Use the Solid Map panel to create a mesh of solid elements in a solid geometric
volume.
Location: 3D page
Only relatively simple solids can be meshed; complex objects must first be partitioned into
simpler sections so that the sections can be meshed individually.
Furthermore, even if all solids are mappable, they may not all be meshable at once; you may still
need to mesh each mappable solid individually, or only a few at a time. Any given
volume can have one of four states, which are color-coded when using the mappable
view option on the Visualization toolbar. Although the colors can be customized, the
default settings are:
Blue
A solid that has not been edited at all, and therefore is not evaluated
for mappability.
Orange
A solid that has been edited, but remains completely unmappable (further
partitioning may enable mapping).
Yellow
A solid that is mappable in one direction.
Green
A solid that is mappable in three directions (this is very rare).
Figure 1. . The first cube is mappable in 3 directions, but if 1 corner is split off
it becomes mappable in only 1 direction. The corner is not mappable without
further partitioning.
HyperMesh displays the progress of the solid map meshing process
in the status bar. Upon completion, HyperMesh displays a report of
the mesh quality. The element quality value reported is the worst scaled Jacobian in
the mesh. The scaled Jacobian's value may range from 0.0 to 1.0 (best). An elem's
scaled Jacobian is a ratio of the elem Jacobian over the Jacobian of an ideal elem
of the same configuration. To use other mesh quality measures, go to the Check
Elements panel.
Note: All of these subpanels depend on an existing 2D
mesh, which is then extrapolated into a 3D mesh based on the parameters you
input. The One Volume and Multi Solids subpanels, however, can automatically
create 3D mesh directly on solids as long as the solids you select are already
mappable.
You can omit the source, the destination, or the along geometry by setting either one
of the entity selectors to (none). Only one of these selections can be set to
(none); the other two selections are then required to define the volume to fill.
The 2D meshes extruded do not have to be continuous.
The "along" faces do not all have to be defined.
You can create elements with a user-specified bias by selecting linear, exponential,
or bellcurve after bias style. Specify the bias intensity value after intensity =
and click mesh.
General Subpanel
Use the General subpanel to access all of the possible entry controls for maximum
flexibility. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4.
Option
Action
source geom
Choose a method for selecting source geometry that defines
the source face of the 3D volume.
surfs
Select surfaces that define the source face of the volume/solid.
lines
Select lines that define the periphery of the source face.
nodes
Select multiple lists of nodes, each representing the periphery of the
source face.
none
No source geometry is defined. The geometry inferred from the elems to
drag is considered as source geometry.
elems to drag
Select the elements/mesh that correspond to the source
face extruded to create the solid mesh. If the source face type chosen is a
surface, the elements to drag selection is optional as the elements associated
to the surface are automatically selected.
dest geom
Choose a method for selecting the geometry that defines the
destination face of the 3D volume.
surfs
Select surfaces that define the destination face of the
volume/solid.
lines
Select lines that define the periphery of the source face.
nodes
Select multiple lists of nodes, each representing the periphery of the
source face.
elems to match /
smooth dest
elems to match
Select the elements on the
destination surface that you wish the 3D mesh to match up
with.
smooth dest
Smooth the mesh that is mapped on the destination face when your
destination geometry varies greatly from the source geometry.
along
parameters
Define/set the parameters required for the mesh
along the solid map. Set the element size or density (toggle) to be defined in
the along direction. This determines the number of elements along the depth of
the mapping. If the size or density is set to "0", the element size/density is
calculated based on the average element size of the source elements (elems to
drag).
along bias
style
Choose the type of biasing to use while creating nodes
in the along direction. The biasing style works in conjunction with biasing
intensity. If intensity is set to "0" the biasing is not applied.
intensity
Specify the biasing intensity value.
Line Drag Subpanel
Use the Line Drag subpanel to select a 2D mesh, and then select a line from the model
geometry to use as the mapping direction.
