2011

Table Of Contents
Object Types That Can Be Converted
You obtain the most predictable results when you convert primitive solid
objects to mesh. That is, the resulting mesh adheres closely to the shape of
the original solid model.
You can also convert other types of objects, although the conversion results
may differ from what you expect. These objects include swept surfaces and
solids, legacy polygon and polyface mesh objects, regions, closed polylines,
and objects created with 3DFACE. For these objects, you can often improve
results by adjusting the conversion settings.
Adjust Mesh Conversion Settings
If the conversion does not work as expected, try changing the settings in the
Mesh Tessellation Options dialog box. For example, if the Smooth Mesh
Optimized mesh type results in incorrect conversions, you can set the
tessellation shape to be Triangle or Mostly Quads.
You also can control the adherence to the original shape by setting the
maximum distance offset, angles, aspect ratios, and edge lengths for new faces.
The following example shows a 3D solid helix that has been converted to
mesh using different tessellation settings. The optimized mesh version has
been smoothed, but the other two conversions have no smoothness. Notice,
however, that the mostly quads conversion with the lower tessellation values
creates a mesh object that adheres most closely to the original version.
Smoothing this object improves its appearance even more.
Similarly, if you notice that a converted mesh object has a number of long,
slivered faces (which can sometimes cause gaps), try decreasing the Maximum
Edge Length for New Faces value.
Create Meshes by Conversion | 1075