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Meshing Solutions
ANSYS Meshing Solutions
Comprehensive Multiphysics Meshing Tools

Meshing is an integral part of the computer- ANSYS has a range of meshing tools that cater to
aided engineering simulation process. The mesh nearly all physics. While the meshing technologies
influences the accuracy, convergence and speed were developed to meet needs in a specific area
of the solution. Furthermore, the time it takes to — solid, fluid, electromagnetic, shell, 2-D or beam
create and mesh a model is often a significant models — access to these technologies is available
portion of the time it takes to get results from across all physics.
a CAE solution. Therefore, the better and more
automated the meshing tools, the better the Structures Modeling
solution. For solid models, meshing technologies from
ANSYS provide robust, well-shaped quadratic
From easy, automatic meshing to a highly crafted tetrahedral meshing on even the most complicated
mesh, ANSYS provides the ultimate solution. geometries. With automatic contact detection and
Powerful automation capabilities ease the initial setup, a user requires little training to perform
meshing of a new geometry by keying off physics sophisticated analysis. In addition, users can
preferences and using generate pure hex meshes using one of several
smart defaults so a mesh mesh methods, depending on the type of model
can be obtained upon and whether the user wants a pure hex or hex-
first try. Additionally, a dominant mesh.
user can update
immediately to a ANSYS meshing technologies provide physics
parameter change, preferences that help to automate the meshing
making the handoff from process. For an initial design, a mesh can often
CAD to CAE seamless and be generated in batch with an initial solution run
aiding in upfront design. to locate regions of interest. Further refinement
can then be made to the mesh to improve the
Once the best design is found, meshing
technologies from ANSYS provide the flexibility to
produce meshes that range in complexity from
pure hex to highly detailed hybrid; a user can put
the right mesh in the right place and ensure that
a simulation will accurately validate the physical
model.

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 Features
Mesh Methods
• Tetrahedral meshing
methods
- Patch conforming
- Patch independent
- ANSYS CFX-Mesh
• Hexahedral meshing
methods
- General sweep
- Thin sweep
- MultiZone
- Hex-dominant
- Cut cell Cartesian
• Surface meshing
- Default quad, quad/
tri or tri
- Uniform quad or quad
tri
• Beam meshing

Mesh Controls
• Global
- Physics preference
settings
Meshing technology from ANSYS allows you to create suitable meshes for structural, thermal and fluid flow - Relevance settings
simulations in the same model - Inflation settings
- Curvature-based
refinement settings
accuracy of the solution. There are physics As with the solid modeling, a user can generate - Proximity-based
preferences for structural, fluid, explicit and pure hex meshes using one of several mesh refinement settings
electromagnetic simulations. By setting physics methods. Inflation can be added to the hex- - Smoothing settings
preferences, the software adapts to more logical meshing methods to capture boundary layers. - Transition/growth
settings
defaults in the meshing process for better solution
- Pinch (defeaturing)
accuracy. Beyond tet and hex meshing, there are extensive
settings
tools for hybrid meshing with hexahedral and - Quality settings
Other physics-based features that help with tetrahedral regions or bodies. These models can be - Element midside node
structural and explicit dynamics include: meshed with conformal or nonconformal meshes settings
• Automated contact handling at common interfaces. Inflation layers can be - Rigid-body behavior
• Automated beam and shell meshing generated across bodies. settings
• Editable contact definitions • Local controls
• CAD instance modeling/meshing The ability to control the interface with conformal - Automatic contact
• Rigid-body contact meshing or nonconformal meshes is particularly useful detection
• Solver-based refinement in handling large changes in mesh size or an - Contact sizing
- Body mesh method
• Gasket-element meshing interface between different physics. For example,
controls
• Thin solid-shell meshing when modeling a fluid–structure interaction
- Body, face, edge,
• Periodic mesh matching (FSI) problem, the solid and fluid regions share vertex sizings
common interfaces but the mesh can - Body, face, edge,
Fluid Modeling be conformal or nonconformal. vertex sphere
Meshing solutions from ANSYS for fluid models of influence
provide unstructured tri- and quad-surface For users who want control over every step in the - Body, face, edge
meshing driven by curvature, proximity, meshing process to create highly crafted brick curvature-based
smoothness and quality, in combination with meshes or to mesh directly on scan data, refinement
a pinch capability that automatically removes extended meshing capabilities are available in - Body of influence
insignificant features. The combination of ANSYS ICEM CFD and TGrid software products. - Solver-based
refinement controls
automated surface meshing, boundary layer ANSYS Emag Modeling ANSYS® Emag™ meshing
- Mapped-face meshing
technology (including automatic proximity software for electromagnetic models provides
controls
handling) and an advancing front tet mesh automated yet well-controlled meshing to - Match mesh controls
algorithm ensures high-quality, push-button accurately capture the field (dielectric) regions - Virtual topologies
meshing for fluid flow analysis. Extended sizing, with tet, hex or hybrid meshes. - Pinch controls
matching, mapping and sweep controls provide - Inflation controls
additional flexibility, if needed. - Gap tool
2
 CutCell meshing of a complex
drill bit (left) and Tet/Prism
meshing of nacelle/wing/fuselage
of an aircraft (right) using mesh-
ing technology from ANSYS
Courtesy Hughes Christensen.