Option
Action
elems to drag
Select the elements/mesh that correspond to the source
face extruded to create the solid mesh. If the source face type chosen is a
surface, the elements to drag selection is optional as the elements associated
to the surface are automatically selected.
elems to match /
smooth dest
elems to match
Select the elements on the
destination surface that you wish the 3D mesh to match up
with.
smooth dest
Smooth the mesh that is mapped on the destination face when your
destination geometry varies greatly from the source geometry.
along geom
Choose a method for selecting the geometry that defines the
face of the 3D volume along which you wish to map the mesh.
surfs
Select surfaces to define the mapping face of the volume/solid.
lines
Select lines that define the periphery of the source face.
nodes
Select a node list that defines a line along which to map.
mixed
Select any combination of surfaces, lines, 2D elements/shell faces,
and/or nodelist/nodepath. When elements are used, the mapped solid mesh
maintains the nodal positions with selected elements. They can be
equivalenced to have common nodes. While selecting nodelist/nodepath,
each selection should represent an edge that connects the source and
destination.
along
parameters
Define/set the parameters required for the mesh
along the solid map. Set the element size or density (toggle) to be defined in
the along direction. This determines the number of elements along the depth of
the mapping. If the size or density is set to "0", the element size/density is
calculated based on the average element size of the source elements (elems to
drag).
along bias
style
Choose the type of biasing to use while creating nodes
in the along direction. The biasing style works in conjunction with biasing
intensity. If intensity is set to "0" the biasing is not applied.
intensity
Specify the biasing intensity value.
Linear Solid Subpanel
Use the Linear Solid subpanel to select two existing 2D meshes and extrapolate a 3D
mesh that connects them.
Option
Action
elems to drag
Select the elements/mesh that correspond to the source
face extruded to create the solid mesh. If the source face type chosen is a
surface, the elements to drag selection is optional as the elements associated
to the surface are automatically selected.
elems to match
Select the elements on the
destination surface that you wish the 3D mesh to match up
with.
along geom
Choose a method for
selecting the geometry that defines the face of the 3D volume
along which you wish to map the mesh.
nodes
Select a node list that defines a line along which
to map.
none
Do not use geometry.
along
parameters
Define/set the parameters required for the mesh
along the solid map. Set the element size or density (toggle) to be defined in
the along direction. This determines the number of elements along the depth of
the mapping. If the size or density is set to "0", the element size/density is
calculated based on the average element size of the source elements (elems to
drag).
along bias
style
Choose the type of biasing to use while creating nodes
in the along direction. The biasing style works in conjunction with biasing
intensity. If intensity is set to "0" the biasing is not applied.
intensity
Specify the biasing intensity value.
Ends Only Subpanel
Use the Ends Only subpanel to select two opposing surfaces and one 2D mesh, then
extrapolate the mesh between the surfaces.
Option
Action
source geom
Choose a method for selecting source geometry that defines
the source face of the 3D volume.
surfs
Select surfaces that define the source face of the volume/solid.
lines
Select lines that define the periphery of the source face.
nodes
Select multiple lists of nodes, each representing the periphery of the
source face.
none
No source geometry is defined. The geometry inferred from the elems to
drag is considered as source geometry.
dest geom
Choose a method for selecting the geometry that defines the
destination face of the 3D volume.
surfs
Select surfaces that define the destination face of the
volume/solid.
lines
Select lines that define the periphery of the source face.
nodes
Select multiple lists of nodes, each representing the periphery of the
source face.
elems to drag
Select the elements/mesh that correspond to the source
face extruded to create the solid mesh. If the source face type chosen is a
surface, the elements to drag selection is optional as the elements associated
to the surface are automatically selected.
elems to match /
smooth dest
elems to match
Select the elements on the
destination surface that you wish the 3D mesh to match up
with.
smooth dest
Smooth the mesh that is mapped on the destination face when your
destination geometry varies greatly from the source geometry.
along
parameters
Define/set the parameters required for the mesh
along the solid map. Set the element size or density (toggle) to be defined in
the along direction. This determines the number of elements along the depth of
the mapping. If the size or density is set to "0", the element size/density is
calculated based on the average element size of the source elements (elems to
drag).
along bias
style
Choose the type of biasing to use while creating nodes
in the along direction. The biasing style works in conjunction with biasing
intensity. If intensity is set to "0" the biasing is not applied.
intensity
Specify the biasing intensity value.
One Volume Subpanel
Use the One Volume subpanel to select a single, mappable solid volume and create a
new 3D mesh for it.
