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
Geometry
OR Meshing Solver
Operations
Geometry Import

Sketches and Meshing

3D Operations
Planes Methods

Boolean, Body Hybrid Mesh: Tet,

Operations, Split, Prisms, Pyramids
3D Operations
etc

Extrude, Revolve, Hexa Dominant,

Sweep, etc Sweep meshing
Geometry
Cleanup and Assembly
Repair Meshing
Geometry Import
Options
Automatic Global Mesh
Cleanup
Direct CAD/Bi-
Settings
Directional CAD
Merge, Connect,
Projection, Flow
Local Mesh
Volume Settings
Extraction, etc
Sizing,
Body/Sphere of
Influence, Match
Control, etc

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 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
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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)
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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 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
Sweep Mesh
MultiZone
Elements: 19K
Hex Dominant (not recommended for
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
Side Face(s)
on two ends, (which act as source and target
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
Manual Selection
edges then swept through
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
Source Faces
allowed 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
Righ 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 Surface mesh method = Uniform
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 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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 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
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
selected as Free Face Mesh Type
Advanced size functions and local size Multizone Quad/Tri & Multizone Quad Methods were
controls are supported previously called Uniform Quad/Tri and Uniform
Quad till R14.0
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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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 2D Mesh Solver Guidelines

ANSYS FLUENT ANSYS CFX

For a 2D analysis in FLUENT generate For 2D analysis in CFX, create a
the mesh in the XY plane (z=0). volume mesh (using Sweep) that is 1
For axisymmetric applications y 0 element thick in the symmetry
and make sure that the domain is direction, i.e.,
axisymmetric about x axis Thin Block for Planar 2D
In ANSYS Meshing, by default, a Thin Wedge (< 5) for 2D Axis-
thickness is defined for a surface symmetric
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

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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 Due to valve sweep Hex Dominant

valve inside method cannot be Mesh generated
used

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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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 Sweep Meshing
Control:
Free (unstructured) Mesh Type
Source face
elements: Only
Quad

Type: All Quad

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

No. of elements in
Sweepable Geometry swept direction: 10

Sweep Num Divisions

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

Cells are
concentrated on
Sweepable Geometry one side

With Bias

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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 Gap
connections
Mesh connections can be
used to extend mesh at
mesh level
Tolerance Value can be Gap removed at
specified to close gaps at mesh level
Connected Mesh
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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