Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Engineering
Login: ftp
Trademark Acknowledgments:
Altair HyperWorks, Altair MotionView, Altair HyperMesh, Altair HyperGraph, Altair HyperOpt, Altair
HyperShape/Pro, Altair OptiStruct, and Altair HyperForm are registered trademarks of Altair Engineering,
Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The Location of the HyperMesh Tutorial Files
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
To specify solver:
3. Click return.
• Using HyperMesh
Each section contains links to lessons in the HyperMesh User’s Guide On-line Help. These lessons
explain the HyperMesh interface, terminology, and how to use the HyperMesh panels.
All files referenced in this tutorial are located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/demos/hm.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
• Starting HyperMesh.
• The HyperMesh Environment
• The Header Bar
• The Main Menu
• The Permanent Menu
• The Graphics Area
• The Secondary Menu
• The Mouse
• The Keyboard
Similar in structure to HyperMesh 2.1, HyperMesh 3.0 consists of three menu systems: the main,
secondary, and permanent menus. Tutorials on the following topics are included:
• The Main Menu
• The Permanent Menu
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
vectors
beam xsect
joints
vectors
solver
vectors
Tool Utility, model checking, and editing functions convert and information
functions
penetration
The stitch panel, as well as the line from surface edges and split surface edge options in the
surface edit panel, are no longer included in the menu. The new geom cleanup panel now covers
these functions. Please refer to Version 2.1 vs. 3.0 Panel Location for detailed information on the
differences between panels in HyperMesh 2.1 and 3.0.
Panels related to file management are grouped into an integrated files panel. This panel allows you
to save and retrieve HyperMesh binary databases, import CAD generated geometry or finite element
model information, export CAD geometry or finite element information for specific analysis codes,
specify a template file, specify a result file, and execute a HyperMesh command file. These
subpanels include the following enhancements:
hm files
• Space between the save and retrieve buttons in order to prevent accidental selection.
• A new option, save in compact.
By default, a file saved in a non-compact format includes surface facets and line/surface
drawing information. Choosing the save in compact format reduces the size of any saved hm
binary database by suppressing faceted surfaces created during the visual options-shaded
surface toggle under the geom cleanup and automesh panel. Non-compact databases save
these facets in the binary database, allowing an increase in speed during surface shading and
automeshing.
import
UGII_BASE_DIR=/home/apps/eds130
UGII_ROOT_DIR=/home/apps/eds130/bin/
On a PC, a UG license is required to run the UG feinput translator; the UG feinput translator in
HyperMesh requires an entire UG 13 environment.
export
• Retains the same function as the export data panel in versions before HyperMesh 3.0.
command
• Retains the same function as the command panel in versions before HyperMesh 3.0.
template
results
New Functions
s Slide zoom: zooms the model in and out by dragging the mouse in a vertical direction.
Counterclockwise rotation: rotates the model counterclockwise by the angle set in the
options panel.
Clockwise rotation: rotates the model clockwise by the angle set in the options panel.
b Back function: returns the model to the initial orientation after a rotation (r) or arc dynamic
motion (a).
help Context sensitive on-line Help: accesses the HyperMesh on-line Help.
Note: HyperMesh 3.0 on-line Help is context sensitive. When working within a panel, click help
to display the Help topic available for that panel. The main Help contents tab appears if
you are not within a panel.
result color type Allows you to choose either blended or discrete contours when viewing a
contour plot. discrete contours gives a clear definition of contour
boundaries similar to centroidal or zbuffer mode in the previous version,
providing no gradual transition of colors.
fonts Retains the same functions the original font panel plus a new cursor size:
function. You can change the cursor size from standard to large. This
option is especially useful during a demonstration or teleconferencing.
colors Retains the same function as the original background panel with more
options introduced. In this panel, you can customize the color of the
background, global axis, axis label and the topological edge. In
addition, you can also change the menu background color. For the UNIX
platform, two options are given: dark and light. For PC, you can select
classic or windows, the desktop colors specified in the Windows Control
Panel.
page names Retains the same function as the original page name panel.
postscript Retains the same function as the original PostScript panel.
spaceball Retains the same function as the original Spaceball panel.
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
A second table lists the HyperMesh panels alphabetically and gives the page on which the panel is
located.
temp nodes 1,2,3,4 Geom, 1-D, 2-D, 3-D, BCs, Tool, Post
distance 1 Geom
remap 1 Geom
lines 1 Geom
intersect 1 Geom
length 1 Geom
circles 1 Geom
tangents 1 Geom
fillets 1 Geom
reparam 1 Geom
reorder 1 Geom
graphics 1 Permanent/option
ruled 2 2-D
spline 2 2-D
skin 2 2-D
automesh 2 2-D
planes 2 2-D
cones 2 2-D
spheres 2 2-D
torus 2 2-D
tetramesh 2 3-D
linear 1d 3 1-D
masses 3 1-D
bars 3 1-D
rods 3 1-D
rigids 3 1-D
welds 3 1-D
springs 3 1-D
gaps 3 1-D
rbe3 3 1-D
translate 3 Tool
rotate 3 Tool
scale 3 Tool
reflect 3 Tool
project 3 Tool
position 3 Tool
permute 3 Tool
edges 3 Tool
faces 3 Tool
features 3 Tool
normals 3 Tool
dependency 3 Tool
mass 3 Tool
find 3 Tool
mask 3 Tool
delete 3 Tool
constraints 4 BCs
forces 4 BCs
moments 4 BCs
pressures 4 BCs
velocity 4 BCs
accels 4 BCs
temperatures 4 BCs
flux 4 BCs
interfaces 4 BCs
numbers 4 Tool
renumber 4 Tool
summary 4 Tool
count 4 Tool
contour 5 Post
titles 5 Post
deformed 5 Post
transient 5 Post
replay 5 Post
xy plotting 5 Post
fd blocks 5 3-D
spaceball 5 Permanent/option
postscript 5 Permanent/option
background 5 Permanent/option
fonts 5 Permanent/option
accels BCs
automesh 2-D
background Permanent/option
bars 1-D
circles Geom
cones 2-D
constraints BCs
contour Post
count Tool
deformed Post
delete Tool
dependency Tool
distance Geom
edges Tool
faces Tool
fd blocks 3-D
features Tool
fillets Geom
find Tool
flux BCs
fonts Permanent/option
forces BCs
gaps 1-D
interfaces BCs
intersect Geom
length Geom
linear 1D 1-D
lines Geom
mask Tool
mass Tool
masses 1-D
moments BCs
normals Tool
numbers Tool
permute Tool
planes 2-D
position Tool
postscript Permanent/option
pressures BCs
project Tool
rbe3 1-D
reflect Tool
remap Geom
renumber Tool
reorder Geom
reparam Geom
replay Post
rigids 1-D
rods 1-D
rotate Tool
ruled 2-D
scale Tool
spaceball Permanent/option
spheres 2-D
spline 2-D
springs 1-D
summary Tool
tangents Geom
temperatures BCs
tetramesh 3-D
titles Post
torus 2-D
transient Post
translate Tool
velocity BCs
welds 1-D
xy plotting Post
When creating a new macro the user must first decide if they want to add another page or place the
new macro button on a pre-existing page.
7. Type in
*beginmacro(macroSetActivePage)
*setactivepage($1)
*endmacro()
Note: The page number was passed from the end of the button and retrieved in the macro with
the ($1).
8. Save the file as temp.mac.
Note: This is the macro that will allow the user to change from page to page.
*endmacro()
Note: The page to enter was passed from the button and retrieved in the macro with the ($1).
To create a macro:
*beginmacro(macroSpotweldEdges)
*findedges(elements,1,0)
*renamecollector(components,"^edges","temp1")
*findedges(elements,2,0)
*createmultiplespotwelds(1,2,15,0,0,0,0,0,3,"")
*endmacro()
3. Save the file as temp.mac.
4. Open HyperMesh.
5. Select the options panel.
6. Select the menu config page.
7. Load your macro temp.mac.
8. Click retrieve .
Note: The above macro will find all of the nodes on the edges of the elements chosen and then
create weld elements between them. The macro works by first calling the macro from the
button that was created. Then it begins the macro.
The *createmarkpanel command is a command that allows the user to select a set of
elements from within HyperMesh similar to the extended entity selection window and
place them in a user-defined mark.
The next two commands simply find the edges of the elements selected and place them
into a temp1 collector.
Then the *createmark command takes the nodes found on the edges and places them
in a user mark.
The next three commands repeat the selection of elements, the finding of edges and then
the renaming of the collector.
Finally the *createmultiplespotwelds command takes the two user marks and
places spotwelds between them with the first set of nodes being the independent nodes
and the second set the dependent nodes. The last two commands remove the two-temp
collectors so that the macro can be repeated.
Completed geometry.
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
To create nodes:
To create lines:
To create a circle:
node X Y Z
9 2 5 1
10 2 2 1
11 2 5 0
12 2 2 0
13 2 5 4
4. Click return.
4. Click delete.
5. Click return to exit the delete panel.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
The HyperMesh Panels On-line Help for more information on the geom cleanup panel features.
surface A collection of one or more adjacent faces whose common edges are
suppressed. HyperMesh meshes on surfaces.
free edge The edge is owned by one surface. In the geom cleanup panel, the
default color is red.
shared edge The edge is owned by two adjacent surfaces. In the geom cleanup
panel, the default color is green.
non-manifold edge The edge is owned by three or more surfaces. In the geom cleanup
panel, the default color is yellow.
fixed point A point associated with a surface. A fixed point is displayed as a small
circle (o) and is the same color as the surface to which it is associated.
The automesher places a finite element node at fixed points.
free point A point in space not associated with a surface. A free point is
displayed as a small x, (x), and is the same color as the geometry
collector to which it belongs.
cleanup tol = The tolerance used to determine if two surface edges or two surface vertices
should be considered as one.
Note:
Values for cleanup tol= can be specified in two locations. The global value
for cleanup tol= is in the options/modeling subpanel. The local value for
cleanup tol =, which is used for a specific cleanup operation, is in the geom
cleanup panel. Sometimes, operations performed by the local cleanup
tolerance can be lost by a global cleanup tolerance overriding it.
visual options Enables user to control display mode of surfaces and edges. View surfaces
in wire frame or shaded mode. Display on/off surface edge types.
edges subpanel Used to remove gaps and overlaps between surfaces and to merge surfaces
together by modifying the edges of the surfaces.
toggle Convert individual surface edges from one edge type to another with single
mouse clicks. Free edge ⇒ shared edge ⇔ suppressed edge (red ⇒
green ⇔ dotted blue).
replace Combine two free edges into a shared edge. Free edge ⇒ shared edge
(red ⇒ green).
equivalence Convert free edges between adjacent surfaces to shared edges. Free edge
⇒ shared edge. (red ⇒ green).
surfaces subpanel Used to delete duplicate surfaces, remove surface holes, organize
surfaces.
find duplicates Find and delete duplicate surfaces. Non-manifold edge ⇒ shared or
free edge (yellow ⇒ green or red).
organize by feature Combine surfaces based on fillets. Shared edge ⇔ suppressed edge
(green ⇔ dotted blue).
move faces Stitch faces to an existing surface or stitch faces to create a new
surface. Shared edge ⇔ suppressed edge (green ⇔ dotted blue).
Note: In the surface edit panel, the lines from surface edge subpanel no longer exists. In
most panels, surface edges can be used as lines.
7. Click import.
8. Click return.
9. Review the iges.msg message file.
In the iges.msg file, there are zero error and zero warning messages.
