Lecture Unit

Introduction to Meshing using Ansys

OnScale

Developed and Curated by the Ansys Academic Team

Madhumita Saravana Kumar
[email protected]

©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Learning Objectives

Intended Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding Knowledge and understanding of basics of FEM, meshing and effect of mesh refinement

Intended Target 1st or 2nd year engineering students learning about simulation

Skills and Abilities Ability to use OnScale to set up a structural simulation

Values and Attitudes Awareness of the importance of meshing in simulation

Resources
 Text: Lecture Unit: Structural Analysis of Beams with Ansys Discovery | Ansys
 Software: OnScale Solve

Further reading/information
 Ansys Academic  Ansys OnScale Blogs
 Ansys OnScale Simulation Tutorials  Ansys Innovation Courses
 Ansys OnScale Webinars  Ansys Education Resources

2 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

What is Simulation?

Simulation is the process of virtually emulating a physical process that occurs in real life. It is used to
verify the efficacy of a design or product.

It involves the following steps:

Geometry (e.g. shape, cross-sections, assemblies) Setting up the model through mesh generation and
and material (e.g. steel, rubber, wood, etc.) boundary conditions
Geometry Pre-
and processing
Material

Sanity check (i.e. Method of

Validation
do the results match the expectation, Solution
Numerical methods used
are the results plausible?) E.g. Does to solve the model
the output indicate a need in change
of geometry or material? Post-
processing

What is Simulation? -
ANSYS Innovation Cour
Evaluation of outputs (e.g. displacement, stresses and strains) ses

3 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Why do we need Simulation?

Theoretical formulae Physical experiments Simulation allows many different

cannot always be used to can be time consuming design options to be evaluated
solve complex problems. and expensive. quickly and efficiently.

4 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

What is FEM?
FEM (Finite Element Method) is a widely used method of numerically solving engineering problems by dividing the
model into smaller elements and solving a set of algebraic equations for each of those elements.

• Each geometry is divided into small elements which can have different shapes ranging from 2D (triangular,
quadrilateral, etc.) to 3D (tetrahedral, hexahedral, etc.) elements through a process called discretization or
meshing.

• A set of algebraic equations are then solved for each of these elements in order to calculate reaction force,
stress, strain, etc.

• This is an iterative method where the accuracy of the results depends on the mesh quality, type of solution
algorithm, etc.

5 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

 FEM Basic Equations in Structural Analysis
Equilibrium Constitutive Laws Compatibility

Internal stresses and The constitutive material Apart from cracks in a

must be in equilibrium behavior (e.g. linear structure,
everywhere which relation between stresses displacements/strains
presupposes a local and strains for linear- must be continuous if the
equilibrium (i.e. the sum elastic material) must be structure is continuous
of all forces is zero). satisfied
†

Body and
surface Displacements
forces
*
Stresses Strains

Note: Capital letters generally refer to the global and

lowercase letters to the element matrix.
{ 𝐅 }=[ 𝑲 ] { 𝐔 } * Lecture Unit: Stresses and Strains with Ansys Discovery | Ansys
† Intro to Material Elasticity - ANSYS Innovation Courses

6 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

 1D FEA – Spring System (single spring)
Nodes i, j Force equilibrium at the nodes:
k
Nodal displacements ui, uj [mm] i j
i j
Nodal forces fi , fj [N]
fi ui uj fj fi F fj
Stiffness (spring constant) k [N/mm] F
x

• Considering the linear relationship between the

spring force F and the elongation :
Spring stiffness in matrix form:
F linear
𝐹 =𝑘 𝛥
k
non-linear

∆
Δ =u j − ui [ 𝑘 − 𝑘 ¿ 𝑢𝑖
−𝑘 𝑘 ¿ 𝑢 𝑗 ]{ } { }
=
¿𝑓𝑖
¿𝑓 𝑗
[ k ]\{ u \}= [ 𝐅 ]
k = element stiffness matrix
• Considering the equilibrium condition regarding the
u = element nodal displacement vector
forces of the spring at the nodes: f = element nodal force vector
Node i: Node j:
Note: This discretized version of the solution is an approximate
𝑓 𝑖 =− 𝐹 =− 𝑘 ( 𝑢 𝑗 −𝑓𝑢𝑖𝑗) = 𝐹 = 𝑘 ( 𝑢 𝑗 − 𝑢one
𝑖 ) and is dependent on the size of the or in other words the
¿ 𝑘 𝑢𝑖 − 𝑘 𝑢 𝑗 ¿ − 𝑘 𝑢𝑖 + 𝑘 𝑢 𝑗 mesh.

