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nTop Platform 2.14 - What's New

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Matt

2.14 Release Notes

Summary

nTopology nTop Platform 2.14 is here! This release features an image capture, which enables users to screenshot the items displayed in their viewport with the option to capture a transparent background. In addition, we’ve introduced a 3MF container type in beta, the ability to import a slice stack, improved default simulation displacement results to be more intuitive, and have given users the ability to get the surface area of sectioned bodies. As with every release, nTopology’s dedicated support team is ready to answer your questions. Please visit support.ntopology.com to gain access to helpful tutorials and support articles.

New Features and Improvements

Capture Image

  • Users can now take screen captures of their work directly in nTop Platform.
  • To capture an image of the objects visible in your viewport, select View > Capture Image.
  • A modal window will appear, giving the user some additional image capture options:
    • Transparent Background: If checked, it will capture the visible objects with a transparent background.
    • Highlight Selection: If checked and the object to capture is highlighted, the image will be captured without the selection outline visible.
    • Show Gimbals: If checked and there is a gimbal visible in the viewport, the gimbal will not be visible upon export.
  • To export the image capture, select the Export button in the modal window. The user will be prompted to choose a location for the image to reside.
  • The image capture feature exports png file types.

ImageCapture01.png

ImageCapture02.png

Export 3MF (Beta)

  • Users can now export 3MF containers to send mesh and lattice data to other programs.
  • Block Name: Export 3MF
  • Ribbon Location: Beta/3MF Exchange
  • Description: “Exports 3MF container(s) into a single 3MF file.”
  • Input 01: Path (Required)
    • Type: File Path
    • Description: “System path of export 3MF.”
  • Input 02: Mesh:
    • Type: Mesh
    • Description: “Mesh to be exported.”
  • Input 03: Lattice:
    • Type: Thick lattice / Lattice
    • Description: “Corresponding lattice to be exported.”
  • Input 04: Units
    • Type: Length Unit Enum
    • Description: “Units of imported file.”
  • Return Type: Mesh File Data
  • Note: This block is in beta and resides in the Beta tab. Go to Settings > General and select the Show Beta Blocks to make the Beta tab visible.

Import Slice Stack

  • Users can now import slice stacks into nTop Platform to rotate and reposition to correctly import into the build prep software of their choice.
  • Block Name: Import Slices
  • Ribbon Location: Manufacturing/Exchange
  • Description: “Import a vector-based slice stack.”
  • Input 01: Path
    • Type: Path
    • Description: “System path of slice file.”
  • Return Type: Slice Stack

Intuitive Displacement Results

  • We’ve improved the displacement results feature in the simulation heads-up-display (HUD) console by modifying the default in which we display displacement to a scale of 1.
  • Users can now type in a value greater than one to exaggerate the displacement preview.
  • The minimum displacement value in the HUD slider is 0.

Measure Properties of a Section

  • Users can now measure the surface area of a sectioned body. Please see the example below:

SectionProperties.png

Usage Improvements

  • We’ve reintroduced beta blocks to nTop Platform. Beta blocks are generally not recommended for production use but are made available to users for early access to upcoming features. All beta blocks will reside in a designated Beta tab, which is an optional feature. To make the Beta tab visible, go to Settings > General and check the Show Beta Blocks option.
  • We’ve introduced a new parameter in the Remesh Surface block called “Minimum edge length,” which enables users to specify the minimum edge length when generating an FE mesh. Below is a description of the new parameter:
    • Name: Minimum edge length:
    • Type: Scalar
    • Description: “The minimum allowed edge length of the generated elements in the output mesh.”

Bug Fixes

  • Exporting the same mesh file from nTop Platform would produce different mesh results after each export if the nTop file was saved, closed, and then reopened between each export.
  • FE Boundary by Flood Fill angle input was in radians but is now in degrees.
  • Orthotropic thermal material properties units for Specific Heat have been corrected to be mm^2/(s^2 K).
  • Point maps laid out in 1d and 2d space now interpolate in Field from Point Map.
  • Simulation HUD wouldn’t appear if there were variables in Model inputs.
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