Connector Terminology

Connector Location

The position in space at which a connector entity is created.

Entities that can be used to define the connector location depend on the connector type.

Spots

Nodes: Connector is created at the node location.
Points: Connector is created at the point location.
Lines: Connector is created at the center of the selected line.; Only one connector is created for each line, but the line may be split into multiple projection locations as specified by the offset, spacing, and density values.
Nodelist: The nodelist can be considered as to be a line. The treatment is the same.

Bolts

Nodes: Connector is created at the node location.
Points: Connector is created at the point location.
Lines: Connector is created at the center of the selected line.; Only one connector is created for each line, but the line may be split into multiple projection locations as specified by the offset, spacing, and density values.; This connector is only used for repetitive holes in a certain, constant distance along the selected line.

Seams

Lines, Linelist: Connector is created at the center of the selected line.; Only one connector is created for each line, but the line may be split into multiple projection locations as specified by the offset, spacing, and density values.
Nodelist: The nodelist can be considered as to be a line. The treatment is the same.

Areas

Elems: Connector is created at the elements location.; Only one connector is created for each group of elements, but the area may be subdivided into multiple projection locations as specified by the nodes of the selected elements.; The area can be re-meshed to get different projection locations.
Surfs: Connector is created at the surface location.; Only one connector is created for each surface, but the area may be subdivided into multiple projection locations as specified by the mesh type and element size values.; The area can be re-meshed to get different projection locations.
Linelists/Lines: One connector is created for each line. The line is extruded to an area considering the width and the offset values. The area may be subdivided into multiple projection locations as specified by the mesh type and element size values.; If line combine is enabled, adjacent lines are treated as one line and produce one area connector.; The area can be re-meshed to get different projection locations.
Nodepath: The nodelist can be considered as to be a linelist. The treatment is absolutely the same.

Masses

Nodes: Connector is created at the node location.
Points: Connector is created at the point location.

Connector Realization

During connector realization, welds are created using the connector definition.

In HyperMesh, the only form of realization currently supported is FE realization (weld creation). For successful realization, the connector must be populated with all the relevant details required for its realization type. For example, FE realization requires the connector to be populated with a projection tolerance and an FE configuration type.

One advantage of separating weld FE realization from the connector definition is that a connector can be re-realized as a weld of a different configuration, or possibly, a user-defined weld, without having to redefine the connector. If you edit the connector definition, for example, add or delete a link entity from the connector, the connector removes the welds it created, and reverts back to an unrealized state. The connector is unrealized only if its user-control mode is turned off. By default, the connector mode is off but it can be turned on by registering custom FE with a connector. Connectors store all FE information that they create, allowing advanced find, mask, delete, and organizational functionality in a number of common panels. If the weld creation is unsuccessful, due to low tolerance, insufficient link entities, and so on, the connector icon is displayed as failed (red). An unrealized connector is yellow, a realized connector is green, and a failed connector is red.

Connector State

Status of the connector before and after realization.

The color of the connector changes based on their state to allow you to quickly visualize and filter connectors.

Unrealized: The initial definition of the connector entity after it is created.; The connector is displayed in yellow.
Realized: The connector is considered realized only if weld creation at the connector was successful.; The connector is displayed in green.
Modified: The connector is considered modified when one or more of its corresponding attributes have been edited in the Connector Entity Editor.; The connector is displayed blue.
Failed: The connector is considered failed if the weld creation at the connector was not successful.; The connector is displayed in red.

Link Entity State

The link entity state specifies if the entity referenced by the link entity is meshed or unmeshed.

Geom: Specifies that the entity needs to be connected (welded) using its geometry (connect surfaces only).
Elems: Specifies that the entity needs to be connected (welded) using its mesh.

Both states are applicable to assemblies, components and surfaces only. The elems state connects the mesh on the assembly, component, or surface. The geom state connects the geometry on the assembly, component, or surface. For all other link entities only the elems state is applicable. The states are added to the connector entity.

After establishing link entities, they can only be modified and edited in the lower part of the Connector Browser. The functions to add link, update links and remove links is found in the browser's right-click context menu.

