Abaqus Python - how to export external triangles of a 3d mesh

[gianca1976]

Hi,

I'm struggling to obtain the external triangles of a tetrahedral mesh...

I did meshing operation with a Python script:

##### CREATE MODEL ######
myModel = mdb.Model(name=modelName)

##### IMPORT IGES MODEL ######
mdb.openIges('model.igs'
    , msbo=True, scaleFromFile=OFF, trimCurve=DEFAULT)
myModel.PartFromGeometryFile(combine=False, convertToAnalytical=1
    , dimensionality=THREE_D, geometryFile=mdb.acis, name='model',
    stitchAfterCombine=False, stitchEdges=1, stitchTolerance=1.0, type=
    DEFORMABLE_BODY)

[..assign materials, assembly, section, loads., etc etc....]


##### CREATE TETRAHEDRAL MESH #######
myModel.parts['part'].seedPart(size=8.0)
pickedRegions = model.parts[part'].cells
myModel.parts['part'].setMeshControls(elemShape=TET, regions=pickedRegions,
    sizeGrowth=MAXIMUM, technique=FREE)
elemType = mesh.ElemType(elemCode=C3D4, elemLibrary=STANDARD, 
    distortionControl=DEFAULT)
pickedRegions = (myModel.parts['part'].cells,)
myModel.parts['part'].setElementType(regions=pickedRegions, elemTypes=(elemType,))
myModel.parts['part'].generateMesh()
myModel.rootAssembly.regenerate()
#########################################

I need to export the 3d faces that compose the external surface. I tried with:

for ef1 in myModel.parts['part'].elementFaces:
	print ef1

#RESULT:
({'face': FACE1, 'label': 1})
({'face': FACE2, 'label': 1})
({'face': FACE3, 'label': 1})
({'face': FACE4, 'label': 1})
({'face': FACE1, 'label': 2})
({'face': FACE2, 'label': 2})
.... etc etc ......

###########################################

for face in myModel.parts['part'].faces:
	print face

#RESULT:
({'index': 0, 'instanceName': None, 'pointOn': ((16.626792, 29.168272, -50.806711),)})
({'index': 1, 'instanceName': None, 'pointOn': ((15.252681, -118.266439, -14.106842),)})
({'index': 2, 'instanceName': None, 'pointOn': ((-8.57784, -116.351098, -12.873274),)})
({'index': 3, 'instanceName': None, 'pointOn': ((-27.789027, -117.360474, 8.417591),)})
({'index': 4, 'instanceName': None, 'pointOn': ((-5.268457, -119.022915, -34.536412),)})
({'index': 5, 'instanceName': None, 'pointOn': ((-8.440513, -115.967772, -39.54762),)})
.... etc etc .....

############################################

but these results are not useful for my purposes.. I'm very beginning with Abaqus scripting, and I didn't find useful info in the documentation

please can you provide any suggestions?

thank you in advance, best regards

 

[corus]

Why not make shells from the solid so that you can mesh the outer surface in triangles.

Tara

 

[rstupplebeen]

You can also skin the model with flimsy elements and add them to a set.

Rob Stupplebeen

https://sites.google.com/site/robertkstupplebeen/