Overview
In Speos, click on File > Open, you can see the whole list of external CAD files you can directly import.
By default:
- CATIA, STEP and IGES files are imported in lightweight.
- All other formats are imported in heavyweight.
The lightweight format loads a lighter level of detail of data than the heavyweight format. That means that generally lightweight reduces the import time. The heavyweight format corresponds to the full dataset of an imported element and is needed to edit the element.
Recommended Workflow
Since Speos 2024 R1, heavyweight import uses a new robust import featuring:
- Longer duration of the import but faster meshing
- Accurate display of the geometry in the 3D view
To import CAD files in heavyweight, first deactivate the Use lightweight option in File > Speos Options > Light Simulation.
"Use lightweight" activated:
"Use lightweight" deactivated:
Important Settings
If the suggested import is too long, you can activate Use lightweight, then import a part, but remember that, to edit it, you must switch it from lightweight to heavyweight using Toggle to heavyweight, which will load all the data of the body:
You cannot switch from heavyweight to lightweight.
When you launch a simulation, lightweight geometries are converted to heavyweight geometries and the mesh is applied during the initialization of the simulation, while keeping the visualization of the geometries in the 3D view in lightweight. This then prevents a loss of performance. Due to the conversion from lightweight to heavyweight, the initialization can take more time than usual.
In case of a large project with multiple simulations, to avoid the conversion from lightweight to heavyweight of the geometries during the initialization of each simulation, we recommend you toggle to heavyweight the geometries and refine the meshing manually inside the simulation's options as )or by applying a local meshing. This will save you the conversion time during the initialization.
[[Notes:]] Optical result is the same whatever the import solution Heavyweight or Lightweight or Lightweight then toggle to Heavyweight. What changes is the 3D view: geometry imported in lightweight might show artefacts in the 3D view. These are only visual artifacts, what is considered in the simulation is the meshed geometry.
If you are working with lightweight bodies, you cannot Save as CATPart, CATProduct, IGES and STEP since they are not editable. Only heavyweight bodies can be saved as CATPart, CATProduct, IGES and STEP.
Troubleshooting
Rendering Quality
After importing CAD files into Speos in Lightweight, if you measure an imported element, the measure is approximated compared to the original CAD and depends on the Rendering quality option.
Try modifying the Rendering quality option (SpaceClaim option), In Speos Options > Popular > Graphics performance options, modify the Rendering quality option:
Please be aware that increasing the rendering quality will increase the document’s size.
Check Geometry
After importing a CAD project or after running a simulation with Lightweight bodies raising an error, we recommend you to right-click each geometry and select Check geometry to find potential issues.
If some issues are found:
- Check the geometry and try to improve it in the native CAD first.
- Switch the geometry from Lightweight to Heavyweight if not yet done.
- Right-click on the part/assembly in the Structure tree and select Check Geometry.
Repair Tab
If there are still errors, delete the faulty faces.
- Use the Stitch and Inexact Edges tools from the Repair tab.
- Solidify the geometry with the Missing Faces tool from the Repair tab.
Geometrical Distance Tolerance
Check the Geometrical Distance Tolerance simulation options: make sure that the Geometrical Distance Tolerance is much larger than the meshing tolerance: GDT >> sag (Body1) + sag (Body2).
Meshing
Check the meshing using Preview Meshing in a simulation window or using Local Meshing.
For this purpose, you can consult the knowledge base article on Speos meshing.
Please also consult the Speos User Guide at Incorrect Imports - Solutions.
Geometry Cleaning
Geometry cleaning must be included in every workflow.
Each company has different stages in which they design, refine the design, adapt mechanical parts, etc. These are different functions done by different people with different needs that affect the CAD data. When the CAD data needs to be sent for simulation, it should be cleaned up of all the manifold problems, holes, and interferences.
In Speos, some tools can help you with geometry cleaning, but it is important to be careful when using automatic tools to avoid unintended modifications to the original geometry, especially the optical parts.
In Speos Options > File Options > General you can tick Improve imported data.
This option improves a file when it is opened or inserted. You can choose to:
-
Clean and simplify geometry: it simplifies complex faces and curves into planes, cones, cylinders, etc.
[[Note:]] Use this option carefully. Depending on your project, if you have a complex geometry, the modifications after the simplification may be unacceptable. - Heal bodies attempts to clean minor geometric irregularities on import,
- Stitch nearby surfaces together: stitches surfaces on import. Improve effectiveness with Find coincident surfaces and specifying Tolerance.
If you are working with a CATIA native file, you can also go to Speos Options > File Options > CATIA:
- Select Trim control points outside face boundaries to perform surface optimization on CATIA files when they are imported.
- Select Import CGR file as to specify how to import the faceted data. Specify options for Connected facets, Simple facets, and Solid/surface body. When facets are connected, the imported model will share facet vertices and the imported bodies will be as watertight as possible. Simple facets do not share any vertices in the imported body, between adjacent facets. Select Merge faces to seamlessly merge one or more faces. This reduces the overall model size.
Geometry Update
Geometry Update allows you to import external CAD files from a CAD software into Speos and update geometries in the original CAD software while maintaining Speos features such as assigned materials. The modified parts can be updated in Speos as many times as needed without having to re-apply Speos features to them.
General Workflow
- The designer creates geometries in CAD software.
CAD compatible with Speos Geometry Update are Dassault CATIA V5, CREO Parametric, Siemens NX, and Dassault SolidWorks. - The Speos user exploits the Geometry Update tool to import the geometries from the CAD software into Speos: see step-by-step workflow here.
- The Speos user defines the optical properties thanks to the Speos Light Simulation features.
- The designer modifies the geometry in the CAD software.
- The Speos user exploits the Geometry Update tool to update the project to work on the latest data: see the step-by-step workflow here.
When geometries are updated, the links are maintained between Speos features and the newly imported geometries. Materials are still applied to the geometries, sources are adjusted to the faces of the new geometries, etc.
Additional Resources