18.

0 Release

Workshop 2.1 FEA: ANSYS Meshing Methods

Introduction to ANSYS Meshing

1 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Introduction

Background
• This workshop will introduce different
meshing methods available in ANSYS
Meshing

Objectives
• Automatic (Tet Patch Conforming)
• Tet Patch Independent
• Multizone
• Decomposition for Sweep Meshes
• Automatic (Tet & Sweep)

2 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Project Startup
Create the Project
• Start Workbench
• Start  All Programs  ANSYS 18.0 Workbench
18.0
• Drag and drop a Mesh Component System into the
Project Schematic

• Right click on the Geometry cell (A2) and select

Import Geometry  Browse

• Locate the file “component.stp” in the Meshing

workshop input files (Module02) folder and
select it. The geometry cell will show a check
mark indicating it is up to date

• Double click the mesh

cell (A3) to start Meshing

3 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Units

Set Units

• In Meshing window from the main menu select Units and, if it is not
already set, specify Metric (m...)

4 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Preparation

Planning
• This CAD file contains a single body representing a
component in a ventilation system

• Almost all mesh methods can be applied here, the

selection of which method to use depends on speed,
memory usage, requirement for defeaturing and any
mesh specific solver restrictions

• We will demonstrate how different methods are

applied and highlight important differences in the
resulting meshes

5 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Global Mesh Settings (1)
Mesh
• In the Outline, select the Mesh object to
display Details of “Mesh”

• In Details of “Mesh”, set the following

under Defaults
• Physics Preference: Mechanical
• Under Sizing, set
• Relevance Center: Medium
• Size Function: Curvature
• Under Quality, set
• Error Limits: Standard Mechanical
6 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017
 Global Mesh Settings (2)

Mesh

• Under Quality, set

• Mesh Metric: Element Quality

• Generate the Mesh

7 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Automatic Method (1)

View the Mesh

• Right click in the Graphics Window and
select Isometric View from the Context
Menu

• The Automatic Method has selected the

Tetrahedrons Method using the Patch
Conforming Algorithm

• The mesh has conformed to all geometric

details

• All surfaces have been inflated

8 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Automatic Method (2)

Create a Section Plane

• Snap to the +Z view using the Axis Triad

• Select the Section Plane button

• Create a Section Plane by clicking, dragging

and releasing as shown vertically down
through the mesh
• Restore the Isometric View using the right
click Context Menu or the Axis Triad

9 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Automatic Method (3)

View the Mesh Interior

• Zoom in using the Box Zoom button to inspect
the mesh. Use the Zoom to Fit button to restore
the view extents. Check the Element Quality
• The default Automatic Method always uses
Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons and/or Sweep
depending on the Geometry – in this non-
sweepable case just Patch Conforming
Tetrahedrons were used. We’ll now look at
how other methods can be accessed
• Switch off the Section Plane by unchecking the
box in the Panel

10 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Inserting Methods Manually

Insert a Method
• Right click on the Mesh object in the
Outline and select Clear Generated Data
from the Context Menu selecting Yes
when prompted to confirm

• Select the Body Selection Filter

• In the Graphics Window, select the body,

right click and select Insert  Method
from the Context Menu as shown

11 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Setting Method Details

Set Method Details

• A Method Object, defaulting to Automatic, is
inserted in the Outline

• In the Method Details the Method Type is

accessed via a drop down box exposing the
available mesh methods
• The Method set here is applied to the body
initially selected

12 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Tetrahedrons Patch Independent (1)

Set Method Details

• The Automatic Method is the same as
the default we have just demonstrated
• Set Method to Tetrahedrons
• Set Algorithm to Patch Independent
• We have already seen Patch conforming used
with the Automatic Method
• When Patch Independent is selected, a number
of Patch Independent specific settings appear
controlling sizing and defeaturing. These can be
left to the defaults
• Generate the mesh

13 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Tetrahedrons Patch Independent (2)

