Creo Simulate > Modeling Structure and Thermal Problems > Meshes > Native Mode Meshes > Controlling an AutoGEM Mesh > Hard Surface Control
  
Hard Surface Control
Use the hard surface type of mesh control to control the distribution of solid elements using internal surfaces in a solid. Internal surfaces are derived from selected individual quilt surfaces, entire multisurface quilts, or datum planes that intersect the solid. The selected surfaces can have internal contours. Hard surface mesh controls are available in FEM and native modes, in 3D models only.
In native mode click Refine Model and then click the arrow next to Control. In FEM mode click Home and then click the arrow next to Control. Click Hard Surface. The Hard Surface Control dialog box opens. Specify the following information on the Hard Surface Control dialog box:
Name—Specify a control name or use the default name.
References—Select individual quilt surfaces, entire multisurface quilts, or datum planes. Portions of the selected surfaces that are inside the solid are the internal surfaces that participate in meshing as hard surfaces. Internal faces of elements are aligned along these internal surfaces. Selected surfaces should not be completely outside the solid but must intersect the solid.
 
* Simulation objects defined on a reference quilt used in a hard surface control are ignored during meshing and analysis run.
Affected Volumes
Volumes—Select only the volumes or assembly components that are affected by the hard surface control. If you do not make a selection, the hard surface control affects meshing in all the components and volumes that are intersected by the selected reference surfaces. If a hard surface mesh control is defined in a component, it affects only its owner components and sub-components. It does not affect components in other branches of the top level assembly.
Hard surface controls take precedence over structured meshes such as prismatic, thin solids, or mapped meshes. If a hard surface control is defined in an area with a structured mesh, the structured mesh is ignored. Hard surface controls are ignored in shell compressed volumes.
You can have multiple hard surface controls in a model. If the internal surfaces created by two hard surface controls intersect each other, meshing fails at the intersection of the boundary elements.
Return to Controlling an AutoGEM Mesh or Controlling a FEM Mesh.