Fuse 2D Shell Meshes

Use the Fuse tool to connect close proximity, overlapping, and intersecting parts.

Fuse Open Shells

Use the Open Shells tool to automatically connect open shells to resolve penetrations/intersections, or prepare a BIW model for an electromagnetic analysis.

  1. From the Elements ribbon, Edit tools, click Fuse > Open Shells.


    Figure 1.
  2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define fuse options.
  3. Click Source on the guide bar, choose Components or Elements, then select source entities.
    Source entities will move to the target.
  4. Click Target on the guide bar, choose Components or Elements, then select target entities.
    Target entities will not move.
  5. Click Fuse all on the guide bar.


Figure 2.
Tip: On the guide bar, click to open the Advanced Selection dialog, from which you can filter geometry further by selecting a subset of entities based on additional selection methods, such as By Component or By Assembly.

Fuse Closed Shells

Use the Closed Shells tool to create watertight volumes for CFD and thermal applications with closed shells.

  1. From the Elements ribbon, Edit tools, click Fuse > Closed Shells.


    Figure 3.
  2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define fuse options.
  3. Click Source on the guide bar, choose Components or Elements, then select source entities.
    Source entities will move to the target.
  4. Click Target on the guide bar, choose Components or Elements, then select target entities.
    Target entities will not move.
  5. Click Fuse all on the guide bar.


Figure 4.
Tip: On the guide bar, click to open the Advanced Selection dialog, from which you can filter geometry further by selecting a subset of entities based on additional selection methods, such as By Component or By Assembly.

Example: Fuse Mesh

The Fuse tool can be used with several types of analyses where mesh connections are required.



Figure 5. CFD Fluid Analysis Model Preparation. Create a water tight, fluid volume for CFD analysis by connecting shell and solid parts.


Figure 6. Thermal Analysis Model Preparation. Prepare the model for thermal analysis by connecting closed shells across the assembly.


Figure 7. Electromagnetic Analysis Model Preparation. Define connections across part assemblies by connecting the midmesh of shell parts.

Fuse Options

Open Shells

Fuse threshold
Change fuse threshold.
Remesh at connection
Consider remesh at connection.
Remove redundant patches
Consider removing redundant patches.
Redundant patch maximum width factor
Change the redundant patch maximum width factor of fuse threshold value.
Snap to features
Consider snapping to features.
Feature snapping tolerance factor
Change feature snapping tolerance factor of fuse threshold value, within which the nodes positions resulting after the fusing of source and target elements can be snapped to features.
Feature angle
The maximum allowable break angle between adjacent elements.
Fuse free edges only
Fuse only free edges of the selected source and target.
Bridge gaps
Consider creating bridge elements between source and target.
Projection type
Select a type of projection from source to target.
Along source normal
Shortest direction of projection of source nodes to target nodes is considered.
Along source edge tangent
Considers the tangential direction of source edges to the target. However, if the tangential projection fails, the shortest projection is considered.
Remove target tails
Consider to delete tails or small faces formed at the target after fusing source to target.
Remove target tails tolerance factor
Change the tolerance factor of fuse threshold value within which, if the width of the tail of the target tail face lies, it is removed.

Closed Shells

Fuse threshold
Change fuse threshold.
Retain interface
Consider retaining interface.
Remesh at connection
Consider remesh at connection.
Collapse fusing patches
Consider collapse fusing patches
Maximum search angle
Change maximum search angle.
Fuse direction
Change the fusing direction
Number of layers
Change number of layers.
Feature angle
The maximum allowable break angle between adjacent elements.
Growth rate
The factor to control the rate of transition in case of element size change.

Keyboard Shortcuts & Mouse Controls

To do this Press
Select shell components or elements Left Mouse Click
Deselect components or elements Shift + Left Mouse Click
Toggle between source and target Tab
Exit tool Esc