155

Tutorial Example 3.7: Wing Body

Overview This tutorial example will focus about generating a mesh for a
three-dimensional wing body configuration, as shown in the dia-
gram below. The geometry consists of a simple cigar shape body
with a delta wing and a tail, and can be easily created with any
CAD system.

Operations Blocking menu

introduced by • Extending a split in the blocking with Extend split.
this example
Edge menu
• Moving a set of vertices at once using Move multiple.
• Splitting an edge with Split edge, allowing it to better follow a
contour.

Display window
• Using Block > Opts > Worst to identify the worst block and
Update Worst to recompute it after changes.
• Using Project edges in a 3D mesh to quickly generated a mesh
and identify parts of the blocking that need adjustments.

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

156 Wing Body

3.7.1: Geometry and Blocking Strategy

For this model, the user will execute blocking methods by
employing functions such as Split, Move multiple, and O-grid.
Creating blocking that closely follows the established geometry
will yield an optimal mesh.
The first step will be to perform the family reassignment for the
Surfaces and Curves. The user will then proceed to modify the
blocking so that it fits the geometry of the model. The creation of
O-grids will result in a higher mesh quality.

3.7.2: Starting the Project

1 From the CFX-TASCflow Application Launcher, Browse to the
<CFX-HexaROOT>\tutorials\hexa\WingBody directory, and
start CFX-Hexa.
2 Load the Tetin file tetin1.

3.7.3: Creating the Families in the Mesh Editor

Family Placement Employ the Change family function to assign the appropriate
families to the different regions of the geometry. Refer to Figure
3.7.1 for the Surface family assignments.

Surface Families
• After the WingBody project is open, change the Surface
families, beginning with the region labeled as SYM in Figure
3.7.1.
• Change the families of the remaining Surface regions, using
Figure 3.7.1 as a guide.
• When all of the Surface families have been assigned (SYM,
INLET, FUSELAGE, WING, VTAIL, OUTER, OUTLET),
press the middle mouse button to exit from continuous mode.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 157

Curve Families
• From the Display menu, confirm that Curves is selected, so
that the curve type is visible in the GUI.
• Unlike the earlier tutorials, the Curves will be broken up into
four families: OUTER, FUSELAGE, WING, VTAIL.
• The OUTER curve family consists of the entire box geometry
that surrounds the model.
• Use Figure 3.7.2 as a reference to reassign the remaining
Curves.
• Press Accept in the Select family window, and exit continuous
mode.

Creating the • Select Volume Fams.

Volume Family • Enter FLUID in the Edit Entry window that appears, and
press Add and Done.
• When this is complete, all components of the Geometry
should now have family assignments. File > Save the updated
model before continuing on in this tutorial.
Figure 3.7.1:
The Wing Body
Surface families

Note: The upper wing has been split from the lower wing to handle
the trailing edge area. Using separate families, the surface
projection of the block faces can be directed, if it becomes
necessary.

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

158 Wing Body

Figure 3.7.2:
The Wing Body
Curves families

3.7.4: Starting Hexa

1 Start Meshing > Hexa interactive and select No blocking.

3.7.5: Splitting the Blocking Material

1 Turn on the Curves and Surfaces from the Display menu.
2 Now, use Blocking > Split to split the initial block twice hori-
zontally and twice vertically: at the tip and tail of the fuselage
and on the top and bottom. (Figure 3.7.3)
Figure 3.7.3:
Splitting around the
fuselage

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 159

3 Use Orient > Negative X and split the block once using Block-
ing > Split, following Figure 3.7.4 as a reference. This is the
block to be used for the fuselage.
Figure 3.7.4:
More splitting around
the fuselage

3.7.6: Blocking Around the Wing

Next, block the geometry of the wings.
1 Use the Index control > From corners button to limit the dis-
play to the wing region, so that the geometry of the wings may
be blocked. The Index control will read (I:2-3; J:2-3; K:2-3).
Figure 3.7.5:
Splitting at the wing
tip