The message file has an .msg extension and is created in the directory in which HyperMesh was
invoked. After you import any file, it is good practice to review the message file for import errors.
In the files / import subpanel, use file geom tolerance and use automatic cleanup tol are
default settings. It is recommended that these settings be used when you import CAD data files
into HyperMesh for the first time. Experienced users may want to override the default settings
based on prior knowledge with similar files. These options can be toggled to geom tol = and
cleanup tol =. For information about these tolerances and how to use them, see HyperMesh
Help.
The file geometry tolerance for this file is 1.E-06. File geometry tolerance is recorded in iges files
at the top of the files. For this exercise, the iges file’s top section follows:
116 1 0 0 1 0 0 000000000D0000001
116 0 0 1 0 0 0D0000002
To renumber surfaces:
To combine two free edges into a shared edge using surfaces / replace subpanel:
7. Repeat steps 3 - 5.
Note: Do not set the cleanup tolerance to unreasonably high values. New edges are
generated based on the cleanup tolerance. The cleanup tolerance not only affects
the selected entities, but it affects the edges that touch the selected entities at
vertices. The generated edges are accurate only to within the set cleanup tolerance.
As a result, if unreasonably high tolerances are used, small gaps can increase in
distance up to the set tolerance.
The geom cleanup edges / toggle subpanel can also be used to combine the
surface 10 and 11 edges.
If the shortest distance between two surface edges is greater than the intended
element size, do not use this function. Instead, use the surface filler subpanel on
the surface edit panel. Create a filler surface and toggle surface edges to
suppressed edges accordingly. Another panel that can be used is the drag geoms
subpanel in the drag panel.
To stitch surfaces:
1. Click (un)suppress.
2. Pick the line between surfaces 4 and 6.
3. Pick the line between surfaces 3 and 5.
4. Pick the two linear lines between surfaces 3 and 9.
5. Click suppress.
The selected lines change from shared (green) to suppressed (blue) edges.
6. Click return.
The suppressed surface edges are not displayed in the graphics area. They still exist in the
model and can be toggled back to shared edges in the geom cleanup panel.
Note: The resulting stitched surface is located in the component collector of the stitched surface
having the lowest id. As a result of surfaces 4 and 6 being stitched together, the stitched
surface is located in middle2 component collector where surface 4 was originally
located. As a result of surfaces 3, 5, and 9 being stitched together, the stitched surface is
located in middle1 component collector where surface 3 was originally located.
In the geom cleanup panel, HyperMesh treats lines and surface edges the same. It is
recommended that lines be displayed off or masked so that surface edges can be
selected more easily.
In this example, we will remove the interior trim lines by specifying one of the lines:
Figure 1: Use the radius parameters of an example fillet profile to identify surface fillets.
Note: At this point, a new subpanel appears where you can be specific about selecting the fillet
to be removed, fillet ends and edge associativity. Ignore edge association can be used
to verify or modify the selection of edges whose adjacent surface geometry will be
ignored in favor of using the selected fillet surface’s geometry when calculating the
tangent surface. This is commonly used if the adjacent surface has a very high degree of
curvature compared to the fillet, or if the edge in question is a free edge. Fillet ends can
be used to verify or modify fillet ends. Unless a string of fillets makes a complete loop and
closes upon itself, you should see at least two fillet end lines.
7. Click remove to delete the rounded fillet surfaces and replace them with an intersecting, planar
surface tangent to the fillet surface edge.
To remove fillets:
Figure 3: Use the edge fillet function to identify and remove rounded corners on free-surface edges.
To trim points:
1. Rotate the model to center the view to the end surface in the most –X and –Z direction.
2. Select the trim-intersect subpanel.
st
3. With the blue box highlighting node under 1 edge trim location:, select the trim point (point of
tangency) for one of the edge fillets, as shown in the figure below.
Figure 4: Click on points of tangency of the edge fillets to square off rounded corners on free-surface edges.
File Needed:
• Cleaned_Up-Geom.hm31
There are two options in the create mesh sub-panel. The toggle allows you to alternate between the
interactive and automatic selection. The default is interactive. The interactive option is used to
automesh multiple surfaces or elements with user-controlled parameters. Once a surface or a group
of elements have been selected for the automeshing module, the information is retained and updated
with any changes to meshing parameters while in the automeshing module. The next time the
selected entity, either surfaces or a group of elements, is brought into the automeshing module, the
saved data is used unless the reset mesh parameters to: button is selected, in which case the old
information is discarded and new values are computed.
The meshing parameters can be set to either element size with element shape or use mesh
params. When the mesh params option is used, the mesh can be created by use chordal
deviation mesh or use size and biasing. This tutorial uses the element size option. The options
when using use mesh params are illustrated in tutorials HM-140 and HM-141.
The toggle between elements to current comp and elements to surface’s comp tells HyperMesh
where these newly created elements should be located. You can put created elements in the
associated surface components or the global current working component where you define them.
After clicking the green mesh button, the automeshing module will be displayed allowing you to
adjust element density and biasing of all the shared and free edges belonging to the selected
The highlight surfs button, below the find mesh error, directs HyperMesh to scan through all the
selected surfaces for mesh and highlight those failed in creating meshes in your last attempt.
If you select to refine a group of elements by changing the switch from surfs to elems, you can
decide whether you want to break connectivity between the selected group of elements and the rest
of the elements by activating a small check mark in front of the break connectivity option.
The Automatic panel has the same features as the interactive panel. The only difference is it
creates elements on surfaces without bringing up the automeshing modules.
The Mesh params sub-panel is divided into two parts. The left part contains options and settings
for use chordal deviation meshing algorithm described in HM-141. The right part contains options
for the use size and biasing meshing algorithm described in tutorial HM-140.
The cleanup sub-panel consists of four features: split surf, unsplit surf, replace points, and
toggle. Split surf has the same function as trim with two nodes located at the surface edit panel.
After choosing two nodes on a selected surface, HyperMesh creates a line between these two
nodes, and uses this line to trim the selected surface at the normal direction.
Unsplit surf has the same function as remove interior trim lines in the surface edit panel. This
feature not only removes trim lines from associated surfaces, but also deletes them from the model.
A useful example of this feature is to remove pinholes. Replace points has the same function as
replace points in the geom cleanup panel. The details of using this function are described in
tutorial HM-130-Geometry Clean Up. Toggle has the same function as edge/toggle in the geom
cleanup panel. The detail of using this function is also described in the tutorial HM-130-Geometry
Clean Up.
The Add points has the same function as the add points subpanel in the geom cleanup panel. It
creates fixed points from free points or nodes, and makes those fixed points associated with the
selected surfaces. The detail of using this function is described in the tutorial HM-130-Geometry
Clean Up.
The Remove points subpanel has the same function as the suppress points subpanel in the
geomcleanup panel. It deletes unnecessary fixed points or converts fixed points to free points. The
detail of using this function is described in the tutorial HM-130-Geometry Clean Up.
The Proj to edge sub-panel will locate all interior fixed points on a set of surfaces, then project each
of these points to the nearest (perpendicular) edge location on its own surface only. This produces
mesh patterns that are more regular in appearance.
The distance tolerance and angle tolerance are parameters used to control creation of fixed points.
If the shortest distance between an edge and an interior fixed point is less than or equal to the
distance tolerance, a fixed point will be created on the edge. If the angle ABC, formed by an existing
fixed point on an edge (A), the fixed point to-be-created (B) and the interior fixed point (C), is less
than the angle tolerance, a fixed point will not be created.
Figure 7
1. Go to the global panel, set the currents: comp = bottom, enter element size=2.0 and click
return. The element type is kept as the default setting, quad.
2. Enter the automesh panel through 2D page and go to the create mesh subpanel. Make sure the
toggle remains in interactive.
3. Switch from elements to current comp to elements to surface’s comp.
4. Select surfs and select surface id 6, and 7 (see Figure 7).
5. Click mesh. The automesh modules including density, algorithm, type, biasing, details, and
checks will be displayed in the main menu area.
6. Click mesh button and review the temporary mesh.
Note: Select the checks panel, and then click on warpage panel to check warpage value.
Notice that the maximum warpage found is equal to 35.21.
7. Click the radio button in front of algorithm module to activate the function.
Note: The small square icons on the center of surface id 6 and 7 indicate that HyperMesh will
use mapped as rectangle meshing algorithm to create the mesh.
Note: The toggle surf panel allows users manually change element type.
16. Click the radio button in front of details module to activate the function.
− Click the number field next to the element density= and enter 10.
Figure 8
1. Click the radio button in front of biasing module to active this function.
2. Change the element biasing on selected edges:
− Click on the switch under bias style:, select bellcurve biasing style.
− Click green set all panel on the left side of bellcurve in order to activate this style.
− Click the number field next to bias intensity = and enter -0.500
− Click the set edge box
− Click the shared edges between surface id 4 and surface id 6, and do the same step at one
free edge of surface id 7 (see Figure 9).
− Click the mesh button.
1. Click the radio button in front of checks module to activate this function.
2. Check the element quality:
− Click the number field next to jacobian and enter 0.92
− Click the jacobian button and examine the graphic area. Any element fails to meet the
specified jacobian value will be highlighted. The minimum jacobian value will be indicated in
the menu bar.
− Click skew button to check the skew quality.
3. Click the return to accept the mesh.
4. Mesh surface id 4.
− In the interactive sub-panel, select surface id 4.
− Click mesh. Review the temporary node and element placements.
Note: Make sure not to check the box in front of the reset the mesh parameters to. The
densities will automatically match the previously meshed bottom surfaces and have
coincident nodes. The default node densities set in the global are assigned elsewhere
around the surfaces. The use of reset meshing parameters to: will override the
automatic coincident matching feature.
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
1. While still in the automesh/cleanup subpanel, select the line button below the toggle box. The
cleanup tolerance of 0.2 should be automatically displayed in the field next to cleanup tol =.
2. Click on the green shared edge between surface id 6 and 7.
3. Click P (keyboard) to refresh the screen.
1. Enter the cleanup subpanel and click on the top node box below split surf option.
2. To choose the first node, move the cursor to the shared edge between surface id 3 and 2 and
click on the middle of the edge. A node will be created at that location.
Note: A node can be created simply by clicking anywhere along the edge. You don’t have to
highlight the edge or wait until the cursor becoming a box.
3. Once the first node is selected, the lower node box is highlighted automatically. Click on the
vertex on the opposite side of the surface id 3. As shown in Figure 13, a line connecting these
two nodes is used to trim the surface id 3 at the normal direction.
4. Repeat step 1 – 3 to trim surface id 2 and surface id 1 as shown in Figure 13.
Note: Trimming surfaces allow you to split surfaces and generate shared edges in between.
Later while meshing surfaces, you will have more nodes on shared edges. Which gives
you more control over your mesh.
Figure 13
Figure 14
1. While still in the automesh/cleanup subpanel, select the line button below the toggle box.
3. Click on the edges of 4 red circles in surface id 3 and 1 to delete 4 pine holes.
4. Click P (keyboard) to refresh the screen.
1. Enter the cleanup subpanel and click on the top node box below split surf option.
2. To choose the first node, move the cursor to the shared edge between surface id 3 and 2 and
click on the middle of the edge. A node will be created at that location.
Note: A node can be created simply by clicking anywhere along the edge. You don’t have to
highlight the edge or wait until the cursor becoming a box.
3. Once the first node is selected, the lower node box is highlighted automatically. Click on the
vertex on the opposite side of the surface id 3. As shown in Figure 16, a line connecting these
two nodes is used to trim the surface id 3 at the normal direction.