7 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

 FEM Basic Equations in Structural Analysis
Element Stiffness Matrixes are combined into global stiffness matrix:
Important to note:

• Size of Stiffness matrix (nxn) depends on

the number of nodes and their degrees
of freedom.
• A finer mesh corresponds to a larger
matrix and thus more computational
Stiffness Displacement Force time.
• In the case of 3D analysis, it is possible
Matrix Vector Vector

]{ }{ }
to have n>105
¿ 𝑢1 ¿ 𝑓 1• Elements of depend on material

[
properties and the chosen mesh element
𝑘 11 𝑘 11 .. . 𝑘1 𝑛 ¿ 𝑢2 ¿𝑓 2 type.
. 𝑘 22 .. . . . = . • Some elements of the force and
displacement vectors are already known
. . .. . . . . through boundary conditions (e.g. Fixed
𝑘𝑛 1 . .. . 𝑘 𝑛𝑛 . . Support -> ui=0).
𝑢𝑛 𝑓𝑛

8 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Importance of Meshing

Meshing involves dividing a geometry into elements and nodes.

node

• It plays a key role in determining the accuracy of the results element

obtained from the FEM model.
• The smaller the mesh size (also known as a finer mesh), the more
accurate the solution.
Exact solution
• A fine mesh leads to increased computational effort to run the
simulation.

Results
Numerical solution**
• Engineers carry out convergence studies to find a good balance
between accuracy and run time in order to solve the problem.
• A typical solution that is used is to create a finer mesh in areas of
interest (e.g. around stress concentration areas) or finer Number of elements
geometry in the model and coarser meshes in other areas.

**This is a generic representation and there are exceptions

Meshing in FEA: Mesh convergence | OnScale to this rule in cases like locking or stress singularities

9 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Types of Elements

1D:
Important to note:

• Choosing the right type

of element is dependent
2D: on the type of scenario
that is being simulated.

• It is key to choose
elements that would
solve the numerical
3D: equations accurately.

10 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Choosing the right mesh size
Complex analysis like crack
propagation require finer mesh than
static analysis.
Type of
analysis

Finer meshes require higher Computational Areas of Areas of interest like high stress regions
computational time. effort Interest should have a finer mesh compared to less
relevant areas.

Factors to be
considered

Determining
Accuracy of importance
Generally, finer the mesh, the more solution of small Not all dimensions in the model are relevant.
accurate the solution. dimensions E.g., small holes or filets can sometimes be
omitted from the mesh in areas undergoing
very negligible stress
Element
quality

Elements that are distorted or warped cause

numerical errors and instability in the model.

11 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

 Why higher mesh refinement leads to more accurate solution

State variable
(e.g. Temperature
or Displacement) 1 mesh
Element

Continuous
Variation 4 mesh
(Reality) Elements
Discretised
Variation
(Approximated)
14 mesh
Elements

1D variation
Important to note: The sharper and more complex the gradient of the real solution,
the more refinement is needed to capture it.

12 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Advantages of Automatic Meshing
Most FEM software offers automatic meshing features.
Ansys OnScale has the following ones:

• Automatic optimization of mesh cell quality – minimizing

skewness and aspect ratio

• Automatic mesh adjustments to areas of applied boundary

conditions

• Higher mesh densities in areas with curved features

• Automatic edge refinement

• Mesh can be coarsened or refined based on the user’s

preference. This can be done for the part as a whole or in specific
areas of interest.
CAD Validation & Meshing with OnScale Solve™ | OnScale

13 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Example Exercise 1: I-Beam

Simulate the I-beam of length 1m made of structural steel and define fixed boundary conditions on
either end and a force of 10 kN applied on the top surface.

• Compare the results to the analytical results

(Young’s Modulus (E) = 200GPa; Moment of area (I)= )

10kN

1m

14 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Solution: Setting up the model (1/4)
Step 1: Creating a new project Step 2: Import Geometry

Click create
project

Select I-
Click Import Beam and
CAD click Import

Enter
Project
name and
description
and click
Create

15 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Solution: Setting up the model (2/4)
Step 3: Assign material Step 4: Assign boundary conditions – fixed supports

Click the
mechanical button
Click Part 1 and select
restraint from the
drop down

Select
Structural Select the front
Steel from and back cross
the drop section of the
down beam and click
done

16 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Solution: Setting up the model (3/4)
Step 5: Apply Force Load Step 6: Meshing

Click the
mechanical button
and select force
Activate the
from the drop
simulator tab
down
and then
click on
global mesh

Note: The
mesh setting
can be
observed
here.
Select the top
surface of the
beam and Activate the
type in 10000 advanced
as the value mesh setting
of force
Click the Launcher button

17 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

 Solution: Setting up the model (4/4)
Step 7: Running the simulation Step 8: Open results

Click Click open

Launch results

Note: the launcher initially

runs a time estimate of the
run time of the simulation Important to note:
and when this is done the
Launch button gets
The simulation runs on the cloud for the estimated time
activated and the results can be viewed on completion. Therefore,
no special computational hardware is required to run
these models.