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

160 Wing Body

2 Perform a vertical Split to get close to the wing tip as shown

above in Figure 3.7.5.
3 Limit the display to the wing block again using Index Control >
From corners.
4 Now, as in Figure 3.7.6, Blocking > Split the wing block twice
more at the leading and trailing edge of the wing.
Figure 3.7.6:
Split the block at the
leading and trailing
edge

5 Use Edges > Move multiple to move the vertices closer to the
wing geometry, as in Figure 3.7.7. Select the two vertices and
drag them with the middle mouse button to make the leading
block edge parallel to the leading edge of the wing (Figure
3.7.7). This block will be used to create an O-grid around the
wing.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 161

Figure 3.7.7:
Move the pair of
vertices toward the
wing tip

3.7.7: Fitting the Fuselage Block

1 Reset the block display under Index control to view the entire
block.
2 Select Blocking > Set Vol Fam. Use the corners indicated below
in Figure 3.7.8 to select the FUSELAGE block.
Figure 3.7.8:
Choose these two
vertices to select the
block

3 Change the material of the fuselage material to VORFN and

press Okay (Figure 3.7.9).

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

162 Wing Body

Figure 3.7.9:
Assign this block to
VORFN

4 In the Display menu, turn off all of the Surface families except
the family FUSELAGE.
5 Use Edges > Group curves > screen select to group the three
curves of the fuselage into one curve (Figure 3.7.10).
Figure 3.7.10:
Group the curves of
the fuselage

6 Use Projection > Edge -> Curve > Project to project the four
edges of the FUSELAGE block that lie on the SYMmetry plane
to this curve shown in Figure 3.7.10.
7 Use Projection > Edge -> Surface to project the rest of the
edges of the FUSELAGE block onto the surface of the fuselage.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 163

8 Press Edges > Opts > Project to show a projection as in Figure

3.7.11.
Figure 3.7.11:
Projection of the
edges

9 Re-adjust the Index control so that the ranges are I:2-5, J:2-3,
and K:0-2.
10 Press Projection > Project displayed so that the blocking is
fitted to the fuselage, as shown in Figure 3.7.12.
Figure 3.7.12:
Move the vertices of
the fuselage

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

164 Wing Body

3.7.8: Blocking the Tail

To block the tail of the airplane, follow the succeeding instructions.
1 Reset the Index Control so the entire geometry is visible.
2 Begin the process of blocking the tail of the airplane by extend-
ing the split of the trailing edge of the wing. Choose Blocking >
Extend split > Select.
3 With the left mouse button, select one of the trailing edges of the
wing
4 Press Yes when given the option to project new vertices. Refer
to Figure 3.7.13.
Figure 3.7.13:
Extend the split of the
trailing edge of the
wing

5 Again, use the Index Control > From corners button to isolate
the tail region.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 165

Figure 3.7.14:
Using block control,
split the blocking for
the tail

6 Use the Split function to make two vertical splits and one hori-
zontal split to the isolated blocks. Refer to Figure 3.7.14 to deter-
mine the locations of these splits.
7 Modify the Index control to isolate the blocks.
8 Use Move Multiple to move the vertices on the leading edge to
the match the tail (Figure 3.7.14).
To complete the block topology, the user will now construct O-
grids around the tail. After the O-grid is created in the tail, the
inner core is removed by changing the material ID.
9 Select Blocking > O grid.
10 Add the Block within the tail, as shown in Figure 3.7.15.
11 Add the two Faces (on the symmetry plane and at the root of
the tail) as indicated in Figure 3.7.15
12 Press Accept to generate the O-grid.

