Resources

What is supported when importing into EASE 5-FE?

• The EASE 5-FE DWG import currently allows the following modeling elements
  • 3D Polylines
  • 3D Faces
  • Polyface Meshes

• The following units of measurement are supported by EASE 5-FE
  • For metric systems: millimeters [mm], centimeters [cm], meters [m], kilometers [km], decimeters [dm] and hectometers [hm]
  • For US customary systems: feet [ft], inches [in], miles [mi] and yard [yd]

• Block references which contain the above mentioned modeling elements are supported and will be resolved during import

Polyface Meshes enable using DWG files exported from Trimble SketchUp. Faces in SketchUp are always exported as Polyface Meshes.

What do I have to consider when drawing my model within a CAD tool?

• 3D Polylines must be planar, closed and must not cross themselves.
• 3D Faces must be planar and must not cross themselves. 
• The acoustical orientation of the imported face of an AutoCAD export depends on the direction in which the vertices were set in the source file. If the vertices were set clockwise, the CAD tool user looked at the acoustical side.
• Project files created in SketchUp should be exported in a clean way, where only faces are exported and no edges. This option can be configured in the export options, where the "Edge" field must be unchecked in order to not generate any warnings upon import.
• Faces that have been hidden in a project within SketchUp are imported into EASE 5 as visible faces.

How can I identify problems with the import?

• The log file for the import gives the first indications of what kind of elements may not have been imported.
• The EASE 5-FE Hole Detection Tool shows you where holes or non-permissible surfaces are located by highlighting them in orange or blue.
• If there are holes or non-permissible faces in your project and they have an influence on subsequent calculations, the status strip of the room volume in the Acoustic Parameters Window will show a red color.

What types of issues can occur and how can I handle each of them?

• Loudspeakers*: Must be deleted and replaced by inserting them directly inside EASE 5-FE.
• Details such as Humans and Interior: Must be deleted.
• Actual Holes: Can be identified by the Hole Detection Tool and have to be closed by inserting faces.
• Faces which are coated on top of another*: Can be identified by the Hole Detection Tool and need to be deleted.
• Faces which are one-sided free-floating in the room*: Can be identified by the Hole Detection Tool and need to be deleted.
• Disorientated faces where the acoustically relevant side is turned outwards: Can be identified in the Hole Detection or in the X-Ray with Orientation View and need to be inverted.
• Audience Areas*: Can be identified by the Hole Detection Tool, must be deleted and replaced with Audience Areas drawn in EASE 5.
  *Will be supported or resolved in a future release.

Please make also sure your project is already an acoustical model and not a fully architectural one