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03 Meshing Methods

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Lecture 3

Meshing Methods

DSTO Training

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 1 Release 14.5


Methods

Why Multiple Methods? High aspect ratio cells Cells refined around
(Inflation) near wall to small geometric
• Choice can depend on; capture boundary layer details and complex
– Physics gradients flow
– 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 Tet (3d) or Tri (2d) cells used here to mesh
regions complex region
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 2 Release 14.5
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
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9/14/23 3 Release 14.5
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)
Patch Conforming: All Patch Independent: Can
Geometry containing geometric detail is ignore and defeature
small details captured geometry

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Tetrahedrons Method: Algorithm
Comparison (Volume Mesh)
Geometry containing Patch Conforming: Patch Independent: Default
small details Delaunay mesh – Octree Mesh – approximate
smooth growth rate 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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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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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 Sweep Mesh

• Hex Dominant (not recommended for Elements: 19K


CFD)
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 Side Face(s)
faces) Target Face Source Face
• 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
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 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 Automatic Selection
accelerate meshing
Sweep Mesh No inflation
• Inflation
– Must specify at least Source
manually when using
Inflation & Sweep Method
– 2D inflation defined on
source face from boundary
edges then swept through Manual Selection
volume, source must
therefore be specified first
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 Target Source
Face Face
• Example: Src/Trg Selection -
Rotational sweep for sector
geometry
– Rotational sweeping requires
both Source & Target to be
selected
Sweep
Path
• For both rotational and axial Manual Source &
sweeping Source & Target faces Target Selection
are color coded when selected
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 Source
Faces Target
– Can perform some automatic
defeaturing
• Disadvantages
– For Multibody Parts only one
division across the sweep is
allowed
– Inflation & Sweep Bias not
allowed 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 RMB on Mesh to find Sweepable bodies in


sweepable bodies 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 Decomposed in
CAD/DM
Unsweepable body 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
MultiZone
• Automatically decomposes geometry into blocks Mesh
• 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
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 Surface mesh method = Uniform
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
Surface mesh method = Pave
• 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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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 Free Mesh


Tetra Hexa Core

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2D Meshing

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Methods for 2D Meshing
Automatic Triangles
• Patch Conforming Methods
– Automatic Method (Quadrilateral
Dominant) & Triangles

Multizone Multizone
Quad/Tri Quad

• Patch Independent Methods


– Multizone Quad/Tri
– Full Quad will be generated if "All Quad" is Multizone Quad/Tri & Multizone Quad Methods were
selected as Free Face Mesh Type previously called Uniform Quad/Tri and Uniform
Quad till R14.0
• Advanced size functions
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2D Meshing Control & Inflation

Mapped Surface Meshes 2D


Mapped
• Fully mapped surface meshes and Mesh
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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Selective Meshing

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 32 Release 14.5


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
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc.
Worksheet
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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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Assembly Meshing

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 37 Release 14.5


Assembly Meshing

Behavior
• Meshes an entire model as single
process
– Mesh Methods covered so far are
part or body based methods
– Not compatible with part/body
methods
• Two Algorithms available
– CutCell & Tetrahedrons

Access
• Assembly Meshing is accessible only
when Physics and Solver Preferences
are set to CFD and Fluent respectively
• To activate, replace None by Cutcell
or Tetrahedrons

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 38 Release 14.5


Assembly Meshing - Characteristics
• Operates on parts, multi-body parts, etc.
– Tolerates overlapping bodies
• Creates conformal meshes across parts in
contact
– Eliminates the need for multi-body part
generation in CAD
• Ability to define Virtual Bodies for fluid flow
from a “closed” set of bodies (sheet or solid)
– Eliminates the need for Boolean/Fill
operations in CAD
• Patch Independent
– Eliminates the need for pinch control and VT
operations
• Mesh elements size driven by Size Functions

Note that some global and local controls are CutCell Assembly Mesh
not available for Assembly Meshing (eg.
Match Control)
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Assembly Meshing - CutCell
CutCell Behavior
• Cartesian meshing method designed
for the ANSYS FLUENT solver
• Generates a majority of hex cells
– Some wedges, tets and pyramids at
boundaries to capture geometry
– During transfer to Fluent hexa cells
at size transition are converted into
Polyhedra
• Supports Inflation
– Post-inflation (TGrid algorithm)
• Inflation on zero thickness baffles
not supported
• Thick inflation layers may fail
– Cutcell mesh generated first,
inflation generated second (Post)

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 40 Release 14.5


Assembly Meshing - Tetrahedrons
Tetrahedrons Behavior
• Generates a Patch Independent tetra
mesh with automatic defeaturing
• Following steps occur in background
– Generate CutCell
– Delete volume mesh
– Triangulate surface mesh and improve
– Fill with tetra mesh
• Compatible with inflation
– Pre-inflation
• Algorithm similar to Tetra Patch
Conformal
• Has the benefits of cutcell (no
requirement on solid bodies, patch
independent, etc) but with the flexibility
of the bottom up approach i.e. “pre”
inflation rather than post

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 41 Release 14.5


Assembly Meshing -
Controls
• Set Advanced Size Functions
– Proximity SF Sources : 'edges', ‘faces’ or ‘edges
and faces’
– ‘Faces’ is v. expensive and edges is recommended
– Define correct Min Size (details next slide)
• Inflation defined by Global or Local controls
– Combined Global & Local not supported
– Program Control acts on Fluid bodies only
• Bodies can be set as Fluid in Body properties
– For Virtual Bodies, only automatic Program
Controlled inflation can be used (wetted surfaces
may only be defined during meshing)
• Define Feature and Tessellation controls (see next
slide)
• Apply any required local size controls
• Statistics
– Use Orthogonal Quality for Cutcell meshes