The link entity state options for assemblies, component, and surfaces are set when creating the connector, or on the Add Links panel. The state can be edited/updated in the lower part of the Connector Browser, as well. Therefore, the extended information has to be activated in the browser configuration.

Link Entity

A link entity is a reference to a separate entity that can be added to a connector.

The entities, or a subset of them, to which the link entities refer are welded together during realization.

Supported link types include:

Assemblies: Connect elements or surfaces.; A group of parts that needs to be welded is often represented as an assembly.
Components: Connect elements or surfaces.; A part that needs to be welded is often represented as a component.
Elements: Facilitates a patch-patch weld connector.
Nodes: Facilitates a node-node weld connector.
Parts: Connect elements or surfaces.
Properties: Connect elements.
Surfaces: Create welds to connect geometry before meshing; the welds create fixed points for the mesh. The connected surfaces may be either meshed or unmeshed.
Tags: Define a weld connector for a node or an element that it holds.

Note: Only nodes, tags, elements, surfaces, components, properties, and assemblies can be added to connectors. The connectors can hold a single entity or a combination of these entities.

After link entities are established, they can only be modified and edited in the lower part of the Connector Browser. The functions to add link, update links and remove links is found in the browser's right-click context menu.

The link entity options are set when creating the connector, or on the Add Links panel. The link entity can be edited/updated in the lower part of the Connector Browser as well.

Number of Layers

The number of layers defines how many thicknesses (layers) have to be connected at the connector position.

For seam and area connectors the number of layers is predefined as two.

For most spot connectors you will set the number of layers to two or three; though any higher number is possible. For spot connectors it is also possible to set the number of layers to auto. Then the exact number of layers is identified during the link detection and is written to each individual connector.

Bolt connectors can additionally be set to unlimited. This is for cases when the exact number of layers is not known. In this case, the number of layers is limited by other conditions like tolerance and cylinder dimensions.

For apply mass connectors a limit for entities can be set; this is optional.

The number of layers has to be defined for:

Combined connector creation/realization in the top subpanel for spots, bolts, seams and areas.
Pure connector creation in the create subpanel for spots, bolts, seams and areas.
Adding links in the Add links panel.

If connect when is set to now, a link detection is performed during connector creation. With respect to the given tolerance, the selected link candidates and options like non-normal projection the valid connector links are established. By default, if excess link candidates have been selected, the links are reduced to the minimum needed to fulfill the request for the number of layers. The request for the number of layers has to be fulfilled for each connector test point; this leads, for example, to seam connectors typically having more than just two link entities.

Note: The number of layers should not be mistaken for number of referenced links of a connector. In many cases the number of layers and the number of referenced links are equal, but that’s not mandatory. The number of referenced links can be less, equal or more than the number of layers, although the connector might be realized successfully if the links are provided in a manner that the request for the number of layers can be fulfilled. That means not all referenced links necessarily need to be used for the connection, and remain unused, or sometimes only one link is used twice, for example in the case of a flap. For spot and seam connectors extra links can be stored. This can be set individually on the appropriate option subpanels below links conservation.

The link entity options are set when creating the connector, or on the Add Links panel. The link entity can be edited/updated in the lower part of the Connector Browser, as well.

Re-Connect Rules

Defines how a connector should protect its link entity information.

The re-connect rules can be defined in different ways:

During pure connector creation in the create subpanel for spots, bolts, seams and areas, if connect when is set to now.
During adding links to an existing connector in the Add links panel, if connect when is set to now.
During adding links to an existing connector in the lower part of the Connector Browser.

In the Connector Browser, link entities can be precisely edited, provided that the extended information option is activated in the Browser Configuration dialog.

None: If a link entity references an entity that is removed from the database, the link entity is then removed from the connector.
by id: If a link entity references a entity that is removed from the database, the link entity retains the ID of the entity. The link entity remains in the connector.
by name: Same as the by id rule except that the entity name is retained.
by UID: Works the same as the other rules except that the part unique identifier is retained.; Only available for part links.

The link entity options are set when creating the connector, or on the Add Links panel. The link entity can be edited/updated in the lower part of the Connector Browser, as well; therefore, the extended information has to be activated in the browser configuration.