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

166 Wing Body

Figure 3.7.15:
The O-grid with two
faces added

13 Remove the core of the O-grid by pressing Blocking > Set Vol
Fam, selecting the block and assigning it to VORFN.
14 Define the necessary edge to curve projections and move the
vertices of the O-grid so that the blocking resembles that shown
in Figure 3.7.16.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 167

Figure 3.7.16:
The tail block
topology

3.7.9: Blocking the Wing O-grid

Now the user will construct O-grids around the wing. As in the tail
O-grid, the object’s core will be fit to the volume of the wing.
1 Under Index Control, press Reset
2 Using From corners, set the view to that of Figure 3.7.17.
Figure 3.7.17:
Putting an O-grid on
the wing

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

168 Wing Body

3 Select Blocking > O grid and select the Block in the wing
region and the Face at the root of the wing (Figure 3.7.17).
4 To remove the core of the O-grid, select Blocking > Set Vol
Fam. Using any of the methods of selection, assign the core of
the O-grid to the VORFN family.
Figure 3.7.18:
The wing blocking

5 Using the Edge > Group curve function, group together curves
1 and 2 (Figure 3.7.18), located at the root of the wing.
6 From the Projection menu, use Edge->Curve to project the
three edges (labeled a,b,c in Figure 3.7.18) at the root of the
wing to the created composite curve.
7 Utilize the Edge ->Curve projection function to project the
edges to curves at the wing trailing edge.
8 Use Edge->Surface to project the two wing tip edges to the sur-
face of the wing tip, also indicated by Figure 3.7.18.
9 Use Edges > Split Edge to let the wing-tip edges better follow
the contour of the wingtip.
10 With Edges > Move vertex, move the vertices onto its curve or
surface. After repositioning the vertices, the blocking should
resemble that shown in Figure 3.7.18.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 169

3.7.10: Meshing Parameters

1 Before generating the mesh, the user needs to set the meshing
parameters. Press Meshing > Surface Params to open the
Mesh parameters window (Figure 3.7.19).
2 Select All families -- set the Max length to 0.4, Init height to
0.4, Height ratio to 1.4. Press Apply.
3 Next, select the FUSELAGE, WING and VTAIL families -- set
the Max length to 0.05, Init height to 0.025, Height ratio to 1.4.
Press Apply
4 Press Done.
Figure 3.7.19:
Set the surface
meshing parameters
for the Fuselage,
Wing, and Vtail.

5 In the Display window, first press Project Edges and then dis-
play the Mesh.
Note: Project Edges does not execute any face projections; thus, it
is a good way to save time when first computing the mesh, even in
a 3D model. This allows the user to detect any problematic edge
projections and fix them quickly.
6 Check the quality of the mesh using Meshing > Quality check >
Determinant and use the Highlight option.
7 Use the functions Split edge and Move Vertex to improve the
blocking -- check it with Project edges and Quality check.

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

170 Wing Body

Figure 3.7.20:
Find the worst block
and fix it first

To see the improvement in the blocking without recomputing the

mesh, use the following “Worst Blocks” function:
8 Without toggling on the Blocks option, turn on Blocks > Opts >
Worst in the Display window. (This will highlight the worst
block and give its determinant in the CFX / HEXA messages
window.)
9 Based on these results, make any necessary adjustments to the
blocking (using particularly Split edge and Move Vertex)
10 To check the progress, press Update worst in the Display win-
dow.
11 Press Meshing > Edge params to make changes in the bunch-
ing. This should improve the element quality.
12 Compute the mesh now by toggling on Project faces in the
Display window and check the quality.
13 After iterations of all of these modifications, save the blocking
(File > Save Blocking) and load the
“reference_blocking” for further blocking sugges-
tions. The reference_blocking yields the mesh shown in
Figure 3.7.21.

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2

 Wing Body 171

Figure 3.7.21:
The reference mesh

Note: This blocking file reflects a few more vertex adjustments,

some split edges, and perhaps a different edge projection scheme
than the user’s. Consider it a good blocking model -- its mesh’s
least determinant is above 0.3 -- but, by using the functions
mentioned above and by making minor modifications to the
blocking, the user can also arrive at an excellent mesh.

Version 4.2 Meshing Tutorial Manual CFX-Hexa

172 Wing Body

CFX-Hexa Meshing Tutorial Manual Version 4.2