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Use the built-in diagnostics tools within 3D Sketch mode in Forma.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
2 min.
Transcript
00:08
while its diagnostic capabilities automatically help you avoid errors along the way.
00:13
This is because 3D Sketch has built-in diagnostics
00:17
that can help identify when there are issues with the objects in your model that make them not solid,
00:21
or when there are extra pieces of geometry not contributing to the solid.
00:25
The two most useful built-in diagnostic capabilities are Non-Watertight Edges and Backfaces.
00:32
These diagnostics are enabled by default,
00:35
but you can control them by using the Visibility Menu at the bottom of the canvas.
00:40
The Non-Watertight Edges diagnostic is designed to highlight structure edges that do not contribute to a watertight/manifold solid,
00:49
in red.
00:50
To turn it on, from the Visibility Menu, click Model Diagnostics.
00:54
In the Display Options dialog, hover your cursor over the cube on the left.
00:59
When “Non-watertight edges D W” appears over it, click the Cube to select this diagnostic tool.
01:06
Another useful diagnostic is Backfaces, which helps illustrate the orientation of faces by painting the back sides of your structure red.
01:15
You access Backfaces the same way you access Non-Watertight Edges,
01:19
by clicking the Model Diagnostics tool.
01:22
In the Display Options dialog, hover your cursor over the cube on the right.
01:27
For this example, when you see “Backfaces D B” appear, click the Cube.
01:32
With Backfaces now selected, keep in mind that you only see the red faces in your model.
01:38
That is because you are looking at the inside of the cantilevered 3D shape,
01:42
but the remaining faces are oriented correctly.
01:45
It is also possible to mistakenly have a solid with a face flipped the wrong way,
01:50
and this diagnostic helps to illuminate that as well.
01:53
If you do ever see a structural face flipped the wrong way,
01:57
you can right-click the face and choose Reverse face.
02:00
Leveraging the default diagnostic capabilities of the 3D Sketching tool in Autodesk Forma helps you create structurally sound designs easily.
Video transcript
00:08
while its diagnostic capabilities automatically help you avoid errors along the way.
00:13
This is because 3D Sketch has built-in diagnostics
00:17
that can help identify when there are issues with the objects in your model that make them not solid,
00:21
or when there are extra pieces of geometry not contributing to the solid.
00:25
The two most useful built-in diagnostic capabilities are Non-Watertight Edges and Backfaces.
00:32
These diagnostics are enabled by default,
00:35
but you can control them by using the Visibility Menu at the bottom of the canvas.
00:40
The Non-Watertight Edges diagnostic is designed to highlight structure edges that do not contribute to a watertight/manifold solid,
00:49
in red.
00:50
To turn it on, from the Visibility Menu, click Model Diagnostics.
00:54
In the Display Options dialog, hover your cursor over the cube on the left.
00:59
When “Non-watertight edges D W” appears over it, click the Cube to select this diagnostic tool.
01:06
Another useful diagnostic is Backfaces, which helps illustrate the orientation of faces by painting the back sides of your structure red.
01:15
You access Backfaces the same way you access Non-Watertight Edges,
01:19
by clicking the Model Diagnostics tool.
01:22
In the Display Options dialog, hover your cursor over the cube on the right.
01:27
For this example, when you see “Backfaces D B” appear, click the Cube.
01:32
With Backfaces now selected, keep in mind that you only see the red faces in your model.
01:38
That is because you are looking at the inside of the cantilevered 3D shape,
01:42
but the remaining faces are oriented correctly.
01:45
It is also possible to mistakenly have a solid with a face flipped the wrong way,
01:50
and this diagnostic helps to illuminate that as well.
01:53
If you do ever see a structural face flipped the wrong way,
01:57
you can right-click the face and choose Reverse face.
02:00
Leveraging the default diagnostic capabilities of the 3D Sketching tool in Autodesk Forma helps you create structurally sound designs easily.
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