Analyze Tab Overview
The Analyze tab contains quantitative analysis tools for evaluating the geometric and physical properties of mask and surface objects. These tools are designed to support quality control, metrology, defect detection, and research workflows by providing statistical measurements, color-mapped visualizations, and exportable results.
Analysis results should be reviewed and validated by qualified professionals. These tools are intended for research and industrial applications and should not be used as the sole basis for clinical decisions or regulatory submissions without appropriate validation.
Tab Sections
The Analyze tab is organized into the following sections:
Analyses
Tools for performing quantitative measurements on mask and surface objects:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Wall Thickness Analysis | Measure material thickness across an object by calculating distances from the analysed surface to the opposite boundary, at any position on the surface. Available for both mask and surface objects. |
| Deviation Analysis | Compare two objects to identify geometric differences and measure the deviation at any position on the analysed surface. Supports mask vs. mask, mask vs. surface, and surface vs. surface comparisons, with optional tolerance evaluation. |
| Curvature Analysis | Calculate and visualize surface curvature properties including Gaussian, mean, maximum, and minimum curvature values. |
| Extrema Analysis | Identify and visualize local maximum and minimum points along a specified direction vector. |
| Gray Value Analysis | Map and analyze grayscale intensity values from volume data onto mask or surface geometry. |
| Void/Inclusion Analysis | Detect and characterize internal voids (porosity) and inclusions within mask objects, providing defect statistics and visualization. |
Edit
Tools for managing analysis objects:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Analyses Editor | List every analysis object in the project, grouped by type, and delete the ones no longer needed. |
Common Concepts
Analysis Workflow
All analysis tools in the Analyze tab follow a consistent workflow pattern:
- Access the tool: Navigate to the Analyze ribbon tab and select the desired analysis type.
- Choose the analysis mode: Select whether to analyze a mask or surface object from the dropdown menu.
- Create or load an analysis: Click Select analysis to open the Analysis Editor dialog where you can create new analyses or load existing ones.
- Configure settings: Specify the target object, visualization parameters, and analysis-specific settings.
- Run the analysis: Click Run Analysis to compute the results and update the visualization, the statistics, and the histogram.
- Review and export: Examine results in the 3D/2D views, statistics table, and histogram, then export data or generate reports.
Analysis Selection
The Analysis Selection section allows you to manage and switch between multiple analyses of the same type:
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Select analysis | Opens the Analysis Editor dialog to create, delete, or load analyses. |
| Selected analysis | Displays the name of the currently loaded analysis. |
Visualization Options
Analysis results are displayed as color-mapped overlays on the analyzed objects:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Histogram | Distribution of the analysis values, drawn in the Interactive Histogram Chart. Adjust the range sliders below the chart to filter the displayed value range. |
| Color Map (LUT) | Configurable lookup table that maps analysis values to colors. Above and below range colors indicate values outside the selected range. |
| Show Maximum | Toggle display of the maximum value location as an annotation in the 3D view. |
| Show Minimum | Toggle display of the minimum value location as an annotation in the 3D view. |
| Pick Point | Enable interactive picking to display analysis values at clicked locations on the object. |
Histogram Types
The histogram visualization supports three display modes:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Absolute surface | Shows the actual surface area in mm² for each value bin without normalization. |
| Relative surface | Displays surface area as a percentage of the total analyzed surface. |
| Cumulative relative surface | Shows the accumulated percentage of relative surface area across value bins. |
By default, the distribution is shown as bars in the Interactive Histogram Chart. The bars carry the colors of the color map, so the chart and the color-mapped object can be read together. Scroll to zoom, drag inside the plot to evaluate an interval, and right-click to reach the display options and the export actions. The histogram type selected above already decides whether the values are absolute, relative, or accumulated, so the chart does not offer a second normalization or a bin count of its own.
