Lecture 4 Meshing Methods

14. 5 Release

Introduction to ANSYS Meshing

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Meshing Methods
What you will learn from this presentation

Meshing Methods for Part/Body Meshing

Assembly Meshing covered separately Methods & Algorithms for; Tetrahedral Meshing Hex Meshing 2D Meshing Meshing Multiple Bodies Selective Meshing Recording Meshing Order

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Preprocessing Workflow
Geometry Creation OR Geometry Import Geometry Operations Meshing Solver

Sketches and Planes 3D Operations

Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, etc

3D Operations
Boolean, Body Operations, Split, etc

Meshing Methods
Hybrid Mesh: Tet, Prisms, Pyramids

Hexa Dominant, Sweep meshing

Geometry Import Options

Direct CAD/BiDirectional CAD

Geometry Cleanup and Repair

Automatic Cleanup Merge, Connect, Projection, Flow Volume Extraction, etc

Assembly Meshing

Global Mesh Settings Local Mesh Settings

Sizing, Body/Sphere of Influence, Match Control, etc

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Methods
Why Multiple Methods?
High aspect ratio cells (Inflation) near wall to capture boundary layer gradients Cells refined around small geometric details and complex flow

Choice can depend on;

Physics Geometry Resources Mesh could require just one or a combination of methods. Example Typical mesh design based on geometric, physics and resource considerations.

Hex (3d) or Quad (2d) cells used to mesh simple regions

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Tet (3d) or Tri (2d) cells used here to mesh complex region
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Inserting Methods
In the Outline, right click Mesh, Insert > Method

Select body in Details View Or, in the Graphics Window, Select body(s) , right click, Insert > Method Body automatically selected in Details View

Method is selectable using the drop down box

Select, Automatic, Tetrahedrons, Hex Dominant, Sweep or Multizone
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Tetrahedrons Method

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Tetrahedrons Method
Method Behavior

Generates tetrahedral elements - two algorithms are

available: Patch Conforming Patch Independent

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Tetrahedrons Method: Patch Conforming

Method & Algorithm Behavior

Bottom up approach: Meshing process starts

from edges, faces and then volume All faces and their boundaries are respected (conformed to) and meshed Good for high quality (clean) CAD geometries CAD cleanup required for dirty geometry Sizing is defined by global and/or local controls Compatible with inflation

Access

Insert Method and set to Tetrahedrons

Additional drop down box for algorithm choice appears - Set to Patch Conforming
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Tetrahedrons Method: Patch Independent

Method & Algorithm Behavior

Top down approach: Volume mesh generated

first and projected on to faces and edges Faces, edges and vertices not necessarily conformed to Controlled by tolerance and scoping of Named Selection, load or other object Good for gross de-featuring of poor quality (dirty) CAD geometries Method Details contain sizing controls Compatible with inflation

Access

Insert Method and set to Tetrahedrons

Additional drop down box for algorithm choice appears - Set Patch Independent
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Tetrahedrons Method: Algorithm Comparison (Surface Mesh)

Geometry containing small details Patch Conforming: All geometric detail is captured Patch Independent: Can ignore and defeature geometry

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Tetrahedrons Method: Algorithm Comparison (Volume Mesh)

Geometry containing small details Patch Conforming: Delaunay mesh smooth growth rate Patch Independent: Default Octree Mesh approximate growth rate

Smooth Transition option creates Delaunay mesh

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Tetrahedrons Method: Control

Patch Conforming

Sizing
Mesh sizing for the Patch Conforming algorithm is defined by Global & Local Controls Automatic refinement based on curvature and/or proximity accessible in Global Controls Details of Global & Local Controls covered in separate lectures Choice of surface mesher algorithm in global controls
Proximity Curvature

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Tetrahedrons Method: Control

Patch Independent

Sizing
Sizing for the Patch Independent algorithm defined in Patch Independent Details Automatic curvature & proximity refinement option

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Tetrahedrons Method: Control

Patch Independent

Defeaturing Control
Set Mesh Based Defeaturing On Set Defeaturing Tolerance Assign Named Selections to selectively preserve geometry
Named Selection assigned and Defeaturing Tolerance = 0.03m. Features > 0.03m respected.

Defeaturing Tolerance Off

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Tetrahedrons Method: Application Examples

Patch Conforming Patch Independent

Clean CAD, accurate surface mesh

Dirty CAD, defeatured surface mesh

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Hex Meshing

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Introduction
Tet Mesh

Hex Meshing

Elements: 48K

Reduced element count

Reduced run time Elements aligned in direction of flow Reduced numerical error

Methods Available

Sweep MultiZone Hex Dominant (not recommended for

CFD)

Sweep Mesh Elements: 19K

Initial Requirements

Clean geometry May require geometric decomposition

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Sweep Meshing
Method Behavior
Sweep Path

Meshes source surface, sweeps through to the

target Body must have topologically identical faces on two ends, (which act as source and target faces) Generates hex/wedge elements Side faces must be mappable Only one source and one target face is allowed Alternative Thin sweep algorithm can have multiple source and target faces
Side Face(s) Target Face Source Face