4. Repeat step 1 – 3 to trim surface id 2 and surface id 1 as shown in Figure 16.
Note: Trimming surfaces allow you to split surfaces and generate shared edges in between.
Later while meshing surfaces, you will have more nodes on shared edges. Which gives
you more control over your mesh.
− Enter the automesh panel and go to the create mesh sub-panel. Make sure the toggle
remains in interactive.
− Change the yellow surfs panel to elems.
− Select elements with poor quality on surface 8 (refer to Figure 18 ). Selected elements are
highlighted as white color.
− Click on green remesh panel. Notice that you enter the meshing module and selected
elements are remeshed.
− Click on abort to abort this remesh.
Note: In the meshing module, notice that Hypermesh puts element density in the middle of the
meshed area. This restricts the nodal location of the remeshed area (refer to Figure 19 ).
Figure 19
− Remain in create mesh subpanel. Make sure the toggle remains in interactive.
− Make sure the yellow panel remain in elems.
− Select elements with poor quality on surface 8 (refer to Figure 18). Selected elements are
highlighted as white color.
− Click on the green remesh panel. Notice that you entered the meshing module and selected
elements to be remeshed.
Note: Compare the difference between before and after changing the feature angle in the
options panel. Notice that after increasing the feature angle, Hypermesh no longer puts
element density in the middle of the meshed area.
− Click on adjust edge panel , and move the cursor to the bottom edge of surface 8. Change
element density to 8 which is the same as the upper edge between surface 8 and surface 5.
− Click one mesh panel to generate elements.
− Click return to go back to the automesh panel.
− Click return again to accept this mesh.
Note: You can practice remeshing elements to refine other elements that you are not satisfied
with.
Figure 20
Remesh elements
In HyperMesh 4.0, the interactive and automatic subpanels are replaced by the create mesh
subpanel. This subpanel has the interactive and automatic options. Interactive is the default
option. In the create mesh subpanel, select the surfaces to mesh or remesh, or select the elements
to remesh.
Elements are remeshed with the use of the HyperMesh inferred surface algorithm. Geometry for the
selected elements does not need to exist in the model. The inferred surface algorithm creates
geometry data from the selected elements in order to create new mesh.
When elements are selected to be remeshed, there is the break connectivity option and the vertex
angle parameter. The break connectivity option detaches the node connectivity between adjacent
selected and unselected elements. This allows you to adjust the node densities along the boundary
of the selected elements. The vertex angle parameter defines the placement of vertices along the
boundary of the selected elements. If the angle between two adjacent element edges along the
boundary is less the specified angle, a vertice is placed at the meeting point of the two edges.
In HyperMesh 4.0, the mixed (quads and trias) meshing algorithm can be used on mapped and
unmapped surfaces. The mixed meshing algorithm generates a quad dominant mesh where all
transitions between opposing mesh densities are accomplished using tria elements. This produces
mesh patterns that are more regular in appearance.
Figure 2 - Surface meshed without using the automesh / proj to edge subpanel.
Note: There are three options to do this: a) The fixed points can be projected to its edges; b)
The fixed points can be projected onto its surfaces; c) The fixed points can be projected
to multiple surfaces by changing the tolerance values.
Figure 4 - Surface meshed after using the automesh / proj to edge subpanel.
Defeature
The defeature panel, located on the Geom page, provides tools to help remove unwanted features in
geometry, e.g. edge and surface fillets, holes etc. The tools remove features and create any
necessary filler surfaces as a substitution.
• Remove trim lines
• Remove Pin Holes
• Remove surface fillets and make sharp corners using the parameters specified
• Remove edge/line fillets using the specified parameters
• Trim-Intersect to remove edge fillets by selecting two points of tangency around the fillet
In this example, we will remove the interior trim lines by specifying one of the lines:
Surface Fillets
This function can be used to remove surface fillets, or fillets between two non-coplanar surfaces. The
rounded fillet surface will be replaced by a planar, tangential extention of the adjacent surfaces.
Fillets may be specified by selecting the fillet profile as a line, or by specifying a surface and range of
fillet radii.
Note: At this point, a new subpanel appears where you can be specific about selecting the fillet
to be removed, fillet ends and edge associativity. Ignore edge association can be used
to verify or modify the selection of edges whose adjacent surface geometry will be
ignored in favor of using the selected fillet surface’s geometry when calculating the
tangent surface. This is commonly used if the adjacent surface has a very high degree of
curvature compared to the fillet, or if the edge in question is a free edge. Fillet ends can
be used to verify or modify fillet ends. Unless a string of fillets makes a complete loop and
closes upon itself, you should see at least two fillet end lines.
7. Click remove to delete the rounded fillet surfaces and replace them with an intersecting, planar
surface tangent to the fillet surface edge.
Edge Fillets
This option can be used to remove any edge fillets on a free surface edge. HyperMesh can identify
these fillets given a range of fillet radii and a minimum arc angle. Using these filtering options, you
can find the fillets in your model and then remove them.
To remove fillets:
Trim-Intersect
The trim intersect function works like the edge fillet function, except the points of tangency are
specified by clicking on the free-surface edge.
To trim points:
1. Rotate the model to center the view to the end surface in the most –X and –Z direction.
2. Select the trim-intersect subpanel.
st
3. With the blue box highlighting node under 1 edge trim location:, select the trim point (point of
tangency) for one of the edge fillets, as shown in the figure below.
Note: In these excersises, we used the functions in the defeature panel to simplify the
geometry of a small part. The remove trim lines function was used to eliminate two
rectangular cut outs on the top surface. The surface fillet function was used to remove
the curved fillets where the top surface transitioned to the sides. Edge fillet and Trim-
intersect were used to square off the end surfaces. The results of these operations will
yield a more regular, geometric mesh.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
5. Click the switch under mapped mesh elem type and select quads.
6. Activate size control and deactivate skew control, if necessary.
• Repeat the steps using the quads_skew_only component and the skew option activated.
• Repeat the steps using the quads_size_skew component and the skew and size options
activated.
• Compare the elements created with each of the options:
See Also
Using the Mixed Mapped Mesh Element Type and the Smoothing Controls
• Repeat the steps using the mixed_skew_only component and the skew option activated.
• Repeat the steps using the mixed_size_skew component and the skew and size options
activated.
• Compare the elements created with each of the options:
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
• The Chordal Deviation Options
• Creating a Mesh Based Only on Element Size
• The Maximum Deviation Parameter
• The Maximum Angle Parameter
• The Maximum Element Size Parameter
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
The mesh params subpanel is divided into two halves. The left half contains the options for chordal
deviation meshing. The right half contains options for the tria transition meshing algorithm described
in tutorial HM-140-L.
use size and biasing / use chordal deviation Used to activate or deactivate chordal
toggle deviation meshing.
min elem size and max elem size Controls the nodal densities along surface
edges.
The chordal deviation parameters are also available in the density subpanel of the automeshing
module.
See Also
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to access the main menu.
See Also
See Also
See Also
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
The rigids menu panel allows you to create rigid or rigid link elements. A rigid element is an element
created in a space between two nodes of a model where a rigid connection is desired.
Rigid elements are displayed as a line between two nodes with the letter R written at the centroid of
the element.
Rigid link elements are displayed as lines between the independent node and the dependent node(s)
with RL displayed at the independent node of the element.
Using Welds
In this tutorial, use welds to join elements and components.
The welds panel allows you to create normally aligned rigid elements between two plate elements.
Place weld elements between the sections of your model that are to be welded.
Weld elements are displayed as a line between two nodes with the letter W written at the centroid of
the element.
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to access the main menu.
The rbe3 panel allows you to create, review, and update RBE3 elements. The update subpanel
allows you to edit the connectivity, dofs, and weight for each node of the element.
RBE3 elements are displayed as lines between the dependent node and the independent node(s)
with RBE3 displayed at the dependent node of the element.
RBE3’s define the motion at a reference grid point -the dependent node- as the weighted average of
the motions at a set of other grid points -the independent nodes. RBE3 is used in NASTRAN.
The springs panel allows you to create spring elements. A spring element is an element created in a
space between two nodes of a model where a spring connection is desired. Spring elements store a
property and a degree of freedom (dof).
Spring elements are displayed as a line between two nodes with the letter K written at the centroid of
the element.
Springs can translate to CELAS2 in NASTRAN or *spring in ABAQUS. Springs require a property
definition.
4. Select the connect4.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
5. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
connect4.hm file.
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to access the main menu.
The equations panel allows you to create, review, and update equations.
Equations are displayed as lines between the dependent node and the independent node(s) with the
letters EQ displayed at the dependent node of the equation.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with
the first exercise and continue doing the exercises in the following order:
• Creating a Bar Element
• Creating 1-D Elements Using the Line Mesh Panel
• Creating 1-D Elements Using the Features Panel
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
The second part of this tutorial demonstrates the use of spotweld input translator in conjunction with
spotweld panel.
Using Geom
Using geom subpanel creates 1D element among surface geometry. It is further divided into two
options: surfs-surfs and lines-surfs. The surfs-surfs subpanel is intended to project a number of spot
weld (or any 1D element type) locations defined by either points or nodes onto a large number of
surfaces within the search tolerance of the identified location. When two or more surface
intersections are found for a given location, fixed points are added to the intersected surfaces, nodes
are created at these fixed points, and FE 1D elements are created between nodes. During the
element creation, an option property can be assigned to the 1D elements and an optional set of local
coordinate systems aligned with the 1D element’s axis can be created. The ind surf options allows
you to pick individual surfaces defining the independent and dependent regions.
Figure1
The second option in this subpanel, lines-surfs, has the same functionality as surfs-surfs except the
1D elements are created between a group of lines and a set of surfaces. Two options are given in
choosing the line: lines and line list. When lines option is chosen, each line is treated independently.
This results in elements being located at beginning and end of each line with the remainder of the 1D
elements being spaced evenly along the length of each individual line. If the line list option is chosen,
all of the selected lines are combined head to tail in the order they are selected, and are treated as a
single line. The density/spacing option indicates the number or spacing of 1D elements along the line
or a set distance between the weld elements to be created along the line or lines.
4. Select the spotweld_geom.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under <altair
home>/altair/tutorials/hm/.
5. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
spotweld_geom.hm file.
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to access the main menu.
Figure 3
Figure 6
Using nodes
This subpanel is used to create 1D elements between nodes. It is further divided into two options:
node-node and nodes-nodes. Node-node option creates one 1D element at a time. Nodes-nodes
option creates multiple 1D elements at a time by specifying the nodes on the independent FE shell
mesh, and a set of possible dependent nodes on the dependent FE shell mesh. This option will find
the best pairing of the independent and dependent nodes within the search tolerance and create 1D
elements between them.
The move dep node option can be activated to move the dependent node and create a 1D element
normal to the surface formed by the elements attached to the independent node. This relocation can
occur either with or without pre-existing geometrical surfaces defining the “dependent surface. With
the move dep node option activated, the remesh dep region option is available to remesh the
dependent region if the quality of mesh is not acceptable.
Figure 8
4. Select the spotweld_node.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
<altair home>/altair/tutorials/hm/.
5. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
spotweld_node.hm file.
Figure 9
4. Activate the nodes box next to dep:. Click the nodes box again to bring up the entity selection
window, click by collector, and select the big_flange component collector.
5. In the search tolerance = field, enter 5.
6. Click create. Created welds are shown in Figure 11.
7. Click reject.
8. Check the box in front of move dep nodes option. Note the remesh dep region is available
now.
