Exporting Facet Files

Facet files may be exported directly, or by converting from an ACIS representation. The syntax for exporting facet files is:

Export Facets 'filename' <entity_list> [Overwrite]

The overwrite function allows you to overwrite an existing facet file.

STL facet files may be generated from geometry or from a triangle mesh. The syntax for exporting to the STL format is:

Export STL [ASCII|binary] 'filename' [<entity_list>] [tri <id_range>] [angle=15] [mesh|fast] [sidesets|sideset<ids>] [Overwrite]

The [entity_list] option is a list of geometric entities (bodies, volumes, or surfaces). By default, the graphics facets for the geometric entities will be written to the STL file. The [angle] keyword specifies the dihedral angle used during facet generation. By default, a "water-tight" set of graphics facets is exported for solid volumes. If a water-tight set of facets is not of interest to the user and performance is more important, the fast option can be used. It generates a faceting that does not take the extra step of ensuring water-tightness. To export the triangle mesh on the geometric entities, instead of the graphics facets, specify the [mesh] keyword. Note that STL export of quad meshes is not supported.

The [sidesets] or [sideset <ids>] options will export all or the specified sidesets respectively in your model as surface designation for any or all triangles in the file. If present, one sideset will be generated for each surface designation in the STL file. Following is an example surface designation in an STL file. It would appear following all triangles.

        surface 1
          0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
          10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
          20 21 22 23
        endsurface 1

The id following the surface designation will be used as the sideset ID.

Alternatively, a list of mesh triangles can be specified for export. If neither geometry entities nor mesh are specified, all volumes and sheet bodies are written out.