Hello everyone. I’m having difficulty importing a 3D geometry I created on Sketchup Pro trial version into the ANSYS (18.2) SpaceClaim environment. First, I tried exporting the geometry from Sketchup Pro in various formats (i.e. dwg., dxf., obj., e.t.c.) and then imported these formats into SpaceClaim separately. Among these formats, only the obj., format produced a 3D object while the other formats at best produced a wireframe geometry and not a 3D object. Now, when the obj. format was imported into SpaceClaim, it came in with strange lines resembling ‘meshes’ all over the surface of the geometry. Furthermore, this strange looking geometry was difficult to mesh when I proceeded to open it in ANSYS’ meshing environment: the geometry itself barely had any form or visibility in the meshing environment. Please, can anyone advise me on what to do? Thanks
According to the ANSYS SpaceClaim [2015] pages:
http://help.spaceclaim.com/2015.0.0/en/Content/Importing_and_exporting.htm
It Imports SketchUp files [SKP] directly [you might need to save them as an earlier version??]…
It also imports STL files - there is an extension on the EWH to do this, which you can install into all versions of SketchUp…
It also imports AutoCAD files [DWG and DXF] and Wavefront files [OBJ] - these exporters are only shipped with Pro,
Hello TIG,
Thanks for the advice on trying a direct import of an skp. file. This helped me feel confident about questioning the error message being returned by SpaceClaim: it read something like ‘Input file version not supported’. So, I inferred that my version of SpaceClaim could not support 2017 skp. files. So I resaved my work in a lower Sketchup version (i.e. 2015 skp.) and SpaceClaim opened it without any hassle. Thanks again.
Hello TIG,
I’ve got another problem. My created geometry in Sketchup is a solid with a volume. However, after I successfully exported it to ANSYS CFX, I had difficulty meshing the hollow space within the geometry because the ANSYS mesh meshes only the bounding surfaces of the geometry. Meanwhile, the void in the geometry is supposed to be a fluid domain which is relevant to my analysis. Please, how may I solve this problem?
Thanks.
Nonso.
Let’s look at a simple example…
You make a 1m³ cube by PushPulling a 1m square face up 1m.
You group it.
It is a Solid in Entity Info reporting 1m³.
It is exactly that a solid block of ‘stuff’.
There is no ‘void’ in the simple cube.
If you want it to be a hollow ‘box’ then it needs to have [thin] walls enclosing an empty volume.
If you want that ‘void’ volume to have something in it, you must make a separate solid group that fills it.
@Nonso. Ouside hull geometry and inside void geometry are in the same context to get that (thin) wall. Make sure that the face orientation of the void is correct: back face towards the back face of the outer hull face. Otherwise, when grouping all geometry, you’ll still get a SketchUp solid but with an incorrect volume. The “void” volume isn’t subtracted from, but added to the entire hull volume, not resulting in the volume of all the walls together.
@TIG @Wo3Dan: Thanks. I was able to reconstruct my hollow geometry from scratch, taking care not to delete outer walls for any reason so it wouldn’t turn out hollow, and my new geometry turned out solid. Thanks very much.
One more question please: how can I create a thickness (or ‘layer’ if you
will) over the entire surface of a complex geometry (particularly over a
geometry with curved outer surfaces)? Is there a simple operation to do
this, or do I need a special Sketchup plug-in for this?
Thanks.
Nonso
Yes, you’ll need a plugin to push/pull multiple faces at once.
See: Joint Push Pull Interactive | SketchUcation
You can sign in at sketchUcation (free) and get the plugin there.
Ok. Thanks. I’ll check it out and get back to you.
Would the plugin work on Sketchup Make?
Yes, plugins work with Make.
And when generated, would this new thickness be separated from the main
body by a surface boundary, or will it be indistinguishable in all regards
from the main body?
I’ve never used this specific plugin. The once I used are very basic. I tend to solve creating geometry by means of SketchUp native tools. I have nothing against plugins. Often they are indispensable to get something done (your case of Push/Pulling more than one face in one operation) or to avoid tedious work. But I mainly “use” SketchUp to answer questions here.
Others may chime in. If I’m not mistaken the new geometry is in the same context as the original edges and faces, no new groups.
This topic was automatically closed 183 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.