nTop 4.18 - What's New?

nTop 4.18 is here! This release features three new blocks. The Add Draft block enables you to add a draft angle to assist with moldability. The Await block enables you to run blocks in a serial order. The Transform Material block enables you to modify the material with a tensor. As with every release, nTop's dedicated support team is ready to answer your questions. Please visit support.ntop.com to gain access to helpful tutorials and support articles.

Add Draft

Transform Material

Await

Bug Fixes

 

Add Draft

  • The Add Draft block applies draft to a mesh to aid manufacturing (specifically casting).
  • We recommend using the Add Draft block for parts that have undergone topology optimization with the demold constraint. You can also apply a certain draft angle to a region using the Add Draft block for any surface mesh.
  • The algorithm optimizes every face of the input shape to have the needed draft angle while ensuring the shape is only affected where required.
  • Block Name: Add Draft
  • Location: Beta Manufacturing
  • Description: Applies a draft/taper angle to a mesh or a region of a mesh.
    • Mesh: Mesh body to apply draft to. Draft will be applied to the entire body unless a region is specified.
    • Demolding Direction: Vector representing the demolding direction. The draft will be applied in this direction.
    • Draft Angle: Draft angle to apply to mesh.
    • Max Iterations: The maximum number of iterations per attempt to converge each mesh element to comply with the desired draft. Increasing the number of iterations is beneficial for meshes with many faces.
    • Max Attempts: The maximum number of attempts to achieve a mesh compliant with the draft angle. While a larger number of attempts increases solve time, it also increases the likelihood of creating convergent meshes on more complex parts (overhangs, larger draft angles, etc). As soon as all faces of the initial region achieve the input draft, the block finishes execution successfully.
    • Smoothening: Value used to adjust the smoothness. Values can range from 0-1, with 0 turning off the smoothening function and 1 making the output shape as smooth as possible.
    • Height Stability: Value to adjust the importance of maintaining height values (according to demolding direction). Values can range from 0-1, with 0 allowing unlimited movement and 1 allowing very little movement.
    • Region: Optional input to limit the draft to being applied only to a specific region of the input mesh.
    • Output: Mesh

AddDraft.png

Transform Material

  • The Transform Material block enables you to transform a material from basis Source {X,Y,Z} to new basis Destination {X,Y,Z} with tensor omega_ij=dot(Destination_i,Source_j).
  • You can use the Transform Material block to transform the Field-based material model for various simulation problems involving orthotropic material models. One of the primary use cases will be to enable the transformation of material models used in **Field Optimization**. e.g., Conformal ribbing and simulation with conformal orthotropic materials.
  • Block Name: Transform Material
  • Location: Beta Simulation
  • Description: Transforms a material from basis Source {X,Y,Z} to new basis Destination {X,Y,Z} with tensor omega_ij=dot(Destination_i,Source_j).
    • Material: The underlying material
    • Source X: First component of the source frame
    • Source Y: Second component of the source frame
    • Source Z: Third component of the source frame
    • Destination X: First component of the destination frame
    • Destination Y: Second component of the destination frame
    • Destination Z: Third component of the destination frame
    • Output: Anisotropic Material

The image below shows an example of using a Transform Material block to rotate the material field by switching the Source and Destination vectors. 

TransformMaterial.png

 

Await

  • The Await block is used to execute once the 'Wait For' input is built and will produce the object in the 'Return' input as the output. This way, the Await block runs blocks one after the other in a serial order.
  • The Await block combined with the Run Command block runs commands after input completion. 
  • Block Name: Await
  • Location: Utilities General * Description: The **Await** block will execute once the *'Wait For'* input is built, and will produce the object in the *'Return'* input as the output. This way the **Await** block can be used to force blocks to run one after the other in serial order.
    • Wait For: The data that is required to be available before executing the block
    • Return: The value to be returned when the *'Wait For'* input has been executed
    • Output: Any

The image below shows an example of using the Await block to wait to complete the **Export Mesh** block before running the Run Command block with the Python script.

Await.png

 

Bug Fixes

  • We fixed an issue with the Right Click Flood Fill selection that caused nTop to exit unexpectedly.
  • We fixed an issue with the incorrect rendering of the Cylinder and Cone blocks when their axes were aligned with the Y-Axis.
Was this article helpful?