Analyzing the Surface

You can analyze a surface once it has been fitted onto a cloud of points.

This is done via two different analyses:

  • a distance analysis

  • a reflect line analysis

Before you begin: Open a 3D shape containing windshields, for example, with style curves limiting these (windshield boundaries) style curves, onto which the roof should be mapped.
  1. Click Distance Analysis in the Analysis section of the action bar.
    The Distance Analysis dialog box appears. The fitted surface is already selected from the previous task.
  2. In the Measurement Direction area, click Normal distance .
  3. In the Display Options area, click Limited Color Range .
    The Distance.x dialog box appears.
  4. Double-click the color scale to display the color range.
    The Color dialog box appears.
  5. Click Use Min Max to display these values on the geometry.
  6. Select Points.
  7. Clear Spikes.
  8. In the displayed color range, set the colors to:
    • blue for all points located over 0.15mm above the surface
    • green for all points between 0.15 and -0.15mm away from the surface
    • red for all points located beyond -0.15mm below the surface
  9. Select the cloud of points.
    Points are dynamically displayed and the minimum and maximum deviations are identified on the surface.

  10. Click OK.
    The parts of the surface that lie above the cloud are identified by blue dots, and those lying below the cloud are red. In this instance the surface needs to be smoothed further, so that all points turn green, indicating a perfect match with the cloud of points.
  11. Right-click the Distance Analysis.x in the tree and select Show/Hide to hide it for the moment.
  12. In the tree, double-click Reflect Line Analysis.1.
    The Reflection Lines dialog box is displayed and a grid of neons appears in the geometry.
  13. Click the front and rear windshields to remove the current reflect lines, then select the roof patch to apply the reflect line analysis and move the neons.


  14. Click Top View in the View section of the action bar.
  15. Set the neons parameters to N=20 (number of neons in grid) and D=200mm (distance between two neons).
  16. Zoom in until you locate the green dot symbolizing the analysis eye.


  17. Right-click on this eye and select Edit.
    The Tuner dialog box is displayed.
  18. Enter the eye's coordinates: 1850mm, 0mm, 3000mm.
    This moves the eye directly above the roof patch.
  19. Click Close in the Tuner dialog box, then OK in the Reflection Lines dialog box.
    The analysis is visible on the roof patch: