Prismatic Elements
Use the prismatic elements type of AutoGEM control to select regions in your model that you want to mesh with brick and wedge type elements. With this type of control, hexahedral (brick type) and wedge elements are created during meshing of the model. Usually with this method of control the number of elements created is less than when only tetrahedral elements are used. Consequently less solver time is required.
To understand what a mesh with a prismatic elements AutoGEM control looks like see the example topic.
Click Refine Model and then click the arrow next to 
Control. Click 
Prismatic Elements. The Prismatic Elements Control dialog box opens.
Control. Click Prismatic Elements. The Prismatic Elements Control dialog box opens.Specify the following information on the Prismatic Elements Control dialog box:
• Name—Specify the name for the AutoGEM control or use the default name.
• Extrude Direction—Select an axis, a straight edge, a straight curve or a surface to define the extrude direction of a prismatic region. If you select a surface, the extrude direction is normal to the surface. If you select an edge, a curve, or an axis, the extrude direction is along the selection.
• References—Select a component of an assembly or a volume on the model for which you want to create a Prismatic Elements AutoGEM control. For a selected extrude direction you can select multiple components or volumes. You can only select volumes and components that are valid for the selected extrude direction. If you have not already selected the extrude direction you can select any volume or component as a reference.
Return to Controlling an AutoGEM Mesh.