HM-3270: Using the TetraMesh Process Manager http://www.altairhyperworks.com/hwhelp/Altair/hw11.0/help/hwtut/using...

HyperWorks Tutorials

HM-3270: Using the TetraMesh Process Manager

In this tutorial, you will learn about using the TetraMesh Process Manager to:
• Import geometry or a HyperMesh File
• Clean up the geometry
• Organize the model (holes and features)
• Establish mesh size and pattern for the organized geometry
• Create a 2-D Mesh
• Clean up the 2-D mesh
• Create a 3-D TetraMesh
The Process Manager is a step-by-step tool providing a checklist of procedures to allow the user to quickly organize and
tetramesh a geometric model. Each step is provided in a hierarchal list providing the order in which the process needs
to be performed and providing specialized tools at each step to simplify the process. These steps, while they can be
done manually, can be performed in the TetraMesh Process Manager template in a much reduced timeframe.

Exercise

Step 1: Initiate the Process Manager.

1. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > TetraMesh Process > Create New to access the Process Manager.
2. Enter a session name or leave it as my_session.
Note: Creating a session name and saving the session allows the user to stop the process before completion and
then load it again at a later time, picking up the process at the point it was left off.
3. Select a working folder.
4. Click Create.

Step 2: Import geometry.

At this point the TetraMesh Process tab will open in the Tab area and will automatically assemble the TetraMesh
Process Flow. The first step, Geometry Import, is highlighted and the panel area has been configured with specific
panels for aiding the Tetramesh Process Manager template. You can access the HyperMesh panels by undocking the
Process Manager panels using the icon in the upper right corner of the panel area. This will separate the Process
Manager panels so that you can also access the HyperMesh standard panels. To re-dock the Process Manager panel,
simply click on in the upper right corner of the Process Manager panel.
1. In the panel area, change the Import Type to HM Model.

2. On the toolbar, click Open .hm File ( ) and select the file tetmesh_pm.hm from
<installation_directory>\tutorials\hm\.
3. Click Import.
The model will import and a green check will appear next to Geometry Import in the Process Manager indicating
that step is now complete.

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Step 3: Clean up the geometry.

1. From the Geometry Color Mode selector ( ) pick By Topo, then click Shaded Geometry and surface edges (
).
2. In the panel area, select the Edge Tools tab.
3. Click Isolate.
This will isolate the surfaces with free edges on them.

Isolated Surfaces with free edges.

4. Select the Free Edges tab and click Equivalence.

This will fix all the free edges. If this did not correct all of the free edges, the Tolerance value could be increased
until all free edges are equivalenced.
5. Select the Edge Tools tab and click Isolate again.
A window should appear with the message, “No edges found…” This confirms all edges have been fixed.
6. Click Display All.
7. Click ACCEPT.
The Geometry Cleanup step has been completed and should have a green checkmark by it.

Step 4: Organize and Clean up holes.

This step will allow you to organize the surfaces that form holes in the model. The TetraMesh Process Manager can
automatically sort and organize holes into separate component collectors based upon their diameter. This will allow you
to specify mesh type, circumference element count, and longitudinal element size for different hole groups.
1. In the panel area, click the "+" button.
This will add a third line to the table.
2. On the first line, enter 3.3 into the D< field.
This will organize all holes with a diameter between 0 and 3.3 units, as indicated by the Range field, into a collector.
3. Enter 5 into the second row and 10 into the third.
This will allow HyperMesh to organize the holes into three collectors that will include holes ranging from 0 - 3.3 units,
3.3 - 5 units and 5 - 10 units collectively.
4. Click Auto Organize.
All of the holes in the model less than 10 units will now be organized into three component collectors, each with a
different color.
5. Click the HyperMesh Model Browser tab and expand the folder for Components.

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You will see three new component collectors with the name solidholes followed by the numerical average of the
diameter range of the holes organized.

Transparent view of model showing all holes and bores organized

6. Return to the TetraMesh Process Manager tab.

7. In the Num Circumference Elems field enter 12 for each row.
8. In the Longitudinal Elem Size field enter 1 for each row.
The Num Circumference Elems field governs the number of elements that will be meshed around the hole while the
Longitudinal Elem Size field dictates the unit size of the elements through the length of the hole.
9. Click ACCEPT.
The Organize & Cleanup Holes step is now complete should now have a green checkmark next to it.

Step 5: Mesh holes.

1. In the panel area you will notice that each hole diameter row has a Mesh Type field with a pull-down providing the
options of R-tria regular and R-tria union jack. Verify that all are set for R-tria regular and click Mesh All. (The
R-tria union jack mesh pattern will be discussed in a later step.)
You will notice this process provides a perfectly straight tria mesh down the length of the hole with no twisting.

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2. Click ACCEPT.
The checkmark in the Mesh Holes step will now turn green.

Step 6: Organize and clean up features.

