Collision Analysis
Use the Collision Analysis to check component collisions and visually represent the distances between components with color.
The Collision Analysis is located in the Analysis group of the 3D-Mode tab.
Run a Calculation
Customize the Calculation
Customize the Display
Run a Calculation
Collision calculations are computationally intensive. An estimated time for the calculation will be displayed immediately after starting the analysis. To cancel a running calculation, press [Esc], for example, to adjust the calculation settings for a shorter runtime.
Note
Enabling OpenCL in Settings > Hardware will accelerate the calculation of the collision analysis, undercut analysis, and wall thickness analysis.
Select model
The Collision Analysis can display and analyze only one model at a time. If there are multiple models, click << or >> until the desired model is displayed.
Point - Perpendicular Distance
Calculates the distance perpendicular to the model's surface at the position of the cursor. This distance is measured at a right angle to the surface. This function is available without prior collision analysis.
Click the Point button and move the cursor across the model. The free space at the position of the cursor will be displayed.
Point - Shortest Distance
Calculates the shortest distance to another component at the position of the cursor. The distance is measured along the most direct line between the components. This function is available without prior collision analysis.
Click the Point button and move the cursor across the model. The shortest free space at the position of the cursor will be displayed.
Calculate
Click Calculate to start the collision calculation using the selected method.
Assign
Assign the current color representation of the collision analysis to the 3D model and close the Collision Analysis. This will overwrite the model’s colors with the color representation of the collision analysis. This change cannot be undone and will affect all defined views.
Customize the Calculation
Select the Calculation Method (Default: Collision)
For graphical display, the model is divided into a mesh of triangles upon import.
Collision
Calculate the collision between components.
Distance
Calculate the distances between components.
Mesh generation
To get a preferably good result, the triangles that make up the model will be subdivided into smaller ones. The values in the Calculation section define the strength of subdivision.
- A finer subdivision will increase the quality but also the calculation time.
- A coarser subdivision will decrease calculation time but also the quality.
Iterations (Default: 5)
Specify how many times the mesh creation will be repeated. A higher value improves the result but increases the calculation time. If "0" is entered, the edges of the triangles will not be subdivided further.
Edge Length (Default: 2.5 mm / 0.098 inch)
Specify the edge length below which a triangle should be further subdivided. A smaller value improves the result but increases the calculation time.
Customize the Display
Adjusting the display does not require a recalculation, so you can try different settings after a calculation has been completed.
Display
Spectrum
Choose the Spectrum option to display distances as a color spectrum between 0 and the specified Distance. Distances outside this range will be shown in gray.
Within
Choose the Within option to display distances up to the specified minimum Distance in red. Distances outside this range will be shown in gray.
Transparency
Choose the Transparency option to make the model transparent, making it easier to identify collisions or distances inside the components.
Distance
Specify the Distance to be used for display purposes.