Access

Insert Method and set to Sweep

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Sweep Meshing
Source/Target (Src/Trg Selection)

Automatic
Source & target faces identified automatically Not compatible with inflation Manual Source & Manual Source and Target User selection (required for inflation) Compatible with inflation Automatic Thin & Manual Thin Multiple source and target faces Not compatible with inflation

Sweep Direction
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Source Face

Target Face
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Sweep Meshing
Src/Trg Selection Behaviour

Automatic selection requires

that the application find the Source and Target. Specifying both Source & Target will accelerate meshing
Automatic Selection

Inflation
Must specify at least Source manually when using Inflation & Sweep Method 2D inflation defined on source face from boundary edges then swept through volume, source must therefore be specified first
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Sweep Mesh No inflation

Manual Selection

Sweep Mesh with inflation

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Sweep Meshing
Rotational Sweeping

Sweep meshes can also be

created by sweeping a Source around an axis Example: Src/Trg Selection Rotational sweep for sector geometry Rotational sweeping requires both Source & Target to be selected
Target Face Source Face

For both rotational and axial

sweeping Source & Target faces are color coded when selected

Sweep Path
Manual Source & Target Selection Sweep Mesh: Wedge and Hex elements

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Sweep Meshing
Src/Trg Selection: Automatic Thin & Manual Thin

Selects an alternate sweep

algorithm Advantages Capable of sweeping multiple Source & Targets Can perform some automatic defeaturing Disadvantages For Multibody Parts only one division across the sweep is allowed Inflation & Sweep Bias not allowed
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Source Faces

Target

Source Faces Imprinted on Target

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Sweep Meshing
How to Identify Sweepable bodies

ANSYS Meshing can identify sweepable bodies automatically

Rotational Sweep bodies are not identified Right click Mesh object in Outline and select Show > Sweepable Bodies

Geometry
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RMB on Mesh to find sweepable bodies

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Sweepable bodies in green color

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Sweep Meshing
How to Ensure Bodies are Sweepable

Bodies which will not allow sweeping can be decomposed into a number

of topologically simpler sweepable bodies Decomposition can be performed in CAD/DM Example 1
Unsweepable body

Decomposed in CAD/DM Sweepable!

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Sweep Meshing
Example 2
T Junction Geometry Unsweepable

Decomposed in CAD/DM Sweepable!

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MultiZone Meshing
Method Behavior

Based on blocking approach used in ANSYS ICEM

CFD Hexa Automatically decomposes geometry into blocks Generates structured hex mesh where block topology permits Remaining region (Free Mesh) filled with unstructured Hexa Core or Tetra or Hexa Dominant mesh. Can select source & target faces automatically or manually Can have multiple source faces Compatible with 3D inflation

MultiZone Mesh

Access

Insert Method and set to Multizone

Target faces should also be selected as Source for Multizone Method as mesh is swept from both directions
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MultiZone Meshing
Mapped Mesh Type - determines the shape of the elements used to fill structured regions (the default is Hexa).
Hexa - All hexahedral elements are generated Hexa/Prism - For swept regions, the surface mesh can allow triangles for quality and transitioning Prism - All prism elements are generated
This option is sometimes useful if the source face mesh is being shared with a tet mesh, as pyramids are not required to transition to the tet mesh

Surface Mesh Method specifies method to create the

surface mesh.
Program Controlled - automatically uses a combination of Uniform and Pave mesh methods depending on the mesh sizes set and face properties Uniform - uses a recursive loop-splitting method which creates a highly uniform mesh Pave - creates a good quality mesh on faces with high curvature, and also when neighboring edges have a high aspect ratio
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Surface mesh method = Uniform

Surface mesh method = Pave

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MultiZone Meshing
Example 1

Single body automatically decomposed into three blocks Src/Trg Selection Automatic Results in all hex mesh Equivalent to manually decomposing by slicing off upper and lower cylinders to produce three bodies and applying sweep methods

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MultiZone Meshing
Example 2

Blend on central body, Multizone no longer able to

create structured block Filled according to Free Mesh setting Tetra, Hexa Core, Hexa Dominant Can specify type of surface mesh using Mapped Mesh Type (Hexa, Hexa/Prism, Prism)

Free Mesh Tetra

Free Mesh Hexa Core

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Automatic Method

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Automatic Method
Method Behavior

Combination of Tetrahedron Patch

Conforming and Sweep Method Automatically identifies sweepable bodies and creates sweep mesh All non-sweepable bodies meshed using tetrahedron Patch Conformal method Compatible with inflation

Access

Default Method where not specified Can specify by inserting Method and
setting to Automatic
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2D Meshing

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Methods for 2D Meshing

Patch Conforming Methods
Automatic Method (Quadrilateral Dominant) & Triangles
Automatic Triangles

Multizone Quad/Tri

Multizone Quad

Patch Independent Methods

Multizone Quad/Tri Full Quad will be generated if "All Quad" is selected as Free Face Mesh Type

Advanced size functions and local size

controls are supported
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Multizone Quad/Tri & Multizone Quad Methods were previously called Uniform Quad/Tri and Uniform Quad till R14.0
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2D Meshing Control & Inflation

