Create 2D Surface Mesh

Use the General 2D Mesh: Create tool to create a surface mesh and remesh elements.

A surface mesh or "shell mesh" represents model parts that are relatively two-dimensional, such as sheet metal or a hollow plastic cowl or case. Surface meshes are placed on the outer faces of solid objects, and are used as a baseline mapping point when creating more complex 3D meshes (the quality of a 3D mesh largely depends on the quality of the 2D mesh from which it is generated).

General 2D Mesh should be the default surface mesh tool selected. To view a drop-down menu of available surface mesh methods, click the arrow on the right side of the tool.

  1. From the Mesh ribbon, 2D Mesh tools, click the General 2D Mesh tool.


    Figure 1.
    By default, the Create should be selected from the secondary ribbon.
  2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define surface mesh options.
  3. Select surfaces to mesh.
    You can also select solids by changing the target on the guide bar selector.
    Tip: To select only unmeshed surfaces, right-click on a surface and choose Select Unmeshed Surfaces from the context menu.
  4. Enter an average element size in the microdialog.
  5. Click Mesh on the guide bar or the microdialog.
    A mapped, all quad, mesh is generated. If a surface is determined to not be mappable, that surface is not meshed.

    Any failed surfaces remain selected when returning to the Create tool, or when Mesh mode is set to Automatic.

Tip: When using the other surface mesh tools, you can always go back to the Create tool to add and/or remove surfaces from the meshing area.

General 2D Mesh: Create Tool

An overview of the General 2D MeshInteractive: Create tool.



Figure 2.

Use the General 2D Mesh: Create tool to create a surface mesh and remesh elements.

Access
Go to Mesh > General 2D Mesh > Create.

Options

Element size
Set the average element size.
Mesh type
Select the algorithm to use for generating the mesh.
Element type
Select the type of elements used to create the mesh.
Edit criteria
Edit the criteria file via the Criteria Editor
Active mesh mode
Select the meshing mode, with interactive allowing access to the mesh editing tools.
Curvature based refinement
Option to turn on mesh refinement based on geometric curvature.
Method
Select the adaptive meshing method.
Minimum size factor
The minimum element size, as a factor of the average element size. Value must be less than or equal to 1.
Maximum deviation factor
The maximum allowable deviation between an element edge and a geometry edge, as a factor of the average element size.
Feature angle (adaptive mesh)
The maximum allowable break angle between adjacent elements.
Growth rate
The factor to control the rate of transition in case of element size change.
Minimum edge density
Enable a minimum number of elements along an edge.
Minimum density
Set the minimum number of elements created along an edge.
Apply if edge length <
Apply a minimum edge density when edge lengths are less than the specified value.
Link opposite edges method
Select the method for linking mesh settings on opposite edges of rectangular surfaces.
Aspect ratio <
The maximum aspect ratio to allow when linking edges.
Orthogonal alignment
Generates a more orthogonal quad-dominant mesh
Minimum size variation
Enforce a global mesh element size with minimal min/max element size variations.
Size variation
Keep elements roughly the same size.
Skewness
Prevent the mesh from producing highly-skewed elements.
Smooth across common edges with
Allow node smoothing to move nodes across adjacent surface edges whose feature angle is less than the value specified.
Feature angle (advanced)
The feature angle for common edge smoothing.