18 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Solution: Visualizing Deformation

Select the desired

output results

Select the intended

value: total or
directional

Select the intended

The desired visuals value: total or
can be adjusted directional
using the settings
button

19 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

 Solution: Comparing analytical and simulation results
10kN

1m

𝐹 𝐿
3
𝛿𝑚𝑎𝑥, 𝑠𝑖𝑚 =82.48 𝜇 𝑚=0.082 𝑚𝑚
𝛿 𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
192 𝐸𝐼
3
10000 N ∗(1000 mm)
¿ =0.078 𝑚𝑚
𝑁 4
192∗ 200000 2
∗ 3320000 𝑚𝑚
𝑚𝑚

𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 =5 %

20 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Example Exercise - 2

Simulate the connecting rod made of aluminum undergoing a compressive pressure load
of 20 MPa as shown in the diagram.
• Visualize the von-Mises stress
• Is the design a safe one?
• Does refining the mesh have an influence
in the area marked in blue

21 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Solution: Setting up the model (1/2)

This exercise is an example of a more advanced problem, and the model cannot be solved with analytical equations.
Thus, simulation is quick and cost-effective method of analyzing the problem.

Steps 1-3: Follow the same steps as in exercise one

to create a project and import the connecting road
and assign aluminum as the material.

22 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Solution: Setting up the model (2/2)

Steps 4-5: Assign boundary conditions. Steps 6-8: Mesh and run the model.

23 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Visualize the stress

The max stress is at a stress concentration area caused due to the sharp corner. Since the yield strength of Aluminum
is in the order of 70MPa, this design under this loading condition is not safe as the safety factor is less than 1 (i.e. the
material will yield).
𝜎𝑦
𝑆𝑎𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑦 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = = 0.58
𝜎 𝑚𝑎𝑥 Can you think of ways to make the design safer?

24 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Influence of the mesh

90MPa 99MPa

On refining the mesh, the stress increases in the highlighted area. This is likely to be a more accurate result,
since a finer mesh can better represent the real angles and curvature of the component. However, this
comes at the cost of increased computational time.

25 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Summary
• Simulation is the process of virtually emulating a physical process that occurs in real life. It is used to verify the
efficacy of a design or product.

• Using simulation, complex products can be designed and analyzed quickly and efficiently by reducing the need
for experiments.

• Meshing plays a key role in ensuring the accuracy of the results obtained from the FEM model.

• As a general rule, the finer the mesh, the more accurate the solution.

• A finer mesh requires increased computational effort compared to that of a coarser mesh.

• It is important to find a good balance between accuracy and run time in order to solve the problem.

• OnScale has an automatic meshing feature that optimizes mesh cell quality, mesh adjustments around
boundary conditions and mesh refinement at edges and curvatures. The user can then coarsen and refine this
mesh based on their needs.

26 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

Further Information and Resources

• What is Simulation? - ANSYS Innovation Courses

• CAD Validation & Meshing with OnScale Solve™ | OnScale

• Meshing in FEA: Introduction to meshing | OnScale

• Meshing in FEA: Meshing considerations | OnScale

• Meshing - Why You Never Have To Worry About It Again | OnScale

• Meshing in FEA: Mesh convergence | OnScale

• How to Run a Simulation in OnScale Solve™ | OnScale

27 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.

© 2023 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

Use and Reproduction

The content used in this resource may only be used or reproduced for teaching purposes; and any commercial use is strictly prohibited.

Document Information
This lecture unit is part of a set of teaching resources to help introduce students to structures, fluids, or heat transfer (physics areas supported by
Ansys OnScale).

Ansys Education Resources

To access more undergraduate education resources, including lecture presentations with notes, exercises with worked solutions, microprojects, real
life examples and more, visit www.ansys.com/education-resources.

Feedback
If you notice any errors in this resource or need to get in contact with the authors, please email us at [email protected]

Acknowledgements
Susannah Cooke, Nick Stefani

28 ©2023 ANSYS, Inc.