662
material fill color 27 color settings 664
material requirement 316 components 672
maximum inscribed 263, 331 create 659
Maximum Projection renderer 387 cumulated histogram 670
measurement instrument 219 hairlines settings 667
measurement instruments histogram 668
export template 219 open 659
import template 219 status messages 660
measurement template tolerance settings 664
apply several times 338 non-planar view 24
export 342 NSI volume 942
file extension 950
import 337
O
memory requirements 3
object
memory usage 36
center in 2D window 28
merge
center in 3D window 12, 405
mesh objects 247, 446
center of rotation 402
objects 74
color 384, 392
ROIs 217
copy 86, 445
mesh
cut 86, 445
color 392
delete 89, 447
create from geometry element 324
focus in 3D window 405
export 72
import 42
file formats 943, 947
lock 151, 447
merge 247, 446
merge 74
properties 171
move 401
simplify 161
move in 2D window 19
min/max distance measurement 227
move in 3D window 8
minimum circumscribed 263, 331
paste 86, 445
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 vii

INDEX
properties 167 porosity/inclusion analysis

rename 448 active column 505, 521, 530, 544
reset transformation 15, 32 annotations 561
rotate 401 color settings 544
rotate in 2D window 19 compactness of a defect 502, 518, 527, 540, 548
rotate in 3D window 8 create 493
save as new project 74 histogram 551, 557
select 7 maximum defect size 502, 518, 527, 538
transform 401 minimum defect size 501, 518, 527, 537
transform in 2D window 19 open 493
transform in 3D window 8 P 202/P 201 642
unlock 151, 447 principal component analysis 549
object file 38 probability threshold 501, 517, 526, 540
once message box 90 sphericity of a defect 502, 518, 527, 540, 548
OOGL file format 948 status messages 493
opacity 384, 387 tolerance settings 500, 516, 525, 539
opacity curve 385 Portable PixMap file format 949
open Portable PixMap image stack 941
fiber composite material analysis 607 position measurement 253
foam structure analysis 577 position tolerance 255
gray value analysis 465 preferences 104
nominal/actual comparison 659 preferences 89
P 202/P 201 analysis 642 2D window settings 108
porosity/inclusion analysis 493 animation settings 102
project 40 annotations 102
structural mechanics simulation 719 arrow size 104
transport phenomena analysis 762 auto save 90
wall thickness analysis 686 background color 91, 93
OpenCL 95, 839 bounding box 91
OpenGL 95, 100, 839 bright theme 90
opening angle 253, 290 center point size 105
optional modules 1 coordinate system box 107
override fit point creation settings 272 coordinate system tripod 107
dark theme 90
P
decimal places 98
P 202/P 201 analysis
expert settings 99
create 642
feature (selected) 105
open 642
feature (unselected) 105
status messages 643
feature descriptions 105
parallel beam CT 832, 836
feature handle size 104
detector offset 876
feature handle snap 104
parallel mode 405
fit point size 105
parallelism 255
path settings 100
hardware renderer 100
perpendicularity 255
icons 90
perspective mode 405
import 94
Phoenix|x-ray volume 942
instrument handle size 106
Phong renderer 386
language 94
Picture in Picture 79, 81, 83
license file 97, 101
planar CT 832, 836
multithread 101
plane 252
myVGL 96
point 251, 275
navigation cursor 106
point cloud
navigation plane 93
color 394
number of recently used files 90
file formats 944
OpenGL 100
point size 394
position tolerance 104
pore size distribution
presets 89
histogram 802
print image 90
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 viii

INDEX
rendering 94 projection mode 405

ROI lines 108 projection of geometry element 331
ROI settings 90 projections
rotation center 91 skip 853, 870, 878, 879, 882
save image 90 properties
save movie/image stack 90 CAD/mesh object 171
scale bar 107 coordinate system 347
search path 100 dimensioning feature 292
show once message box 90 GD&T feature 292
snap frame 98 geometry element 280, 298
snap mode 98 object 167
temporary files 95, 99 ROI 168
text overlay 108 tolerance feature 292
thread count 101 volume object 168
trajectory 102
undo 90
R
units 97, 98
radius 253
user interface 90
raw data image stack 941
window 91
raw file format 945
preset
raw file import 42
file extension 950
raw image stack 947
intensity curve 868
raw volume 942, 946, 947
preferences 89
recently used files 90
text overlay 462
Reconstruction volume
tolerances 336
ROI 877
workspace layout 459
reconstruction volume
preview
ROI 870
project 907
record a macro 410
report 167, 188, 308, 491, 575, 605, 640, 658, 684,
redo 86
717, 747, 815
reference manual 383
preview factor 8
Reference Point System registration 142
print
reference points
image 83
import 439
preferences 90
reflex angle 290
report 167, 188, 308, 491, 575, 605, 640, 658, 684,
region growing 200, 202
717, 747, 815
region of interest->see ROI 189
workspace as image 83
register an object 127
product information 383
registration
product registration 383
3-2-1 128
ProEngineer file format 943
best fit 134
profile window
best fit against several geometry elements 145
create interval 34
feature-based 131
gray value profile 33
Reference Point System 142
opacity profile 33
RPS 142
reset zoom 34
simple 150
zoom in/out 33
simple 3-2-1 149
project
registration form 383
file extension 950
REK volume 942
load 40
rename
new 40
GD&T features 340
open 40
geometry elements 339
save 40
group 341
save as 41, 42
object(s) 448
project file 38
render object
file extension 950
color 384, 392
project folder 38
group 151, 448
projection files
line width 392
calibration 836, 846
ungroup 151, 448
data type 842
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 ix

