About Triangle Density Shading

Visualizing the triangle density lets you track the triangle repartition throughout the model. The color-coded shading method helps you identify quickly the elements that need to be simplified and optimized.

The Triangle Density Shading command:

• Calculates the triangle density for each representation by dividing the number of triangles by the area of the geometry.
• Sorts representations in density level order from the highest to the lowest density level.
• Applies a color shading to the selected representations that indicates a density level from the highest level (red) to the lowest level (green).

There are two density shading modes: Proportional and Uniform.

The following table describes the two modes and provides examples with a model of six parts (A, B, C, D, E, F).

Density Shading Mode	Description	Example
Proportional	Colors are proportionally applied to parts according to their respective triangle density. This mode enables you to quickly distinguish the lowest from the highest density levels.	All the parts with a low triangle density are green (A, B, C, D). All the parts with a high triangle density are red (E, F).
Uniform	Colors are evenly applied to the parts according to their respective triangle density. This mode enables you to have a classification of parts, from the lowest to the highest density levels.	Parts are evenly classified from the lowest (A) to the highest density level (F).

You can apply a triangle density shading in the structure view by clicking Proportional Density Shading or Uniform Density Shading in the context toolbar.

The color shading is calculated and applied to the selected elements or to the entire model if nothing is selected. If you multi-select turntable platters and enable the density shading, each and every representation is accounted for in the shading calculation. The color shading applied is contextual to a selection and thus can vary for a same representation depending on the selection — shading determined in function of the density of the other representations of the selection.

Consider the following example:

• In the left figure, the entire model is selected. Each element is colored according the triangle density compared to the density of the other elements.
• In the right figure, only a part of the model is selected. The representations are colored from red to green according to their triangles density compared to one to another.

You can access the triangle density shading in the 3D design view within the Mesh function.

The density shading modes are available in the Mesh Review panel.

The color shading is calculated and applied to the entire model.