THERM workflow - uFactor calculation issue

grasshopper honeybee-legacy
1

Hi everyone,

I’ve been trying to test THERM Rhino+GH workflow with Chris’ stud wall example found in Hydra, and I have encountered an issue with the uFactor calculation. Although I have set a uFactorTag at the interior boundary component and the THERM simulation seems to run fine (graphical results are getting re-imported perfectly), the uFactor results don’t appear.

01_THERMtest_uFactors_GHfirstrun
01_THERMtest_uFactors_GHfirstrun.JPG1904×1026 232 KB

The THERM simulation component returns the following files as outputs:

  • thermFile: StudWall_Test_thmx.thmx
  • resutFile: Studwall_Test_thmx.thmx.o
  • uFactorFile: StudWall_Test.thmx
    while in my results folder in C: there’s also another (irrelevant?) file: StudWall_Tes.thmx

I opened both the thermFile and the uFactorFile mentioned above in THERM itself (version 7.6), re-ran the simulations and saved the files from there.

02_THERMtest_uFactors_ThermRun
02_THERMtest_uFactors_ThermRun.JPG1910×1030 193 KB

After re-running the ReadTHERMResult component in GH, the uFactors appeared but the component gives a warning and the graphical results are mis-positioned within the Rhino scene. Opening the files in THERM itself somehow solved the issue with the uFactor calculation, but the Rhino+GH workflow and its benefits are interrupted.

03_THERMtest_uFactors_GHRe-Import
03_THERMtest_uFactors_GHRe-Import.JPG1920×1080 427 KB

I’m very very new to THERM, so any sort of input would be much appreciated. Both the Rhino and the GH files that I’m using are attached.

Thanks,
Olga

THERM_StudWallTest.3dm (78.8 KB)
THERM_StudWallTest.gh (517.9 KB)

1 Like
2

Hi @OlgaT ,
Sorry for the late reply here. That issue is happening because Berkeley Lab changed the underlying structure of the Therm XML files when it released Therm 7.6. The latest components on the Honeybee github are compatible with Therm 7.6 but I still have to update the example files on Hydra. The updating of the Hydra examples will be done in the next couple of weeks when we update everything for a new stable release of Honeybee. For now, you have two options for getting everything to run smoothly:

  1. You can uninstall Therm 7.6 and use Therm 7.5 instead. This will run smoothly no matter the version of the Honeybee components.

  2. You can sync your components in your toolbar with the Honeybee github using the “Update Honeybee” component. Then you can use the “Update File” component in Ladybug to automatically bring the GH definition up to the latest version of Honeybee.

You can also just stay tuned in the next couple of weeks when the stable release will resolve all of these issues.

1 Like
3

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the reply - no worries. I installed Therm 7.5 and everything works perfect now. Once the stable Honeybee release is out I’ll test Therm 7.6 again.

4

Hi Olga and Chris.
I’m getting the same error as you Olga and I’m running the latest HB (0.065) and LB (0.068) and THERM 7.6. The file that I created while watching the THERM tutorial on VIMEO does not output the U-factor Tags. While the GH definition on the HYDRA does. What am I not doing right?

Canvas%20at%2014%3B06%3B51
Canvas at 14;06;51.png2492×1309 196 KB
THERM_GRASSHOPPER_BASE.gh (506.2 KB)

5

Hi Claudio,
I have a similar issue. My own script doesn’t work while the HYDRA version does. Did you manage to solve the issue? I have also tried to find THERM 7.5 but it appears it’s no longer available on the Berkeley Lab website.

6

@chris, is there a fix for this issue?

I purchased a subscription to Ladybug Tools Academy and followed along with your course and I am running into this problem. I can’t get honeybee to output the ufactor tags.

Therm 7.5 is no longer available for download and 7.6 is not working.

Could you please help me out here?

7

Therm 7.6 is working for me - with Rhino 6.

See this thread for example:

8

Hi @furtonb, thanks for the reply.

I am currently running Rhino 6, THERM 7.6, LB-Legacy Ver 0.0.69, HB-Legacy 0.0.66.
Again, the issue i am having is the ufactor tags not pushing through to THERM from Rhino.

Well to correct myself here the ufactor tags do get pushed into THERM however, I have to open and run the file in THERM creating a extra step I am hoping to avoid. @chris does explain this work around or solution in the Ladybug Tools Academy tutorial.

9

So you aren’t getting any errors when you run the THERM simulation from Grasshopper? It’s hard to know what is going on without a .gh and Rhino file that recreates the issue.

10

Hi @chris,

Thank you for the reply. I am not getting any errors as I created a new rhino and THERM file which seemed to scare the gremlins away. The ufactor tag is now coming through to grasshopper without the need to open THERM. However I now have a new issue where the THERM graphics have moved away from my line drawing in rhino.

I have attached the files and any help is appreciated.
apst-470-analytical-metal_panel-v2.3dmbak (34.4 KB)
therm.gh (492.5 KB)

11

yeah I get that too; the graphics moving; THERM is closed source I feel like whatever slight variation between the release of THERM and when the HB tooling was created; causes some gremlins for sure.

From what I’ve test and checked; the results data and everything is still good;
what I’ve been doing for reporting is:
baking the ‘offset’
Measuring the offset
moving the visualized results
I’m sure there is some smart way to automate that process and do it automatically in Gh but I’ve just been doing it manually so far as not had the time or press to try and figure something out on that.

Would definitely love a solution if anyone has one. I low key hate using therm… but have to for various work things (Dartwin mould 5 is my pref; great dwg/dxf interop as well as 3D mesh export from rhino for 3d thermal sims. but it’s pay to play; and I only really do thermal bridge modeling in instances where the QAQC people want therm)

12

Same problem for me.
The model imported from Hydrashare works perfect.
When I copy the Therm components from the Hydra share model to my own model it showed also U factors. But when I changed something they where gone. :frowning_face: