Solids to Lines?

Burner2k
Burner2k Altair Community Member
edited September 2021 in Community Q&A

I thought Altair had introduced a feature to generate lines (for 1D meshing) from solid tubes, rods, beams CAD geometry. I can't find that command in 2021.1. Is it removed?

Secondly, I hope this is a bug and not a feature. In previous releases (2020x), HW used to remember values entered previously (for example in toggle edge tolerance value in quick geometry edit panel) and would retain the same value when the panel is opened again. But in 2021.1, I noticed that values revert to default. Not a huge deal breaker...same thing happened in settings as well. I had clicked on "Smooth" display option but it would revert to flat and I had to redo setting to Smooth a few times and up on reopen, it had retained that particular setting. 

There were a few outstanding bugs in v2020x (CBUSH orientation was not being shown correctly using Orientation Review tool)...not sure if they are resolved in 2021x...hopefully they will be soon. One feature I would like to request is ability to change line thickness. If I have a bunch of lines drawn, it would be easier on the eyes if we could change thickness of the same (color can be controlled via putting them in a different collector)...

I will add on to this thread as I find more...

Answers

  • Jason_Craanen
    Jason_Craanen
    Altair Employee
    edited July 2021

    This tool?
    image

  • Jason_Craanen
    Jason_Craanen
    Altair Employee
    edited July 2021

    This tool?
    image

    For additional functionality, combine it with the section property tool to create an assign a property to a element (after creating the 1d mesh on the line) from the solid.

    image

  • Burner2k
    Burner2k Altair Community Member
    edited July 2021

    Hi Jason,

    Sorry for the late reply but I appreciate your response. That is exactly what I was looking for...though thought it had a different icon. Anyways, I haven't had a chance to try the tool out yet since this week my OS crashed and I am going through the pains of reinstalling different applications including HW as well as restoring data from back-up.

     

    Just curious, if the tool only works for rods & tubes or does it work for any beam section (like I-beam, C channel solid CAD geometry)?

  • Burner2k
    Burner2k Altair Community Member
    edited July 2021

    I would like to make a few more requests on this thread. Firstly, are there any plans to introduce a dark mode in HW? With dark mode enabled on OS, HW stands out glaringly and the contrast is blinding...grey theme some what helps but a full dark mode would be helpful. 

  • Jason_Craanen
    Jason_Craanen
    Altair Employee
    edited July 2021
    Burner2k said:

    I would like to make a few more requests on this thread. Firstly, are there any plans to introduce a dark mode in HW? With dark mode enabled on OS, HW stands out glaringly and the contrast is blinding...grey theme some what helps but a full dark mode would be helpful. 

    Hello,

    Yes there is. In fact we have been playing around with it internally with a beta and it will be fully released when a few additional items have been addressed (making sure all icons, labels, tools are still visible)

    image

  • Burner2k
    Burner2k Altair Community Member
    edited July 2021

    Hello,

    Yes there is. In fact we have been playing around with it internally with a beta and it will be fully released when a few additional items have been addressed (making sure all icons, labels, tools are still visible)

    image

    Jason, thanks for replying along with confirmation about dark mode being in works. Hoping that it would be ready by 2021.2 version...Also I tried out the midline tool on an I-Beam and a U-channel...the tool did not create any lines. Again hoping that the functionality of the tool will be expanded in future to create lines (preferably with corresponding beam section) in future for any beam solid geometry.

    Interesting model title you got in the screenshot...which reminds me of the CBUSH orientation bug through the Orientation Review Tool...please pass it on to the dev team for correction. 

    Last question in this post...I clearly have not gone through the options completely (or could have missed) but just wondering if one could set up keyboard shortcuts for newer tools like Meshing, Midsurfacing etc?

  • Burner2k
    Burner2k Altair Community Member
    edited July 2021

    One feed back and request is to introduce quick graphic updates for pressure/load arrows. Currently in HW, the direction arrows for pressures are created per the orientation of shell elemental normals. If the elemental normals are reversed for them elements, the PLOAD value changes automatically but the arrow graphics don't update. It would be better if the arrows change as well.

    I am currently doing a fuel tank analysis and due to the above, I was not able to catch pressure acting incorrectly on one of the faces until last moment. Anyways, like I've mentioned, its just a request.

    Secondly, in HWX 2021.1, apparently the number of load displays or count is set to 1000. My PLOAD quantity exceeds the above and if I try to double click on PLOAD in model tree, HW says that I can change the above number in browser settings but I am not able to find any setting corresponding to loads display. Would appreciate if I could know where to find the same.

    Lastly, how can I create a new load under load collector in HWX using Right Mouse Button? I can create load collector but to add loads, I have to either do it via panels or ribbon buttons.

  • Burner2k
    Burner2k Altair Community Member
    edited September 2021

    It seems like HW2021.2 is a quite huge release. Sadly it seems like the dark mode did not make in to this release version. Hopefully, it will for 2022 version. 

    I am a little bit confused on how the new load collectors work in HWX. In legacy HM, if I want to create a new load collector, I could just RMB and select new or duplicate but in HW 2021.1, I can only duplicate an existing load collector but cannot create a new one. I wish this feature is reintroduced. I cannot give a logical reason why I prefer new instead of duplicating...anyways also in HW, a new entry called "Loads" appear. What use is this new Loads collector. 

    I might have asked this question earlier (need to do a search) but how do I create load cases? Use LOAD card?