Union Boolean isn't working in my situation

clément_vannouque

Hello,

I'm having difficulties to use the Boolean Union method to merge all my subparts (around 380)

The error returned error is "Boolean failed to return a valid part"

I'vre read some articles and the main reason is mainly intersection problem when parts doens't share enough intersection "space"

The thing here is that all my pieces are sharing more than enough "space", which is why I don't understand the error 

You can have a look at a copy of the workspace right here: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f044a9b9311e3cf726a1376d/w/f62aeda3598688720ae8944a/e/c7cbd9361d989f5c25268332

Any help to understand the problem is more than welcome, thanks !

owen_sparks

It would be helpful to have a link to the actual doc.  The read only link you have in your post doesn't allow us to edit anything for you.  (If you just copy the url directly from the top of your browser that would be better.  At first glance your outer row doesn't touch then next row in.

lana

If you try merging smaller subset, Boolean is actually showing where the issues are. In this case edges at the bottom of this gap are touching, but the rest of the side faces don't

Would hollowing a ball, cutting out one rectangle and patterning faces of that cut give you a satisfactory geometry? I started working on it here.
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f6fdc3e4e4b202d4ceeff50f/w/de1b2a7e647c5e8308e47503/e/8af5d6e69ad8ffb03161c84a
The face pattern would work faster than multi body merge.

clément_vannouque

owen_sparks said:

It would be helpful to have a link to the actual doc.  The read only link you have in your post doesn't allow us to edit anything for you.  (If you just copy the url directly from the top of your browser that would be better.  At first glance your outer row doesn't touch then next row in.

Hi,

Thanks for you answer !

Sorry for that, I made sure the document went public so you can make a copy  

Here's the link : https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f044a9b9311e3cf726a1376d/w/f62aeda3598688720ae8944a/e/c7cbd9361d989f5c25268332

I tried to fill the gaps by increasing my main pattern (Sketch LED PATTERN) size (from 11*11mm to 12*12mm) but I still had issues. I tweaked the height a little bit with the same result

philip_thomas

OMG - please step away from the computer!



This would choke any Brep modeller because of the sliver faces, knife edges and non-manifold topology.
Regardless of whether you are looking for a faceted result or a smooth sphere with openings, this is not how you would do it.
If you would disambiguate which result you were looking for, I am sure that someone here would love to show you a better way

clément_vannouque

lana said:

If you try merging smaller subset, Boolean is actually showing where the issues are. In this case edges at the bottom of this gap are touching, but the rest of the side faces don't

Would hollowing a ball, cutting out one rectangle and patterning faces of that cut give you a satisfactory geometry? I started working on it here.
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f6fdc3e4e4b202d4ceeff50f/w/de1b2a7e647c5e8308e47503/e/8af5d6e69ad8ffb03161c84a
The face pattern would work faster than multi body merge.

Hey,

Thanks for you idea! The alignment is still not exactly what I need but I'll give it a try and let you know asap  

clément_vannouque

philip_thomas said:

OMG - please step away from the computer!



This would choke any Brep modeller because of the sliver faces, knife edges and non-manifold topology.
Regardless of whether you are looking for a faceted result or a smooth sphere with openings, this is not how you would do it.
If you would disambiguate which result you were looking for, I am sure that someone here would love to show you a better way

Hello,

Yes well lana helped me realised that..

Hollowing a sphere was a much better idea, problem solved thanks !