Surface Mesh Partitioning SIMULIA 3DExperience

Maxime Chagnot

29 Apr, 2019 11:41 AM

https://youtu.be/P2kIKmlpzbo

Hello Hello!

Here is another video about SIMULIA 3DExperience R19x! 2 weeks ago I published a tutorial for SOLID meshing in SIMULIA Application (https://youtu.be/dnP31eBoB4g). So this time it will be about SURFACE meshing.

It is a bit different because the partitioning will be performed on Generative Shape Design with the feature split.

You will copy the original design in the abstraction shape and apply a material to the 3DPart.

Then you will finish by applying the mesh to the surface by using the constraint lines previously created from the split.

Do no hesitate to add comments or send me message about new topics for instance! Please subscribe and visit our website: http://www.plm-technology.com/

Use Captions and Enjoy :)

1. Step 1: Video

   
   

2. Step 2: Create a Surface Pipe

   * better to follow the video *

   Create a new 3DPart, call it "Surface Mesh Part"

   Sketch a profile (2 lines connected with a tangent semi-circle)

   Use the feature Sweep with the option "Center & Radius"

   Select the center curve and a radius of 25mm

   * the pipe is created *

3. Step 3: Apply the material

   Go to tools tab in the action bar

   Apply a material

   * the material library appears *

   Use the tag "Core Material"

   * a Covering material will not have the simulation properties *

   Select Aluminium for instance

   Apply the material to the part

4. Step 4: Create an Abstraction Shape

   Right click on the 3DPart and insert an Abstraction Shape

   * the abstraction shape is similar to a 3DShape. It allows you to copy the original part and do partitioning, remove fillet, chamfer, holes, etc. without transforming the original part *

   Double click on the 3DShape

   Right click on the sketch in the geometrical set

   Select "Copy"

   Right click on the Abstraction Shape

   Select Paste Special / As result with link

   Do the same with the sweep.

   * in that way, the original part is copied, and if modification are made, it will impact the copy *

5. Step 5: Partitioning

   Switch to Generative Shape Design application

   Use an Extrude on top of the sketch

   -> Make sure that the surface is longer than the pipe

   Go to properties, color the Extrude surface (in order to differentiate it from the pipe)

   -

   Use the feature split between the Pipe and the Extrude

   * the Part is now partitioned in 2 domains *

   Use the feature split between the Pipe and the vertical Plane (in that case YZ-plane)

   * the Part is now partitioned in 4 domains *

   -

   Join all the domains together

6. Step 6: Mesh the part

   Insert a Finite Element Model in the 3DPart

   Call it Mesh Surface Part

   Double click on the Mesh

   * the software automatically switch to Structural Model Creation application *

   A panel appears, select the Abstraction shape for the Mesh

   in Action Bar, go to Mesh mode

   Click on Surface Quad Mesh

   Select the Join as a support

   Click on Quadratic element type

   Initialize the element from geometry (in that case 17mm)

   Click on Mesh

   -> the mesh is too big

   Insert 10mm as a value

   Click on Mesh

   * the pipe is meshed *

7. Step 7: Refine the Mesh [Part 1]

   In the Surface Quad Mesh panel, you can edit the mesh

   * The app automatically switch to another view mode *

   Hide the part and the mesh in order to just show the boundaries of the mesh

   Switch to Shading with no edges for a better result

   Pick all the boundaries

   

   * You should have this result (all blue lines should be yellow) *

   Show the part and the Mesh again

   Exit the edition mode

   * The Mesh is updated and it is linked to the boundaries *

   
   

8. Step 8: Refine the Mesh [Part 2]

   Edit the Mesh again

   Select the Mapped Mesh Feature

   * This mode will give a nice orthogonal grid mesh on the surface *

   Insert 5mm value for the size of the mesh

   Continue this manipulation with all other domains

   * You can even lock the domain you have made previously *

   Exit the mesh edition

   * The mesh is updated *

   
   

9. Step 9: Analyze mesh (optional)

   Go to Check tab in the action bar

   Run a quality Analysis

   * You can see the quality and type of mesh element *

10. Step 10: Apply Properties

    Switch back to Model preparation mode

    Apply a Shell property

    A panel appears, select the Join in Abstraction shape

    -> The Mesh should be automatically selected

    -> The Material should be automatically applied to property

    * The part is meshed and ready for Simulation Analysis *

    • End of tutorial