Unit 1: Model Requirements

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Introduction: Model Requirements

Aim

Understand the requirements of a good midplane and Fusion model.

Why do it

Having a good finite element model is critical for getting an accurate flow, cool, and warp
analysis. Knowing what makes a good model aids in the creation of producing good models in
your CAD system and makes translation easier.

Overview

In this unit you will look at various parameters used to measure mesh quality. These will include
items from the mesh statistics including:
 Free edges
 Non-manifold edges
 Mesh match ratio
 Aspect ratio
 Connectivity regions
 Mesh orientation
 Intersections
 Overlaps

You will also look at the mesh density and its effect on the flow analysis.

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Theory - Model Requirements

Fusion, and Midplane models in some cases have different requirements. Fusion has more model
requirements than does Midplane.
The FUSION surface mesh consists of a mixture of different types of mesh, including regions
with traditional Midplane elements and surface (double-skin) shell elements. Surface mesh
elements can be 3 or 6 noded plane, straight-edged triangles.
A Midplane mesh consists of a web of 3-noded triangular elements and forms a 2D representation
of a solid model. The Midplane mesh provides the basis for the MPI/Flow analysis.
The following mesh requirements are explained below.

Edges

There are 3 types of edges a finite element model can have:

 Free edges
 Manifold edges
 Non-manifold edges

Free edges

A free edge is an edge on an element that does not touch any other element. A fusion mesh
should not have any free edges. Figure 1. Free and Non-Manifold edges, shows an example of a
free edge on a Fusion model, on the right edge of the rib. The rib is not connected to the base on
the right side, which is causing the problem.

Figure 1. Free and Non-Manifold edges

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A Midplane mesh will have many free edges, for example, along the parting line. There may be
cases where there is a free edge, where there should not be one, and these have to be manually
checked.

Manifold edges

A manifold edge is an edge of an element that touches exactly one other element. This is the only
kind of edge a Fusion model can have. Midplane models will also have many manifold edges.

Non-Manifold edges

A non-Manifold edge is also shown in Figure 1. Free and Non-Manifold edges. This is an edge of
an element that touches two or more other elements, for example, a “T” shaped cross section.
Fusion models must have zero non-manifold edges, whereas Midplane models will have a non-
manifold edge at every rib intersection and many other junctions.

Mesh Match Ratio

The mesh match ratio is only a characteristic of a Fusion model, as indicate below in Figure 2.
Mesh Match. Here you can see a comparison between a mismatched mesh (left), and a matched
mesh (right). Elements in a Fusion model should be matched to an element on the other side of the
wall thickness. The mesh match ratio should be above 85% for a flow analysis and above 90%
for a warpage analysis to have acceptable results. If a mesh match is not high enough, it is
generally an indication that the mesh density is not high enough, or the part is a bit too chunky for
Fusion.
For Warpage there should also be a high mesh match reciprocal of approximately 90%. This is
when two elements are matched to each other, which should also be around 90%. This may prove
difficult to reach in some cases where ribs, and curved surfaces are in use. In some cases you may
only reach 85%, but the higher the percentage, the better result.

Figure 2. Mesh Match

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Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio is the longest side of the element to the height. See Figure 3. Aspect Ratio. The
lower the aspect ratio the better. The average aspect ratio should be under 3:1, and the maximum
should be under 6:1. This is practically difficult to achieve with complex fusion models.

Figure 3. Aspect Ratio

The higher the aspect ratio the more probable the aspect ratio will negatively effect the analysis
results. Flow analysis is the least sensitive to aspect ratios, whereas Cool, and warp are far more
sensitive. If the aspect ratio is too high, the analysis may not converge and there may be some
non-logical results, possibly causing the solver to crash.
Lowering the aspect ratio is very important when considering the mesh quality. It is normally the
most time consuming part of model preparation. Good CAD design will prevent the worst aspect
ratio problems.

Other Mesh Statistics

Connectivity regions

A connectivity region is a group of elements that are connected together. A Fusion, or Midplane
model must only have one connectivity region. When MPI translates a mesh from some CAD
models, groups of entities remain disconnected from other parts of the model, and as such the
problem must be fixed.

Mesh orientation

Orientation determines the top and bottom side of the element. Some CAD systems call it
defining the normal. The orientation for Midplane models needs to be consistent for viewing
results, and for Fusion models the outside of the model must always be the top side. Graphically
the orientation is indicated with color: the blue side is the top; and the red side the bottom. Figure
4. Mesh Orientation for Fusion, shows the orientation of a Fusion model using the cutting plane to
indicate the inside of the part.

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Figure 4. Mesh Orientation for Fusion

Intersections

There are two types of intersections, referred to as an intersection, or overlap. An intersection is

when one element passes through the plane of another element (see figure 5). An overlap is when
the two elements are in the same plane, but touch each other on the face of the element either fully
overlapping, or partially.
While importing your CAD geometry, it is imported to ensure the geometry is a good one and not
corrupt, as a corrupted CAD geometry often leads to a poor mesh. Should this be the case
however, most intersections and overlaps can be fixed with the Auto Repair feature in the Mesh
Tools dialog.

