Lecture 04

Meshing Methods
14. 5 Release

Introduction to ANSYS
CFD Professional
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

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Methods
Why Multiple Methods?

Choice can depend on;

Physics
Geometry
Resources
Mesh could require just one or a
combination of methods.
Example Typical mesh design
based on geometric, physics and
resource considerations.

Hex cells used to

mesh simple
regions
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High aspect ratio cells

(Inflation) near wall to
capture boundary layer
gradients

Cells refined around

small geometric
details and complex
flow

Tet cells used here to mesh complex region

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Inserting Methods
In the Outline, right click Mesh, Insert > Method

Select body in Details View

Or, in the Graphics Window, Select body(s) , right
click, Insert > Method
Body automatically selected in Details View

Method is selectable using the drop-down box

Automatic, Tetrahedrons, Hex Dominant, Sweep
or Multizone
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Tetrahedrons Method

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

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Tetrahedrons Method
Method Behavior

Generates tetrahedral elements - two algorithms are

available:
Patch Conforming
Patch Independent

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

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Tetrahedrons Method: Patch Conforming

Method & Algorithm Behavior

Bottom up approach: Meshing process starts

from edges, faces and then volume

All faces and their boundaries are respected
(conformed to) and meshed
Good for high quality (clean) CAD geometries
CAD cleanup required for dirty geometry
Sizing is defined by global and/or local controls
Compatible with inflation

Access

Insert Method and set to Tetrahedrons

Additional drop down box for algorithm choice
appears - Set to Patch Conforming
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Tetrahedrons Method: Patch Independent

Method & Algorithm Behavior

Top down approach: Volume mesh generated

first and projected on to faces and edges

Faces, edges and vertices not necessarily
conformed to
Controlled by tolerance and scoping of
Named Selection, load or other object
Good for gross de-featuring of poor quality
(dirty) CAD geometries
Method Details contain sizing controls
Compatible with inflation

Access

Insert Method and set to Tetrahedrons

Additional drop down box for algorithm
choice appears - Set Patch Independent
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Tetrahedrons Method: Algorithm

Comparison (Surface Mesh)
Geometry containing
small details

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Patch Conforming: All

geometric detail is
captured

Patch Independent: Can

ignore and defeature
geometry

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Tetrahedrons Method: Algorithm

Comparison (Volume Mesh)
Geometry containing
small details

Patch Conforming:
Delaunay mesh
smooth growth rate

Patch Independent: Default

Octree Mesh approximate
growth rate

Smooth Transition option

creates Delaunay mesh
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Tetrahedrons Method: Application

Examples
Patch Conforming

Patch Independent

Clean CAD, accurate surface mesh

Dirty CAD, defeatured surface mesh

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Tetrahedrons Method: Control

Sizing for Patch Conforming

Mesh sizing for the Patch Conforming algorithm is

defined by Global & Local Controls

Automatic refinement based on curvature and/or
proximity accessible in Global Controls
Details of Global & Local Controls covered in
separate lectures
Choice of surface mesher algorithm in global
controls

Proximity
Curvature

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Tetrahedrons Method: Control

Sizing for Patch Independent

Defined in Patch Independent Details

Automatic curvature & proximity refinement option
Defeaturing Control for Patch Independent

Set Mesh Based Defeaturing On & Defeaturing

Tolerance
Assign Named Selections to preserve geometry

Defeaturing Tolerance Off

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

Named Selection assigned and

Defeaturing Tolerance set.

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Hex Meshing

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Introduction
Tet Mesh

Hex Meshing

Elements: 48K

Reduced element count

Can reduce run time

Elements aligned in direction of flow
Reduced numerical error

Methods Available

Sweep
MultiZone
Hex Dominant (not recommended for

Sweep Mesh
Elements: 19K

CFD)

Initial Requirements

Clean geometry
May require geometric decomposition
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Sweep Meshing
ANSYS Meshing can identify sweepable
bodies automatically

Rotational Sweep bodies are not identified

To make bodies sweepable

Decompose into a number of topologically simpler, sweepable

bodies
Decomposed in CAD
Sweepable!

Unsweepable body

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Sweep Meshing
Method Behavior

Sweep Path

Meshes source surface, sweeps through to the

target
Body must have topologically identical faces
on two ends, (which act as source and target
faces)
Generates hex/wedge elements
Side faces must be mappable
Only one source and one target face is allowed
Alternative Thin sweep algorithm can have
multiple source and target faces

Side Face(s)
Target Face

Source Face

Access

Insert Method and set to Sweep

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Sweep Meshing
Source/Target (Src/Trg Selection)

Automatic selection requires that the

application find the Source and Target.
Specifying both Source & Target will
accelerate meshing
Rotational sweeping requires both Source &
Target to be selected

Inflation
Must specify at least Source
manually
2D inflation scoped to
source face and boundary
defined by edge(s)

Manual Selection

Sweep Mesh with inflation

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Sweep Meshing
Src/Trg Selection: Automatic Thin
& Manual Thin

Selects an alternate sweep

algorithm
Advantages
Capable of sweeping multiple
Source & Targets
Can perform some automatic
defeaturing
Disadvantages
For Multibody Parts only one
division across the sweep is
allowed
Inflation & Sweep Bias not
allowed

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Source
Faces

Target

Source Faces
Imprinted on Target
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MultiZone Meshing
Method Behavior

Automatically decomposes geometry into blocks

Generates structured mesh, where block
topology permits
Remaining region (Free Mesh) filled with
unstructured Hexa Core or Tetra or Hexa
Dominant mesh.
Can select source & target faces automatically
or manually
Can have multiple source faces
Compatible with 3D inflation

MultiZone
Mesh

Access

Insert Method and set to Multizone

Target faces should also be selected as Source for Multizone

Method as mesh is swept from both directions
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MultiZone Meshing
Mapped Mesh Type - determines the shape of the
elements used to fill structured regions
Hexa
Hexa/Prism - For swept regions, the surface mesh can
allow triangles for quality and transitioning
Prism

Surface Mesh Method specifies method to create the

surface mesh.
Program Controlled - automatically uses a combination
of Uniform and Pave mesh methods depending on the
mesh sizes set and face properties
Uniform - creates a highly uniform mesh
Pave - creates a good quality mesh on faces with high
curvature and when neighbouring edges have a high
aspect ratio

Surface mesh method = Uniform

Surface mesh method = Pave

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Automatic Method

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Automatic Method
Method Behavior

Combination of Tetrahedron Patch

Conforming and Sweep Method

Automatically identifies sweepable
bodies and creates sweep mesh
All non-sweepable bodies meshed
using tetrahedron Patch Conformal
method
Compatible with inflation

Access

Default Method where not specified

Can specify by inserting Method and
setting to Automatic
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Meshing Multiple Bodies

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Selective Meshing
Mesh or clear meshes on individual bodies
Select body(s) right click for context menu
Subsequent bodies will use the attached face

mesh
The meshing results (cell types) will depend on
the meshing order
Adjust/add mesh controls able to remesh only
affected body
Selective body updating if geometry modified
Meshing first the pipe then the block

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Meshing first the block then the pipe

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Selective Meshing
Recording Mesh Operations

When using selective meshing the order

of meshing can be recorded for

automated future use
Right click Mesh in the Outline for
Context Menu

Worksheet is generated recording mesh

operations as ordered steps

Named Selections are automatically
created for each meshed body for
reference in the Worksheet
Example: Meshing cylinder then block
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Workshop 1 ANSYS Meshing Basics

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