ANSYS Meshing Application Introduction: Meshing Methods For 3D Geometries

Chapter 3
Meshing Methods
for 3D Geometries
ANSYS Meshing
Application Introduction
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

© 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. 3-1 Inventory #002645
Meshing Methods for 3D Geometries
Overview Training Manual
• Geometry Requirements
• Meshing Methods
– Tetrahedrons
• Patch Conforming
• Patch Independent (ICEM CFD Tetra)
– Swept Mesh
– Automatic
– MultiZone
– CFX-Mesh
• Workshop 3.1
– Combining Sweep and Tetrahedral Methods for a Multibody Part
– Inflating Tetrahedral and Sweep Methods

Geometry Requirements Training Manual
• All the 3D meshing methods

require that the geometry
consist of solid bodies
• If an imported geometry consists of surface bodies,

additional steps would be required to convert it to a
3D solid if a 3D mesh is to be generated in the ANSYS Meshing
Application (although surface bodies can be meshed with surface
meshing algorithms)

Tetrahedral Meshes Training Manual
• Advantages
– An arbitrary volume can always be filled with tetrahedra
– Can be generated quickly, automatically, and for
complicated geometry
– Can be easily combined with curvature and proximity
size functions to automatically refine the mesh in critical regions
– Can be combined with inflation to refine the mesh near solid walls
(boundary layer resolution)
• Disadvantages
– Element and node counts are higher than for a hex mesh with a
similar mesh density
– Generally not possible to align the cells with a flow direction
– Not well suited for thin solids or annuli due to non-isotropy
of geometry and nature of element

Tetrahedral Algorithms Training Manual
• Two different algorithms are available for generating

tetrahedral meshes in the ANSYS Meshing Platform
– Patch Conforming: A surface mesh is generated first using a Delaunay

or Advancing Front surface mesher which will, by default, respect all faces and
edges in the geometry (note: some built-in defeaturing for features below the
minimum size limit). The volume mesh is then created from the surface mesh
via an algorithm based on TGRID Tetra.
– Patch Independent: Here a volume mesh is generated and projected to

surfaces to yield the surface mesh. Faces and edges will not necessarily be
respected unless loads or boundary conditions are scoped to them.
This method is more tolerant of poor quality CAD. The patch independent
algorithm is based on ICEM CFD Tetra.
• Both tetrahedral algorithms can be inflated for boundary layer resolution

often required for CFD

Tetrahedral Meshing Training Manual
• Common Parameters
– Minimum and Maximum Sizes
– Face and Body Sizes
– Advanced Size Functions (Curvature and/or Proximity)
– Growth Rate (gradual variation for CFD, avoid sudden jumps)
– Smoothing (helps achieve a more uniformly sized mesh)
– Statistics
– Mesh Metrics

Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons Training Manual
• Right click on Mesh, insert

a Method and Choose the bodies
to which to apply the method.
• Set the Method to Tetrahedrons and

the Algorithm to Patch Conforming
• Different parts can have different

methods. A single part with multiple
bodies can include a mix of patch
conforming tetrahedrons and sweep
methods and will still produce a
conformal mesh (Workshop 3.1)
• The Patch Conforming method can

be used in conjunction with Pinch
Controls to help remove short edges. It
also has built-in mesh defeaturing based Small Hole
Faces in
on the minimum size Close Proximity
Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons Example Training Manual
Resolution of
Circular Hole
Faces (and edges) are

respected
Patch Independent Tetrahedrons Training Manual
• Useful for CAD with many surface

patches, sliver faces, short edges,
poor surface parameterization, etc.
• With the Method to Tetrahedrons, set

the Algorithm to Patch Independent
• Faces and edges will not necessarily

be respected unless a load or named
selection is scoped to them
• Note that there are additional

settings concerning defeaturing as
well as settings for curvature and
proximity Faces in Small Hole
Close Proximity
No Named Selections: Faces and Edges are not respected

Named Selections: Faces and Edges are respected

Inflating the Tetrahedral Method Training Manual
• Inflation is scoped to bodies and defined for faces

Sweep Method Training Manual
• Body must be sweepable

• Inflation can yield pure hex or prisms
• Manual or automatic source/target
• Normally single source to single
target face, automatic thin model can be
used for multiple faces with multiple
elements through the thickness
• Right-click on Mesh: Show Sweepable
Bodies

Sweep Method: Source/Target, Mesh Type Training Manual

Sweep Method: Thin Model Training Manual
• Useful when there are multiple faces as in

the geometry shown below which has 3
source and target faces

Sweep Example with Bias in Sweep Direction Training Manual
• Geometry with a single source and target face can be swept with a
bias in the sweep direction
(Faces have been merged either in CAD or with VT)

Sweep with Inflation Training Manual
• Inflation is scoped to a face with

inflation specified on edges
(Faces have been merged either in CAD or with VT)

• Thin Model Sweeps cannot be inflated
Automatic Method Training Manual
• The Automatic setting toggles between Tetrahedral (Patch

Conforming) and Swept Meshing, depending upon whether the
body is sweepable. Bodies in the same part will have a
conformal mesh.
Swept Tetrahedron (Patch Conforming) Tetrahedron (Patch

Conforming)
No inflation Programmed Controlled Inflation

MultiZone Sweep Meshing Training Manual
• Based on ICEM CFD Hexa Blocking

• Automatic geometry decomposition
– With the swept method, this part would have to be With MultiZone, it can
sliced into 3 bodies to get a pure hex mesh be meshed directly!