Features continued
- Winding-body meshing Electromagnetics models typically include narrow Beam Modeling
- Wire-body meshing gaps between parts, such as rotors and stators. It ANSYS meshing provides easy methods to simplify
- Rigid-body meshing is important to have a refined mesh in geometry to beam models or to create beam
- Gasket meshing these gaps, and ANSYS Emag meshing capabilities models that help users easily construct simplified
- CAD instances meshing
provide full control models for quick analyses.
over this “air gap” meshing.
Bi-Directional CAD
Connections The ANSYS Advantage
• CATIA® V5 ANSYS® Icepak® and the Ansoft family of products, With the unequalled depth and unparalleled
• Unigraphics® NX™ along with other solutions from ANSYS, deliver breadth of ANSYS engineering simulation
• Autodesk® Inventor® customized applications with integrated meshing solutions, companies are transforming their
• Autodesk® MDT capabilities for electromagnetic problems, leading-edge design concepts into innovative
• CoCreate Modeling™ whether for component-level, board-level or products and processes that work. Today, almost
• Pro/ENGINEER® cabinet-level design. all of the top 100 industrial companies on the
• SolidWorks® “FORTUNE Global 500” invest in engineering
• Solid Edge® Shell and 2-D Modeling simulation as a key strategy to win in a globally
Shell modeling and meshing solutions from ANSYS competitive environment. They choose ANSYS
CAD Readers
offer numerous approaches in providing meshes as their simulation partner, deploying the world’s
• CATIA® V4
• ACIS® that best meet the physics. In general, this consists most comprehensive multi-physics solutions to
• IGES of two approaches that use common tools: solve their complex engineering challenges.
• Parasolid® The engineered scalability of solutions from
• STEP 2-D axisymmetric or planar models can be used to ANSYS delivers the flexibility customers need,
• STL simplify 3-D physics in a 2-D fashion. 2-D models within an architecture that is adaptable to the
can be meshed with quad meshes, quaddominant processes and design systems of their choice. No
Mesh Export meshes or all-triangle meshes. wonder the world’s most successful companies
• ABAQUS® turn to ANSYS — with a track record of 40 years as
• ANSYS® Mechanical™ Shell models can be used to simplify 3-D models the industry leader — for the best in engineering
• ANSYS® CFX®
to a set of sheets with a defined thickness. This is simulation.
• ANSYS® AUTODYN®
particularly useful for modeling sheet metal or
• CGNS
• ANSYS® ICEM CFD™ thin structural parts. Shell parts can also be
• ANSYS® FLUENT® meshed with quad meshes, quad-dominant
• ANSYS® LS-DYNA® meshes or all-triangle meshes.
• NASTRAN®
• ANSYS® POLYFLOW®
• SAMCEF

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