Statistics
The Statistics table is filled in when the analysis runs. Its rows are named after the quantity being analysed, so a wall thickness analysis reads Max. wall thickness (mm) where a deviation analysis reads Max. deviation (mm), but every analysis reports the same set of facts:
| Group | Rows | Description |
|---|---|---|
| What was analysed | Actual object, Reference object or Volume object, Method, Surface quality | The inputs the result belongs to and how it was computed |
| Extremes | Max. …, Max. … point(s), Min. …, Min. … point(s) | The highest and lowest values, with the coordinates where they occur |
| Distribution | Mean …, Standard deviation | Across every analysed point |
| Picked point | … at picked point, Picked … point | The value and coordinates of the point you clicked, while point picking is on |
| Within the selected range | Range, Mean … within range, Standard deviation within range | The same distribution figures restricted to the range set on the histogram |
| Area split by range | Area below min. range (%), Area above max. range (%), Area within range (%) | How much of the analysed surface falls below, above, and inside the range |
| Cumulated percentiles | Cumulated 90%, Cumulated 95%, Cumulated 98% | The value beneath which that share of the analysed surface lies |
| Tolerance | Tolerance limits, Critical limits, Area in tolerance (%), Critical area (%), Tolerance status | Deviation analysis only, and only while tolerance evaluation is enabled. See Deviation Analysis |
| Tolerance | Min./Max. permissible …, Tolerance status | Wall thickness analysis only, and only while tolerance evaluation is enabled. See Wall Thickness Analysis |
Because the range rows follow the histogram sliders, moving the range re-reports the mean, the standard deviation, and the three area percentages for exactly the band you are interested in, without re-running the analysis.
Right-click the statistics table to copy rows to the clipboard.
Exporting Results
Analysis results can be exported in multiple formats:
| Export Option | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV Export | Export statistical data and value distributions to comma-separated value files. |
| PDF Report | Generate formatted PDF reports containing analysis visualizations, statistics, and metadata. See PDF Report for details. |
The CSV export writes the analysis value of every measured point, so it carries the results at full resolution. The histogram tables of the PDF report describe the distribution instead: each row holds the surface measured over a range of analysis values, stated in an Analysis Value from and an Analysis Value to column, because a bar covers a range rather than one exact value.
The Cumulative relative surface histogram type is the exception. A row of it holds the surface measured up to the end of its range, not within it, so the table names that one value in an Analysis Value up to column and heads the surface column with Cumulative surface (%).
Copy to Measurements
The Copy to Measurements button transfers visible analysis annotations (minimum, maximum, picked points) to the Measurements tool for inclusion in measurement reports and cross-tool workflows.
Mask vs. Surface Analysis
Most analysis tools support both mask and surface objects as input:
| Input Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Mask Analysis | Analyses the 3D preview surface generated from the mask. The Surface quality used is recorded in the statistics table with the result. |
| Surface Analysis | Analyses an imported or generated triangle mesh directly. |
Mask-based analyses do not measure voxels directly: they measure the preview surface built from the mask, at one of four quality levels, Optimal, High, Medium, or Low.
Each analysis stores its own quality. You choose it in the Surface Quality column of that analysis in its analysis editor, and Optimal is the default. Running the analysis regenerates the mask's 3D preview at that quality, which also updates the quality shown under View > 3D View > Mask 3D Preview (Mesh). The View tab setting is therefore a consequence of running an analysis, not an input to it.
High, Medium, and Low build the preview from downsampled mask data, which shifts the surface slightly and therefore shifts every distance measured from it. Run analyses that produce reported numbers at Optimal quality. The quality actually used is written into the statistics table as Surface quality, so a result can always be traced back to the setting that produced it.
Typical Workflows
Quality Control Inspection
- Import or segment the part to be inspected.
- Open Wall Thickness Analysis or Deviation Analysis as appropriate.
- Create a new analysis and configure the target object and reference (if applicable).
- Run the analysis and review the color-mapped visualization.
- Use the histogram and range sliders to identify areas outside tolerance.
- Export a PDF report documenting the inspection results.
Defect Detection
- Segment the object containing potential defects using threshold or region grow tools.
- Open Void/Inclusion Analysis from the Analyze tab.
- Configure detection parameters including minimum defect size and threshold values.
- Run the analysis to identify and label individual defects.
- Review the statistics table for defect counts, volumes, and locations.
- Export defect data for further analysis or reporting.
Geometric Analysis
- Create or import surface geometry.
- Use Curvature Analysis to evaluate surface smoothness and identify high-curvature regions.
- Apply Extrema Analysis to locate maximum and minimum points along specific directions.
- Combine with Gray Value Analysis to correlate geometry with material properties.
Scripting Support
Analysis operations can be automated using Python scripting. See the Analysis Operations API for available functions including:
- Creating and configuring analysis objects
- Running analyses programmatically
- Extracting statistical results
- Automating batch analysis workflows
Related Resources
- Measure Tab Overview – Statistical measurements and primitive fitting
- Interactive Histogram Chart – Reading, navigating, and evaluating the distribution chart
- Surface Tab Overview – Surface creation and editing tools
- Segmentation Tab Overview – Mask creation and editing tools
- PDF Report – Report generation for analysis results