9. Click create. Created welds are shown in Figure 12.
10. Click reject.
11. Check the box in front of remesh dep region.
12. Click create. The welds created in this option are shown in Figure 13.
Using elems
Using elems supanel is used to create 1D elements between elements. It is intend to connect two or
more finite element models at specific weld locations that are not necessary on the node of the
elements. Therefore the 1D elements created in this way are not necessarily connected to the FE
shell elements. When nodes or points are selected, HyperMesh will first duplicate the selected
nodes or points, project these duplicated nodes or points to the inferred surfaces created by these
two element sets, then create 1D elements between the projected points. The ind elems option
allows you to pick individual elements defining the independent and dependent regions.
4. Select the spotweld_elem_new.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
<altair home>/altair/tutorials/hm/.
5. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
spotweld_elem_new.hm file.
6. Click retrieve.
Create 1D elements:
Figure 14
The spotweld data in ASCII format can be imported to HyperMesh through feinput translator. The
supported formats include Element ID, spotweld locaton, Connector part Ids. Each weld location is
stored in HyperMesh as a free point. Based on whether the welds connect two, three, or four parts
(2t, 3t, 4t), different component collectors are generated to store these welds respectively (named
Master weld points_2t, Master weld points_3t, or Master weld point_4t). Once these weld point is
imported to the model, the welds can be generated from spotweld panel.
4. Select the spotweld_elem_new.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
<altair home>/altair/tutorials/hm/.
5. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
spotweld_elem_new.hm file.
6. Click retrieve.
In this tutorial, use the PBEAM card for the Nastran solver as the example to create 2 models; one
with a solid section and another with a shell section. The following procedures are included:
• Creating a property and material collector
• Creating a beam element for a solver
• Creating a summary file to view and save the calculated element properties
• Apply the details to the property card to the beam element
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/. The beam_solid.hm file contains line segments and nodes.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
Note: You must load a template and create material and property collector before you can assign
beam properties. A material collector must also be created to calculate the correct
characteristics for the bar or beam elements for the summary.
See Also
5. Click retrieve.
6. Click return.
To define a section and calculate the cross sectional property for a specified area:
1. Click the toggle under bar2 element to specify end A and end B.
2. Leave end A at the centroid and click pick node under end B:
3. Pick node 145.
4. Click the toggle under elem orientation to none.
To update the property and view the card in the card previewer:
Area
• A = 220
Centroid
ZC = 0
global Yc = -1.13636
global Zc = 0
Bending
IZZ = 3693.33
IYZ = 0
IZZC = 3693.33
IYZC = 0
EMZP = 1259.8
PMZP = 1715.04
ZMAXC = 10
Shear
ZS = 0
Ysc = -2.15517
Zsc = 0
AZZ = 1.84491
AYZ = 0
AZZP = 1.84491
KZZ = 0.542033
KYZ = 0
Torsion
AXZ = 0
$ C1 C2 D1 D2 E1 E2 F1 F2
$ K1 K2 I12
$ C1 C2 D1 D2 E1 E2 F1 F2
ruled panel Allows you to create a surface and/or mesh from nodes or lines
that are unconnected.
spline panel Allows you to create a 3-D mesh and/or surface with lines.
skin panel Allows you to create a surface and/or mesh skin across a set of
lines.
drag panel Allows you to create a surface and/or mesh by dragging nodes,
lines, or elements.
line drag panel Allows you to create a surface and/or mesh by dragging nodes,
lines, or elements along a line.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
See the following panels in the HyperMesh Panels On-line Help for more information:
ruled automesh
skin lines
7. Click retrieve.
8. Click return to access the main menu.
3. Pick lines L1, L2, and the lines that you created in the previous procedure.
4. Click the rightmost switch and select mesh, keep surf.
5. Click create.
4. HyperMesh displays a list of the files and subdirectories in the current directory. Directory
names are followed by a slash.
5. Select the dragdemo.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
6. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
dragdemo.hm file.
7. Click retrieve.
7. Click retrieve.
8. Click return to access the main menu.
3. Click the input collector switch after drag: and select lines.
4. Pick line L1.
5. Click the lower right switch and select mesh, keep surf.
6. Click the toggle and select use default vector.
7. Click line list to the right of along: and pick line L2 in the graphics area as the guide line along
which to drag the entities.
8. Click drag.
The new surface is displayed.
9. HyperMesh goes to the automesh module panel. Nodal densities are displayed on each edge
of the new surface.
- To change the density, click the number in the graphics area with the mouse button. The left
mouse button increases the density; the right mouse button decreases it.
10. Click mesh to create a shell mesh of elements on the new surface.
- To undo, click reject immediately after you create the mesh.
3. Click the input collector switch after drag: and select nodes.
4. Select the six nodes (in order from 1–6) created previously along line L1.
5. Click line list to the right of along: and pick line L2 in the graphics area as the guide line along
which to drag the entities.
6. Click the lower right switch and select mesh, keep surf.
7. Click the toggle and select use default vector.
8. Click drag.
The new surface is displayed in the graphics area.
9. HyperMesh goes to the automesh module panel. Nodal densities are displayed on each edge
of the new surface.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
4. HyperMesh displays a list of the files and subdirectories in the current directory. Directory
names are followed by a slash, /.
5. Select the solidmap.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
6. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
solidmap.hm file.
7. Click retrieve.
1. Press the function key F1 to access the hidden line menu, or select the hidden line panel on the
Post page.
2. Click fill plot.
3. Click return.
1. Select the elem offset panel on the 3-D page of the main menu.
2. Click elems and select by config from the extended entity selection menu.
3. Click config = and select quad4 from the pop-up menu.
4. Click select entities.
5. Click elems and select by config from the extended entity selection menu.
6. Click config = and select tria3 from the pop-up menu.
7. Click select entities.
1. Click number of layers = and enter 3 for the number of rows of elements you want to create.
2. Click total thickness = and enter 5 for the total thickness of the elements you want to create.
Note: The solid elements that have been created are extruded from the faces of the
original shell elements. In some cases, the shell elements may have been
modeled at the mid-plane of the solid elements you want to create.
Drag Panel
In this tutorial, use the drag panel to create solid elements with a linear bias by extruding an existing
mesh of 2-D elements.
1. Press the function key F1 to access the hidden line menu, or select the hidden line panel on the
Post page.
2. Click fill plot.
3. Click z on the permanent menu and use the left mouse button to draw a circle around the right
side of the bumper.
Note: Each row of elements gets progressively thicker due to the linear bias.
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to exit the files panel.
To change the performance graphics mode and view the model in hidden line mode:
The following functions allow you create a solid model of tetrahedral elements from an enclosed
volume tria surface mesh:
floatable Matches the node locations of the tetras with the trias, but the
connectivity of those tetras may be modified to produce a better
mesh. Normally, this results in some tetra faces going across tria
diagonals.
fixed Matches the node locations of the tetras with the trias. It
guarantees the connectivity of the tetras with the trias. Use this
option whenever you need to match other components to the
resulting tetra mesh.
prism trias Selects the tria elements that define the surface from which the
layers of high aspect ratio are used when creating a CFD mesh.
normal trias Selects the tria elements that do not need high aspect ratio tetra
layers. This performs the same function as the normal trias option
in the standard tetramesh panel.
boundary layer prisms Specifies the layer thickness parameters as appropriate for the
Reynold’s number for the fluid being studied.
init growth rate: growth rate for high aspect ratio tetra layers
structured isotropic prisms Uses the local element size for the initial thickness and a value of
1.0 for the growth rate and acceleration. You can use structured
isotropic prism layers in any situation where ordered layers of tetras
are required near the surface. The mesher uses as many layers as
possible of isotropic elements until the elements in the next layer
are of unacceptable quality, and then it switches to the normal
meshing algorithm.
generate mesh normally Applies in most applications, and uses the standard tetra-meshing
algorithm as in previous versions of HyperMesh. This option is
available in each tetramesh subpanel.
optimize meshing speed Uses an algorithm which optimizes meshing speed. Use this option
if element quality considerations are less important than mesh
generation time. This option is available in each tetramesh
subpanel.
growth rate The growth rate for normal trias and after prism elements are
complete.
initial layers The number of initial layers for normal trias after prism elements
are complete.
growth options Various growth options can be specified in order to control the
tradeoff between the number of tetras generated and the element
quality. Options that can be selected are standard, aggressive,
gradual, interpolate and user controlled. The standard option is
suggested for most conditions. For a detailed explanation of these
parameters, please consult the HyperMesh on-line Help.
• Tetramesh a Volume
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
You can specify trias as fixed and floatable. Under most circumstances, select only those trias that
must match up to another pre-existing mesh as fixed. You can also specify various growth options in
order to control the tradeoff between the number of tetras generated and the average and minimum
element qualities. Higher, more aggressive growth rates produce fewer elements, but they may be of
poor quality.
HyperMesh displays a list of the files and subdirectories in the current directory. Directory names
are followed by a slash.
HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
tetmesh.hm file.
5. Click retrieve.
3. Click the switch below floatable trias: and select comps from the pop-up menu.
or
Click the upper comps and select trias, then click return.
5. Click the switch below growth option: and select standard from the pop-up menu.
6. Click the lower right switch and select generate mesh normally from the pop-up menu.
7. Click tetmesh.
Elements that cause the tetramesher to fail are highlighted and placed into a buffer for
later retrieval. See The Tetra Remesh Panel for a description on retrieving and isolating
these elements for inspection.
HyperMesh displays a list of the files and subdirectories in the current directory. Directory names
are followed by a slash.
4. Select the tetremesh.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
tetremesh.hm file.
5. Click retrieve.
Note: The header bar relays the message that the minimum tetra collapse is 0.00, a tetra
element that does not occupy a volume. The save failed operation places the bad
3. Click the switch and select elems from the pop-up menu.
4. Click elems and select retrieve from the extended entity selection menu.
5. Click elems and select reverse from the extended entity selection window.
6. Click mask .
3. Click the upper switch and select elems from the pop-up menu.
4. Click the lower switch and select elems from the pop-up menu.
6. Click find.
3. Click elems and select displayed from the extended entity selection menu.
4. Click remesh.
Using the normal algorithm, if you pack many elements against the surface, many of the elements will
have some very obtuse face angles, which often cause problems for solvers. For the prism layer
algorithm, the tetra elements are generated in prism-shaped groups of three or more in such a way to
prevent large angles from appearing. Arbitrarily, many of these high aspect ratio tetras can be
layered against the surface as needed in order to resolve the boundary layer behavior. They are
generated with very thin initial layers, growing in thickness with an accelerating growth rate until the
layer thickness is the same as the width of the prism, at which point the tetramesher switches to its
normal algorithm to efficiently fill the remaining volume.
HyperMesh displays a list of the files and subdirectories in the current directory. Directory names
are followed by a slash.
4. Select the sphere.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that file = now displays the location of the
sphere.hm file.
5. Click retrieve.
6. Click the hidden line with mesh lines icon, , the third icon from the left below the all button.
8. Click mesh color and select Color 0 from the pop-up menu.
4. Click color and select a color for the new collector from the pop-up window.
5. Click create.
Note: For this exercise we have created a component collector that does not reference a
solver template. For more information on how to associate a solver to a collector,
see the HyperMesh on-line Help.
3. Click the switch below prism trias: and select comps from the pop-up menu.
or
Click the upper comps and select trias, then click return.