Mapped Surface Meshes
2D Mapped Mesh

Fully mapped surface meshes and

specified edge sizing/intervals can be obtained by applying local controls Covered in the Local Mesh Controls lecture

2D mesh with Inflation

Boundary edges are inflated Support for global and local inflation
controls

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2D Mesh Solver Guidelines

ANSYS FLUENT ANSYS CFX

For a 2D analysis in FLUENT generate

the mesh in the XY plane (z=0). For axisymmetric applications y 0 and make sure that the domain is axisymmetric about x axis In ANSYS Meshing, by default, a thickness is defined for a surface body and is visible when the view is not normal to the XY Plane. This is purely graphical no thickness will be present when the mesh is exported into the FLUENT 2D solver

For 2D analysis in CFX, create a

volume mesh (using Sweep) that is 1 element thick in the symmetry direction, i.e., Thin Block for Planar 2D Thin Wedge (< 5) for 2D Axissymmetric

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Meshing Multiple Bodies

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Selective Meshing
What is Selective Meshing?

Selectively picking bodies and meshing them incrementally

Why use Selective Meshing?

Bodies can be meshed individually Mesh seeding from meshed bodies influences neighboring bodies (user
has control) Automated meshing can be used at any time to mesh all remaining bodies When controls are added, only affected body meshes require remeshing Selective body updating Extensive mesh method interoperability

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Selective Meshing
Local meshing

Mesh or clear meshes on individual bodies Subsequent bodies will use the attached face
mesh The meshing results (cell types) will depend on the meshing order Adjust/add controls able to remesh only affected body Select body(s) right click for context menu
Meshing first the pipe then the block Meshing first the block then the pipe

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Selective Meshing
Recording Mesh Operations

When using selective meshing the order

of meshing can be recorded for automated future use Right click Mesh in the Outline for Context Menu

Worksheet is generated recording mesh

operations as ordered steps Named Selections are automatically created for each meshed body for reference in the Worksheet Example; Meshing cylinder then block
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Selective Meshing
Selective Body Updating

Remeshing only bodies that have changed Access option through Tools > Options
No: All geometry updated, all bodies remeshed. Associatively: Accommodates for body topology change (add/delete) (slower) Non-Associatively: Assumes no topology change (faster)

Example; Geometric change to block.

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Workshop 2 Introducing Meshing Methods

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Appendix
Contents

Hex Dominant Meshing Sweep Meshing Biasing & Complex Geometry Surface Meshing with Inflation Mesh Connections Shell Meshing Patch Independent Tetrahedrons - Transition

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Hex Dominant Meshing

The mesh contains a combination of tet and pyramid cells with majority
of cell being of hex type Useful for bodies which cannot be swept Useful for CFD applications not requiring inflation Useful for CFD in the range of acceptable Skewness or Orthogonal Quality mesh quality metrics

Access

RMB on Mesh Insert Method Definition Method Hex Dominant

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Hex Dominant Meshing

Example:

Geometry with valve inside

Due to valve sweep method cannot be used

Hex Dominant Mesh generated

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Hex Dominant Meshing

Free (unstructured) Face Mesh Types

Determines the element shape in the free zone (where structured

meshing is not possible)

Options

Quad/Tri All Quad

May insert triangular elements depending on complexity of geometry

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Hex Dominant Meshing

Example:
Higher no. of elements

Free Face Mesh Type: Quad/Tri

Geometry with valve inside Lower no. of elements

Free Face Mesh Type: All Quad

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Hex Dominant Meshing

Example: Hex Dominant Mesh Elements
Hex Dominant Mesh

Pyramid

Wedge

Hex

Tet

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 Control:

Sweep Meshing
Source face elements: Only Quad Type: All Quad

Free (unstructured) Mesh Type

Source face elements: Quad plus Tri Type: Quad/Tri

Sweepable Geometry Source face elements: Only Tri Type: All Tri
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Sweep Meshing
Control: Type
Element size in swept direction 2mm Sweep Element Size

Sweepable Geometry Sweep Num Divisions

No. of elements in swept direction: 10

The Number of Divisions can be > 1000. If this number is > 1000 the divisions will not be drawn on the edge
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Sweep Meshing
Control: Sweep Bias Type
Uniform mesh No Bias

Sweepable Geometry With Bias

Cells are concentrated on one side

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Sweep Meshing : Complex geometry

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Surface Meshing with Inflation

Triangular Mesh with Inflation

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Mesh Connections
For sheet models, connections can be defined as Mesh connections
Mesh connections can be used to extend mesh at mesh level
Gap

Tolerance Value can be

specified to close gaps at mesh level
Connected Mesh

Gap removed at mesh level

Mesh connections will

be created at mesh time (rather than as CE in solver)

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Shell Meshing: Example

Edge colored by the number of connected faces Automatic generation of mesh connections Mesh connectivity can be shown also after meshing

Ability to find mappable faces

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Tetrahedrons Method: Patch Independent

Transition

Effect of Smooth Transition Smooth transition uses advanced

front meshing technique
Smooth Transition Off (default) Smooth Transition On

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