Hi Arthur.

First of all, thanks for release me the plugin. I'm trying to install it on rhino 5, but when I drag the .rhp file it shows me this message:

Error
Access to 'C:\Program Files\For Rhinoceros\Pach_Setting.pset' denied. Impossible load plug-in 'C:\Program FIles\For Rhinoceros\Pachyderm_Acoustic.rhp' 

What is the problem? Instead, the plug-in for GH works. Is it a problem if I use Pachyderm v.1 (which works) on Rhino and the v.2 on GH?

Hi Antonio,

I didn't find the .pset file but moving the "For Rhinoceros" folder on the Desktop it works. Thanks.

Hi,

I'm starting to learn the plug-in, but before going on, I would ask you if it'll be useful for my project: I'm using acoustic analysis to recover the Rotterdam Stadium, changing it in a multifuncional building. I need to create a model of the stadium in GH to simulate the acoustics for different functions (as concerts, motor ride...), so I could use the results to improve the design and optimize the structure for all of these activities.

By the way, the literature about the acoustics of opened sport facilities is insufficient and I don't know if Pachyderm could help me in this research. Do you know if it works in a building with that dimensions?

Thanks,
Antonio 

Hi Antonio,

For large spaces like that, Ray-tracing programs like that in Pachyderm are the only practical way to simulate sound. Yes it will work, but you will probably need a very large number of rays to adequately sample the space. What amount of volume are we talking about?

Arthur

The total volume of the stadium is very huge, around 1,5 million mq. 
It will be minor than that, because I guess I'llconcentrate on the bleachers and the field, but it remains an high value.

Hi,

Try with 200,000 rays, and please post a screenshot of your impulse response. (You will find this on the third tab of the Hybrid method interface).

Hi Arthur,

I'm sorry, I'm trying to set the model but I probably do something wrong. I saw that I need a source and at least one receiver for the simulation, but I don't know how to proceed. 

First of all, I have a simplified model of the stadium, and obviously it's an opened structure (you can see a part of it in the image below). To  the plug-in works, I need to create a kind of closed box around the structure?

Then, if it's possible, could you send me an example of a model where I can see how it works?

I'm really sorry but I'm completely new in this kind of software and analysis, and nobody in the department knows how to use this plug-in. Thanks for the patiance and the availability.

Hi Antonio,

You do not need a closed box around the structure, though you will probably need a very high number of rays to get a good result from the model.

It might make sense for you to use the Rhinoceros interrface before you use the Grasshopper interface. (type Pachyderm_Acoustic in the command prompt to get started. Follow the instructions on the Pachyderm website)

There is an example in the Pachyderm RC12 archive:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/21521713/Pachyderm2.0.0.1%20RC1...

Again, the Rhino and Grasshopper plugins talk to eachother, so you should have them both loaded, and you should have the Rhino model open before opening the grasshopper model.

--Arthhur

Hi,

I followed the instructions on the site, I assigned the material (using one of the default materials) and I use 200000 rays for the simulation, but when I launched it, Rhinoceros crashed.

I tried to change the number of rays, the materials and other parameters, but the result is the same, the software crashes every time. What do you think is the problem?

Sometimes it works, even if it's very ustable, but when I go to "Analysis" tab I receive this message: "Index is outside the matrix" and I can't see anything. Then, when I select a parameter (for example T-30, the software continues to crash). 

My colleages at the office and I use the plugin often. It shouldn't be unstable. The only times I encounter this with users is generally if they are running in Parallels on a Mac, and that is a Rhino issue. Another possibility is that you don't have enough RAM to do what you want to do, or you are running in 32 bit, in which case the RAM you can use is limited (try again in 64-bit Rhino). If that is not the case, here are a few things to try:

1. check that none of the libraries are blocked. (right click all files in the installation and go to properrties, and if there is an unblock button in propertites, click it and apply.)

2. delete the .pset file in the pachyderm directory. (Pachyderm will make a new one).

3. Delete your Pachyderm directlory, and install again from the RC12 archive I provided earlier.

As for the blank receivers dropdown, I had forgotten about that issue. Just click in the white space of the dropdown and type the number of the receiver you want, and press tab. Then uncheck and check a source. That should work as a temporary workaround. (don't put in a number that does not match a receiver in the model, or it will crash). This will be fixed in a later version.

I'm using the 64-bit Rhino in Windows, and I have 16Gb RAM, I don't think that is the problem. I noticed that the crash comes when starts "calculating image set..".

I'll try to install again pachyderm and also Rhinoceros if it's necessary.

Hi Arthur,

I'm still working on the model of the stadium, with acceptable results. I would like to know if with Pachyderm I can get graphs of the analyzed parameters (T30, EDT, SPL...)  or I can see just the energy/pressure curves and the values of the other parameters.

Then, Pachyderm for GH is linked to the Rhino analysis? Or are they indipendent? I don't understand how to use the plug-in in Grasshopper...
Thanks for the availability.