6. Click the lower right switch and select generate mesh normally from the pop-up menu.
8. Scroll through the other options using the TAB key and assign the following values:
acceleration = 1.100
To use the mask panel to view the interior of the tetramesh model:
2. Select top.
5. Click the switch and select elems from the pop-up menu.
6. Click elems and select by window from the extended entity selection menu.
7. Click interior.
8. Using the left mouse button to define the corners of your window, select elements from the right
half of the model.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
See the following panels in the HyperMesh Panels On-line Help for more information:
• edges
• check elements
• split-hexa elements subpanel
• solid elements subpanel
The split sub-panel allows you to split an arbitrary number of shell elements by drawing a split line
over them. The splitting algorithm used depends on how the split line crosses the element.
In this tutorial, an element is split when the split line crosses two of its edges. This
feature is useful if you have several ‘layers’ of duplicated shell elements that need to be
split.
If you select elements before drawing the split line, only the selected elements are split.
If you do not select elements before drawing the split line, the splitting algorithm
operates on all elements displayed.
If you split elements on a surface that has been automeshed, new nodes created by the
split are automatically projected to the surface.
Maintain proper connectivity (without internal free edges) after splitting the elements.
divide quads - divides all the quad element s into trias and allows you to fix quads
with severe warpage
midpoint - to trias - partitions an element by creating a node at its centroid and forms
trias using the element’s vertices
midpoint - to quads partitions an element by creating a node at its centroid and forms
quads using the midpoints of each of its sides
When you split elements whose nodes are associated to a surface, the new nodes
created are also on the surface. To associate a node to a surface, use the node edit
panel.
Maintain proper connectivity (without any internal free edges) after combining
elements.
The combine subpanel on the edit element panel allows you to combine an arbitrary number of shell
elements simultaneously or a set number of shell elements automatically. Both methods are
controlled by the tolerance = and angle = functions. When elements are being combined,
HyperMesh requires the nodes attached to the elements to be planar within a user-specified
tolerance. The tolerance may be changed with the menu item tolerance =.
When elements are being combined, HyperMesh performs node condensation on mid-side nodes.
Nodes are considered to be mid-side nodes if the angle between any three nodes in the set of nodes
being condensed is greater than a user-specified angle. The angle may be changed with the menu
item angle =.
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to exit the files panel.
8. Click combine.
The selected elements become one element.
Note: Setting tolerance = too high may create warped elements, and/or the deviation
from the geometry may increase.
Maintain proper connectivity (without any internal free edges) after combining
elements.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
Refer to the following panels in the HyperMesh Panels On-line Help to learn more about the utilities
for node/mesh manipulation:
Permute
Project
Reflect
Rotate
Translate
5. Click the data entry field after distance = and enter 27.0.
N2 moves along the N1 - N2 vector to reflect this change.
Undo
• Click reject.
Replacing Nodes
The replace panel allows nodes to be replaced with other nodes. Use this function if you want to
manually equivalence two nodes.
Use the node_editing.hm file used in the previous tutorial, Changing the Distance Between
Nodes:
To replace a node:
4. Click the upper node list and pick node A on the model.
5. Click the lower node list and pick node B on the model.
Node A moves to the position of node B.
Undo
• Click the right mouse button immediately after the nodes have been replaced, or click reject.
Note: The nodes are equivalenced if you select equivalence. You may move nodes
only if equivalence is not selected.
You can select the second node at any location on a line or along a surface. In
this case, select the node on the line or surface by first highlighting the line or
surface, then selecting the preferred location on the line or surface.
Use the node_editing.hm file used in the previous tutorials, Changing the Distance Between
Nodes and Replacing Nodes.
To align a node:
Undo
Placing Nodes
The node edit panel allows you to associate nodes to a surface, move nodes along a surface, or
place a node at a point on a surface. In this tutorial, use the place node option on the node edit
panel. This option is used to select a node and reposition it to any location on a selected surface.
Use the node_editing.hm file used in the previous tutorials, Changing the Distance Between
Nodes, Replacing Nodes, and Aligning Nodes.
To place a node:
Undo
Placing a node on a surface associates the node to the surface. Once a node
has been placed on a surface, another node can be placed on the same surface
by picking the new node and then the surface (you do not have to reselect the
surface).
Warpage The amount by which an element or element face (in the case of solid elements)
deviates from being planar. Warpage of up to five degrees is generally
acceptable.
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the element's longest edge to its shortest edge. Aspect ratios should
be less than 5:1 in most cases.
Skew The angle between the lines that join opposite midsides.
Jacobian A measure of the deviation of an element from an ideally shaped element. The
Jacobian value ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, where 1.0 represents a perfectly shaped
element. However, Jacobian values of 0.7 and above are generally acceptable.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
Isolate the failed elements with the save failed option. The save failed option allows you to place
entities that are not written to the deck on the user mark. This situation occurs if there is no definition
for the entity’s configuration and type in the specified template.
Isolate the failed elements with the save failed option. The save failed option allows you to place
entities that are not written to the deck on the user mark. This situation occurs if there is no definition
for the entity’s configuration and type in the specified template.
The edges created are 1-D elements. To view them alone, turn off the display of the other elements.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
• Running Optistruct
• Running OptiStruct at the Command Prompt
• Analysis of a Plate with a Hole
• Analysis of a Coffee Pot Lid with Thermal Loads
• Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
Running Optistruct
To retrieve the file for this tutorial:
Write your Optistruct input deck (usually specified with the .fem extension) before running Optistruct.
5. Click write.
This writes your HyperMesh database as an Optistruct ASCII input deck.
6. Click return to access the main menu.
For UNIX:
• $ALTAIR_HOME/scripts/optistruct -version
To perform a test run to validate your input deck and determine how much RAM and disk
space is necessary for the run, type:
For MS-DOS:
• $ALTAIR_HOME\optistruct\3.4\bin\opti plate.fem 10
• $ALTAIR_HOME\optistruct\3.4\bin\opti -version
To perform a test run to validate your input deck and to determine how much RAM and disk
space is necessary for the run, add the check parameter to your input deck and run OptiStruct
from the MS-DOS prompt:
• $ALTAIR_HOME\optistruct\3.4\bin\opti plate.fem 10
• Memory requirement information is written to plate.out
Create the material collectors before creating the component collectors; components must reference
a material collector.
The automeshing module allows you to mesh interactively on surfaces. It also includes some tools
for manipulating surface edges and meshing fixed points (locations where the mesher is required to
place a node). The elements generated are organized into the current component, shells.
In this section, the model is constrained such that two of the four edges cannot move. A total lateral
load of 1000N is applied at the edge of the hole so that all forces point in the positive z-direction.
To create collectors:
10. Click nodes and select save from the extended entity selection menu.
11. Click return.
12. Select the count panel on the Tool page.
The nodes are counted automatically so that a calculation can be made to create a total force of
1000N.
13. Click the upper left switch and select nodes.
14. Click nodes and select retrieve from the extended entity selection menu.
15. The nodes saved in the forces panel are retrieved.
The last step in setting up the boundary conditions is to create a NASTRAN subcase (a load
step in HyperMesh).
Write your Optistruct input deck (usually specified with the .fem extension) before running Optistruct.
To run Optistruct:
Isometric view of deformed plot overlaid on original, undeformed mesh. Model units are set to 250.
Before importing the model for this tutorial, delete the current model from HyperMesh.
The model you imported has two component collectors without any materials. In this step, create a
material collector and assign it to your component collectors.
In this section, the model is constrained opposite the spout to simulate two hinges. Two constraints
are applied at the corners of the spout so that the nodes do not move vertically.
The last step in setting up the boundary conditions is to create an OptiStruct subcase (a load
step in HyperMesh).
3. Click loadcols and select constraints and THERMAL_LOADING from the collector list.
4. Click select.
5. Click create.
The load step has been created.
6. Click return.
5. Click write.
This writes your HyperMesh database as an Optistruct ASCII input deck.
6. Click return.
To run OptiStruct:
6. Click return.
The default files that are written to your directory are:
Before importing the model for this tutorial, you must delete the current model from HyperMesh.
The dependent nodes of the rigid elements have six degrees of freedom constrained. Each spider
connects the nodes of the shell mesh together so that they do not move with respect to each other.
The model has two component collectors without any materials. In this step, create a material
collector and assign it to your component collectors. The rigid elements do not need to be assigned
to a material.
The last step in setting up the boundary conditions is to create an OptiStruct subcase (a load
step in HyperMesh).
5. Click write.
This writes your HyperMesh database as an OptiStruct ASCII input deck.
6. Click return.
To run OptiStruct:
Analysis Review
• In this analysis, it was assumed that the bolts were significantly stiffer than the shield. If the
bolts needed to be made of aluminum and the shield was still made of steel, would you need to
modify your model and run the analysis again?
• It is necessary to push the natural frequencies of the splash shield above 50Hz. With the
current model, you should have one mode that violates this constraint: MODE 1, 43Hz. Design
specifications allow the inner disjointed circular rib to be modified such that no significant mass
is added to the part. The available package space for this new rib is shown as the solid region
in the figure below. The thickness of the solid region is equal to the depth of the original rib. Is
there a better configuration for this rib within the above stated constraints that will push the first
mode above 50Hz? (see the OptiStruct tutorial OS-3001 to redesign this part)
Yellow, solid region represents the available package space for redesigning the inner disjointed circular rib.
contour panel Allows you to create contour and assigned plots of your model. Use
this function to see your results graphically, in either a contour or
assigned plot mode.
deformed panel The deformed panel plots displacement analysis results. Use this
function to see the motion of your structure after analysis.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
To create and display a contour plot using the analysis results file:
To attach titles to the entities with the least and greatest results values:
The default mode of the assigned plot is undeformed. You can deform a model by selecting model
units or scale factor.
1. Click the lower left switch next to undeformed and select scale factor.
2. Click scale factor = and enter 100.0.
3. Click contour.
The model is deformed.
2. Click contour.
The engineering values in the results file are changed to reflect this factor. The shape of the
model changes as well.
By default, values assigned to the colors in the legend are calculated by taking the maximum analysis
value found in the results file and the minimum value found in the results file and dividing the range of
these values by the number of colors used in the plot.
1. Click the lower left toggle next to find minimum and select minimum =.
2. Click minimum = and enter 0.000.
This value is assigned to the lowest color in the plot.
3. Click contour.
1. Click the upper left toggle next to find maximum and select maximum =.
2. Click maximum = and enter 0.01.
This value is assigned to the highest color in the plot.
3. Click contour.
5. Click return.
To create and display an assign plot using the analysis results file:
The default mode of the assigned plot is undeformed. You can deform a model by selecting model
units or scale factor.
1. Click the lower left switch next to undeformed and select scale factor.
2. Click scale factor = and enter 100.0.
3. Click assign.
The model is deformed.
By default, values assigned to the colors in the legend are calculated by taking the maximum analysis
value found in the results file and the minimum value found in the results file and dividing the range of
these values by the number of colors used in the plot.
1. Click the lower left toggle next to find minimum and select minimum =.
2. Click minimum = and enter 0.000.
3. Click assign.
1. Click the upper left toggle next to find maximum and select maximum =.
2. Click maximum = and enter 0.01.
3. Click assign.
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to access the main menu.
The performance graphics engine treats each HyperMesh component as an independent unit.
This feature allows you to assign a set of display attributes to each component of your model that
determine how each component is displayed. For more information on the display attributes that
you can assign to each component, see the topic Component Display in Performance Graphics in
the HyperMesh User’s Guide.