INDEX
renderer from wall thickness mask 212

isosurface renderer 386 gray value threshold 203
Maximum Projection renderer 387 import template 218
Phong renderer 386 intersect 216
Scatter HQ renderer 386, 387 invert 217
Sum along Ray renderer 387 lines 108
X-Ray renderer 387 mask precision 90, 217
rendering 384 merge 217
accelerate 8 open/close 209
CAD model 394 paste pattern 87, 445
opacity 384 polygon lasso 199
preferences 94 polyline in 2D 197
ROI 392 polyline in 3D 207
solid 392 preferences 90
stop 12, 16 properties 168
transparency 384 reconstruction volume 870, 877
voxel data 384 rectangle 193
wireframe 394 refine borders 210
replace geometry element 321, 441 region growing 200, 202
report 185, 305, 488, 573, 603, 638, 655, 682, 715, 745, render settings 216, 392, 440, 441
812 rotate 87
reporting 97 round rectangle 194
reset show lines 27
object transformation 15, 32 smooth border 211
zoom (2D window) 28 split 216
zoom (3D window) 12 subtract 216
zoom (profile window) 34 surface rendering 393
resize transform 20, 87
geometry element 311 translate 87
window 6 rotate
resolution 403 geometry element 333
resolution of volume object 308, 403 measurement template objects 337, 339
ROI 189 ROI 87, 88
adaptive line 206 rotate an object 401
adaptive polygon 205 in 2D window 19
adaptive rectangle 204 in 3D window 8
add 216 rotation center 7
apply a scale factor 403 preferences 91
beam hardening correction 877 rotation view 22
bit depth 217 roundness 256
center in 2D window 28 RPS registration 142
change bit depth 217 run-out 256
copy several times 88
crack segmentation 208
S
create new volume object 218
save
draw 192
file 40
ellipse 196
file as 41, 42
erode/dilate 209
fit point 321, 441
expand/contract 209
image 78
export template 218
preferences 90
extract 218
image stack 80
file extension 950
preferences 90
flooding 200, 202
movie 80
from CAD selection 214
preferences 90
from CAD/mesh object 212
object 74
from clipping object 212
project 40
from defect mask 212
project as 41, 42
from geometry element 214, 322
workspace as image 78
from surface 211
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 x

INDEX
scale bar 11, 14, 26, 31 porosity/inclusion analysis 493

preferences 107 structural mechanics simulation 720
show/hide 11, 26 tolerance feature 355
scan information 51, 177, 875 transport phenomena analysis 763
scanned part information 51, 178, 875 wall thickness analysis 687
scanner manufacturer information 50, 177, 874 STEP file format 943, 947
Scatter HQ renderer 386, 387 step width for scrolling 30, 380
scene tree stereolithography file format 943, 948
context menu 434 STP file format 943, 947
filter function 433 straightness 256
icons 428 structual mechanics simulation
search function 433 annotations 738
scope of delivery 1 structural mechanics simulation
screenshot 185, 305, 488, 570, 601, 637, 655, 679, 712, convergence 726
744, 811 create 719
scroll step width 30, 380 force lines 743
scroll through slices 18, 30, 380 hot spots 729, 737
search distance for fit points 267, 898 open 719
search distance for refitting fit points 271 status messages 720
search path settings 100 strut thickness
select histogram 592
object 7 Sum along Ray renderer 387
window 6 surface determination 119, 910
Shimadzu image stack 941 advanced 123
Shimadzu volume 942 remove 126
show standard 120
scale bar 11, 26 surface lines 26
show fit point 321, 441 surface profile 256
simple 3-2-1 registration 149 swap surfaces 394
simple registration 150 symmetry 257
single file import 42 symmetry object 332
slice position 18 system information 383
lock 19 system requirements 2
slice positions->see fan beam CT 840 system resources 3
slice step width 30, 380
snap frame
T
preferences 98
TEMographie volume 942
snap mode 231
temporary files 95, 99
preferences 98
text overlay
snap to surface 231, 232
define preset 462
snap to vertex 267
edit 462
software training 5
preferences 108
sphere 252
select preset 14, 31
sphericity 256
thread count 101
of a cell 582
TIF file format 949
of a defect 548
tif file format 945
Stanford PLY file format 948
TIF image stack 941
statistic
tif images 947
wall thickness analysis 702
tolerance
status bar 36
define 315
status messages
define preset 336
dimensioning feature 355
for dimensioning feature 291
for instrument 223, 224, 225, 226, 228, 229
gray vlaue analysis 468
porosity/inclusion analysis 500, 516, 525, 539
wall thickness analysis 692, 695
P 202/P 201 analysis 643
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xi