This step allows you to highlight and organize features that require specific mesh controls beyond the overall mesh
pattern that will be applied to the remainder of the part in a later step. This organizational tool will place the required
surfaces into their own collector or collectors and allow you to set mesh size and pattern requirements for each.
1. In the panel area, click the "+" button.

2. In the Define New window that opens, type Faces and click OK.
3. Select all five of the flat faces around the circumference of the part as shown in the following image.
4. Click proceed.

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Faces that need to be picked

The panel will switch to the Organize panel with your surfaces pre-selected to move into a new component called
grp_Faces.
5. Click move, then return.
6. Click the "+" button again.
7. In the Define New window that opens, type TopHole and click OK.
8. Rotate the model so you are looking at it from underneath into the center, and select the surfaces shown in the
following image.

Note: With this tool you need only select one of the two surfaces that make up a cylinder; when you click proceed
HyperMesh will automatically select the other surfaces.

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9. Click proceed.
10. In the Organize panel, click move, then return.
Your model should then look similar to the following image, with the faces in one collector and the top hole in
another. Your colors may vary slightly.

11. Click ACCEPT.

Step 7: Organize and clean up filets.

Often a better mesh can be achieved if your fillets are split down the center. The step will allow you to automatically
split your fillets based on minimum and maximum radius criteria.
1. Click Components.
2. Select the part in an area that has not been organized into a new component so that the large purple part is
selected.
3. Click proceed.
4. Leave the Min Radius at 0 and the Max Radius at 5 and make sure the Suppress Fillet Tangent Edges option is
active.
5. Click Cleanup.
You will notice that many of the fillets now have an edge running down the center and the original edges are
suppressed.
6. Click ACCEPT.

Step 8: Mesh features.

In this step you will mesh the features that you organized in Step 6. The panel area will show a table with your
organized features in it and will give you the option of selecting a mesh type and size for each feature.
1. For the Faces feature, click the pull-down under Mesh Type and pick trias.
2. In the field under Elem Size, enter 0.5.
3. For the TopHole feature, select R-tria union jack for the Mesh Type.
4. For Elem Size, enter 0.5.

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5. Click Mesh All.

6. Note the distinctive Union Jack mesh pattern ( ) in the top hole area and the connectivity of the mesh to the
previously meshed holes.
7. Click ACCEPT.

Step 9: Organize and clean up.

This step allows the user to organize and clean up the remaining portion of the model that will then fall under the global
meshing parameters. As the remaining surfaces are already in the component you wish them to be in, there is no need
for further organization.
1. Click ACCEPT.

Step 10: Mesh/remesh.

This step is where the remaining model will be globally meshed. Element size and type can be set for all remaining
components that remain unmeshed.
1. In the Element Size field, enter 1.
2. Set Mesh Type to trias.
3. Click Mesh.
4. Click ACCEPT.

Step 11: Clean up elements.

At this point the model should be entirely surface meshed. Proper adherence to the previous steps ensures a surface
mesh that is properly connected and controlled by the previously entered values. This step will now allow the user to
verify a proper mesh and clean up any issues that are found.
1. In the panel area, click Components.
2. Select all of the components and click proceed.

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3. Leave all of the values at their default (Min Size – 0.25, Max FeatureAngle – 60.0, Normals Angle – 150.0) and
click AutoCleanup.
The following message should appear.

This indicates that all failed elements have been fixed and there are no further errors in the model.
4. (Optional) The Manual tab allows the user to manually check the model for free edges and t-junctions and fix any
that are found. There is also the option to display normals. Use these options to find and fix any errors.
5. Click ACCEPT.
Note: The Tetramesh Process Manager will automatically place any elements that fail this AutoCleanup procedure in
the user mark. This will allow for easy retrieval of problem elements and the user can employ the tools from the
standard HyperMesh panels to fix these remaining elements.

Step 12: Tetra mesh.

This is the final step in the TetraMesh Process Manager Template and will be the point where the model is Tetra
meshed. The Process Manager will automatically open the TetraMesh panel and pre-select all of the float and fixed
elements.
1. Click elems under select trias/quads to tetra mesh.
The surface elements will be selected under the general mesh selection option. This will define them as “floatable”
elements, meaning that the diagonals of the underlying tetra elements can be flipped from the generated shell
elements if HyperMesh determines a better element quality will result.
2. Click elems under fixed trias/quads.
The elements that represent the interior of holes and bores will be selected under this option. The will be defined as
“fixed” elements meaning HyperMesh will always adhere to the shell mesh pattern with generating the tetra
elements.
3. Click mesh.
4. Click the Model tab in the Tab area.
5. Expand the Components list if necessary.
6. Right-click the tetmesh component.
7. Select Isolate Only.
The tetra mesh will be displayed.

8. Click the Mask button ( ).

9. Hold the <SHIFT> key down and while holding the left mouse button down, drag a box to include roughly half of the
model.
10. Click mask.
Your tetra mesh should look similar to the following image.

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Step 13 (Optional): Save your work.

You can now save your model if you wish.
Go to HyperMesh Tutorials

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