To attach titles to the entities with the least and greatest results values:
The default mode of the assigned plot is undeformed. You can deform a model by selecting model
units or scale factor.
1. Click the lower center switch next to undeformed and select scale factor.
2. Click scale factor = and enter 100.0.
3. Click contour.
The model is deformed.
By default, values assigned to the colors in the legend are calculated by taking the maximum analysis
value found in the results file and the minimum value found in the results file and dividing the range of
these values by the number of colors used in the plot.
To create and display a deformed plot using the analysis results file:
4. Click return.
4. Click modal.
HyperMesh calculates the animation frames and displays them. Each frame is a linear
interpolation of the maximum displacement for each node.
Modal animations are calculated and displayed in HyperMesh such that the shape is shown in its
positive and negative form. All the visual options, as well as view manipulation, can be used
during animation.
5. Click exit to stop the animation
6. Click return to access the main menu.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
6. Click retrieve.
1. Click the toggle after result color type: and select discrete contours.
Discrete contours produces discrete color bands on contour plots with distinct boundaries
between contour levels.
2. Click return to exit the options panel.
1. Click the legend in graphics area to activate the legend edit panel.
2. Click reverse legend.
3. Click return to exit the legend edit panel.
HyperMesh returns to the transient panel.
4. Click transient.
In the header bar, the message “Some element results not found (ignored) is displayed. This
message occurs because rigid links and joints are displayed in the graphics area. HyperMesh
doesn’t support results for these entities.
HyperMesh returns to the animation panel, the bitmap frames are built, and the animation
begins.
5. Click return to exit animation panel.
HyperMesh returns to the transient panel.
• Using the fatigue panel to export data and write an nSOFT input deck
See Also
fatigue panel
Interfacing with nSOFT
6. Click retrieve.
7. Click return to access the main menu.
3. Select the keyhole.res file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
4. Click return.
For more information on fatigue solvers and acceptable input file formats,
please see the fatigue panel in the Panels On-line Help.
4. Click output file = and enter a name for the output file.
This file becomes the input file for the fatigue solver.
5. Click data group = and select any of the data groups that you want to write to the output file.
The data groups are organized based on whether nodal or elemental results are available in the
results file.
Note: For more information on how HyperMesh organizes the analysis results available
in the results file, please see the fatigue panel in the Panels On-line Help.
For a transient dynamic analysis, you can write out stress/strain information for
one or all of the time steps, or you can choose a range from the starting time step
to the ending time step.
For more information, see the fatigue panel in the Panels On-line Help.
The next step is to select the entities for which the finite element analysis results file is written.
Note: The type of entity you select is based upon the data group you selected. Select
nodes if the data group you selected refers to nodal results. Similarly, select
elements if the data group you selected refers to elemental results. If the data
group results and the entity type are not the same, HyperMesh displays an error
message, “Results file doesn’t contain nodal values.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
HyperMesh Panels On-line Help for more information on building and annotating plots
The along nodes and position subpanels allow you to create a contour plot of the model. Then, the
panels allow you to select nodes along a path or select nodes that are then used in the order in which
they occur along a specified axis.
In this tutorial, create plots with curves using the data from a HyperMesh binary results file and the
results, along nodes, position, and along cut subpanels.
To rename a plot:
To display a plot:
To change the grid lines of a plot to have the grid attributes of an existing plot:
Note: If you are using HyperMesh for the PC, a DOS window may appear with the following
message: “Does curve3_data.ascii specify a file name or directory name on the
target <F = file, D = directory)? Type F for file.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, start with the first exercise and continue the
exercises in the following order:
• Using the integral math function
• Using the freq math function
• Using the polyfit math function
• Using the vector subrange extractor
• Using the integrate panel
• Using the simple math panel
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
8. Click y =.
9. Select file as the data source.
10. Click file = twice to access the file directories.
11. Select the rcforc.ascii file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/.
To edit a curve:
To create plots:
1. Select the plots panel on the xy plots module.
2. Click plot = and enter test2.
3. Click the switch and select standard.
4. Click create plot.
A standard plot is created, located in the upper left corner of the screen. This plot is on top of the
plot untitled.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 to create four standard plots named test3, test4, test5, and test6.
6. In the graphics area, the four plots are stacked on top of the plot test2. It appears that there are
only two plots displayed in the graphics area (untitled and test2).
7. Click return.
To edit curves:
7. Click create.
Given c1, a curve is created which is the indefinite integral of c1. The curve is named curve2
and is located on the plot test2.
To filter a curve:
5. Click create.
Given c1, curve6 is created which is a portion of the original curve, with .01 ≤ X ≤ .04. Curve
6 is located on the plot test5.
6. Click return.
7. Click return.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
6. HyperMesh returns to the files panel. Note that template file = now displays the location of the
general template.
Create your material collectors before creating your component collectors; components must
reference a material collector.
The automeshing module allows you to mesh interactively on surfaces. It also includes tools for
manipulating surface edges and meshing fixed points (locations where the mesher is required to
place a node). The elements generated are organized into the current component, shells.
In this section, the model is constrained such that two of the four edges cannot move. A total lateral
load of 1000N is applied at the edge of the hole so that all forces point in the positive z-direction.
To create collectors:
To create constraints:
10. Click nodes and select save from the extended entity selection menu.
11. Click return.
12. Select the count panel on the Tool page.
The last step in setting up the boundary conditions is to create a NASTRAN subcase (a load
step in HyperMesh).
To run hmnast, attach the results file and set visual options:
Isometric view of deformed plot overlaid on original undeformed mesh. Model units are set to 250.
von Mises stress plot using discrete contours (in performance graphics mode).
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator for assistance.
1. Click MasterSurfaceDefinition.
Note that a *SURFACE DEFINITION card now appears in the card image.
There are two ways to define the surface from a set:
- If you want to define the surface by explicitly specifying a face:
Click the selection box under MSLabel(1) and choose S1 from the pop-up menu.
Using this method requires all of the elements in the set to be aligned properly and also requires
you to know which face is involved in the contact. Also note that ABAQUS does not allow the
TRIM option to be used simultaneously with a face identifier. In order to use the TRIM option
(discussed next), you must have the MSLabel(1) switch set to NoLabel.
- If you want to define the surface using the ABAQUS TRIM functionality:
Click the switch under TRIM and select YES from the list.
Using this method allows ABAQUS to automatically define the master surface based on the
rules found in the ABAQUS User’s Manual. Also note that ABAQUS does not allow the TRIM
option to be used simultaneously with a face identifier. In order to use the TRIM option, you
must have the MSLabel(1) switch set to NoLabel.
2. Click SlaveSurfaceDefinition.
No modification of the slave *SURFACE DEFINITION card is necessary since the surface is
defined using element faces. When you export the deck to ABAQUS, a list of the element faces
is written after the *SURFACE DEFINITION card.
3. Click SurfaceInteraction.
4. Select the Friction option under SurfaceInteraction to add a *FRICTION card.
5. Click the field beneath FrictionCoeff in the card image and enter 0.05
6. Click return to accept the changes to the card image.
7. Click return to exit the panel.
To run hmabaqus:
To import the hm file, attach the results file, and set visual options:
6. Click transient.
HyperMesh calculates seven frames of animation showing the displacement and von Mises
stress for each increment. In a non-linear analysis, this type of animation is necessary to view the
history of the stress development.
7. Once the animation begins, click the leftmost toggle to visual options.
8. Click the toggle next to mode and select hidden line.
9. Click the toggle next to color and select contour.
10. Click return to exit the animation.
When ABAQUS reports contact results, it only reports values for the nodes directly on the slave
surface. Therefore, the nodes on the other end of the displayed solid elements don’t have any
contact results reported from ABAQUS. HyperMesh recognizes that there are no values at those
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
To update elements:
5. Click card image = and select MASS21p from the pop-up menu.
6. Click material = and select mat.
7. Click create/edit.
HyperMesh goes to the card image panel.
8. Click R_LEN = and enter 1.
9. Click the data entry field under R and enter 100 for the mass of the MASS elements.
10. Click return.
HyperMesh returns to the collectors panel.
11. Click return to access the main menu.
After creating property collectors, assign them to their respective element types.
You must edit the hm-ansys.prp file since HyperMesh does not translate the application of angular
velocity to ANSYS.
1. Open the hm-ansys.prp file in a text editor.
2. Before the /SOLU command, insert the following command:
OMEGA,,,10
(3600 rpm ˜ 10 rad/s)
3. Save the file and exit.
You can now submit the hm-ansys.prp file to ANSYS for analysis.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator for assistance.
- Click the switch under creation method: and select card image.
- Click create/edit.
3. Edit the card image to add the appropriate material model cards:
- In the card image section of the menu, click the field beneath Youngs and enter 2.1E5.
- In the card image section of the menu, click the field beneath Poissons and enter 0.3
- Click the switch under creation method: and select card image.
- Click create/edit.
3. Edit the card image to add the appropriate material model cards:
- In the card image section of the menu, click the field beneath C10 and enter 0.8.
- In the card image section of the menu, click the field beneath C01 and enter 0.2
1. Click review.
2. Select RUBBER from the list.
3. Click comps and select RUBBER from the list.
4. Click select to finish the selection process.
5. Click material = and select RUBBER.
6. Click update.
7. Select material id from the list.
8. Click update.
9. Click return to exit the panel.
7. Click create/edit.
8. Edit the card image:
6. Click return.
To edit the loadstep card image and define a HISTORY DEFINITION DATA load and constraint
block (LOADCASE):
If you ran MARC and created your own .t16 file, run the hmmarc results translator to create the
results file. If you did not run the solver, you can use the marc2d_tutorial.hmres file supplied in
the Tutorials directory.
To run hmmarc:
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator for assistance.
4. Click retrieve.
EqStress EqPlStrain
200 0.00
210 0.15
240 0.70
245 1.25
248 2.00
To create the MODEL DEFINITION Block constraints on the load plane and assign them to the
move_zero load collector:
To create the constraints for the 1 HISTORY block on the load plane and assign them to the
move_history1 load collector:
To create the constraints for the 2 HISTORY block on the load plane and assign them to the
move_history2 load collector:
To create the constraints for the 3 HISTORY block on the load plane and assign them to the
move_history3 load collector:
To assign the appropriate load collectors to the loadstep defining the MARC MODEL
DEFINITION DATA block:
To edit the loadstep card image and define a MODEL DEFINITION DATA load and constraint
block (ZERO INCREMENT):
To assign the appropriate load collectors to the loadsteps defining the MARC HISTORY
Definition DATA blocks:
To edit the history1 loadstep card image and define a load and constraint block
(LOADCASE_1):
To edit the history3 loadstep card image and define a load and constraint block
(LOADCASE_3):
If you ran MARC and created your own .t16 file, run the hmmarc results translator to create the
results file. If you did not run the solver, you can use the marc3d_tutorial.hmres file supplied in
the Tutorials directory.
To run hmmarc:
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
The penetration panel supports all of the solver interfaces that contain card images and interface
elements. Before you use the penetration panel, element thicknesses and contact interfaces must
be defined for the current template loaded in the global panel. For more information on defining
thickness on collector cards, refer to the collectors panel in the Panels section of the on-line help.
For more information about creating contact interfaces, see the interfaces panel in the on-line help.
Ta/2 + Tb/2 - d = P
Where Ta and Tb are element and/or nodal thicknesses, d is the distance between the element
midplanes, and P is the amount of penetration. HyperMesh computes the penetration and checks on
a node by node basis, which allows the penetration, P, to vary throughout the model. Nodes with
negative penetration values are marked as non-penetrating nodes.
