Hello,
I am using TEXGEN to draw woven fabrics. Then I am exporting those files to STEP for simulation.
I have two doubts regarding this procedure.
1) Is it possible to draw a 3D fabric with warp weft interlacement along with binder yarn going up and down? The interlacement of warp and weft could be within the layer (with binder yarn) or in different layers without binder yarn.
2) Also, after drawing a longer repeat of warp and weft (lets say 14 yarns) with floats, when I try to import it to solidworks or ANSYS, some of the yarns get disappeared. This invisibility of yarns is random. I did not get the cause of it.
Note: For drawing a fabric, I use either weave or 3D weave option then I enter all the parameters like number of warp, weft, spacing etc. and then after interlacing them I get a desired weave. After that I go to file option then export to STEP file, in which I select faceted body with join yarn sections option. I have never used python script for my procedure except changing a color.
It would be really great if you answer my question and I will really appreciate your help and response.
Regards,
Mukta
Doubts in TEXGEN fabric drawing
Moderators: Martin, Developers
Re: Doubts in TEXGEN fabric drawing
Hi Mukta,
Yes, it is possible to have warp/weft interlacement. The most straightforward way would be to write a script to do this. You can use the CTextile3DWeave to do this. You can create the required warps, wefts and binder yarns and then specify where the warp/weft layers are swapped to create the interlacements. Another option, if you have the weave pattern diagram, is to create a weave pattern file and import that https://texgen.sourceforge.io/index.php ... tern_File On looking at both of these options I realise that the documentation is not great for either so please get back to me if you have more questions.
Is there a reason why you are using the STEP export? This only exports the geometry and you will use any volume fraction and orientation information for the textile.
I would need to see the model to be able to comment on why some yarns seem to be disappearing.
Best wishes,
Louise
Yes, it is possible to have warp/weft interlacement. The most straightforward way would be to write a script to do this. You can use the CTextile3DWeave to do this. You can create the required warps, wefts and binder yarns and then specify where the warp/weft layers are swapped to create the interlacements. Another option, if you have the weave pattern diagram, is to create a weave pattern file and import that https://texgen.sourceforge.io/index.php ... tern_File On looking at both of these options I realise that the documentation is not great for either so please get back to me if you have more questions.
Is there a reason why you are using the STEP export? This only exports the geometry and you will use any volume fraction and orientation information for the textile.
I would need to see the model to be able to comment on why some yarns seem to be disappearing.
Best wishes,
Louise
Re: Doubts in TEXGEN fabric drawing
Hello,
About interlacement of warp and weft in 3D weaves, I did not get the solution that you mentioned. Can you please explain me a bit more? It would be really great for me. I want an interlacement of warp and weft within a layer of 3D weave with binder yarn or warp and weft interlacement in different layers without binder yarn. I hope I am lucid enough to explain my question.
I can use either STEP or IGES export option. The reason for choosing this option is that I want a geometry which has EPI, PPI, yarn crossection, yarn diameter etc. parameters only. I don't want information like orientation etc. For me domain is not required. Only the fabric geometry is required. The other reason for choosing STEP file is that it is supported by solidworks and ANSYS. So, further changes can be done in these softwares. I will mail you that geometry file as it is above maximum file size.
Thanking you,
Regards,
Mukta
About interlacement of warp and weft in 3D weaves, I did not get the solution that you mentioned. Can you please explain me a bit more? It would be really great for me. I want an interlacement of warp and weft within a layer of 3D weave with binder yarn or warp and weft interlacement in different layers without binder yarn. I hope I am lucid enough to explain my question.
I can use either STEP or IGES export option. The reason for choosing this option is that I want a geometry which has EPI, PPI, yarn crossection, yarn diameter etc. parameters only. I don't want information like orientation etc. For me domain is not required. Only the fabric geometry is required. The other reason for choosing STEP file is that it is supported by solidworks and ANSYS. So, further changes can be done in these softwares. I will mail you that geometry file as it is above maximum file size.
