I am trying to create a network of 3D Voronoi branches to model a collagen fibers within a matrix. As I create the structure in Grasshopper and bake it in Rhino, I export it to either SolidWorks or Ansys Space Claim to finally export it to Ansys workbench for finite element analysis. The problem is that when I export the file (Parasolid), it is not read as a unified objects, but as the assembly of lots parts. I would appreciate if somebody help me to export it the 3D Voronoi network as a unified solid object. Also, I prefer not to create meshes to avoid further possible complications (if any) in Ansys mechanical, and create the meshes in Ansys it self. The image of the baked network as well as the GH file are uploaded.
Below is a definition which uses the Multipipe component to create a closed SubD around the edges of the voronoi structure. This definition also removes short line segments. You can bake the result and use ToNurbs to turn it into a polysurface. Converting into a Brep in Grasshopper is also possible but it might take some time.
I like your model a lot! Im trying to alter it a bit to get it working for my model, but I was wondering if it is possible to remove lines that are too close together (as seen in the figure below). I am really new to grashopper and rhino.
Many thanks in advance!
There are a few situations that make this optimization a little complicated. Especially when three lines are almost colinear and form a very narrow triangle. The least significant point should be eliminated. The optimization can be done with Kangaroo.
A final optimization could be to pull the closest vertices to the box surface and its edges. This step is not implemented yet in the definition below.
I added the optimization mentioned above where points are pulled towards a bounding box: Points within a threshold of 5 mm were first pulled to the bounding box, then to the closest edge and finally to the closest corner.
You can check out a 3D model on my server by clicking on the screenshot below.