Why does the surface patch in this file fail?

[kb9ydn]

The surface patch in this file fails, even though it shows correctly while chaining the edges.  Also if I try to show the warnings nothing happens.  Why doesn't the patch work?  Is there another way fill in the solid?  I'm trying to patch the sides and use boundary fill to form the solid.

http://a360.co/1KYFpTP

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[colin.smith]

Hi @kb9ydn

Which edges are you selecting for the patch? 

Can you send a screen shot?

Another option is to create a sketch profile of the edges (projection or intersect) and extrude a solid.

Colin

[kb9ydn]

Here's a screenshot:

I ended up abandoning this file because it had some other issues with the shape, but I'm still curious as to why the patch fails.  I would also like to know what would be the best way in Fusion to fill in the interior of this solid.

Thanks

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[colin.smith]

Hi @kb9ydn

It doesn't look like it failed.  There is a surface there.

You are seeing that tan color because the patch workspace creates surfaces, not solids.

That color indicates the interior/exterior of the surface. To get a solid from that result, use the thicken tool in the Patch workspace.

Colin

[kb9ydn]

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@colin.smith wrote:

Hi @kb9ydn

It doesn't look like it failed.  There is a surface there.

You are seeing that tan color because the patch workspace creates surfaces, not solids.

That color indicates the interior/exterior of the surface. To get a solid from that result, use the thicken tool in the Patch workspace.

Colin

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I know what a surface looks like in Fusion.  The surface you see in the screenshot disappears when you close the patch command dialog.  And the icon in the timeline for the patch feature is highlighted in yellow, indicating that it has a problem.  Did you open the file I linked to in my first post and look at it?

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[colin.smith]

@kb9ydn

I looked at the file. One of the corners doesn't look planar to the rest of them.

That may be causing the issue.  Not sure which way you wanted to thicken this part but you can see in the video how I get around the issue.

http://autode.sk/1N206Po

Colin

[kb9ydn]

Hi,

Thanks for taking a look.  The side that you show in your video actually patches without issue.  The problem is on the other open side, the one that flares out.  I've updated the file to show how a patch does work for the side you showed.

What I was trying to do is patch both open sides of this shell and then fill it in completely to make a solid.

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[colin.smith]

@kb9ydn I'll have to have a developer look at this. Not sure why it looks like it will patch and then fails.

Where did this file originate?

[kb9ydn]

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@colin.smith wrote:

@kb9ydn I'll have to have a developer look at this. Not sure why it looks like it will patch and then fails.

Where did this file originate?

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It was created in Solidworks and exported as a STEP file.  I also ran the surface/solid check in SWX to see if it had any invalid geometry and it came up with nothing.

Incidentally, I also had problems with selecting the inside faces/edges of this part as machining boundaries on the CAM side as well.  My guess is that it's related and there is something about this solid that Fusion doesn't like.  Should I make a separate post in the CAM section about that issue or is it sufficient to include it here? (since it's likely related)

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[colin.smith · Accepted solution]

Hi @kb9ydn

In talking to the dev team there are a couple contributing factors.

One factor is Fusion: On the Fusion side it makes no sense that the software is showing the preview of the patch and then failing. 

There is also a lack of an error message to explain why the patch is failing. 

The other factor is the model: One is the quality of the model.  The patch tool is having an issue finding a complete path - the model is somewhat at fault.

It could be that the STL conversion is messing the model up.

Fusion can convert a Solidworks file directly.  Just upload a native SWX file to the project and it will be converted. 

I would suggest you give that a try to try to eliminate that possiblity.

[kb9ydn · Accepted solution]

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@colin.smith wrote:

Hi @kb9ydn

In talking to the dev team there are a couple contributing factors.

One factor is Fusion: On the Fusion side it makes no sense that the software is showing the preview of the patch and then failing. 

There is also a lack of an error message to explain why the patch is failing. 

The other factor is the model: One is the quality of the model.  The patch tool is having an issue finding a complete path - the model is somewhat at fault.

It could be that the STL conversion is messing the model up.

Fusion can convert a Solidworks file directly.  Just upload a native SWX file to the project and it will be converted. 

I would suggest you give that a try to try to eliminate that possiblity.

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It just so happens, that last night I was playing around with this and discovered that exporting to STEP on the SWX side introduces some geometry errors into the model.  I discovered this by importing the step file back into SWX and running the design checker.  Bad news!

I didn't try the same exact part but instead a derivative of this part.  When imported (into Fusion) as a STEP file from SWX there are errors introduced, but when imported directly from the SWX native file the model is fine, or at least much better.  There is still some weirdness on the CAM side with selecting edges for machining, but I suspect this model is pushing the limit of some of the SWX surfacing capabilities (and my own modelling skill probably).  This model is somewhat fragile on the SWX side so the STEP conversion just pushed it over the edge.

Anyway, the end goal of machining a mold for this part is almost finished, so that's good.

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[colin.smith]

Is there anything else that needs to be done on this?  The dev team is looking at the Fusion issues that I mentioned.

If there isn't anything else please mark it as solved.

Thanks

Colin

[kb9ydn]

No I think we're good.

Thanks!

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[Anonymous]

I am having a similar issue where I imported a solidworks surface model, cut away some surfaces and am trying to patch a hole.  Using the patch tool, the patch surface previews correctly but results in an error.  Any idea why this might be failing?

Thanks,

Jim

[kb9ydn]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I am having a similar issue where I imported a solidworks surface model, cut away some surfaces and am trying to patch a hole.  Using the patch tool, the patch surface previews correctly but results in an error.  Any idea why this might be failing?

Thanks,

Jim

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It would be best to post a new thread about this, to minimize confusion.

In my case I think the problem was a bad STEP model to start with.  With yours there could be a number of other things wrong though so you would need to post the model so people can look at it.

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