What is the best method to reverse engineer an imperfect mesh

[Anonymous]

Hey all,

I'm trying to reverse engineer this car vent. I have a 100K vertice mesh that is relatively accurate for the most part, probably to resolution of 0.1-0.2 mm.

I've tried several approaches so far but I'm not sure what is best.

- First approach I tried reducing the mesh to around 10k vertices and converting it a quad mesh - the shape was not ideal at that point

- Second approach again I reduced the mesh to 10K vertices and converted it to a parametric body -  if I'm able to do sculpt like features on a parametric body that may work but I'm not sure that's possible?

- Third approach has been to use section sketches and build solid bodies. The only trouble I'm having with this, is there are some unique curves in the top lip that suggest the only way I can do it as accurately as I would like would be to do 10 or more sketch sections that slice through the XY plane and along the Z axis and loft between them.

Any help would be much appreciated, I've attached screenshots of the mesh aswell.

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

There are no shortcuts here.

I would use the mesh s a visual reference and use the surface modeling tools in Fusion 360 to accomplish this. 

If you can share the mesh I can try to demonstrate it.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

- First approach I tried reducing the mesh 

- Second approach again I reduced the mesh 

- Third approach has been to use section sketches ...

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1. Nope

2. Nope

3. Maybe as an intermediate step for reference before starting over.

As stated by @TrippyLighting I would use this only as reference in starting over.

It takes a lower skill level to create from scratch than it would to use the scan directly (and I doubt it could be done).