Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

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madstamm
Posts: 37
Joined: 07 Apr 2010, 09:56

Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

Post by madstamm »

Dear All,

What would you suggest as an open-source workflow when modeling with Blender?
The goal is to to electromagnetics... which requires conformal meshes.

Ive tried:
Blender>(engrid export script)>EnGrid>Elmer (failed: was never able to get EnGrid to mesh my models)
Blender>(Stl export)>Netgen>Elmer (fails: netgen will not recognize multiple bodies, so conformal meshes are impossible)

Any tips? Ive worked with hand-coded .geo files, which works, as netget can properly recognize the bodies and do conformal meshes, but this is very painful...

Example:
I would like to simulate the magnetic field and inductance resulting from a current in the spiral below.

Attachment 1: Blender 2.6 model.
screw2_elmer.zip
Elmer model: corkscrew in air
(151.56 KiB) Downloaded 444 times
Attachment 2: elmer mesh, after blender>netgen>elmer workflow (only one body!)
screw2_blend26.zip
Blender 2.6 Model: copper corkscrew in air
(84.73 KiB) Downloaded 438 times
limestone
Posts: 7
Joined: 12 Sep 2011, 16:09
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Location: Conifer, Colorado U.S.
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Re: Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

Post by limestone »

If you haven't looked at e2aps (Sourceforge) you might give that a try.

-Gary
madstamm
Posts: 37
Joined: 07 Apr 2010, 09:56

Re: Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

Post by madstamm »

Dear Gary,

Thanks for the reply. Interesting tool! What workflow did you have in mind using this tool?

1) Blender > ply export > e2Aps > gmsh export > gmsh > elmer?
2) Blender > ply export > e2Aps > inp export > elmer?

I tried these two methods, but get after going through either method (1) or (2) above, I get the following:

Blender 2.6 original (cube and corkscrew):
blender_model.jpg
blender_model.jpg (23.15 KiB) Viewed 6751 times
Gmesh import, after ply>e2aps>msh conversion
gmesh_import.jpg
gmesh_import.jpg (19.68 KiB) Viewed 6751 times
Elmer import, after ply>e2aps>inp conversion
elmer_import.jpg
elmer_import.jpg (20.23 KiB) Viewed 6751 times

..seems like e2aps doesnt convert correctly...

using all Windows apps by the way.

Mike
limestone
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Joined: 12 Sep 2011, 16:09
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Location: Conifer, Colorado U.S.
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Re: Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

Post by limestone »

Mike,

To me it looks like a Blender version thing. But that is not to say that e2aps will take you where you want to go.
Perhaps others have better suggestions.

regards
Gary
Attachments
gmsh-cscrew.jpg
gmsh-cscrew.jpg (52.06 KiB) Viewed 6748 times
b-cscrew.jpg
b-cscrew.jpg (62.63 KiB) Viewed 6748 times
madstamm
Posts: 37
Joined: 07 Apr 2010, 09:56

Re: Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

Post by madstamm »

Hi Gary,

I just tried it with Blender 2.49... still get the same result!

In any case, did you get two separete volumes after importing to gmesh, or only one??

Thanks,

Mike
limestone
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Joined: 12 Sep 2011, 16:09
Antispam: Yes
Location: Conifer, Colorado U.S.
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Re: Conformal Mesh from Blender 2.6

Post by limestone »

Mike,

This is what I just did (on XP):
1. Downloaded e2aps 1.4, unzipped in its own folder.
2. Unzipped your screw2_elmer.zip in its own folder.
3. Ran e2aps, selected " Elmer to: .msh (Gmsh v) ".
4. Loaded the file mesh.nodes from the screw2_elmer folder.
5. Converted.
6. Saved.
7. Opened in Gmsh 2.5.

This takes Blender out of the equation for the purposes of testing, as well as variations in .ply format. The result was like the picture above, all structure visible, 2152 nodes, 10558 elements.
If you do an equivalent test, what happens?

regards
Gary
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