Simplify

This command simplifies the topology of a shape by converting surfaces that can be it and the edges of online faces into a planar, cylindrical, or conical surface, or into arcs for edges that can be it, while complying with the given tolerance.

Creation Stages / Use:

Choose the command Surface > Healing > Simplify... from the drop down menu.

Select shapes to simplify or All shapes by clicking on .
Enter the tolerance to respect during the simplification.
Move to the next stage with the button.
The number of simplified edges and faces is indicated, and there is a list to identify them.

This command is useful for files that come from an IGES import, for example. In fact, surfaces from an IGES are b-spline surfaces (not true planar or cylindrical faces in the mathematical sense of the term). Simplification will therefore result in a lighter value, authorizing the use of command that require planar or cylindrical faces as reference.

If the All shapes option is used, all the visible shapes will be selected.

Available Options:

Hide:

The box allows to hide selected entities during the use of the command, to be able to select other entities more easily, especially those who were behind.

Tolerance:

By checking this option, all of the shapes contained in the document are selected and added to the list of shapes to be simplified.

Preserve tangencies:

This option allows to preserve tangencies between faces in some cases. It is not compatible with the optimization below. It is recommended to use the optimize option. If the result is not satisfying, check this option.

Optimize:

Repair edges:

Check this option if you also want to repair the edges of the faces. You are able to enter a tolerance to respect. It is recommended to enter a tolerance for edges healing greater or equal to the global cleaning tolerance.

Optimize blend faces:

This option allows to recognize fillet faces and convert them.

It is recommended to always optimize the shape after cleaning to reduce the model size.

The fillet's faces are always considered as simplified faces. So, they are always displayed in the dialog which displays the simplification results (even when the operation is run several times).

Advanced options:

Merge:

This option allows to activate or deactivate the merge of faces with the same support. If it is unchecked, the option below is grayed.

Merge tolerant planar faces:

By activating this option, all the planar faces with a common edge and with the angle between their normals is smaller than the given tolerance will be merged into a single face.

Angular tolerance:

This option allows you to specify the tolerance to complied with during the simplification of surfaces.

Therefore, a face will be simplified only if the new surface remains within the tolerance limits of the initial surface.

Modifications / Additional information:

Given that this order rebuilds surfaces, it can also be used to repair some invalid items through rebuilding the face.

The opposite is also true; an invalid item may occasionally appear after a geometry simplification. It is therefore recommended to always verify shapes after simplification is complete.