Implicit Geometry

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Work with shapes that change during a process

A manufacturing preview needs to show stock after a cut. A simulation needs to identify material inside a calculation grid. A design tool needs a new mesh after several volumes have been combined.

Implicit Geometry brings supported closed CAD solids and closed triangle meshes into field-based processing. Build tools for simulation preparation, material-removal previews, and runtime shape combinations. Add surface-mesh extraction when your application needs a polygonal result.

How it works

Start with a supported closed solid or an oriented, closed triangle mesh. Its implicit field describes inside, outside, and boundary regions through values at selected points. Your application can query individual locations or sample a regular grid.

Combine fields with Boolean operations, change an operand’s position between calculation steps, and query the updated result. Use it for a field view, simulation input, or an integrated mesh-extraction workflow.

Change volumes with runtime Boolean operations

Let users combine or reposition volumes while your application is running:

• Union: combine occupied regions from several shapes.
• Subtraction: remove a tool volume from stock or create an opening.
• Intersection: keep the region shared by two volumes.

A design application could move a cutting volume and show how an opening changes. A preparation tool could combine several bodies before generating an output mesh. Reuse converted operands while their positions change to avoid repeating conversion for each update.

Prepare geometry for simulation

Grid-based simulation tools need to know which locations belong to a part, surrounding space, or selected material region. Inside/outside queries and sampled fields provide geometry information for these decisions. A thermal or flow application can use those samples to prepare its calculation domain.

Your simulation software supplies material properties, loads, boundary conditions, and physical calculations. Choose field sampling around that solver’s requirements. An analysis needing volume elements also requires a suitable volume-meshing stage.

Show material removal as machining progresses

A CAM developer may need to show remaining stock after a sequence of tool positions. Represent stock and tool as supported volumes, record tool volumes at successive positions, and subtract their combined volume from the stock. Retaining earlier positions keeps previous cuts in the result as the tool moves forward.

Users can inspect machining stages, compare remaining material with a target part, or review a new surface mesh. This helps programmers locate unfinished regions and discuss a proposed change from a shared stock preview.

Tool shape, spacing between recorded positions, and output detail affect how closely the preview follows the process. Continuous toolpath coverage, machine motion, and machining acceptance checks belong to the simulation integration.

Generate a surface mesh from a Boolean result

A suitable surface-mesh extractor finds the boundary between inside and outside and builds a polygonal surface around it. Your application can display or export that mesh.

Regenerate a stock mesh at selected machining stages, or show a design preview after an operand moves. Field composition and mesh generation can update separately, allowing quick review followed by a more detailed output when users accept a result.

Mesh extraction and export are integration steps. Choose detail around small holes, thin walls, and curves, then check surface fit and connectivity before further engineering use.

Balance update speed and detail

Reuse converted geometry for repeated queries. Repeated parts can share a converted shape while keeping their individual positions. Sample locations needed by the task, such as a selected section or calculation grid.

Finer grid spacing captures more detail and uses more memory and processing time. Source geometry, operand count, and requested samples also affect calculation time. Choose update frequency and output detail using representative models.

Choose accuracy for the task

Recognized solids can use compact descriptions built from basic shapes. Other supported solids retain their surfaces and boundaries for calculations. Triangle-mesh input follows the supplied mesh, so its detail matters when it represents a curved part.

Inside/outside classification and distance measurement answer different questions. After Boolean combination, field values locate material and its boundary; a true shortest distance requires a suitable distance calculation.

Keep source geometry, units, operand positions, operations, and output settings with the job so preparation can be repeated after a design change. Use Shape Healing & Validation for incoming solids or Mesh Framework for mesh interaction and editing.

Discuss your simulation or material-removal workflow with sample geometry, required updates, and expected outputs.