Mesh enhancements in SOLIDWORKS 2020 include the ability to simplify complex mesh data using the new Mesh Decimation tool, creating accurate solid bodies with planes and axis generated using mesh facets, improvements to facet selection with the new Tangency Select tool, and visually inspecting the idealized geometry against the original mesh using Body Compare.
Working with complex mesh bodies like this scan from an Artec3D Space Spider can be difficult for most computers due to the large number of facets. SOLIDWORKS 2020 introduces the “Mesh Decimation” tool which can simplify the model to your specifications.
The user simply has to input a percentage decrease target and hit “Calculate”. Now that we’ve reduced the complexity of the mesh body we want to generate a solid model. Let’s start by first creating an axis through the center of the mesh geometry.
In SOLIDWORKS 2020, creating reference axis and planes from mesh geometry is now supported – and the new “Tangency Select” tool makes quick work of selecting the facets you want while avoiding facets you don’t.
After the model is complete it can be compared to the initial mesh data using the new “Body Compare” tool. This provides a visual heat map showing the maximum distance between the vertices of the original mesh and the finalized solid body making it easy to find inaccurate features or features that weren’t modeled at all. With tools like “Decimation” and “Body Compare”, SOLIDWORKS 2020 makes working with complex mesh data effortless.