Creating a Mesh (FEM Mode)
After you define analyses for your model, you create a mesh that the FEA solver uses to mathematically approximate your model's behavior. Creo Simulate's FEM mode enables you to create a variety of mesh types and features. Following is a list of the tasks you complete.
• Defining mesh controls—You can control the way the mesh is created in a number of ways. For example, you can limit element size and define points and curves in your model so that Creo Simulate adds nodes at these locations. You can control node ID ranges or instruct Creo Simulate to use a specific coordinate system when creating the mesh. You typically define mesh controls before you create the mesh, but you may find that you want to impose additional controls after you review the mesh.
• Creating a mesh—When you instruct Creo Simulate to create a FEM mesh, it subdivides the model into a set of smaller, simpler, interconnected components called finite elements used by FEA solvers. Finite elements differ from the geometric elements that Creo Simulate creates for its native P-code solver in that finite elements have a more regular, consistent shape.
For FEM meshes, you can create solid, shell, and bar meshes, or a mesh that incorporates all three element types.
• Reviewing and refining a mesh—After you mesh your model, you can examine the element quality by checking such characteristics as aspect ratio, warp angle, edge angle, skew, and so forth. You can also review more general aspects of the mesh to determine its quality, the connectivity of its nodes, whether it has sufficient granularity, and so forth. If you are not satisfied with the mesh, you can improve it by:
◦ asking the FEM mesher to optimize the mesh
◦ using the information you gathered during your mesh review to create additional mesh controls. With new mesh controls in place, you then remesh the model.