Option
Action
volume to mesh
Select the solid to
mesh.
source hint
Select the "beginning" surface that defines the
direction of mesh mapping.
dest hint
Select the "ending" surface that defines the direction
of mesh mapping.
source shells
Select the type of source shells that define the 2D mesh
on the initial surface of the solid, and will dictate the output element type when
meshing the solids.
mixed
Create hexa and penta elements.
quad
Create only hexa elements.
trias or R-trias
Create only penta elements (right-angle pentas in the case of
R-trias).
along geom
Choose a method for selecting the geometry that defines the
face of the 3D volume along which you wish to map the mesh.
surfs
Select surfaces to define the mapping face of the volume/solid.
lines
Select lines that define the periphery of the source face.
nodes
Select a node list that defines a line along which to map.
mixed
Select any combination of surfaces, lines, 2D elements/shell faces,
and/or nodelist/nodepath. When elements are used, the mapped solid mesh
maintains the nodal positions with selected elements. They can be
equivalenced to have common nodes. While selecting nodelist/nodepath,
each selection should represent an edge that connects the source and
destination.
along
parameters
Define/set the parameters required for the mesh
along the solid map. Set the element size or density (toggle) to be defined in
the along direction. This determines the number of elements along the depth of
the mapping. If the size or density is set to "0", the element size/density is
calculated based on the average element size of the source elements (elems to
drag).
along bias
style
Choose the type of biasing to use while creating nodes
in the along direction. The biasing style works in conjunction with biasing
intensity. If intensity is set to "0" the biasing is not applied.
intensity
Specify the biasing intensity value.
smooth dest
Smooth the elements on the resulting face of the solid
to improve the resulting mesh quality.
elems to solid/surf
comp / elems to current comp
Select which component to put the
newly-created elements.
elems to solid/surf comp
Add the elements to the same component that contains the solid and its
surfaces.
elems to current comp
Add the new elements to the current component.
Multi Solids Subpanel
Use the Multi Solids subpanel to select multiple mappable solids and create 3D meshes
for them.
HyperMesh can create volume meshes on multiple shapes at the same
time, allowing you to mesh solid parts faster.
Note: Complex parts must
still be partitioned into multiple simpler solids.
This does not always work
for large numbers of solids, even if they are all mappable. In some cases
you may need to mesh them a few at a time or even (in extreme cases)
individually.
Figure 5.
Clicking mesh in this panel will create the solid mesh if
automatic mode had been selected. If the interactive mode was selected, it will
create any temporary 2D shell meshes required and assign the node seeding density to
all of the along edges. Then it will open the Density subpanel.
Option
Action
solid
Select the desired
solids.
Note: Only solids that are mappable can be
meshed.
interactive /
automatic
automatic
Create the 3D solid mesh immediately.
interactive
Use the subpanels to enable further control over the
mesh density and element mesh patterns.
elem size
Specify the size to
when initially distributing the nodes to the edges.
source shells
Select the type of source shells that define the 2D mesh
on the initial surface of the solid, and will dictate the output element type when
meshing the solids.
mixed
Create hexa and penta elements.
quad
Create only hexa elements.
trias or R-trias
Create only penta elements (right-angle pentas in the case of
R-trias).
source hint
Select the "beginning" surface that defines the
direction of mesh mapping.
dest hint
Select the "ending" surface that defines the direction
of mesh mapping.
elems to solid/surf
comp / elems to current comp
Select which component to put the
newly-created elements.
elems to solid/surf comp
Add the elements to the same component that contains the solid and its
surfaces.
elems to current comp
Add the new elements to the current component.
smooth dest
Smooth the elements on the resulting face of the solid
to improve the resulting mesh quality.
apply orthogonality to
along
Keep the solid
elements generated more perpendicular to the surface faces in
the along direction.
stop meshing on bad
jacobian
Halt the meshing
routines upon the creation of a bad jacobian solid
element.
previous
settings
When creating the
temporary surface mesh, honor any prior edge node density
settings.
Command Buttons
Option
Action
mesh
Create a solid mesh
with all the provided input. The solid mesh created is placed in
a collector named solidmap. If that collector does not exist, a
new component is created with that name.
reject
Reject the last mapped
solid mesh created.
equiv/faces
Equivalence all of the
elements in the solidmap component and create the faces (^faces
component) for that component. This function is optional and
does not directly impact the solidmap functionality. It allows
you to perform faster and easier solid modeling. The solidmap
component is equivalenced with an initial tolerance of 1% of
element size. When this function is performed, a message is
displayed informing you of the number of nodes equivalenced
along with the tolerance value used. Any subsequent use of this
function without performing additional solid mapping increases
the tolerance (to a maximum of 10% element size) before
equivalencing again.
