The structural model creation app of 3D Experience 2017x is primarily the pre-processing application for structural models that is available in Structural Analysis Engineer (DRD) and Mechanical Analyst (SMU) roles. This article briefly explains the meshing algorithms available in the given app. The mesh creation module of structural model creation app looks like this:

This meshing algorithm is simplest and easiest to use to create continuum linear/quadratic tetrahedral meshes. Global mesh specifications can be applied to control overall mesh size and local mesh specifications can be used to make finer or coarser mesh regions of the model. Few advanced parameters such as minimum mesh size and quality control factors are available.

 

 

In this technique the surface of geometry is meshed with triangular meshes which then fill the inside volume with solid elements using the specified volume growth parameter. Basic parameters such as mesh size, element order and absolute sag are available in this method. This technique captures the surface geometry of the model more precisely than the Octree Tetrahedron mesh method. Accordingly, the mesh appears a lot smoother.

 

 

This algorithm fills solid geometry with tetrahedral elements working inwards from an existing surface mesh. The approach is like tetrahedron mesh. However, in this approach support is an existing surface mesh instead of solid geometry. The order of filled element type is independent of the order of surface element type.

 

 

This meshing scheme is a big bonanza for Abaqus CAE users, specifically those users who have been using Abaqus CAE for computationally fluid dynamics applications. Unlike other FEA pre-processors, 3D Experience platform offers one click linear hexahedral meshing of complex geometries through this meshing technique. For CFD applications, this includes boundary layer as well. Moreover, no fluid domain geometry needed to create CFD mesh. Application computes fluid domain automatically based on certain input/output parameters. The ratio of Hexahedral elements to other elements depends on the complexity of geometry. Higher the geometry complexity, lower is the ratio.

Many more meshing techniques exist such as beam mesh, surface triangle mesh, octree triangle mesh for shapes of varied topologies.