View the Mesh

• Note the automatic defeaturing of the
small imprinted faces present on the
geometry

• This behaviour can be useful for

defeaturing large CAD models

• Switch on the Section Plane to view

the mesh interior

14 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Tetrahedrons Patch Independent (3)

View the Mesh Interior

• When ready to proceed, switch
off the Section Plane and clear
the mesh as before. By right
clicking on the Mesh Object in
the Outline and Selecting Clear
Generated Data from the Context
Menu

15 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 MultiZone (1)

Set Method Details

• Select the Method Object in the
Outline (it assumes the name of the
current set Method)

• In the Details, change the Method to

MultiZone
• The details will change to those specific to
the MultiZone Method
• Set Free Mesh Type to Tetra/Pyramid
• Generate the mesh

16 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 MultiZone (2)
View the Mesh
• MultiZone has generated an all
quad surface mesh
• Note again, the automatic
defeaturing of the small
imprinted faces present on the
geometry
• Multizone is also a method that is
categorised as Patch Independent
and, like the Tetrahedrons Patch
Independent Method is capable of
automatic defeaturing
• Switch on the Section Plane to
view the mesh interior and
turn on “Show Whole
Elements”
17 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017
 MultiZone (3)

View the Mesh Interior

• Note the internal structure of the mesh

• It internally divides model in blocks and

fills blocks with hex wherever possible.
In remaining areas it creates
Tetra/Pyramid. Check the Element
Quality

• Switch OFF the Section Plane

18 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Save the Project

• From the Workbench Project Page use the file menu and save the project as
“AMWS2.1_fea.wbpj” to your working folder

• If you have access to DesignModeler or SCDM proceed to the next slide

• If not you can jump to slide no.22

19 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Sweep Meshing

Sweep Requirement
• The Sweep Method can produce high quality
hex meshes
• In order to generate a sweep mesh we must
have sweepable bodies
• We will decompose the geometry in
DesignModeler for illustrating Sweep Method
• From the Workbench Project Page, launch
DesignModeler by double clicking the
Geometry Cell (A2)
• Leave the Meshing Application Open

20 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Geometry Decomposition
• Slice Geometry and decompose in to sweepable and non sweepable bodies as shown
in figure; you have access to DesignModeler or SCDM and you know how to use it

Make sure that after this you make them as

multi body Part
Sweepable Body

Non-sweepable
Body

Note : You can directly jump to meshing

mode by replacing the geometry by
“sweep-method.scdoc” file
Sweepable Body

21 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 MultiZone & Sweep Method (1)

If you didn’t decompose geometry or you didn’t have access

to DesignModeler you can open new workbench project
• Go to workbench project page
– Right click on Geometry/Replace Geometry/Browse
– Browse to the sweep_method.scdoc file in the Module02 folder
– Double click on Mesh to refresh the Mechanical Model

Method Setup
• Like Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons, we can insert the Sweep
Method manually

22 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Show Sweepable Bodies

• Click on Mesh in the tree and right click -> Show Sweepable Bodies

• The 2 cylinders are highlighted indicating sweepable bodies

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 Sweep Method

• Apply a Mesh method as Sweep method

• Select the 2 bodies shown in blue
• Select the faces in red as source faces
Source Face 1

Source Face 2

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 MultiZone Method
• Apply a MultiZone method on the third non sweepable body as shown below

25 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Mesh Generation and Review
• Generate and review the Mesh. Check the Element Metrics

26 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Free Mesh Type in MultiZone Method
• Change the Free Mesh Method to Tetra in the Details of the MultiZone Method
• Check the Element Metrics again
• Change the Free Mesh Method to Tetra/Pyramid and review the Mesh Metrics

27 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017

 Save the Project

• This completes the workshop

• From the main menu select File  Close Meshing
• Workbench will save any application data
• From the Workbench Project Page use the file menu and save the
project as “AMWS2.1_cfd_B.wbpj” to your working folder

28 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. March 31, 2017