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Default Options - Mesh

You set the meshing options for new studies.

The mesh that the software generates depends on:
  • Active meshing options for the study (specified in the Mesh PropertyManager)
  • Mesh control specifications (specified in the Mesh Control PropertyManager)
  • Contact conditions defined in the Connections folder

Mesh quality

Draft Assigns four corner nodes to each solid element. Assigns three corner nodes to each shell element.

Use draft quality meshing for a quick evaluation.
High Assigns 10 nodes to each solid element: four corner nodes and one node at the middle of each edge (a total of six mid-side nodes). Assigns six nodes to each shell element: three corner nodes and three mid-side nodes.
It is highly recommended to use the High quality option for final results and for models with curved geometry.
Jacobian points Available for High quality mesh only. Sets the number of integration points to be used in checking the distortion level of tetrahedral elements. You can select 4, 16, 29 Gaussian points or At Nodes. See Mesh Quality for more details.
The software performs the Jacobian check by default for High quality mesh. It is recommended to use the At Nodes option when using the p-method to solve static problems.

Mesher Settings

Remesh failed parts with incompatible mesh Tries to use incompatible meshing for bonded bodies that fail compatible meshing. Used for solid mesh only.
Curvature based Activates the curvature-based meshing scheme for subsequent meshing operations. The mesher creates more elements in higher-curvature areas automatically (without need for mesh control).
The curvature-based mesher can check for interference between bodies before meshing. If interferences are detected, meshing stops and you can access the Interference Detection PropertyManager to view the interfering parts or components. Make sure to resolve all interferences before you mesh again. Interference detection is only available when you define bonded contact with compatible mesh.
Curvature-based mesh is always compatible for touching or partially touching edges of sheet metal bodies and surface bodies. The curvature-based mesher also supports compatible meshing between touching solid faces.
Default number of elements on a circle Sets the minimum number of elements the mesher creates at curvatures. See How Element Size Is Determined.
Standard Activates the Voronoi-Delaunay meshing scheme for subsequent meshing operations.
Automatic transition Automatically applies mesh controls to small features, holes, fillets, and other fine details of the model.

Clear Automatic transition before meshing large models with many small features and details to avoid generating unnecessarily large numbers of elements.

Automatic transition OFF Automatic transition ON
Automatic trials for solids Automatically retries to mesh the model using a different global element size. You control the maximum number of trials allowed and the factors by which the global element and tolerance are scaled for each trial.
Number of trials Sets the maximum number of mesh trials.
Factor for element size for each trial Sets the multiplying factor to calculate the new global element size.
Factor for tolerance for each trial Sets the multiplying factor to calculate the new tolerance.
If the distance between two nodes is smaller than this value, the nodes are merged unless otherwise specified by contact conditions. The tolerance cannot exceed 30% of the element size.
Automatic re-alignment for non-composite shells Automatically realigns the shell surfaces (non-composites) so that all bottom/top faces have uniform orientation.
If this option is cleared, you may need to flip the misaligned shell surfaces manually. Select the desired faces, right-click Mesh in the Simulation study tree and click Flip Shell Elements.
Show advanced options for contact set definitions (No penetration and shrink fit only) Shows the advanced contact formulation options in the Contact Sets PropertyManager for the No Penetration and Shrink Fit contact conditions.
If selected, the surface to surface formulation is used by default. You can still select the node to node or node to surface formulations. If the advanced options are not enabled, the node to surface option is used by default.
Render beam profile and shell thicknesses (slower) Displays the cross-sections of the structural members and the shell thicknesses in mesh plots.

When cleared, beam elements are displayed as hollow cylinders regardless of their cross-section shape. You can override this option in the Mesh Quality PropertyManager.
Run contact solver after meshing for contact visualization plot After the mesh formulation, the solver detects the elements that participate in contact formulation. You can view these solver-based contact pairs in the Contact Visualization plot.


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