Extract Patch

8min

Some tools & features in Design Engine require the use of a surface or patch. Extract Patch allows you to create that patch within Design Engine in support of the following:
﻿Hex Mesh﻿﻿
﻿Texture﻿﻿
CAD Surface Alternative
Surfaces may also be imported as STL files from your CAD software.
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Accessing Extract Patch
There are multiple paths to using the extract path feature.
1
Via Context Menu
Right-click on the design space where you want to extract a patch to pull up the context menu.
Select Extract Patch.
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2
Via an Operation Menu
Shown here in the Hex Mesh operation.
Click on the drop-down of the patch selection field.
Select Extract Patch.
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3
Via Part Menu
Click on the menu for the design space where you want to extract a patch.
Select Extract Patch.
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Select a Patch
There are multiple options for selecting a patch within Design Engine.
Example triangle shown highlighted on an STL file
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STL Triangles
All methods operate by selecting triangles from the underlying mesh structure of the imported STL file.
Patch Selection Methods
Surface
Plane
Brush
Box
Triangle
Surface
Plane
Brush
Box
Triangle
Click on surface where a patch is needed.
Adjust the tolerance angle to extend or reduce the patch area.
The tolerance angle is the angle between normals of adjacent triangles.
Extract Patch
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Click on surface where a patch is needed.
Adjust the tolerance angle to extend or reduce the patch area.
The tolerance angle is the angle between the surface and the tangent plane.
Extract Patch
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Paint the brush on a surface where a patch is needed.
By default, all triangles that cross the brush are selected.
Triangles crossing brush (example shown)
Optionally capture only triangles within the brush diameter.
Adjust brush diameter to best fit your model.
Triangles within brush (example shown)
Extract Patch
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Draw a box on a surface where a patch is needed.
By default, all triangles intersecting the box are selected.
Triangles crossing box (example shown)
Optionally capture only triangles within the box.
Triangles within box (example shown)
Extract Patch
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Click to select triangles individually.
Extract Patch
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Editing a Patch
If the selected patch requires adjustment, the following tools are available.
Remove Triangles
Hold Alt or Option to deselect triangles
The deselection will behave per the selection method.
(Shown here with the Box method)
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Fill Holes
Click Show Hole
Hold CTRL/⌘ while clicking to fill holes or...
Click Fill Holes
Hold Shift while clicking to remove islands.
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Modification Methods
Invert
Shell
Grow/Shrink
Selects the reverse patch.
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Selects the reverse patch.
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Adds/removes the outer layer of triangles from the current selection.
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Patch Mesh
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The extracted patch will be available in your meshes side panel.
Turn on/off visibility
Edit patch and other options area available via menu
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Updated 29 Jul 2024

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