Surface Normals

[scooke4073]

What is the quickest way to flip all my surface normals on a solid? The solid has approximately 900+ surfaces so I really don't feel like flipping each one individually. Any thoughts? a c-hook perhaps?

 

Thanks

[scooke4073]

Nevermind....found the solution in Verisurf Tools. Handy little add-on.

[scooke4073]

Nevermind....found the solution in Verisurf Tools. Handy little add-on.

 

That didn't work...it looked promising. It ended up creating surfaces (on the same level as the solid) and not flipping the normals... .

[Oscar R.]

Your solid should already have all normals pointing outward away from the mass.

 

The Verisurf tool will do what your need for Surfaces.

[scooke4073]

Your solid should already have all normals pointing outward away from the mass.

 

The Verisurf tool will do what your need for Surfaces.

 

The normals are definitely screwed up...if I analyze any of the solid surfaces, the normal is pointing toward the center of the solid. If I try to flip the normal, it does not respond.

 

My only option at this point is to create surfaces from the solid and then flip all the surface normals....all 917 of them. Oh well

[Oscar R.]

The normals are definitely screwed up...if I analyze any of the solid surfaces, the normal is pointing toward the center of the solid. If I try to flip the normal, it does not respond.

 

My only option at this point is to create surfaces from the solid and then flip all the surface normals....all 917 of them. Oh well

 

Yup.

After you've converted to surfaces and fix the normal to what you want, you can always try the Solids > From Surfaces feature to make it back into a solid. Doesn't always make it back into one solid but it's worth a try.

[htm01]

edit

set normal

all

surfaces

check green globe

then you can toggle direction

[Richard Thomas - Mastercam UK]

If you have to turn the solid into surfaces anyway, then the Verisurf tool will do the trick for you after all wouldn't it?

[Thee Rickster ™]

If you have to turn the solid into surfaces anyway

 

He doesn't want to, but feels he has no choice.

[Festus]

If you are a mold shop work with surfaces a lot I would highly recommend moldplus add-on.

[JoshC]

What is the quickest way to flip all my surface normals on a solid? The solid has approximately 900+ surfaces so I really don't feel like flipping each one individually. Any thoughts? a c-hook perhaps?

 

Thanks

If you have a solid you shouldn't have to even mess with normals. A solid body does not have nor need surface normals because it has mass and volume so mastercam should know where the inside of the part is. If you are having gouges I would guess that it would be issues with the toolpaths and not related to normals.