MultiZone for Pipe Intersection Training Manual

MultiZone for Pipe Intersection Training Manual
• Free block in center (here meshed with tets)

Adding Inflation to MultiZone Training Manual
• As for the tetrahedral meshers, inflation is scoped to bodies and

defined for faces

MultiZone Mesh with Inflation Training Manual

CFX-Mesh Method Training Manual
• Tet/prism mesher or extruded

meshes for geometries with a
periodic translation or rotation
• CFX-Mesh uses a ‘loose’ integration
– Selecting Right Mouse
‘Edit…’ on the Method
launches CFX-Mesh as a
separate window that is
different than the Workbench
Meshing environment.
– No Meshing Application
sizings are respected or
transferred to CFX-Mesh

Workshop 3.1
Static Mixer with Patch
Conforming Tetrahedrons
and Sweep Methods

Goals Training Manual
• This workshop will illustrate combining the Patch

Conforming Tetrahedrons and Sweep Methods
for a multibody part to yield a conformal mesh
with hybrid tet/prism and hex elements
• The use of Inflation is also demonstrated for

both the Sweep
and Patch Conforming methods

Specifying Geometry Training Manual
1. Copy the sm.agdb file from the tutorial

files folder to your working directory
2. Start Workbench and double-click the
Mesh entry in the Component
Systems panel at the right
3. Right-click on Geometry in the Mesh
entry in the Project Schematic and
select Import Geometry/Browse
4. Browse to the sm.agdb file you
copied and click Open The first 9 steps repeat
the process followed for
5. Note that the Geometry entry in the Tutorial 2.1.
Project Schematic now has a green
check mark indicating that geometry
has been specified

Initial Mesh Training Manual
7. Double-click the Mesh entry in the

schematic or right-click and select Edit
1
8. Expand the Geometry entry in the Outline
and note that there is a single part with 4 2
bodies
9. Left click on the Mesh entry and set the
Physics preference to CFD and select the 3
FLUENT solver
10.Right click on Mesh and Insert a Mesh
Method. Select the three cylindrical bodies
from the Model View and choose the Sweep
Method
11.Set the Src/Target Selection to Manual
Source and select the three end faces of the
cylindrical bodies
Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons Training Manual
12. Right click on Mesh and Insert a Mesh

Method. Select the central conical bodies
from the Model View and choose the
Tetrahedrons Method with the Patch
Conforming Algorithm

Initial Mesh (no Inflation) Training Manual
13. Expand the Inflation entry in the Mesh

settings and set the Use Automatic tet
Inflation option to None as you will
manually inflate the two different methods
Make sure the mesh settings are as
shown at right
14. Right-click on Mesh and generate the
mesh. Notice that the mesh is conformal

Inflating the Sweep Method Training Manual
15. Right-click on the Sweep Method and

choose Inflate this Method. The inflation
will be scoped to the three source faces
16. For the boundary, you will need to select
the three outer circular edges of the faces
(you may need to enable the Select Right-click
Edges toggle to simplify this).
17. Set the maximum thickness to 0.2 m,
leaving the other settings at defaults.

Inflating the Tetrahedrons Method Training Manual
18. Right-click on the Tetrahedrons Method

and choose Inflate this Method. The
inflation will be scoped to the central body.
Select the 2 outer radial faces of the
conical body
19. Set the Inflation Option to Total Thickness
Right-click
and set the Maximum Thickness to 0.2 m,
leaving the other settings at defaults.

Generating the Mesh Training Manual
20. Generate the mesh. Note that the

swept regions still produce hexes
while the central body produces
prisms and tetrahedrons.
21. Verify that all meshes are conformal
and save your project.

Interior View of Inflated Mesh Training Manual


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Chapter 3

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Overview Training Manual

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Geometry Requirements Training Manual

• All the 3D meshing methods

• If an imported geometry consists of surface bodies,

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Tetrahedral Meshes Training Manual

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Tetrahedral Algorithms Training Manual

• Two different algorithms are available for generating

– Patch Conforming: A surface mesh is generated first using a Delaunay

– Patch Independent: Here a volume mesh is generated and projected to

• Both tetrahedral algorithms can be inflated for boundary layer resolution

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Tetrahedral Meshing Training Manual

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons Training Manual

• Right click on Mesh, insert

• Set the Method to Tetrahedrons and

• Different parts can have different

• The Patch Conforming method can

Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons Example Training Manual

Faces (and edges) are

Patch Independent Tetrahedrons Training Manual

• Useful for CAD with many surface

• With the Method to Tetrahedrons, set

• Faces and edges will not necessarily

• Note that there are additional

Patch Independent Tetrahedrons Training Manual

No Named Selections: Faces and Edges are not respected

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Patch Independent Tetrahedrons Training Manual

Named Selections: Faces and Edges are respected

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Inflating the Tetrahedral Method Training Manual

• Inflation is scoped to bodies and defined for faces

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Sweep Method Training Manual

• Body must be sweepable

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Sweep Method: Source/Target, Mesh Type Training Manual

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Sweep Method: Thin Model Training Manual

• Useful when there are multiple faces as in

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Sweep Example with Bias in Sweep Direction Training Manual

(Faces have been merged either in CAD or with VT)

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

Sweep with Inflation Training Manual

• Inflation is scoped to a face with

(Faces have been merged either in CAD or with VT)

Automatic Method Training Manual

• The Automatic setting toggles between Tetrahedral (Patch

Swept Tetrahedron (Patch Conforming) Tetrahedron (Patch

No inflation Programmed Controlled Inflation

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

MultiZone Sweep Meshing Training Manual

• Based on ICEM CFD Hexa Blocking

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009

MultiZone for Pipe Intersection Training Manual

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary April 28, 2009