Thanking you,
Regards,
Mukta
Re: Doubts in TEXGEN fabric drawing
Hi Mukta,
Apologies for the slow answer. In terms of using the base class to create 3D textiles with the interlacement, the easiest thing is probably to use the Weave Pattern import. I have updated the script that it uses and the documentation in the user guide. The user guide is here: https://texgen.sourceforge.io/index.php ... ttern_File and you will need to download the WeavePattern.py file from Github here: https://github.com/louisepb/TexGen/blob ... Pattern.py This will need to replace the existing file in the Python/libxtra/TexGen folder in your TexGen installation (probably in Program Files/TexGen).
I'm not sure about the solution for the STEP/IGES export. This is reliant on the OpenCASCADE library and it isn't clear why some of the yarns are missing - there must have been an error in the export somewhere along the line. The .stl format is simply for a surface so it can't be used to export a volume. I'm not sure what EPI and PPI are?
The dry fibre export gives a robust export of the yarns as a mesh using wedge and hex elements but this is an orphan mesh with no knowledge of the geometry. I don't know if there is any way of importing an Abaqus input file into solidworks or ansys but I guess that this would still need reconstruction of the geometry from the mesh elements.
I may have time to see if I can update the version of OpenCASCADE that we use over the summer - it's possible that this would solve the problem.
Please get back to me if you need more help with generating the type of models that you need. I'm aware that the documentation isn't as good as it could be.
Best wishes,
Louise
Apologies for the slow answer. In terms of using the base class to create 3D textiles with the interlacement, the easiest thing is probably to use the Weave Pattern import. I have updated the script that it uses and the documentation in the user guide. The user guide is here: https://texgen.sourceforge.io/index.php ... ttern_File and you will need to download the WeavePattern.py file from Github here: https://github.com/louisepb/TexGen/blob ... Pattern.py This will need to replace the existing file in the Python/libxtra/TexGen folder in your TexGen installation (probably in Program Files/TexGen).
I'm not sure about the solution for the STEP/IGES export. This is reliant on the OpenCASCADE library and it isn't clear why some of the yarns are missing - there must have been an error in the export somewhere along the line. The .stl format is simply for a surface so it can't be used to export a volume. I'm not sure what EPI and PPI are?
The dry fibre export gives a robust export of the yarns as a mesh using wedge and hex elements but this is an orphan mesh with no knowledge of the geometry. I don't know if there is any way of importing an Abaqus input file into solidworks or ansys but I guess that this would still need reconstruction of the geometry from the mesh elements.
I may have time to see if I can update the version of OpenCASCADE that we use over the summer - it's possible that this would solve the problem.
Please get back to me if you need more help with generating the type of models that you need. I'm aware that the documentation isn't as good as it could be.
Best wishes,
Louise
Re: Doubts in TEXGEN fabric drawing
Hello Dr. Brown,
Thank you so much for your reply. I will definitely try weave pattern import option that you have mentioned and If I faced any problem I will ask you.
EPI and PPI is how many yarns (Warp or weft) are there in one inch. It basically defines the yarn spacing.
I think I can't use .stl file as it gives surface mesh only. Also, I will try dry fibre export Abaqus .inp files. They are supported by part of the Ansys function so one more time I will try using that.
Also, if you update the version of OpenCASCADE please let me know. It would be really great if I could use STEP/IGES file formats.
Again thank you so much for your reply.
Regards,
Mukta
Thank you so much for your reply. I will definitely try weave pattern import option that you have mentioned and If I faced any problem I will ask you.
EPI and PPI is how many yarns (Warp or weft) are there in one inch. It basically defines the yarn spacing.
I think I can't use .stl file as it gives surface mesh only. Also, I will try dry fibre export Abaqus .inp files. They are supported by part of the Ansys function so one more time I will try using that.
Also, if you update the version of OpenCASCADE please let me know. It would be really great if I could use STEP/IGES file formats.
Again thank you so much for your reply.
Regards,
Mukta
Re: Doubts in TEXGEN fabric drawing
Hi Mukta,
I just had a thought - it may not be the same application but the tutorial here shows how to load a volume mesh into ANSYS https://texgen.sourceforge.io/workshop/ ... alysis.pdf
It might at least point you in the right direction for being able to use a .inp file.
Best wishes,
Louise
I just had a thought - it may not be the same application but the tutorial here shows how to load a volume mesh into ANSYS https://texgen.sourceforge.io/workshop/ ... alysis.pdf
It might at least point you in the right direction for being able to use a .inp file.
Best wishes,
Louise