Analyzing Using Isophotes

This task explains how to apply isophotes on a surface. Isophotes are variable black stripes applied to the selected surface which is considered as reflective, and used for analysis purposes. It is a tool for the analysis of the element state.
  • OpenGL shader technology can be used with this functionality, please refer to the Infrastructure Installation Guide documentation for more details on software & hardware prerequisites: Software Requirements. See Performance setting.
  • If a transparent surface is selected for isophote mapping analysis it will appear transparent during analysis.
  • If the No warning message if material mode is not ON option is selected in Tools > Options > Shape > FreeStyle > General tab, Mapping Analysis option area, it allows you to set the material mode to ON automatically.

    This option sets the material mode to ON even if the Materials option in the View > Render Style > Customize View command is cleared. No warning message is displayed asking you to change the material mode. The material is automatically seen for analysis. After completion of the analysis, the material mode returns to its initial state.
  • If No warning message if material mode is not ON option is cleared, the warning message is displayed asking you to set the Materials mode to ON. The material mode is not automatically set and not seen during analysis.
  • The different mapping analyses of the same surfaces cannot be displayed simultaneously, even if you have set the mapping analyzes in no show. You need to visualize them one after the other.
Open the FreeStyle_Part_25.CATPart document:
  • The discretization option should be set to a maximum (in Infrastructure User's Guide, see Performance: the 3D Accuracy > Fixed option should be set to 0.01 and the Curves' accuracy ratio option should be set to 0.10s).

  1. Click Isophotes Mapping Analysis .

 

The Isophote Mapping Analysis dialog box is displayed.
 

The Isophote Mapping Analysis dialog box displays the following information:

  • Mapping Type:

    • Cylindrical type: displays a cylindrical mapping analysis.

    • Spherical type: displays a spherical mapping analysis. This option is selected by default.

    • Multi band type: displays a multi band mapping analysis.

  • Option:

    • Global: lets you analyze the whole part. Deselect this icon to make the analysis element by element.

    • Compass: flips the compass to the model and lets you move the compass in the 3D geometry to define the orientation. This option is selected by default.

    • Show/hide the manipulator: shows or hides the manipulator.

    • View: lets you use the screen definition to define the analysis point of view. Stripes are recalculated each time you move the screen point of view. This option is selected by default.

    • Eye: lets you use the User Eye manipulator location to define the analysis point of view. Stripes are recalculated each time you move the User Eye.

    • Point: defines the mapping analysis directions from the current analysis point of view.

    • Light Sources On/Off: sets the display option of light sources as "off/on".

    • Highlight On/Off effect: sets the display option of highlight effect sources as "on/off". When checked "On" the surfaces are selected but they will not be seen in the specification tree.

    • Plane: defines the mapping analysis directions are normal to the plane representing the point of view. This option is not available with the Eye option.

  • Zebra parameters:

    • Number of stripes: sets the density and numerical value of stripes.

    • Width of stripes: sets the width and numerical value of stripes.

    • Color transition: sets the color transition between stripes and numerical value for color transition.

   
You can create accurate Isophote Mapping Analysis by setting the values for the Zebra parameters.

To set the step value for number of stripes(Density), width of stripes(Thickness) and color transition(Sharpness):

  1. Right-click the box and select Change step.

  2. Select the value.
     

    You can enter a new step value in the New step dialog box by selecting new one.

    1. Right-click the box and select Change step > new one.

     

    The new step dialog box appears.
     
    1. In the box, type a new step value.
    2. Click OK.

    To set the range value for number of stripes(Density):
   
  1. Right-click the box and select Range > Edit.

    The Range definition dialog box appears.
   
  1. In the Inf. Range box, type a value.
  2. In the Sup. Range box, type a value.
  3. Click OK.
 

To add range values perform the following actions:
  1. Right-click the box and select Range > Suppress.
  2. Right-click Number of Stripes box and select Add Range….

    The Range definition dialog box appears.
 
  1. Select the Inf. Range check box and Sup. Range check box.
  2. Enter the range values and click OK.
    The default range, step and value of scroll bar provided for Zebra parameters are as follows:
Scroll Bar name Range Step Value
Density Scroll Bar 1 to 20 1 1
Thickness Scroll Bar 0.01 to 1.0 0.01 0.5
Sharpness Scroll Bar 0.5 to 1.0 0.01 0.5
     
    The default range, step and value of cke boxes provided for Zebra parameters are as follows:
Box name Range Step Value
Density box 1 to 20 1 1
Thickness box 0.01 to 1.0 0.01 0.5
Sharpness box 0.5 to 1.0 0.01 0.5
     

  • Radius: defines the cylinder or sphere radius, by default 1000mm.
 

  1. Select Sphere.1

The analysis results depend of the current object. May you want to change the scope of analysis, use the Define in Work object contextual command.
 

  1. Select the Cylindrical mode mapping type:

 

Isophotes are applied on Sphere.1.
 
 

  1. Select the Global option:

 

Isophotes are displayed on all the part. It is advised to use the Global mode for a global selection rather than using a trap.
 
 

  1. Select the Plane option:

 

The mapping analysis directions are normal to the screen plane. Compare with the image above where the mapping analysis directions are defined from the center of the screen plane.
 
 

  1. Select the Compass option:

 

  • This option flips the compass to the model and lets you move the compass in the 3D geometry to define the orientation of the current mapping.

  • The cylindrical mapping appears.
 
 

  1. Manipulate the compass to modify the isophotes orientation.
 

Isophotes mapping is modified accordingly to the isophotes orientation.

 
 

  1. Manipulate the view orientation with the mouse modify the isophotes and surfaces orientation.
 

Isophotes mapping is modified accordingly to the new point of view.

 
 

  1. Select the Eye option: , note that the Point option is automatically selected.

  • The Eye User manipulator appears and it allows you to define another point of view independently from the screen point of view.

  • You can move the Eye User along its axis or by selecting its center: isophotes mapping is modified accordingly to the Eye User orientation.
 
 

  1. Right-click the Eye User .
 
 

A contextual menu is displayed:
 

  • Edit: this command allows you to define the Eye User manipulator parameters.

  • Keep this point: this command allows you to create the point where you clicked.
 

  1. Select Edit from the contextual menu.
 

The Tuner dialog box appears:
 
 

In this dialog box you can set:

  • Relative: defines whether the Eye User location is defined according to the relative origin.

  • Position: defines the Eye User location coordinates according to the Relative option cleared:

    • X: defines the X coordinates.

    • Y: defines the Y coordinates.

    • Z: defines the Z coordinates.

  • Step: defines the step when you move the Eye User.
 

  1. Select Relative option in the Tuner dialog box.
 

The relative origin of the Eye User is displayed.
 
 

The Tuner dialog box is modified:
 
 

In this dialog box you can set:

  • Relative Position: defines the Eye User location coordinates according to the Relative option selected:

    • Y: defines the relative Y coordinates.

    • Z: defines the relative Z coordinates.

    • Reset Origin: reset the origin at the current Eye User location point.
 

  1. Click Close in the Tuner dialog box.
 
 

  1. Increase the number of stripes using sliders
 

Number of stripes increases, the cylindrical mapping is modified accordingly:
 
 

  1. Decrease the width of stripes using sliders
 

Width of stripes is modified.
 
 

  1. Increase the Color transition using sliders
 

Color transition is modified.
 
 

  1. Click OK when you have finished the analysis.
 

The analysis (identified as Isophotes Mapping Analysis.x) is added to the specification tree under the Free Form Analysis node.