diff --git a/doc/changelog.d/702.miscellaneous.md b/doc/changelog.d/702.miscellaneous.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..94467fc44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changelog.d/702.miscellaneous.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+cleanup
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/pyvista_plotter.py b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/pyvista_plotter.py
index 50445368c..666c2f33c 100644
--- a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/pyvista_plotter.py
+++ b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/pyvista_plotter.py
@@ -32,10 +32,11 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pyvista as pv
 
-from .utils import bgr_to_rgb_tuple
+from .utils import bgr_to_rgb_tuple, get_nodes_and_coords
 
 
-def _transform_to_pyvista(transform):
+def _transform_to_pyvista(transform: "Ansys.ACT.Math.Matrix4D"):
+    """Convert the Transformation matrix to a numpy array."""
     np_transform = np.array([transform[i] for i in range(16)]).reshape(4, 4)
     # There's a bug in mechanical, the scenegraph wrappers use theMatrix4D
     # type, which puts the transformations in the transposed location relative
@@ -47,21 +48,13 @@ def _transform_to_pyvista(transform):
     return np_transform
 
 
-def _reshape_3cols(arr: np.array, name: str):
-    err = f"{name} must be of the form (x0,y0,z0,x1,y1,z1,...,xn,yn,zn).\
-        Given {name} are not divisible by 3!"
-    assert arr.size % 3 == 0, err
-    numrows = int(arr.size / 3)
-    numcols = 3
-    arr = np.reshape(arr, (numrows, numcols))
-    return arr
+def _get_nodes_and_coords(tri_tessellation: "Ansys.Mechanical.Scenegraph.TriTessellationNode"):
+    """Get the nodes and indices of the TriTessellationNode.
 
-
-def _get_nodes_and_coords(tri_tessellation):
-    np_coordinates = _reshape_3cols(
-        np.array(tri_tessellation.Coordinates, dtype=np.double), "coordinates"
-    )
-    np_indices = _reshape_3cols(np.array(tri_tessellation.Indices, dtype=np.int32), "indices")
+    pyvista format expects a number of vertices per facet which is always 3
+    from this kind of node.
+    """
+    np_coordinates, np_indices = get_nodes_and_coords(tri_tessellation)
     np_indices = np.insert(np_indices, 0, 3, axis=1)
     return np_coordinates, np_indices
 
diff --git a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/usd_converter.py b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/usd_converter.py
index 1d7f41097..811c652a7 100644
--- a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/usd_converter.py
+++ b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/usd_converter.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 import typing
 
 import clr
-import numpy as np
 from pxr import Gf, Usd, UsdGeom
 
 clr.AddReference("Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel")
@@ -33,10 +32,11 @@
 
 import Ansys  # isort: skip
 
-from .utils import bgr_to_rgb_tuple
+from .utils import bgr_to_rgb_tuple, get_nodes_and_coords
 
 
-def _transform_to_rotation_quat(transform) -> Gf.Quatf:
+def _transform_to_rotation_quat(transform: "Ansys.ACT.Math.Matrix4D") -> Gf.Quatf:
+    """Convert the Transformation matrix to a single-precision quaternion."""
     transforms = [transform[i] for i in range(16)]
     m = Gf.Matrix4d()
     m.SetRow(0, transforms[0:4])
@@ -54,32 +54,15 @@ def _transform_to_rotation_quat(transform) -> Gf.Quatf:
     return quatf
 
