Sweeping mesh: Help!

[vnpenguin]

Hi,
I tri to mesh a revolving solid by cutting into 4 pieces. All passe OK for the 3 first pieces with method "Sweeping". But I can not mesh the last piece. I-DEAS gives me an error message.

Screenshot can be found at:

http://users.skynet.be/ndq/tmp/ideas.jpg

Have you any ideas for help me?
TIA,


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VnPenguin

 

[hinterneder]

Vn,

Have you tried using a mapped mesh?

This would require a simple partition of the model (say, in half, by drawing a line, and extruding as a partition), so that the individual faces can be mapped.

Then, you define a 'shell mesh' for each face of interest (ie, those that enclose the volume you want to mesh), and then define corners for each face (pretty much automatic in this case), define the number of elements per edge (so you get the mesh density that provides the convergence you're looking for, etc, then define and build the solid auto-mesh [typ. would create bricks for this example, but could include wedge's if you use uneven element numbers, etc].

=> Best of all, this produces a fully associative mesh (and BC's if done on Geometry, not Mesh/Nodes) so you can have any what-if model changes update your FE model directly, saving a bumch of time when making multiple runs, etc.

Finally, to ensure everything behaves in a consistent manner, do be sure to constrain the partition geometry too (ie coincident to diameter edges, centerpoint, constrain the angle/horizontal, etc).

Regards,
Ed

PS: FYI, this technique (and a bunch of others) is part of basic analysis training in I-DEAS...

 

[vnpenguin]

Hi hinterneder,
I can not use 3D Mapped mesh bacause the 2D mesh (in section) is free mesh.

Thanks,

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VnPenguin

 

[hinterneder]

Is there a reason you're using a free mesh, and not mapping it instead?

 

[vnpenguin]

Yeah, it's not a simple section for mapping mesh. And I not would like to cut into so many sub-sections.

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VnPenguin

 

[hinterneder]

VnPenguin,

So is it safe to say that the image you point to above is not the geometry you're trying to ultimately mesh (as is quite simple to do a map or free mesh on)?

If not, is there a reason you can't simply mesh the 'revolving solid' directly (free or otherwise)? Or, if you like the mesh to be the same all around, have you tried doing a (2-D) section mesh and then revolving that mesh, rather than trying to use the 'sweep mesh' option?

If this doesn't help, you may need to give more info on why and what you're trying to do (in general terms, of course).