Edit 2D Surface Mesh Elements

Use the Smooth tool to optimize the quality of selected elements.

1. From the Elements ribbon, Edit tools, click Edit Elements > Smooth.

   
   
   Figure 1.

   Elements are colored according to how well they adhere to the pre-set quality requirements defined in the criteria file.
2. Optional: Find all elements at or below a certain quality level.
   1. Click Find on the guide bar.
   2. Increase or decrease the number of layers around patches of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
   3. Review the next or previous patch of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
3. Optional: Select anchor nodes.
   • Hold Ctrl while left-clicking.
   • Click Anchors on the guide bar then left-click to make your selection.
4. Select the element(s) to smooth.
5. In the microdialog, select a smoothing method then click Smooth.

   Auto

   Calculates the lengths of all of the elements’ edges to finds the extreme values. If the ratio of smallest to largest is below a certain threshold, than the Fix Shape method will be used. If the ratio of smallest to largest is above a certain threshold, than the Fix Size method will be used.

   Fix Size

   Moderates variations in element edge size through the mesh using a modified Laplacian over-relaxation that correctly handles a mixture of quad and tria elements.

   Fix Shape

   Moderates variations in element aspect ratio through the mesh using a modified isoparametric-centroidal over-relaxation that correctly handles a mixtures of quad and tria elements.

   Q.I. Warm, Q.I. Good, Q.I. Ideal

   Sets the quality of the optimization target to the corresponding value on the quality index.

Figure 2.

Use the Move tool to move nodes, drag tria elements, modify holes and washers, and automatically optimize nodes and elements.

1. From the Model ribbon, Mesh tools, click Edit Elements > Move.

   
   
   Figure 3.

   Elements are colored according to how well they adhere to the pre-set quality requirements defined in the criteria file.
2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to to define the options used to edit elements.
3. Optional: Find all elements at or below a certain quality level.
   1. Click Find on the guide bar.
   2. Increase or decrease the number of layers around patches of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
   3. Review the next or previous patch of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
4. Edit elements.
   • Place nodes by clicking-and-dragging nodes to a new location. The quality of the elements that depend on the node being moved dynamically adjust as you drag.
   • Move tria elements by clicking-and-dragging trias to a new location in the model, or out of the model completely.
   • Modify the radius of holes and washers by clicking-and-dragging nodes to a new location.
   • Optimize nodes/elements by double-clicking. Nodes and elements are automatically moved to optimize the overall quality of surrounding elements.

Figure 4.

Use the Split tool to split quad elements and edges, combine tria elements, and swap element edges.

1. From the Model ribbon, Mesh tools, click Edit Elements > Split.

   
   
   Figure 5.

   Elements are colored according to how well they adhere to the pre-set quality requirements defined in the criteria file.
2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to to define the options used to edit elements.
3. Optional: Find all elements at or below a certain quality level.
   1. Click Find on the guide bar.
   2. Increase or decrease the number of layers around patches of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
   3. Review the next or previous patch of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
4. Edit elements.
   • Split an element or element edge by left-clicking, or draw a split line by clicking-and-dragging.
   • Swap an element edge by holding Ctrl while left-clicking on an element or edge. Additional clicks will cycle through the possible edge positions.
   • Combine two tria elements by holding Shift while left-clicking on their shared edge.

Figure 6.

Use the Replace tool to relocate and replace the positions of nodes.

1. From the Elements ribbon, Edit tools, click Edit Elements > Replace.

   
   
   Figure 7.

   Elements are colored according to how well they adhere to the pre-set quality requirements defined in the criteria file.
2. Optional: Find all elements at or below a certain quality level.
   1. Click Find on the guide bar.
   2. Increase or decrease the number of layers around patches of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
   3. Review the next or previous patch of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
3. Select a replacement method from the guide bar then select nodes.

   Method	Node Replacement Steps
   One to One	Select a node to relocate and replace. Select a target node. The second node replaces the first.
   Multi to One	Select multiple nodes. From the selected nodes, left-click on a single target node. All other nodes are relocated to and replaced by this node.
   Multi to Multi	Select a node to relocate and replace. Select a target node. Repeat this process as many times as desired. Left-click on a target node or click Replace on the guide bar to replace all nodes at once.

Figure 8.

Use the Density tool to edit element density and size along surface edges.

1. From the Elements ribbon, Edit tools, click Edit Elements > Density.

   
   
   Figure 9.

2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define surface mesh options.
3. Left-click to select the edge(s) to modify.
4. In the microdialog, click the icon to switch the value being defined to either element density or element size.
5. Edit element density or size.
   • Increase individual edge values by holding Ctrl while left-clicking on an edge; decrease individual edge values by holding Ctrl while right-clicking on an edge.
   • Scroll edge values by holding Ctrl while scrolling the mouse wheel up and down. Hovering directly over an edge will only modify that edge; hovering over empty space will modify all selected edges.
   • Specify an edge value in the microdialog and press Enter. If multiple edges are selected, a common value will be applied. If multiple edges with different edge values are selected, use the arrows in the microdialog to modify individual edge values simultaneously, without applying a common value.
6. On the guide bar, click Update

Figure 10.

Use the Create tool to create new 1D, 2D tria, or 2D quad elements, and delete elements.

1. From the Model ribbon, Mesh tools, click Edit Elements > Create.

   
   
   Figure 11.

   Elements are colored according to how well they adhere to the pre-set quality requirements defined in the criteria file.
2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to to define the options used to edit elements.
3. Optional: Find all elements at or below a certain quality level.
   1. Click Find on the guide bar.
   2. Increase or decrease the number of layers around patches of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
   3. Review the next or previous patch of failed elements by clicking or on the guide bar.
4. Create or delete elements
   • Select nodes to create 1D, 2D tria, or 3D elements.
   • Select the element(s) to delete, then left-click to delete element(s).

Figure 12.