DB Feature Request: Geometry Modelling Enhancements

markcarey · Posts: 8 Location: Christchurch

Hi,

Following the DesignBuilder Aust training have been trying to do some more modelling with DesignBuilder and hit a couple of snags, which may make for possible improvements for DB.

1. When we create a sketch and extrude a block, it would be nice to be able to go back down the hierarchy to the block and edit the sketch at a later date (like SolidWorks) and then have the block re-extrude.

2. Refer attached dxf (in zip file from EnergyPlus) no prizes for guessing what it is, minaret/tower geometry may not be a common modelling case. We struggled to model this geometry in DesignBuilder and instead generated the verticies, surfaces etc and pasted them into compact.idf which we ran from EPLaunch.

DB allowed us to create the 12 sized polygon base layer, and the 12 sided inward sloped cill layer, but would not allow us to extrude the 12 sided outward sloped upper layer. DB wouldnt allow extrusion angles outside the range 1 - 89 deg (we wanted -65 deg), or allow us to start with the roof and extrude in a negative direction.

Just a couple of suggestions.

Regards,

Mark Carey

--

Cosgrove Major

ChrisYates · Posts: 5

Solidworks is actually a solid modeller whereas my understanding of Db is that it is a volume modeller. Therefore, it is difficult to model things such as creases (especially inverted creases) and shift vertex positions after the geometry is input.

Db has a beautiful simplicity to it (that engineers will find easy to embrace) but does lack some higher order geometric operations.

The ability to shift individual or groups of vertices after they're initially defined is needed.

Perhaps the ability to define individual faces would be useful before grouping them into a zone. Better still, if imports from other 3D software (e.g. sketchup) were accepted. Some software out there manages to make a good job of stitching together disparate 3d faces into zones.

Steve Potter · Posts: 274 Location: newcastle

Hi Mark,

We have plans to extend the geometric capabilities of DB, including solids of revolution (which would be useful for this type of geometry) and a facility to import geometry created in other applications. We are also planning to enable sloping walls to be created with both inward and outward sloping walls (version 2.0 feature). In the meantime, there is a technique that you can use to model this geometry within the current version of DB:

markcarey · Posts: 8 Location: Christchurch

Steve,

Thanks, a cunning suggestion, v2.0 modelling improvements sound worthwhile!

Had a play and can get it to work! However DesignBuilder wont let us create trapezoidal windows ...

Looking at the windows in your example, I see that they are square on the trapezoidal surfaces, is this because EnergyPlus does not support non square windows?

Reason for asking is the trapezoidal surface is constructed entirely from plate glass with a bead of silicon between the panes, no frame in the vertical.

The roof is held up by internal structure ....

Thanks again!

Mark

AOG · Posts: 79

Mark,

Just to add…

DesignBuilder allow you to draw custom trapezoidal windows. You can set shape as polygon in Tools > Perimeter.

Best regards

Arturo

markcarey · Posts: 8 Location: Christchurch

AOG,

Thanks for the tip - I knew that EnergyPlus didnt like it when I tried to feed it trapezoidal windows complaining that they were non-rectangular.

I see that DesignBuilder (1.5.0.042) side steps this issue by decomposing trapezoidal windows into a pair of triangular windows for the idf file it writes for EnergyPlus.

Regards,

Mark Carey

markcarey · Posts: 8 Location: Christchurch

For the interested, refer attached

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