 
-def _reshape_3cols(arr: np.array, name: str):
-    err = f"{name} must be of the form (x0,y0,z0,x1,y1,z1,...,xn,yn,zn).\
-        Given {name} are not divisible by 3!"
-    assert arr.size % 3 == 0, err
-    numrows = int(arr.size / 3)
-    numcols = 3
-    arr = np.reshape(arr, (numrows, numcols))
-    return arr
-
-
-def _get_nodes_and_coords(tri_tessellation):
-    np_coordinates = _reshape_3cols(
-        np.array(tri_tessellation.Coordinates, dtype=np.double), "coordinates"
-    )
-    np_indices = _reshape_3cols(np.array(tri_tessellation.Indices, dtype=np.int32), "indices")
-    return np_coordinates, np_indices
-
-
 def _convert_tri_tessellation_node(
     node: "Ansys.Mechanical.Scenegraph.TriTessellationNode",
     stage: Usd.Stage,
     path: str,
     rgb: typing.Tuple[int, int, int],
 ) -> Usd.Prim:
+    """Convert a mechanical TriTessellationNode node into a Usd Mesh prim."""
     mesh_prim = UsdGeom.Mesh.Define(stage, path)
-    np_coordinates, np_indices = _get_nodes_and_coords(node)
+    np_coordinates, np_indices = get_nodes_and_coords(node)
     mesh_prim.CreatePointsAttr(np_coordinates)
     mesh_prim.CreateFaceVertexCountsAttr([3] * len(np_indices))
     mesh_prim.CreateFaceVertexIndicesAttr(np_indices)
@@ -94,6 +77,7 @@ def _convert_transform_node(
     path: str,
     rgb: typing.Tuple[int, int, int],
 ) -> Usd.Prim:
+    """Convert a mechanical transform node into a Usd Xform prim."""
     prim = UsdGeom.Xform.Define(stage, path)
     prim.AddOrientOp().Set(_transform_to_rotation_quat(node.Transform))
     child_node = node.Child
@@ -108,16 +92,14 @@ def to_usd_stage(app: "ansys.mechanical.core.embedding.App", name: str) -> None:
     """Convert mechanical scene to usd stage."""
     stage = Usd.Stage.CreateNew(name)
 
-    root_prim = UsdGeom.Xform.Define(stage, "/root")  # "/hello"
-    # stage.SetDefaultPrim(root_prim)
+    root_prim = UsdGeom.Xform.Define(stage, "/root")
 
     category = Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel.Enums.DataModelObjectCategory.Body
     bodies = app.DataModel.GetObjectsByType(category)
     for body in bodies:
         scenegraph_node = Ansys.ACT.Mechanical.Tools.ScenegraphHelpers.GetScenegraph(body)
-        _convert_transform_node(
-            scenegraph_node, stage, f"/root/body{body.ObjectId}", bgr_to_rgb_tuple(body.Color)
-        )
+        body_path = root_prim.GetPath().AppendPath(f"body{body.ObjectId}")
+        _convert_transform_node(scenegraph_node, stage, body_path, bgr_to_rgb_tuple(body.Color))
 
     return stage
 
diff --git a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/utils.py b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/utils.py
index ffaf5e2df..0621878ab 100644
--- a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/utils.py
+++ b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/viz/utils.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 """Common plotting utilities."""
 import typing
 
+import numpy as np
+
 
 def bgr_to_rgb_tuple(bgr_int: int) -> typing.Tuple[int, int, int]:
     """Convert bgr integer to rgb tuple."""
@@ -30,3 +32,30 @@ def bgr_to_rgb_tuple(bgr_int: int) -> typing.Tuple[int, int, int]:
     g = (bgr_int >> 8) & 255
     b = (bgr_int >> 16) & 255
     return r, g, b
+
+
+def _reshape_3cols(arr: np.array, name: str = "array"):
+    """Reshapes the given array into 3 columns.
+
+    Precondition - the array's length must be divisible by 3.
+    """
+    err = f"{name} must be of the form (x0,y0,z0,x1,y1,z1,...,xn,yn,zn).\
+        Given {name} are not divisible by 3!"
+    assert arr.size % 3 == 0, err
+    numrows = int(arr.size / 3)
+    numcols = 3
+    arr = np.reshape(arr, (numrows, numcols))
+    return arr
+
+
+def get_nodes_and_coords(tri_tessellation: "Ansys.Mechanical.Scenegraph.TriTessellationNode"):
+    """Extract the nodes and coordinates from the TriTessellationNode.
+
+    The TriTessellationNode contains "Coordinates" and "Indices"
+    that are flat arrays. This function converts them to numpy arrays
+    """
+    np_coordinates = _reshape_3cols(
+        np.array(tri_tessellation.Coordinates, dtype=np.double), "coordinates"
+    )
+    np_indices = _reshape_3cols(np.array(tri_tessellation.Indices, dtype=np.int32), "indices")
+    return np_coordinates, np_indices