Splitting Geometry

You can cut geometry such as solid, volume, surface or wire, into several features, according to a pattern distribution. The Type of the resulting geometry is the same as the initial geometry and can be changed. You can also de-synchronize the input geometry and a split result to perform a local design change.

This task shows you how to:

 

See Also
More help on this topic
Patterning

Split a Geometry into Multiple Pieces

You can split solid, volume, surface or wire into multiple entities.

  1. Open a pad.
  2. From the Civil Engineering section of the action bar, click Multiple Split .
  3. Select the object to split (3DShape) from the 3D area or the tree.

    In the 3D area, blue planes appear along the longest edge of the pad that corresponds to the pattern curve. They are used for splitting.

    In the tree, a new Geometrical Set named (Pad.1) Operation Set.X is created along with a new feature named Multiple Split.X under this Geometrical Set (X is a number). The Multiple Split feature carries all the split specifications detailed below.

    The object you select has an icon reflecting the nature of its type, for example for pier. By default, the split results will inherit this Type.

    In the Multiple Split dialog box, the following boxes are automatically filled in with the following information:

    • Selection: the name of the selected split object.
    • Distribution: the name of the pattern, for example the curvilinear pattern that defines the spacing and the number of split entities (Count). A pattern component enables to replicate a split on geometry.
    • Results type: the type of the split results, for example Pier.

  4. Click Apply to preview your changes.

    The geometry is split. Publications are automatically created for the split results.

  5. To consider the input geometry as a construction element, select the Set selected element as construction element option.

    If the option is selected, the input geometry switches to the No Show space when the Multiple Split operation is validated. This construction property is managed through a new attribute set on the split features and can be set/unset in the Multiple Split command as well. If it is set to construction element, these features will not be managed in the Change Level of Development. For more information, see Building and Civil Assemblies User's Guide: Component-based Design: Changing the Level of Development.

  6. To modify the cut, click Edit .
    The Group1 panel opens. You can change the Spacing from 3m to 2m. You obtain more split results after clicking Apply.

  7. To edit a split result, see next section.
    Notes:
    • By default, when split results are synchronized with the input geometry, you cannot edit them individually.
    • The volume of each split entity is computed automatically. You can check the Type and Net Volume of a result split by clicking BIM Attributes from the Civil Engineering section of the action bar. For more information, see Building and Civil Assemblies User's Guide: Specifying Product Attributes: Adding and Editing BIM Attributes.
  8. To delete/replace the pattern, click .
    An error is raised. You can choose for example a Linear Pattern, based on axis systems. You need to create a point on your volume and click OK.
  9. To copy a pattern, click .
  10. Click OK to save your changes and to close the Multiple Split dialog box.

Reinitialize the Pattern Distribution

A text editor allows you to describe the pattern composition manually.

Context:

The Distribution area contains pattern information and, commands to delete , edit or select another pattern (only possible after the deletion of the existing one).

The linear pattern is chosen by default and it is defined in the Distribution text box. For example, if you type 10x300mm, the pattern will contain three axis systems spaced by 300mm. The distribution text will be converted into pattern definition.

The unit is set in Preferences: From the top bar, select Me > Preferences, and then click the Common Preferences tab and expand the Parameters, Measures, and Units > Units section.

You can choose the Count or Spacing modes and, the active mode is indicated in the dialog box. For more information, see next step.

A list of a minimum of three rebars containing the pattern is displayed. Click to expand the list.

  1. To reinitialize the pattern distribution, do the following:
    • Edit the text in the Distribution box, for example: 300mm+2x400mm+335mm, or 3x300. The pattern will contain one axis system at 300mm, two axis systems every 400mm, and one more axis system at 335mm.

      With the textual distribution, it is no more necessary to edit the Pattern feature to modify or create Pattern Groups and their distribution. The general distribution text format is: C1 x S1 + C2 x S2 + C3 x S3.

      "Ci": is the number of axis of the group "i". If the number of axis of this group is equal to 1, it can be omitted.