INDEX
tolerance feature 254 active column 787

create 313 integration mesh 787
datum object 318 troubleshooting 2
deviation plot 320 tutorial 4, 383
edit 297, 321
properties 292
U
status messages 355
undo 86
tolerance table 336
preferences 90
tool
undo queue 86
activate/deactivate 374
ungroup
automatically minimize/maximize 375
child objects in Scene Tree 449
docked 36
render objects 151, 448
maximize 375
unit
minimize 375
preferences 97
minimize/maximize 36
units 35
reset to status last saved 375
preferences 98
tool dock 36
unlock object 151, 447
tool window 36
unroll mode 24
torus 252
user interface settings 90
Toshiba image stack 941
user-defined evaluation 902, 903
Toshiba volume 942
total run-out 257
trajectory V
preferences 102 Varian image stack 941
transform Varian volume 942
geometry element 333 vgl file 38
measurement template objects 337 VGMETROLOGY project
ROI 20, 87 file extension 950
transform an object 401 view 12, 376, 405
in 2D window 19 coordinate system 347
in 3D window 8 visibility of objects 428, 914
translate volume file formats 941, 946
geometry element 333 volume object
measurement template objects 337, 339 change resolution 403
ROI 87, 88 properties 168
transparency 384, 387 VRML file format 948
transport phenomena analysis
capillary pressure 761, 796
capillary pressure curve
W
sampling points 800 wall thickness analysis
saturation profiles 807 analysis mode 689, 694
color settings 808 annotations 706
convergence 770, 780, 786 color settings 696
create 762 components 691, 704
electric conduction 761 create 686
experiment mode 761, 765, 780 create closed surface 691
GPU usage 770, 787 histogram 700
molecular diffusion 761 material definition 689
open 762 material settings 689
pore size distribution 761 open 686
representative elementary volume (REV) 782 search angle 690
status messages 763 statistic 702
tensor calculation mode 761, 783 status messages 687
thermal conduction 761 tolerance settings 692, 695
viscous flow/permeability 761 wall thickness range 690, 694
transport phenomena simulation experiment Wavefront Object file format 948
plots 774 window
streamlines 776, 777 arrange 6, 376
transport phenomena simulation tensor full screen 12, 28
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xii

INDEX
layout 459
modify layout 376
preferences 91
resize 6
select 6
zoom in/out 9, 10, 11, 915, 918
zoom in/out (2D) 27, 378
zoom in/out (3D) 11
Windows Media Video codec 949
wireframe
line width 394
rendering 394
wmv file format 946
workspace 6
layout 376, 459
print as image 83
save as image 78
X
X-Ray renderer 387
Y
YXLON image stack 941
YXLON volume 942
Z
zip file format 945
zip image stack 947
zip volume 946, 947
zoom in/out (2D window) 27, 378
zoom in/out (3D window) 9, 10, 11, 915, 918
zoom in/out (profile window) 33
Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xiii

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Printed in Germany, August 2018.

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 i

Color mode/Color and opacity mode 20

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 ii

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 iii

Print Image(s)... Menu Item 83

5 OBJECT MENU 109

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 iv

Clipping box Menu Item 114

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 v

6 SELECT MENU 189

7 INSTRUMENTS MENU 219

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 vi

Angle (3 points) Instrument 224

8 FILTER MENU 234

9 CAD/MESH MENU 245

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 vii

Flip surface orientation Menu Item 247

10 MEASUREMENTS MENU/CM MODULE 248

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 viii

Save fit point information Menu Item 321

11 ANALYSIS MENU 357

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 ix

12 ANIMATION MENU 365

13 TOOLS MENU 374

14 WINDOW MENU 376

15 HELP MENU 383

16 RENDERING TOOL 384

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 x

17 LIGHT TOOL 395

18 TRANSFORM TOOL 401

19 CAMERA TOOL 404

20 CLIPPING TOOL 408

21 AUTOMATION TOOL 410

22 SCENE TREE TOOL 427

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xi

Import > Menu Item 438

23 ANIMATION TOOL 450

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xii

24 BOOKMARKS TOOL 456

25 BOOKMARK EDITOR 457

26 LAYOUT EDITOR 459

27 TEXT OVERLAY EDITOR 462

28 GRAY VALUE ANALYSIS 465

29 POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE 492

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xiii

Analysis parameters Section (VGEasyPore Algorithm) 497

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xiv

Options Section 546

30 FOAM STRUCTURE ANALYSIS MODULE 577

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xv

Context Menu of the Feature plot Tab 596

31 FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL ANALYSIS (FCMA) MODULE 607

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xvi

Mesh cells Tab 627

32 ENHANCED POROSITY/INCLUSION ANALYSIS MODULE 642

33 NOMINAL/ACTUAL COMPARISON MODULE 659

Reference Manual VGSTUDIO MAX 3.2 xvii