Figure 5. Intersection elements

Mesh Density Considerations

Achieving an acceptable mesh density to achieve good pressure prediction is generally easy. It
does not take a fine mesh to calculate an accurate pressure prediction. However, the details of the
model will determine the required mesh detail. Three important considerations include:
 Hesitation
 Air traps

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 Weld lines

These issues represent common mesh density related problems. If the mesh is not fine enough,
the analysis will pick up these problems.

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Hesitation prediction

Hesitation is a slowing down of the flow front compared to some other portion of the flow front.
To some degree a small amount of hesitation can be designed into the mold, as is done when flow
leaders or artificially balanced runners are designed. However, to pick up the effect of this or any
other type of hesitation requires a fine mesh. Figure 6. Course Mesh - No Hesitation, shows the
effect of the filling pattern if the mesh is not fine enough. The center section of the part is 1mm
thick, the top is 2 mm and the bottom is 3 mm. Clearly with the course mesh in Figure 6, there is
no lagging in the thin middle section.

Figure 6. Course Mesh - No Hesitation

In Figure 7 below, there are 3 rows of elements across a change in thickness visually indicating a
much better hesitation pattern.

Figure 7. Fine mesh – Hesitation

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Air Trap Prediction

Air traps on a part are often caused by hesitation due to changes in wall thickness. The prediction
of air traps will only be as good as the mesh density allows. With a course mesh in a thin area the
air traps will not be displayed. A fine mesh will predict the air trap. In the figures below the
nominal wall is 2.5 mm and the thin wall is 1.25 mm. Notice with the course mesh there is no
hesitation in the thin section, but there is with the fine mesh.

Figure 8. Air Trap - Course Mesh

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Figure 9. Air Trap - Fine Mesh

Weld Line Prediction

Weld lines are formed at nodes. Where there is two or more, connected nodes with a weld line
predicted at them, there is a line drawn between the nodes. Weld lines are very sensitive to mesh
density issues. Therefore when weld line information is required a fine mesh is paramount, as a
course mesh does not always indicate expected weld lines. In Figure 10. Weld Line - Course
Mesh, the fill time contours show on the right side of both holes a “V” shape to the flow front.
With the fine mesh in Figure 11 below, the weld lines are displayed.

Figure 10. Weld Line - Course Mesh

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Figure 11. Weld Line - Fine Mesh

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Part Details

To properly represent a plastic part for a flow analysis, there are 3 part characteristics that need to
be modeled accurately. These include:
 Thickness
 Flow length
 Volume

When these characteristics of the model are modeled accurately the flow analysis will be accurate.

Thickness

The wall thickness of the plastic part is the largest contributor to the pressure drop in the part. It
is the most critical part of the part design to model in the flow analysis. For a Fusion model, the
thicknesses are automatically calculated by default. The distance between matched elements
determines the thickness. Elements on the edge of the part are set to 75% of the thickness of face
elements touching the edge.

Flow length

The flow length in a part is the second most important part attribute to model for a flow analysis.
The combination of wall thickness and flow length will determine the pressure required to fill a
part. For both Midplane and Fusion models, the flow length is not explicitly calculated for a fill,
or flow analysis, but is for the molding window analysis. As the flow front expands and moves
further from the gate, for the fill and flow analysis, the flow length is calculated dynamically and
the length is recorded or used internally.

Volume

The volume of the part is a result of the calculated part shape, size, and wall thickness. For
Fusion models, the volume is calculated on the initialization of a flow analysis.
The volume of a Midplane model can be calculated in Synergy and shown on the mesh statistics
dialog. The accuracy of the volume calculation can be used as a gauge to verify the part is
modeled accurately for a Midplane model. Normally the target is to be within 5%. Fusion
models will have generally an accurate volume due to the surface mesh. The volume is important
as it helps define the flow rate needed in the part, and will significantly influence the pressure
calculations in the runner system.

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Comparing Thickness, Flow Length and Volume

The graph below summarizes the results from a series of analyses where the thickness flow length
and volume were changed to see the effect on pressure. Changes were made in percentages. The
base line part was 2.5 mm thick, a flow length of 200 mm and a volume 10cm^3. As thickness
parameter changed, the other two parameters remained the same. The cross section was
rectangular, so to adjust the volume of the part, the width of the cross section changed.
Thicknesses were adjusted from 2.50 mm to 1.00 mm. The flow length changed from 200 mm to
80 mm. The volume changed from 10 cm^3 to 4 cm^3. The material was a polypropylene, and
the processing conditions did not change for any of the analyses.