Antonio

Hi Arthur,

Could I get the example file for Pachyderm? Because your website is down and the dropbox link is dead. Thanks before

Hi Arthur,

I'm working on a model of multifunctional room but I have a problem with Pachyderm. 

I have modelling the room and assign the acoustical proprieties of the materials in "Pachyderm Hybrid Models" but when i try to start the "calculation solution" Pachyderm stop working and Rhinoceros shuts off.
Can you help me please?

Daniele

Hi Daniele,

That sounds like you are either using a very old version, or libraries are blocked.

First make sure you have the latest:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ljaz5ky9qc0659p/Pachyderm2.0RC_13f_Instal...

Let me know if this solves your issue.

Arthur

Hi Arthur, Do you have an installer for a 32-bit version? I've the same issue of Daniele.

Thank's

Hi Jose,

I don't recommend using the software in 32-bit. There are too many features for which the memory limitation would make it impossible to complete a simulation...

It is very unusual to need that these days though. Why do you need 32-bit?

Arthur

Hi Arthur,
I have the last version of Rhinoceros and Pachyderm so this is not the problem. Maybe my libraries are blocked but I don't know how I can unlock it.
This evening I tried to start the analysis in a simple cubic room and the "calculation solution" started. Maybe my last model was too complicated. It is possibile? 
I'll write you as soon as try to remodel the new room.
Thank you

Daniele

Hi Arthur,

Do you have any GH acoustics file that I can study to learn to use parametric pachyderm?
Thank you

Daniele

Arthur, 

I made it through my Thesis project. Thank you for all your help and for creating this tool! You are saving the world...

Hi Arthur,

is there a way to export analyses from simulations in a spreadsheet-friendly (or otherwise parseable) format? 

Hi Arthur,

I am using your software for an acoustic simulation. Everything looks working in the grasshopper system but I have two questions. 

1. How many surfaces can Pachyderm control in Grasshopper? For now my project is not less then 3800 surfaces and everything is crashing when I am setting a polygon scene.

2. The parameter ED is always overload for the matrix. Is there any secret to solve this problem?

Many thanks

RM

Hi Arthur,

Like Stracus, when I launch my analysis, appears an error that says "Index beyond the matrix limits".
Where is it possible change these limits?

Daniele

Hi Danielle,

There are no limits, and your problem seems very different from Stracus's problem. His originated in the Scene class, and most likely had to do with his model. Yours, from your picture, occurs after running a simulation, and has to do with composing the Impulse Response.

I can't tell what is wrong with it from your picture. Please email me your files and I can have a look.

kind regards,

Arthur

Can you send me your email to send you the project?
Or write it at rizza.d@hotmail.it
Thank you

Kind regards,

Daniele 

Hi all,

Daniele and I have worked through the issue. It seems to me that this is not terribly clear in the website documentation, so I will say it here. Your model must be in meters for it to work correctly in Pachyderm. Maybe someday I will fix this, but for now, in order to prevent  an onslaught of bugs, please work in meters.

Rhino makes it pretty easy to fix this. I can be a little trickier in Grasshopper, but still not overly complicated.

kind regards,

Arthur

Hi，I want to figure out how to use it in grasshopper, could you sent me the example file of grasshopper to my email?

hdeng@iastate.edu

Thanks very much!

Where can i download?

Hi Authur,

Thanks for your creation of this plug-in. 

I have read all the tutorial on the website and the comments & discussions here. I do not see how gh and rhino plugin could work together. Is there any example for me to learn more about it ?

Or may I know for NURBS Scene component, what should be plugged into GL? What is the integer id of the layer in the description?

Thank you!

Hi Oneiric,

GL wants one integer for each piece of geometry you put into GG. This integer will be the zero-based position of the layer in the Rhino layer dialog. The layer titled 'default' generally appears first in a new document. That would be layer 0. The next layer you add would be directly below 'default' and would be layer 1, and so on.

What the scene component is looking to do is get the materials you have assigned to that layer in Pachyderm for Rhino. This is the most obvious way, perhaps that Pachyderm for Rhino and Pachyderm for Grasshopper work together. They share resources like materials.

The connection will be deepened in the future, as I develop certain other tools. Stay tuned.

Arthur

Hi Authur,

Thanks so much for your reply.

Now I have already know how to save the data and read the data in gh and had no prob with NURBS scene

I would like to know what is the data to be connected to Room in Visualize Pachyderm Rays component? From the hint when I tried to connect brep to Room, I connected NURBS scene to it. It gives me the error saying 'Object reference not set to an instance of object'

Sorry for the trouble to have to explain to me step by step...

Thanks!!!

Hi Arthur,

Thank you very much sharing Pachyderm Acoustic plugin! I am looking forward to digging it, although I have not used it yet due to Rhino version issue, I guess. Does Pachyderm work with Rhino 6 as well? I have tried to install it but the error message says that it seems not compatible with Rhino 6. I could see them in Grasshopper though. Any idea?

Thanks,

Sang

Hi Sang,

No worries. The software is not yet ready for Rhino 6... as a matter of fact, I haven't even ordered my copy of 6 yet. I will port it within the next few months if I am able to muster the time to do so.

