Flat faces missed off in NURBS mode

[NormanHadley]

Hi Keyshooters

I'm a recent returnee to the forum after a change of job a few months ago. I've persuaded the place I'm now working to invest in Keyshot and it's generally going well but I've had a recurrence of an issue I've mentioned before.

The attached geometry is very simple - just a welded steel frame.  When I view it in non-NURBS mode, it is solid, as you would expect.

But when I switch NURBS on (to make the holes round) the top surface vanishes.

Any ideas?

• KS 6.172 (floating licence)
• Windows 7 Pro 64
• Geometry created in ProE Wildfire 4 build M180
• Plug-in 4.0.1.0

[LayC42]

that is very funny! Just a thought and two questions:
- why is it necessary to render in NURBS mode for a few holes?
- do you use the current plugin from the download section?
- does the same effect appears after directly import the Pro/E assembly/parts?

[NormanHadley]

Hi LayC42
Thanks for the reply.

I'm only using NURBS so the holes come out round. Otherwise they resolve as very coarse polygons. See the close-up below.

Yes, the plugin was downloaded just last week.

The geometry does read OK if I just open the prt directly (leaving all the default tessellation settings) but I'd prefer to use the plugin for all the live-linking functionality.

Norman Hadley

[LayC42]

I've never used the plugin with Wildfire 4.0. But I'm shure that if there's no geometry check error inside Pro/E the meshes have to be solid in KeyShot. Just a thought to look at and give it a try: if your parts are in relative accuracy - change it to absolute.
You can import ProE files directly and re-import the next version using "update geometry" from the import dialog.

[NormanHadley]

Hi LayC42

I tried both those ideas but without success - the problem persists with absolute accuracy. And if I open the prt file, then "Update" from the plugin, I just get the geometry twice in slightly different positions.

[TpwUK]

Hi Norman, has the geometry stayed as a solid or has it separated into surfaces. I notice on the other side furthest from the camera that a larger percentage has remained pretty much intact. It may be worth your while to separate those troublesome areas into surfaces and then boolean them back together to be solids again

Martin

[LayC42]

Then I would create a test scene with the following steps:
- Restart ProE and reload the assembly
- change every single part to absolute accuracy
- let ModelCHECK run in interactive mode for deeply regeneration
- save the assembly and the parts (if ModelCHECK won't do)
- Restart KeyShot and start a new scene
- import the fresh new assembly with a tessellation value about 0.1 and checked as well "Accurate tessellation" and "... NURBS ..."

Does this fix the problem?

[NormanHadley]

Thanks, Martin and LayC42. Unfortunately, I can't resolve the problem with your suggestions.

I even tried uncoupling from Windchill and making a simplified version that is just two steel bars with holes in. The same thing happens. I attach the Pro/E model tree as well so you can see how absurdly simple this model is.

It's all very odd.

[NormanHadley]

Just to tie the threads together, this is the post I first raised the issue on last year.

https://www.keyshot.com/forum/index.php?topic=5415.msg49380#msg49379

[Chad Holton]

Hi Norman,

I dusted off WF5 (don't have WF4) and tested it out and surface seems to come in with NURBS on, so it must be something with WF4. Try turning off NURBS and cranking up the plugin's tessellation value to around .95. There will only be a little over 4k triangles and the holes will be much smoother. If you're doing a close-up shot of the holes, you may need to crank it up closer to max (1). Hope this helps.

Chad

[NormanHadley]

Hi Chad.

Thanks for that - it works fine, now. For some reason, I've never got NURBS to fly. But your idea of doing it the old way, with a tessellation value, does the trick.

Yes, going back to WF4 took a bit of getting used to after a few years of Creo 2.

Norman
http://nchdesign.co.uk

[LayC42]

If there's an issue with thread surfs then it may be helpful to blank all hole features inside creo or ProE before you push the geometry to KeyShot.

Wildfire as well creo can create PVZ files and import these in KS6. So you can use your viewables from Windchill. Creo View MCAD files supports NURBS, too.

And the plugin can export tessellated bip files with all information.

Who's your reseller? Can he help you?

[NormanHadley]

Thanks, LayC42. My reseller's Inneo. I know exactly what you mean about threads - layering them out of cross-sections is a must, or you end up with a blizzard of disembodied holes in front of your part.

[LayC42]

So if you have problems with creo and KeySot then use the hotline support. INNEO will help, I'm shure