Figure 12. Comparison of Thickness, Flow Length and Volume on Pressure

It is clear from the graph that the thickness has by far the greatest influence on the percent change
in pressure. The percent change differences between flow length and thickness may change a
little with different processing conditions and materials, but thickness will always have the most
effect.

Small Radii

For both Midplane and Fusion, the flow calculations are calculated on an element-by-element, or
node-to-node basis. You are basically calculating the pressures, temperatures, shear stress, shear
rate, etc, for a given flow rate from one node to another. As shown above in figure 11:
Comparison of Thickness, Flow Length and Volume on Pressure, by far the biggest influence on
the pressure drop is wall thickness, flow length, followed by volume.

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What effect does a small radius have?

A small radius slightly increases the thickness. Consider Figure 13. T cross-section 1, Figure 14.
T cross-section 2, and Figure 15. T cross-section 3 below. Figure 13. T cross-section 1, shows the
part has a nominal wall thickness of 1.5 mm, a rib thickness of 1.0 mm, and a 0.25mm radius in
the corner, which is on the large side. The purple dots are nodes. The red centerlines would be
the midplane location if this geometry were built as a midplane model. If this were a fusion
model, the mesh would be on the outside black lines of the part.

Figure 13. T cross-section 1

The second Figure 14. T cross-section 2, shows the blow up of the rib/wall intersection, and the
radius is visibly clearer. You can see that the radius is much smaller than the node spacing.

Figure 14. T cross-section 2

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If the radius was to be added, Figure 15: T cross-section 3, shows the MINIMUM number of
nodes that should be used. There are only two rows of elements across the radius. For a
Midplane model the thickness for the radius would be about 0.025 mm, with a width of each row
of elements about 0.00026 mm. This is an insignificant change in thickness. If this were a fusion
model, these small elements would not be matched, or would be matched incorrectly with another
set of elements. The thickness probably would not be calculated correctly.

Figure 15. T cross-section 3

A bigger problem would be the very high aspect ratios caused by meshing the radii. With the
nominal spacing of the nodes shown, the aspect ratio in the corner is about 25:1, when it is
preferable to keep the aspect ratio below 6:1. To fix this problem there would need to be a much
finer mesh density around the corner, significantly increasing the number of elements. Assume
you did not fix the aspect ratio problem. The flow solver takes much longer to converge on high
aspect ratio elements than low ones. However the problem is considered, adding the small corner
radii adds little or nothing to the quality of the analysis, and significantly increases the compute
time/causes convergence problems.
You are not able to simulate shear around sharp corners in a Midplane, or Fusion model due to the
assumptions of the model. As the flow analysis calculates from node to node, flow is within the
plane of the element, or along the axis of a beam element. There is nothing in the calculations for
going around corners, sharp or other wise.
If you ran a 3D flow analysis, you would then see the radii makes a difference going around a
corner. The shear rate is higher on the sharp corner. This is a "3D" effect that fusion and
midplane do not pick up. See the Figure 16. 3D Shear Rate Plot. This effect has very little
influence on the analysis as a whole with regards to pressure, temperature etc, but can have a local
effect. This may include streaking, and other surface defects. A bigger issue is from a structural
point of view. It will have an effect there, but in terms of flow the radii have no effect.

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Figure 16. 3D Shear Rate Plot

In summary the important thing to remember is you must think of the "BIG" picture. When
modeling, the most important thing to get right is thickness, flow length, followed by volume.

Compute time - Mesh Density - Accuracy

Compute time goes up exponentially which increases with the number of elements. As can be
seen by the graph below, the pressure prediction is close within 8% - between all the different
models, and with 3% if the lowest element count model is excluded. However, the compute time
goes up nearly 170 times between the smallest model, and largest model. If you exclude the first
model, the compute time still goes up 55 times between the model with 1078 elements to the
model with 10,752 elements.
From this graph you can see that having a finer mesh than is necessary is a significant waste in
time.

Figure 17. Pressure, Model Size, and Compute Time

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Summary

A good Fusion model will have the following characteristics:

 Have no free edges or manifold edges
 An aspect ratio no higher than 6:1
 A mesh match ratio above 90%
 Enough elements to account for thickness changes that may lead to hesitation or air traps
 A fine enough mesh to pick up weld lines
 No small detail like corner radii
 An accurate representation of thickness, flow length, and volume
 As few elements as possible

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Competency Check - Model Requirements

What are the 3 most important physical aspects that should be modeled for a flow analysis?

What type of features should not be modeled for a flow analysis, and why?

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Evaluation Sheet - Model Requirements

What are the 3 most important physical aspects that should be modeled for a flow analysis?

Answer:
Thickness, flow length, and volume
What type of features should NOT be modeled for a flow analysis, and why?

Answer:
Small blends, radii, or fillets should not be modeled. They do not contribute anything to
the flow analysis (no thickness change), but add many high aspect ratio elements to the
model while possibly causing other mesh problems like intersections, and overlaps.

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