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Commands and Applications: Rewrap (part 3)

By Mike Tsang • Oct 26th, 2009 • Category: By Level, By Product, Intermediate, Self-paced Learning, Success Blog, Tech Tips, XOR, XOS
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The Rewrap Command (part 3)

We all know that the Rewrap command is useful for interpolating mesh data as well as smoothing noisy data. This post continues our look at the command with a third example. The first two examples can be found by visiting this post and this post.

Example #3

Generating a mesh for cross-sections: Generating cross-sections can be useful if you plan on creating lofts. Using 3d-sketch tools, you can smooth out and edit your cross-sections to create smoother loft surfaces.  Cross-sections can also be used to generate sweep paths, guide curves, and boundary-fit curves. What if your mesh is missing data? Or there are mesh features that you would like to omit from your final model? If each cross section was a 2d section we could use our sketch tools to fit geometry over the missing data. Or if they are 3d sketches, we manually could fill in the gaps with matched splines, and delete sections we don’t want. Of course, a much more elegant method would be to use the rewrap command.

In this example we have a Rapidform helmet. Most us application engineers in the company put these on to protect ourselves from the sales reps when the end of the fiscal year nears…




The scan itself is missing data and there a few features that we want to ignore during our modeling. With region groups, we can easily separate the areas of interests.




After deleting the unwanted data, or copying and pasting the regions of interest, we can run the rewrap command to simultaneously fill holes and defeature.




Now we can generate continuous cross-sections for Lofts…




for Boundary-Fit Surfaces…



or to help with Solid Modeling.


Final Thoughts
This concludes this 3-part series of Commands and Applications for the Rewrap command. Want to request the same for other commands? Have other questions or comments? Let us know in comments below!

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Floating Licenses on a Network Server: New Install

By Mike Tsang • Oct 22nd, 2009 • Category: By Product, InspectWorks, Novice, Success Blog, Tech Tips, XOR, XOS, XOV
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Floating Licenses on a Network Server: XOR2/XOV2

  1. Install the License Server Utility
    1. On the license server, please install the license server utility by downloading and installing the following: www.rapidform.us/license/ServerUtility.zip. You may also find this file on the installation DVD here: Setup\Program Files\INUS Technology\Rapidform XOR\License\Setup Rapidform License Server Utility.exe.
    2. Run the executable to install the License Server Utility.
  2. Activate new License
    1. Go to Start Menu> All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform License Server Utility>License Server Utility
    2. Select “I want to activate a license” and click Next.
    3. Enter in your Activation Code and enter the Count of Clients/# of Seats and click Next.
    4. If connected to the internet you will be asked to enter your contact information. You will then see a progress bar and the page will refresh displaying both your “XOR/V” and “XOR/V-Maintenance” license products.
      1. If the online attempt is unsuccessful, or if not connected to the internet, the utility will ask you to enter your Maintenance code. Please enter the code and click Next. The utility will prompt you to perform an offline activation. The process requires that you save a file and transfer the file to a PC with an internet connection to complete the activation.
      2. If the offline activation process fails, please email the files saved by the utility to license@rapidform.com. (Note: You will need to change the extension of the “.exe” file to an “.rfi” file for our email servers to accept the file.)
  3. Start Rapidform Service
    1. Go to Control Panel>Administrative tools>Services
    2. Start the service labeled “Rapidform License Service.”
      1. If you run into problems starting the service such as conflicting port numbers or the service stopping right after starting, you will need to change the port that the service uses.
      2. By default, the service uses port 27000. To change, go to C:\Program Files\INUS Technology\Rapidform License Server Utility.
      3. Open the file “rfLicense.lic” with notepad. The first line will say “SERVER this_host ID_STRING=TRUSTED 27000.”
      4. Change the port number to 27001, or the first available port. Please note that you can’t exceed 27005. Save the file.
      5. Install and start the service again. (Step 6 and 7)
      6. If changing the port number does not work, please check your firewall and anti-virus settings to make sure the required ports are open and programs unblocked.
  4. Connect the client PC
    1. On a client PC with Rapidform XOR installed, go to Start Menu>All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform XOR[V]2 >License Utility
    2. Select the option “For Official Customer using Local Network License Sharing” and click Next.
    3. Type in the server’s Static IP Address or Host Name and click Confirm
      1. If successful a message will state that the server has been found. Click Finish.
      2. If unsuccessful, please check network connections and check that the service is running correctly.

Want a licensing walkthrough? Check out this post!

Install the License Server Utility
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Commands and Applications: Rewrap (part 2)

By Mike Tsang • Oct 19th, 2009 • Category: By Level, By Product, Intermediate, Self-paced Learning, Success Blog, Tech Tips, XOR
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The Rewrap Command (part 2)

We all know that the Rewrap command is useful for interpolating mesh data as well as smoothing noisy data. This post continues our look at the command with a second example. The first example can be found by visiting this post.


Example #2

Autosurfacing a mesh for CAD operations: If you are creating an auto-surface of a model, it is usually said that a majority of the editing must be done to the mesh since you are creating a verbatim model. But with XOR, you have the added ability to create a hybrid model, that is, performing CAD operations on a verbatim model to create a model that has both the accuracy from the scan as well as the design intent of a designed model.

In this example, we have an autosurface of a bottom of a bottle. What if the scan of the bottom of the bottle isn’t flat? Well then our autosurface of the bottom of the bottle may not be flat either.




Using the rewrap command, we can extend the mesh in a natural way, create our autosurfaced solid model, then create a perfectly flat surface.

We can also change the height of the bottle by using a different cutting plane!




More Examples…

We’ll be posting the final example of how this command can be applied soon! If you missed the first example, check it out here!.




Commands and Applications: Rewrap (part 1)

By Mike Tsang • Oct 12th, 2009 • Category: By Product, Intermediate, Self-paced Learning, Success Blog, Tech Tips, XOR, XOS
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The Rewrap Command (part 1)

We all know that the Rewrap command is useful for interpolating mesh data as well as smoothing noisy data. If you don’t, press The F1 Key.


We’ll take a look at a few examples of how we can apply this useful command.  Example #1 is below, keep an eye out for more examples which will be posted soon!


Example #1

Defeature complex features: Want to remove a feature from your scan and fill the space in naturally? If its as simple as a bump or lettering on a smooth area, use the Defeature command. But if the feature or its location is a bit more complex, the Rewrap command can help. Just delete the area and run Rewrap. Be sure to have “Extend Boundaries” checked!



More Examples…

We’ll be posting more examples of how this command can be applied soon!





Learn more with F1

By Mike Tsang • Oct 4th, 2009 • Category: By Product, Self-paced Learning, Success Blog, Tech Tips, XOR, XOS, XOV
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The F1 Key

Rapidform contains a plethora of features and commands. Many of which that have options that provide additional functions and control. Have you ever wondered what happens if you uncheck a checkbox? What happens if you slide that slider all the way to the right? Or just wanted to learn more about a command in general?

Well stop the wondering and press the F1 key!

The F1 key by default brings up the content help guide. This will show you the help document for the particular command you happen to be using. For example, in Rapidform, go to Insert>Ref. Geometry>Point from the menu bar.

Path to add a Ref. Point

Once you’ve got the command open, press the F1 Key.
The content help window will appear providing you with additional insight on that particular command.