Contact directions (interface element normals) are not considered when determining if nodes are
penetrating the opposing contact face. Nodes are marked as failed regardless of the direction normal
to the contact elements. However, the calculated penetration does consider the normal direction.
This is discussed in more detail in the Fixing Penetrations section.
5. Click retrieve.
6. Click return.
Fixing Penetrations
After a penetration check is completed, the penetration check adjustment subpanel is displayed.
The thickness value you enter in the penetration check adjustment subpanel specifies the element
thickness adjustment required to eliminate the penetration. The value in the thickness number field
can be set to scale or reduction. When you click recheck, it recalculates the penetration by either
scaling or by reducing the element thickness by the specified value. The amount of penetration
calculated when you use the recheck function is based on the following formulas:
for scale:
for reduction:
The display mode can be set to temp nodes, vectors, or contour. The temp nodes mode displays
yellow temporary nodes at all node locations that failed the penetration check. The vectors mode
displays vectors in the direction and magnitude required to fix each penetrating node. You can
alternate the vector display between uniform size or magnitude %. The contour mode displays a
contour plot from zero to the maximum penetration.
The save penetrated option allows you to save the location of the penetration areas as well as the
magnitude and direction of the vectors required to fix the penetration areas. The saved entities can
be used in other HyperMesh panels to fix the penetration (see exercise two). The save penetrated
function creates a ^vectors collector that contains the saved vectors. The ^vectors collector can
be turned on and off by using the display panel.
The adjust function allows you to quickly fix penetrations by moving only the nodes that failed the
penetration check. When you click adjust, the penetrated nodes move in the direction and
magnitude of the vectors in the vectors display mode. Additional use of the adjust function
continues to translate the nodes in the same direction and magnitude. You must use this function
with discretion because the adjust function deforms the original model at the points of penetration
(shown in the next exercise).
• Use reject to undo any modifications and remain in the penetration check adjustment panel
• Use abort to undo any modifications and return to the penetration panel
• Use return to accept the modifications and return to the penetration panel
The penetration checking calculation does not take into account the direction of the contact normals.
Nodes are marked as failed regardless of the direction the contact normals are pointing. However,
the computed direction and magnitude of the penetration does take into account the direction of the
contact normals. When the segment orientation option is on, the penetration check takes into
consideration the directions of contact normals when it calculates the amount of penetration (first
illustration below). The returned values represent the actual nodal penetration. When the segment
Once the amount of penetration is determined, the value is used to calculate the vector directions and
magnitudes required to fix the penetrating nodes. Surface to Surface and Single Surface contacts
create vector magnitudes equal to P/2 (the total penetration divided by 2). Node to Surface contacts
define vector magnitudes equal to P because only slave nodes are adjusted.
Another method you can use to fix penetration areas is to use the adjust function in the penetration
check adjustment panel.
4. Click select.
5. Click check.
6. Click the switch under displayed mode and select contour.
7. Click view in the permanent menu and select iso 1.
8. Pick one element on the screen to see the nodal penetration values associated to that element.
9. Click the left mouse button to turn off the penetration value display.
10. Click the switch under displayed mode and select vectors.
Note: The adjust function is an easy way to fix penetrations. However, using the adjust
function deforms your model at the areas of penetration, as is apparent when this
exercise is complete.
The pene-dyna.hm file contains other model components that may be useful for
trying the penetration checking/adjusting functions. These examples are not
included in the tutorial but are available for more practice. Use the display panel to
view the other collectors in the model.
Creating Joints
Joint definitions are created in the joints panel on the 1D page. HyperMesh 4.0 supports the
following standard joint types: Spherical, Revolute, Cylindrical, Planar, Universal, Translational, and
Locking. All of these types are stored as joint elements in the HyperMesh database. HyperMesh
also supports LS-DYNA3D’s *CONSTRAINED_JOINT_STIFFNESS_OPTION (Card 38) property to
define friction, damping, stop angles, etc. The LS-DYNA3D solver interface supports the creation of
joints in the joints panel. The PAMCRASH solver interface currently supports the creation of joints
as rod elements (see the PAMCRASH tutorial).
Note: A spherical joint consists of two coincident nodes. During analysis, the two coincident
nodes are forced to remain coincident but the bodies attached to each coincident node
are allowed to rotate freely about the joint location.
5. Click retrieve.
6. Click return.
5. Click return.
7. Repeat the last three steps, but select node 1 from the coincident node picking window instead
of node 598.
Note: A revolute joint consists of four nodes, two sets of two coincident nodes. During
analysis, all four of the revolute joint’s nodes remain at the same location with
respect to each other. The bodies attached to the nodes are free to rotate about the
axis that lies along the length of the revolute joint.
See Also
5. Click return.
• Dummy positioning
• Seatbelt routing
• Reviewing airbag design state
Dummy positioning
The dummy panel is located under the safety panel module. The dummy panel is used to position
any dummy model that contains a component hierarchy (a.k.a. tree structure) defined in HyperMesh .
The dynakey and pamcrash import translators can build the tree structure automatically when
importing supported dummy model files.
H-Point subpanel
1. Click on the only comps macro button found in the Display: group to turn off all entities except
for components.
2. Under the Display: macro button group, click on the per button next to gfx to turn on
performance graphics.
3. Under the vis panel, click on the shaded only icon, then the all button.
4. Click return to leave the vis panel.
5. Enter the dummy panel from the safety panel on the tool page.
6. Activate the H-point radio button to enter the H-point sub-panel.
7. Select any element on the dummy to select the entire dummy.
8. Under position: type –1.280, 0.350, and 0.284 in the x=, y=, and z= number fields
respectivly. The tab key can be used to cycle through the number fields.
9. Click position to move the H-point to the specified coordinates.
10. Under rotate+ set the N1, N2, N3 vector selection to y-axis and set increment = 24.00.
11. Click rotate- to set the rotation angle about the y-axis to –24.00 degrees.
5. Select any element in the lower right leg and click the <, decrement, next to yrot row five times to
change the rotation of the right knee to –25.0 degrees.
Seatbelt Routing
The seatbelt panel is located under the safety panel module. The seatbelt panel can be used to
create straight seatbelt segments as well as seatbelt segments that wrap around a dummy’s torso or
lap. The seatbelt panel also allows users to create 1D seatbelts or a combination of 1D and 2D
seatbelts.
Seatbelts panel
1. Retrieve the seatbelt.hm file from the …/altair/tutorials/hm/ directory (or skip this step and
continue with the Dummy Positioning tutorial).
− Select files on any of the main menu pages.
− Activate the hm file radio button.
− Click file = twice.
− Select the …/altair/tutorials/seatbelt.hm file.
− Click retrieve.
2. Set the component display to shaded only.
− Under the Display: macro button group, click on the per button next to gfx to turn on
performance graphics
− Under the vis panel, click on the shaded only icon, then the all button.
− Click return to leave the vis panel.
3. Enter the seatbelt panel from the safety panel on the tool page.
4. Select the view button on the permanent menu on the right side of the menu panels and select
the restore2 button.
5. Activate the yellow from node entity selection box and select the yellow retractor element (see
figure).
6. Select the upper, red slipring for the to node selection box (see figure).
7. Set element size= 0.100.
8. Click mesh. When components for the wrap around: selection have not been specified,
HyperMesh creates straight belt segments between the from node and two node nodes.
1. Activate the yellow from node entity selection box and select the upper, red slipring element (see
figure).
2. Select the lower, red slipring element for the to node selection box (see figure).
3. Activate the comps selection box and select the components that compose the chest area.
− Click on the comps entity selection box twice to bring up the component list panel.
− Click on the comps entity selection box in the component list panel to bring up the entity
selection window.
− Select by assems to bring up the assembly list panel.
− Select the upper torso and lower torso assembly.
− Click return in the assembly list panel.
− Click return in the component list panel.
4. Click orient to create the belt line and enter belt orientation mode.
5. Move the mouse into the GUI area. While holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse
cursor up and down to rotate the belt line about its endpoints.
6. When the belt is properly oriented, click mesh to create 1D elements along the belt line.
7. If a combination of 1D and 2D elements is desired. Click reject and set the 1D toggle to 1D/2D.
Seat belt width to the desired belt width around the 2D mesh. Set end length to distance
between the slipring and the start of the 2D elements along the belt line. The 1D and 2D element
placement fields are used to set separate current collectors for the two different types of
elements. Additional collectors can be created by hitting F-11 to jump to the collectors panel
within the seatbelts panel.
The steps for creating belt segments that wrap around the lap are the same as the steps for wrapping
belts around the chest. The only difference is to select new end points as well as the lap components
instead of chest components .
1. Activate the yellow from node entity selection box and select the lower, red slipring element (see
figure).
2. Select the constraint on the floor for the to node selection box (see figure).
3. Activate the comps selection box and select the components that compose the lap.
− Click on the comps entity selection box twice to bring up the component list panel.
− Click on the comps entity selection box in the component list panel to bring up the entity
selection window.
− Select by assems to bring up the assembly list panel
− Select the upper torso and lower torso assembly.
− Click return to leave the assembly list panel.
− Click return to leave the component list panel.
4. Click orient to create the belt line and enter belt orientation mode.
5. Move the mouse into the GUI area. While holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse
cursor up and down to rotate the belt line about its endpoints.
6. When the belt is properly oriented, click mesh to create 1D elements along the belt line.
7. If a combination of 1D and 2D elements is desired. Click reject and set the 1D toggle to 1D/2D.
Set belt width to the desired belt width around the 2D mesh. Set end length to distance
between the slipring and the start of the 2D elements along the belt line. The 1D and 2D element
placement fields are used to set separate current collectors for the two different types of
elements. Additional collectors can be created by hitting F-11 to jump to the collectors panel
within the seatbelts panel.
The last step in the process is to detach the seatbelts from the sliprings, retractor, and constraint and
reattach the seatbelts to nodes that are coincident at these locations. This can be accomplished very
quickly in the detach panel.
1. Click return twice to leave the seatbelt panel and then the safety panel.
2. Enter the detach panel from either the 1D, 2D, or 3D pages.
3. Select all of the elements in the seatbelts collector.
− Click on the elems entity selection box to bring up the entity selection window.
− Select by collector to bring up the component list panel.
− Select the seatbelts collector.
− Click return to leave the component list panel.
4. Click detach.
1. Retrieve the seatbelt.hm file from the …/altair/tutorials/hm/ directory (or skip this step and
continue with the Seatbelt Routing tutorial):
− Select files on any of the main menu pages.
− Activate the hm file radio button.
− Click file = twice.
− Select the …/altair/tutorials/seatbelt.hm file.
− Click retrieve.
− Under the Display: macro button group, click on the per button next to gfx to turn on
performance graphics
− Under the vis panel, click on the shaded only icon, then the all button.
− Click return to leave the vis panel.
3. Enter the control vol panel from the safety panel on the tool page.
4. Select the view button on the blue permanent menu on the right side of the menu panels and
select the restore2 button.
5. Click review.
6. Select cv1 from the control volume list.
7. Click return to leave the control vol panel. The display of the control volume will be set back to
its initial state.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
• Load a pre-defined HyperMesh file
• Select the LS-DYNA3D template
• Create Control Cards for LS-DYNA3D
• Assign Element Types for LS-DYNA3D
• Define Materials with Components for LS-DYNA3D
• Define a HyperMesh Group: Sliding Interface for LS-DYNA3D
• Define a Rigid Wall for LS-DYNA3D
• Creating Boundary Conditions for LS-DYNA3D
• Create Time Histories for LS-DYNA3D
• Create a Cross Section for LS-DYNA3D
• Exporting a LS-DYNA3D data deck from HM
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
Note: The settings of the control cards influence the default values for defining materials.