      "Si": is the spacing length of this same group. It can be associated to a unit, or without unit. If it does not have unit, the unit set in Preferences is used. If a unit is used to define a length, the same unit must be used for all lengths

    • Create Pattern groups: Points must be created/selected in the 3D area to split existing groups into two parts.
    • When you initialize the rebar layer layout, there is only one group in the pattern. The Count and Spacing modes can be changed with the combo box. If you click:
      • Count : Only count value modification and only one group are allowed. For example, you only type 9, the text is automatically converted into 9x1000m
      • Spacing : Only spacing value modification and only one group are allowed. Spacing is the default mode and a number of split is computed by default. For example, you only type 2000m, the text is automatically converted into 5x2000m and a split occurs every two meters.
      • Count and Spacing : Count and Spacing values modification is allowed and several groups can be created. For example, when you type 13x3000mm+2x0.5m, the text is converted with the same unit 13x3000mm+2x500mm, the preview updates and the split distances are displayed in the 3D area. You obtain two groups. If a Pattern end point is specified, a Limit Spacing option is available to shift the Pattern distribution.

      Invalid text is identified with an error message in the dialog box.

      If the current mode is Count and spacing, it can contain as many groups as needed, separated by the plus sign. All the groups created are in the Count and spacing mode. There cannot be several groups with different modes. If you change the definition of one group, the text editor is grayed out. If a pattern end point is specified, a Limit Spacing option is available to shift the pattern distribution.

      If a start and/or end offset values are defined, distribution is done between these boundaries. The start and end offsets are not managed in the text editor, edit the pattern by clicking to modify their values.

    • Click to launch the pattern for more precise edition. The pattern dialog box opens. If you click a split distance belonging to Group1 in the 3D area, the Group1 panel opens and you retrieve the input values you entered manually: 13x3000mm. The same for Group2: 2x500mm.

      You can edit a split distance locally in a Group panel. Then the text distribution is updated in the Multiple Split window with the values you modified interactively, for example: 13x3000mm+1x150mm+1x445mm.

  2. Click anywhere in the 3D area to validate the distribution text, and the preview of the Axis systems is refreshed.
    The pattern distribution is reinitialized with this text. Then you can continue to edit the rebar layers.
  3. Click Apply.
    A progress bar shows the status.

De-Synchronize Geometry

By default, the input geometry and the split results are synchronized and you cannot edit the result features. With a contextual command, you can de-synchronize a split result and edit it locally.

Any modification of the initial geometry is reported in the split result features.

  1. To de-synchronize a split result, select its contextual command Multiple Split de-synchronization in the tree.
    The Generative Shape Design Split command is launched to modify it.
  2. To edit the split result, double-click it in the tree.
    You can change for example the spacing from 2m to 4m and, edit its plane individually to make the object move.
  3. To synchronize a split result back, select its contextual command Multiple Split synchronization in the tree.
    All the modifications done during de-synchronization of the result feature are canceled.

De-Synchronize the Results' Type

You can de-synchronize the results' type.

If the input geometry has a type, Wall, Column, Pier for example, this type is transferred on the result features. The split results have the same PSet values as the input feature. Qtos are specific to each result and then independent from the synchronization state. The Qto volume attribute is computed automatically.

  1. To de-synchronize the type of the split result with the input geometry, click Desynchronize results type .

    The Type box can be edited. You can choose a type (Column for example) for the split result that is different from the one of the input geometry.

  2. Click Apply.

    In the Multiple Split dialog box, the split result's icon changes.

    The Results type box is no longer grayed out. If some PSets exist on the desynchronized feature, you can assign them a value different from the one set on the input geometry.

  3. To synchronize again, click the same command.
    The button changes into: . The initial Type, Pier, is restored on the split result.

Expose the Split Results in the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

You can generate automatically product-based design models. Once the split results are typed, an axis system and a publication are created; they are used by the Change Level of development command, available in the Building and Civil Assemblies app, to expose all the split features as 3D models.

  1. From the Component section of the action bar, click Change Level of Development .

    Important: To use this command, the features must be typed and published.

  2. In the dialog box, filter the type of objects to process by selecting Feature.
  3. To create the product that implements the specifications, select Expose.
  4. Click Process to launch the selected actions.

    In the tree, a new product is created for each split feature, under the root product that aggregates the 3DShape containing these features. A mask appears over the features' icon indicating this status.

    Each product contains a Copy As Result With Link of the result feature (distribution mode). Then, any modification in the 3DShape of the result feature involves its related product to be updated so that both can be synchronized again.

    A connection is also created between the new product and the component aggregating the result feature to force the same location for those two elements.