Creating elements without geometry

Estimated time to complete: 10–20 minutes

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use several manual meshing commands.

1: Setup

  1. On your desktop or the appropriate network drive, create a folder named manual_meshing.

  2. Click the link below:

    Download the part

  3. Extract the file to your manual_meshing folder.

  4. Start Simcenter 3D or NX.

  5. Open mapped_fem1.fem.

2: Reset dialog box memory

The options you select in dialog boxes are preserved for the next time you open the same dialog box within a given session. Restore the default settings to ensure that the dialog boxes are in the expected initial state for each step of the activity.

File

Preferences→User Interface

  • Options

  •   Reset Dialog Memory

  • OK

     
3: Revolve the 2D elements

Use the Element Revolve command to generate 3D brick and wedge elements from the 2D mesh.

Nodes and Elements

 Revolve (Elements group)

  • Type

    Element Faces

  • Method (Top Border bar)

    Feature Angle Element Faces

  • any element

  • 246 elements are selected.

  •  

     

  • Number of Copies

    8

  •  

     

  • Specify Vector

    ZC-axis

  • Point Dialog (Specify Point)

  • X

    0 mm

  • Y

    0 mm

  • Z

    0 mm
    Note:

    You do not need to select an object for point location. You only need to make sure that the point coordinates are 0,0,0.

  • OK

     Point dialog box

  •  

     

  • Total

  • Angle

    90

  •  

     

  •  Automatic Creation

  • Mesh Collector

    Symmetry_mesh

  •  

  • Preview

  • Show Result

     

  • OK

     

 

Rotate the part to see the revolved elements.

4: Extrude the element faces

You have created the curved section of the part by revolving the elements. Now create the straight section by extruding the element faces. Extruding element faces creates 3D elements.

  Extrude (Elements group)

  • Type

    Element Faces

  • Method (Top Border bar)

    Feature Angle Element Faces

  • Note:

    You can select any element in the above face.

  •  

  • Number of Copies

    6

  •  

     

  • Direction

    Element Normal

  •  

     

    Total

  • Distance

    20 mm

  •  

     

  • Retain Collector

  • Mesh Collector

    Symmetry_Mesh

  •  

  • Preview

  • Show Result

  • OK

     
5: Copy and reflect the elements

You can create the remaining portion of the half-symmetry model by using the Reflect command to copy and reflect the existing elements.

  Reflect (Elements group→More list)

  • Type

    Solid Elements Only

  • Method (Top Border bar)

    Related Elements

  •   Drag a selection box around the part.

  •  

    Plane Dialog (Specify Plane)

  • Type

    YC-ZC Plane

  • Distance

    –20 mm

  • OK

      Plane dialog box

  •  

  • Preview

  • Show Result

  • OK

      Element Copy and Reflect dialog box

     

6: Merge duplicate nodes

After copying and reflecting the elements, you must check for duplicate nodes.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   3D Collectors

  • Symmetry_mesh

  • Check All→Duplicate Node

     

     

    Colored circles and node labels represent the duplicate nodes. In this case, the elements at the plane of reflection are overlapping and contain duplicate nodes.

  • Merge Nodes

      

  • Close

     Duplicate Nodes dialog box

7: Delete the 2D mesh

You no longer need the 2D mesh or its mesh collector, so you can delete them.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   2D Collectors

  • ThinShell(1)

  • Delete

Deleting the mesh collector deletes all meshes contained within it.

Save

At this point, you could create a Simulation file, add constraints and apply loads, and solve the model.

File

  • Close→All Parts