1. Click Termination.
2. Click the data entry field under endtim and enter 10.
3. Click return.
4. Click TAURUS1.
5. Click the data entry field under the output intervall, PLTC, and enter 1.
6. Click return.
7. Click ASCII out I.
8. Enter values for SECFORC, RWFORC, NODOUT, GLSTAT and MATSUM :
- Click the text.
- Click the data entry field that appears under the text.
- Enter .1
This sets the output intervall for cross-section-, rigid-wall, nodal time history-, global statistic- and
material output.
9. Click return.
10. Click return.
5. Click the switch under creation method and select card image.
6. Click card image = and choose MATL24.
The template provides different material dictionaries. It supplies not only materials for shells and
bricks, but also materials for discrete elements like springs. To switch the material type, use the
card previewer.
7. Click create/edit.
8. Click the data entry field under RHO and enter 7.85e-6.
9. Click the data entry field under Comment and enter This is the side material.
2
10. Click the data entry field under E and enter 210 (in kN/mm ).
11. Click the data entry field under NU and enter 0.3.
If necessary, use the arrow buttons on the left side to scroll the screen.
12. Click SIGY, click the data entry field, and enter 0.37 to define the yield stress .
13. Click the button under array count and select 3.
This means that we are defining a stress-strain curve with 3 points.
14. Type the following pairs for strain (in EPS(i)) and stress (in ES(i)) : (0.0; 0.37), (0.02; 0.39), (0.04;
0.45).
15. Click return.
16. Click return.
To define a second steel Material Type 24 using loadcurves for the nonlinear behavior:
It is necessary to define the loadcurve first. After it is defined, it is possible to choose this loadcurve in
the material definition instead of using the method described in the first section.
To create a curve:
The tutorial model has different thicknesses for the elements on the top and bottom and on the sides.
Therefore, you must create 2 cross section properties.
1. Click in the data entry field under FRIC and enter 0.3 for the friction coefficient.
2. Click return.
1. Click review.
2. Select elemth.
The entities associated with this time history are now highlighted.
3. Click return to access the main menu.
To create a set of elements that consists of the elements which should belong to the cross
section:
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with
the first exercise and continue doing the exercises in the following order:
• Load a Prepared HyperMesh File
• Select the PAM-CRASH Template
• Create Control Cards
• Assign Element Types
• Define Materials with Component Dictionaries
• Define HyperMesh Groups: Sliding Interface
• Define a Rigid Wall
• Creating Boundary Conditions
• Create Time Histories
• Creating a Function
• Creating a Sensor Card
• Exporting a PAM-CRASH Data Deck from HyperMesh
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
5. Click retrieve.
1. Click Control.
2. Below TIME, enter the value 0.06.
3. Below TIOD, enter the value 0.005.
4. Below PIOD, enter the value 0.005.
5. Click the box below MORE and select 1 from the pop-up menu.
6. Click return.
1. Click next.
2. Click Time Step.
3. Click the switch below Shell Criteria and select LARGE from the pop-up menu.
4. Click the switch below Thickness Term and select BEND from the pop-up menu.
5. Click return twice to access the main menu.
Elements are located in a component (beam, bar, joint, shell). The template takes the component ID
as material ID. The card image type of the collector defines the material as 1-D material, 2-D
material, or 3-D material.
6. Click load/edit.
7. Click the switch below Material Type and select Type 102 from the pop-up menu.
Note: Only the materials of the current dictionary (1-D, 2-D, 3-D) can be selected. The ID of
the material is given by HyperMesh with the component ID.
3. Click the switch below creation method: and select same as from the pop-up menu.
4. Click same as = and select side.
5. Click color and select Color 10 from the pop-up menu.
6. Click create/edit.
All attributes of the card image from the side material are automatically copied into the current
component.
The procedure below explains how to define a type 26 self contacting sliding interface.
8. Select Comment.
9. Below Comment, enter This is the selfimpact interface.
The procedure below explains how to define a type 34 master slave (element - node) contact.
2. Click the switch below master: and select entity from the pop-up menu.
3. Click the switch below slave: and select entity from the pop-up menu.
4. After master:, click elems to highlight the box with the blue input cursor.
5. Select two elements on the model.
6. Click the upper right add.
7. After slave:, click nodes to highlight the box with the blue input cursor.
8. Select two nodes on the model.
5. Click the switch below creation method: and select card image from the pop-up menu.
The card image field should be blank.
6. Click color and select Color 15 from the pop-up menu.
7. Click create.
8. Click return to access the main menu.
The header bar now displays bounc as the current loadcol.
7. Click the switch and select nodes from the pop-up menu.
8. Use the mouse to select a few nodes in the graphics area.
9. Click create.
The time history for nodes is now created.
1. Click review.
2. Select elem_thp.
The entities associated with this time history are highlighted.
3. Click return to access the main menu.
To create a curve:
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with
the first exercise and continue doing the exercises in the following order:
• Creating and Defining Components, Materials and Properties
• Creating and Defining Interface Elements for RADIOSS
• Create and Define a Rigid Wall Entity
• Creating Boundary Conditions for RADIOSS
• Creating Time Histories for RADIOSS
• Creating and Editing Control Cards for RADIOSS
• Exporting a RADIOSS Data Deck from HM
All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
See Also
A prepared model with elements and nodes is included in the /tutorials/hm/ directory. The file
name of the example is rail_crash.hm. This is the basic example on which the tutorial is based.
rail_crash.hm.
6. Click create/edit.
7. Below Title, enter rail property.
8. Below Thick, enter the value 1.0.
The property data is now defined.
9. Click return to access the collectors panel.
12. Click the upper elems box and select all from the extended entity selection menu.
You can also select elements individually or with any other option on the extended entity selection
menu.
13. Click the upper right add.
Master interface elements are created on each structure element.
We will now add slave elements to the model.
14. Click the switch below slave and select entity from the pop-up menu.
15. Click the lower elems box twice and select all from the extended entity selection menu.
16. Click the lower right add.
Slave interface elements are created on each structure element.
Note: Slave and master elements are added to all structure elements in order to define the
model for self contact.
21. Click the yellow nodes box twice and select all from the extended entity selection menu.
22. Click add.
We will now edit the RADIOSS rigid wall card.
Rigid wall.
1. Click review.
2. Select elemth.
The entities associated with this time history are now highlighted.
3. Click return to access the main menu.
2. Click HeaderCard.
3. Below RUNAME, enter a name for the file.
4. Click return.
Repeat this procedure for any other cards you wish to update.
1. Click delete.
2. Select the control card you want to reset.
The card changes colors from green to grey.
1. Click disable.
2. Select the control card you wish to suppress.
The color changes from green to red.
1. Click enable.
2. Select the card you want to restore.
The color changes from red back to green.
1. Click TimeHistory_1.
2. Click return twice to access the main menu.
4. Click filename = and enter the name of the RADIOSS file you want to create.
5. Click write.
HyperMesh writes the deck, and displays a message when it is complete.
6. Click return to access the main menu.
File export.
3. Double-click translator =.
5. Double-click filename =.
7. Click import.
Note: All NASTRAN entities written out with the DYTRAN/general template are automatically
formatted into DYTRAN cards.
Note: Applying the TLOAD1 card images to load collectors containing SPCs will not cause a
problem. If a load collector referenced by a TLOAD1 card image contains only SPCs, the
TLOAD1 card will not be written out for that collector.
1. Select the collectors panel on the main menu.
2. Select the card image subpanel.
3. Change collector type to loadcols.
4. Click card image =.
5. Select the TLOAD1 card image.
6. Click load.
7. Activate the forces check box.
8. Click select.
9. Click return to exit the panel.
1. Select the xy plots panel from the Post page on the main menu.
2. Select the edit curves panel.
3. Select the create subpanel.
4. Activate the x = and file radio buttons.
5. Double-click file =.
6. Select the tutorial file dytran_xydata.dat file.
7. Activate the y = and file radio buttons.
8. Click comp =.
9. Select the Column 2 data component.
10. Click create.
11. Click return to exit the panel.
12. Select the curve attribs panel.
13. Click auto color to color the create curve.
14. Click return to exit the edit curves panel.
15. Click exit to leave the xy plots panel.
The curve attribs panel can also be use to modify the curve color, markers, etc. Please see the
curve attribs panel in the Panels on-line help for more information.
To change the FORCE load types to DAREA in the load types panel:
1. Select the load types panel from the BCs page on the main menu.
2. Click the force = button.
3. Select DAREA from the list of load types.
4. Click on the yellow loads entity selection box.
5. Select displayed from the pop-up window.
6. Click update.
7. Click return.
Changing the slave type in the add subpanel changes the STYPE field on the DYTRAN CONTACT
card. When type is set to entity, STYPE on the CONTACT card changes to SURF. When type is
comp, STYPE becomes PROP. When type is set and only one set has been selected, STYPE is
ELEM but STYPE is SURF if more than one set has been selected. When STYPE is SURF, a
SURFACE card will be written out with the CONTACT card when the model is exported.
To create an output block of all the elements contained in the shell_elems collector:
1. Select output block from the BCs page on the main menu.
2. Click name = button and enter shells to set the DYTRAN output results filename to shells for the
selected entities.
3. Click the switch and select nodes from the pop-up menu.
4. Select by collector from the pop-up menu.
5. Activate the check box next to the shell_elems collector.
6. Click select.
7. Click create.
To card edit the created output block to define the output request parameters for the shell
elements:
1. Select output block from the BCs page on the main menu.
2. Click name = and enter grids to set the DYTRAN output results filename to nodes for the
selected entities.
3. Click the switch and select nodes from the pop-up menu.
4. Select displayed from the pop-up menu.
5. Click create.
To card edit the created output block to define the output request parameters for the nodes:
11. Click return to save the changes and exit the card editor.
12. Click return to exit the card panel.
13. Click return to exit the output blocks panel
To use the cntl cards panel to set the TITLE, ENDTIME, ENDSTEP, SPC, and PARAM cards:
1. Select cntl cards from the BCs page on the main menu.
2. Click the TITLE control card button.
3. Click the text field next to TITLE = and enter a title.
4. Click return to save the changes and exit the card editor.
5. Click the ENDTIME control card button.
The element and material properties were already set in the imported NASTRAN deck and are
retained when exporting the DYTRAN deck. The element and material properties can be modified by
card editing the shell_elems component and the steel material collectors, respectively.
• Nastran
• LS-Dyna
• Ansys
To use the composites panel to assign the orientation angle, system or vector to the element
card:
To update all the elements to the correct element types for nastran:
1. Select the elem orientation subpanel from the composites panel on the 2-D page.
2. Indicate the elements that you want to assign material angles to.
3. Select elems, by collector, white and select.
4. Click the Element orientation method: switch and select by system ID.
To Undo:
Note: This function assigns a material angle to the selected elements, which is defined as the
angle between the node1-node2 direction and the projection of the selected local axis
onto the surface of the shell element. How each analysis code interprets this information
varies. For visualization purposes, HyperMesh projects the selected axis onto the face of
the shell elements. Any changes you subsequently make to the specified system have no
effect on the elements.
Note: This option should be used only in situations where great care has been taken to assure
that the node1-node2 direction of the shell elements are initially aligned properly.