Arthur

Hi Arthur and Pachyderm Community,

first of all I want to say thank you for providing us with free and open-source acoustic-simulation software. I am a student from Munich currently examining the acoustical effects of more complex, parametrical shapes; Without Pachyderm that would be very, very hard. However, I am running into a few problems and it would be awesome if you could find a few minutes to help me.

I am mainly using Pachyderm to try to find out the Alpha-Values and the Scattering-Coefficient of certain structures. Talking about the scattering analysis, I know that the feature is experimental, but I still think you might be able to clear a few things up. Generally, I understand the "Calculate up to"-Property as a frequency-treshold up to which the programm will calculate the correlation-coefficient. However, when I perform the calculations, Pachyderm does not respect these thresholds.

500hz: Pachyderm calculates 0 - ~7000hz

1000hz: Pachyderm calculates 0 - ~12000hz

2000hz: Pachyderm calculates 0 - ~30000hz

4000hz: Pachyderm calculates 0 - ~55000hz

To add to the confusion the values of the scattering coefficient will also change dependent on the threshold. I will attach all the files, the results and so on for these tests. I tried this with various structures, always had only one object with an assigned material in the center and the box did completely surround the object. Also just on a side note, the program crashes for me, whenever I am performing the analysis with a Mesh (Windows 10, Rhino5).

Furthermore, I could not find a common definition of the scattering coefficient. To me the definition "percentage of rays that is not reflected geometrically (+/- 10°)" makes a lot of sense; Does Pachyderm follow a similiar definition?

Since I am pretty new to CAD in general and definetly not an expert at all in neither acoustics nor simulation I have attached all the files that I used. Even though I have been testing around quite a bit, it might just be a really stupid mistake. I also did the tests with more complex surfaces (which I am actually interested in), but since the problems do already show for this simple rotated surface it might be a good place to start. I know this is a really long text, but I already tried to shorten it as much as I can, leaving a lot of other questions open. Thank you for any help!

ScatteringTests

All the best,

David

Hi Arthur, 

I have installed the latest Pachyderm v.02. I tried to use Pachyderm mapping method option, but it always makes my rhino crash. Do you know why is that happen?

Cheers!

Hi Arthur,

Ok, right now I just want to follow this tutorial (https://vimeo.com/247022069). 

So my computer is windows x64, with the latest Rhino 5 SR 14 and Grasshopper.  Another tab works fine for me.

Hi Arthur

I seem to be having the same issue at Zaqi below

I recently installed Pachyderm and have an issue using the Pachyderm Mapping Method.

Every time that I try to open the Mapping Method tab it immediately closes my rhino, and offers to send an error report, as though rhino had just crashed. I am running it on a new Dell XPS 13, so I don't think hardware should be the issue?

I have uninstalled then reinstalled Pachyderm, but the error persists.

Can you please let me know if you've had issues like this before/know any possible solutions?

Hi Arthur,

thank you for your detailed answer and sorry for not answering for such a long time, I was just trying to make sure that I did understand everything before I answer back.

Now I do actually get quite reliably the same results and I have no issues with any crashes anymore. The only problem is that my intuition would sometimes suggest really different values. The main surface I am working with(see image) for example only delivers a scattering coefficient below 0.1 , while I would assume that it should be really high. Do you think that these calculations are right or do you have any idea what I might be doing wrong?

Also I was trying to assess the alpha-coefficient for the same pattern with holes and mineral wool behind, but decided to simplify things and just use the absorbtion designer. Do you think that the pattern itself could have a big influence on the absorbtion or is such a simplification probably all right? I was already building some manual tests to integrate its effect but it is a lot more work.
When using the Absorbtion Designer I did not find a value for the perecentage the holes take up, even though I thought, that this should be the most important value? So far I have just been playing around with the diameter of the holes and studying the results.

Thank you!

Hi David P,

I have been playing with it a bit more also. One thing I found is that if you make the radius too small, then your result will be poor. Another thing I have found is that the farther away from the sample your sphere is, the lower the magnitude of the scattering will be. This seems to suggest that maybe the base of the hemisphere should always be right at the bottom of the scattering panel.

Regarding whether or not your result is accurate or not, I can't really say. You could send me a copy of your model, though, and I could try it and give you my opinion...

Also, you made the right choice by doing the perforations in the absorption designer, rather than the scattering tool. At present, absorption can't be assigned to the boundaries of the FVM tool. One day I will figure it out, but I will need a lot of time to dedicate to it at once, and family life doesn't allow for that right now... My intuition says that the scattering probably doesn't affect the absorption much, other then that the depth of the perforations will vary with the depth of the panel, and that if you have portions of the panel that are not perforated, the final absorption of the panel will be an area-weighted average of all conditions. (I can't say for sure without studying your design in more detail, though.)

Thanks for giving this experimental tool a shot. I will help in any way I can, within the limits of the many roles I hold.

kind regards,

Arthur