SDF: Scalar Distance Field 

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A SDF is a function which calculates the distance to the surface of an object by using the space that object contains. You may notice that SDFs usually function with anything that has a volume or a VDB attribute. 

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Here are some common SDF nodes: (As of Houdini 17.5)

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SDF Geometry Nodes:

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Paint SDF Volume

Volume SDF

VDB Topology to SDF

VDB smooth SDF

VDB reshape SDF

VDB re-normalize SDF

VDB Morph SDF

VDB Activate SDF

Convert VDB

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SDF Dynamic Nodes:

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SDF Representation

Gas SDF to Fog

Gas Particle to SDF

Gas reinitialize SDF

Gas geometry to SDF

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What VFX Simulations Use SDF?

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In Houdini some operations and simulations you might use SDFs for are:

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• Explosions

• Fire

• Smoke

• Custom Volume Based Simulations

• Fog simulations

• Clouds

• VDB simulations

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