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Example 1. Min Size
Assembly Meshing - Controls too large compared to
the size of the
geometric detail

Min Size definition


• Assembly Meshing is Patch Independent and starts with a
Cartesian overlaid grid which finds closed regions
• Geometry recovery and leakage between regions depend on
local sizes, i.e. if Cartesian size is too small near a gap you will get
leakage between regions Example2 . Doubling
• Local sizes are driven by Size Function definitions the Min Size closes the
gap
– ‘Min Size’ and ‘Prox Min Size’ must be set with care
– Prox Min Size can be smaller than Min Size to avoid over-
refinement in curved areas
• Local mesh size recommendation to capture 3D features
– Local size < ½ important feature size
• Local mesh size recommendation to close gaps
– 1/10 local mesh size < gap size < ¼ local mesh size : apply hard
sizing to force gap closed
– Gap size < 1/10 local mesh size : gap closed

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Assembly Meshing - Controls
• Feature Capture
– Program Controlled : default which sets feature
angle = 40
– Feature Angle : user defined angle to define
feature level to recover
• 0 to capture all curves in model
• Tessellation (faceting) refinement
– Assembly meshing is applied to a faceted
representation of the geometry via TGrid libraries
– Program Controlled - default which sets
tessellation refinement to 10% of the value of
smallest mesh size
– Absolute Tolerance – user defined tolerance
• Must be set to 5-10% of smallest mesh size
– None - Sets tessellation to the CAD program or
Design Modeler default setting
• Note DM faceting control is in Options  Tessellation problems may
GraphicsDesign Modeler  Graphics  Facet lead to leakage
Quality
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Tessellation Refinement
Tess. Ref. = None Tess. Ref. = 0.1mm

• Images above show the tessellated representation of the geometry in


the workshop which is passed to the TGrid libraries for cutcell meshing
• With no refinement the geometry is coarsely faceted but with the
recommended refinement of 0.1*min-size a good curvature of
geometry is captured and will give better geometric fidelity in the mesh

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Assembly Meshing - Sharp Angle Tool
• A special cell cutting algorithm has been
developed to properly capture sharp 3D angles
• Can be used to improve feature capturing
in general
• Similar to “thin cuts” in ICEM CFD
• Right click on Mesh, Insert ‘Sharp Angle’.
• Select surfaces adjacent to edges at sharp Mesh without Sharp Angle Tool
locations. Can select multiple areas.

Sharp angles in the Flow volume of a drill bit model

Mesh with Sharp Angle Tool

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 46 Release 14.5


Assembly Meshing – Important General
Notes
• Cannot be used in combination with • Interoperability
other Meshing Methods – Inflation not supported on baffles
• Feature recovery limitations or internal walls
– Sharp trailing edges and acute – Ignored symmetry condition for
edges will produce a jagged mesh meshing
– Recovering some features might • Failure in the CutCell meshing
lead to bad quality algorithm is almost always related to
• Prior to meshing the user is advised faceting issues in relation to the
to resolve geometry features value of Min Size. Make sure that the
properly CAD/DM value of Min Size truly represents the
– Avoid unnecessary geometry details smallest size that you want the
curvature and proximity size function
– Min size should be ½ of smallest 3D
to capture
feature, check and adjust if required

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Assembly Meshing – Common Warning 1

• ANSYS Meshing Gives the Warning: “The tolerance of the geometry is larger
than the applied tessellation refinement tolerance. This might lead to an
uneven mesh and/or to poor geometric accuracy of the mesh.”
• Background: For assembly meshing a tessellated version of the geometry is
generated and passed to TGrid libraries where the mesh is generated. This
is very much like an STL representation.
• Meaning of warning: In certain models, some CAD curves may not
accurately follow the topologically connected surface(s). The warning above
happens when the tolerance describing the mismatch between curves and
surfaces is greater than the refinement tolerance. This mismatch can lead to
holes being created in the faceting.
• A post-tessellation refinement “hole-fixing algorithm” subsequently tries to
patch any holes created with an algorithm but hole closing itself can lead to
poor representation of the geometry. Hole closing can also fail, leading to
leakage in the Assembly Meshing algorithms (cutcell and tetrahedra) inside
ANSYS Meshing.
• Example given on next slide.

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Assembly Meshing – Common Warning 2

1. No Tessellation Refinement – sloppy


CAD surfs don’t match curves Re
fin
e

2. Tessellation Refinement will refine


facets to improve situation but can open Hole opened
holes Fix
ho
les

3. Hole fix step done automatically after


tessellation refinement can distort
geometry or fail leaving holes, causing
cutcell to “leak” Hole Fixed

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Assembly Meshing – Common Warning 3
• What can the user do about it?
• This is a warning only and it may be that there are no ill effects caused by
it – patches could all be very clean. Check the final mesh.
• User should inspect their geometry to check for problems around areas
of curvature and fix if possible. Use CAD/DM to simplify.
• Do not use merging operations for faces in DM for Assembly Meshing – it
is patch independent and these are not required.
• Do not use virtual topology for Assembly Meshing for the same reason.
• Usually poor quality will show up if this is a problem or there will be
some poor feature capture
• If cutcell “leaks” and the final surfaces of the mesh look nothing like the
original geometry try switching off refinement to see if this helps and
then trying larger user defined tolerances (recommend 1/10th min size in
the mesh)

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Workshop 2 – Introducing Meshing
Methods

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 51 Release 14.5

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