Points to Surfs

[JDcam]

I'm sure this one has been beaten over the head a few times here, I've read a few partial threads on the subject via search.

I'm not new to Rhino, but I'm having considerable problems with a certain type of project I come across on occasion. Namely freeform objects that we scan/digitize, which I then need to produce quality machinable surfaces from.

The basic points-to-mesh process in Rhino typically violates the 'quality' condition of the above statement.

So I tend to waste a lot of time crating curves/ribs out of the points, cleaning the curves, and then attempt to loft them. This process takes way too much time (and time=money at the shop), in some projects taking a week or more to create a surface out of these scans.

Suggestions anyone? I can send an example Rh4 file (at this point of a large array of planar ribs) if it helps.

[chmillman]

Well, if time=money, you may need to invest in some decent reverse engineering software. This is not an easy task, which is why this type of software tends to be expensive.

You can try RhinoReverse for 30 days free...
http://www.rhinoreverse.icapp.ch/english/index.html
(After that it's $1300.)

If you want to "manual" it in Rhino, if you're having trouble getting points to mesh, then you might want to try the free Delaunay plug-in on Rhino labs.

http://en.wiki.mcneel.com/default.as...struction.html

Once you have the mesh, you still need to generate surfaces. This is not too hard if you have just a few smooth surfaces, but if you have a lot of details, it will be extremely painful without RE software. The really good stuff like Rapidform and Geomagics sell for around $15K or more... Even with RE software, it's still not automagic in any sense of the word... --ch

[JDcam]

Thank you for the info CH, the RhinoReverse plugin is quite interesting. I'll demo it tomorrow when I'm back at the office.

I'm not expecting a magic bullet, but being a relatively small shop, we can't exactly afford any of those high end RE systems. Not to mention the fact that I only run into this complicated of a model once or twice a year. But spending a week+ converting large pointclouds to ribs to lofted/swept surfaces, fixing those surfaces and getting their seams to match, then fixing the detail work...well, I'm sure all Rhino users have had control-point mental overload, mixed in with appropriate random cursing of the lofting algorithm.

If I can trim (no pun intended) the RE time from a week to a day or even two, it might justify RhinoReverse's cost at least.

But thank you for the info, and ignore my rambling.

[pointcloud]

Maybe you could wite a script that will do all that? I am sure it is possiable!

You could select all pts, then type in the appro command.

I would love to try a file with my script... How close are your readings?

Well gotta go...
M

BTW.. out tomorrw until late... 5pm eastern

[Rich05]

tried this demo. it says does not accept data points. what does this software do can not figuer it out. sorry im new to Rhino. I made a point cloud from my mill seeing how can use it in Rhino.