Rapidform XOS

Pumpkin Tutorial
Aligning, Merging and
Editing
XOS Tutorial Pumpkin

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will be shown the steps needed to create a water-tight mesh from scan data.
The steps that will be covered are:

1. Importing Scan Data

2. Aligning Scan Data
3. Merging Scan Data into single mesh
4. Mesh Editing

Step 1 Importing Scan Data

Open Rapidform XOR

Go to: Inset Import Pumpkin_Scan_Data.xdl Import Only

You should have a series of scans that looks like the image above. The colors selected for
meshes are random; your color scheme will vary

If your scanner is capable of capturing texture, check the Use Custom Settings box and deselect the
Include Texture option to increase software performance.
Step 2 Aligning Scan Data
Go to: Tools Scan Tools Align Between Scan Data

The fist alignments we will perform are alignments within families. The families are already roughly
aligned, which allows you to use the method option Global and Fine for performing your alignment.

Align Family_01_

Select Method: Global and Fine

Select all meshes designated Family_01_ as moving, by holding Ctrl and clicking each
thumbnail on the bottom of the screen

Hide all other meshes by clicking on the check button in the upper left corner of the thumbnail.
Under the Global Options section select the following options

Sampling Ratio: 100%

o This option allows you to select the percentage of the data being used to
perform the alignment
o The default setting is 25%, but always use as high a setting as your computer
can handle to provide the highest quality alignment
Max Iteration Count: 25
o This option will limit the number of times the alignment will be performed
before halting the operation
Max Average Deviation: Click the Estimate tool
o This option will break the alignment if the deviation between scans
becomes less than the specified value, usually less than a fraction of a
thousandth of an inch
Apply Only Small Transform: On
o This option will keep each mesh fairly close to its initial position
o Depending on the geometry of your scan data you may wish to have this
option off to expedite the alignment process
Use Only Reliable Scan Data: On
Do Not Align Between Moving Objects: Off
o This option will allow you to align families independently, then align the
families against each other without losing previous alignments

Click the Apply button next to the Method section

Align Family_04_

Begin by clearing the selection field by checking the Select None option

Hide Family_01_ and show Family_04_ and select Family_04_ as Moving

Repeat the above alignment steps for Family_04_

Click the Apply button

Align between Family_01_ and Family_04_

Select the Method as Local Based on Picked Point

o This method will allow you to pick points of similarity between the two families to
perform a rough alignment
o Once a rough alignment has been performed by the user, the algorithm will finish the
alignment based on regions of similar curvature

Select Family_01_ as Reference

o This will set Family_01_ as the reference that Family_02_ will align itself against
o The Reference scan data will not move

Select Family_04_ as Moving

o This scan data will move to match the reference data

In the viewports on the right-hand side of the screen orient the two scan-sets so that the stem is
facing the same direction. Then select 3 points (in order) on each scan-set that correspond to
the three points on the other.

As you select corresponding points, the scans will align on the left viewport. When you have at
least 3 points on each scan-set click the Apply button

Your initial rough-alignment has allowed the system to perform a best fit alignment based on
the curvature of the scan-sets that is more accurate than allowing the computer to guess at
what orientation would produce the best fit.
Continue performing Local Based On Picked Point alignments on the remaining meshes.

When you place a reference point, if the corresponding reference point does not appear to be in
the correct location, you can select Ctrl+Z to undo the last selection (1 at a time) and retry the
placement.

Your alignments wont always be perfect, if your dont see a salt & pepper pattern after an
alignment, use the Undo function and try the alignment again, until you get the mixed color
look that implies a good fit.

When you have aligned all of your scan-sets, you will have a model that looks like this
Step 3 Merge
After aligning your meshes, you will want to create a single mesh out of your data.

Go to: Tools Scan Tools Merge

Select all meshes by either clicking and dragging a box around all of the data, (being sure that all
scan data is visible in the model tree), or by clicking Ctrl+A

Select Volume Merge

o You are choosing the Volume Merge method because with lots of overlapping scan data
this method finds the median surface and reconstructs the mesh there
o A Surface Merge trims the overlapping areas back, and zips the gap, not making full use
of all of the data available
o Mesh Construction Merge is for noisy or poorly aligned data, and follows the geometric
shape of the scan data
 Click on the Estimate tool next to the Estimated Num. Of Faces section, you will now be able
to see the projected number of poly-faces that will exist on your consolidated mesh. Adjust your
Edge Length Multiplier until you have roughly 100,000 faces.

Click the Preview button if you are satisfied with the mesh, click Accept.

Step 4 Mesh Editing

Now that you have a single mesh, you can perform some operations that will improve the quality of the
data. In the next step you will be performing an auto-surfacing command, and that requires a watertight
mesh. To accomplish this you will use the Rewrap command.

Enter the mesh editing mode by double clicking on your mesh

First, select the Healing Wizard

Click OK

o This tool will locate and attempt to repair any errors in your mesh

An error box may appear that states Failed to heal some singularities. Try again? Click No

o Your mesh will have approximately 100,000 faces, if your Healing Wizard isnt able to
heal a few dozen of them, its ok

Select the Rewrap tool

 o The Rewrap tool will reconstruct the mesh with an emphasis on creating a watertight
body
o This tool is useful for filling holes and maintaining a good overall smoothness

Set the options to the following parameters:

Edge Length Multiplier: 1

o We have already adjusted the edge length
Fitting Options
Geometry Capture Accuracy: Tight
Overall Smoothness: Medium to High
o These options are a tradeoff, on one hand, you can fit your new mesh as close as
possible to the old mesh
o On the other hand, if your original mesh isnt very smooth you will lose accuracy if
you create a smooth mesh
More Options
Extend Boundaries: On & Very Curved
Mesh Density in High Curvature Regions: Dense
o Extend Boundaries allows holes to be filled / gaps to be bridged, the curvature
describes how curved the bridge is allowed to be across the gap
o Mesh density in high curvature regions should be high in parts with sharp edges,
otherwise those edges become tessellated and lose accuracy

Select Preview, if there are no major flaws, select Accept

As you can see, there is a flaw in the mesh at the tip of the stem. Remove this area by dragging
a box over the section while in Mesh mode, then using the delete key to remove that data.

Be sure to have Visible Only turned off

Fill the hole you have created using the Fill Holes tool
 Set the Method to Curvature

o The Curvature Method allows the patch placed over the hole to be tangent to the edges,
creating a smooth transition and a natural looking surface

Select Preview, if the hole is adequately filled, select Accept

Enhancing the mesh

Select the Enhance Shape tool

o This tool will allow you to make the smooth areas smoother and the sharp edges
sharper

Set the options to the following settings:

 Sharpness: High
Overall Smoothness: Medium
Enhancement Level: Low to Medium

Click Next Stage

You can now slide the Enhancement Level slider back and forth and see how the mesh is altered
in real time.

Click OK

Click the check mark in the bottom right corner of the screen to exit out of Mesh Mode

Editing Color

To change the color of the mesh, select the mesh, then in the Properties tab on the right hand
side of the screen, click the material button. Select the orange material.

To make the appearance of having different colors, cut parts of the mesh into their own mesh
entity and change their properties.

ENJOY!