Mesh Control

Mesh control refers to specifying different element sizes at different regions in the model. A smaller element size in a region improves the accuracy of results in that region. You can specify mesh control at vertices, edges, faces, and components.

To access the Mesh Control PropertyManager, right-click the Mesh icon and select Apply Control.

• Selected Entities.

• Faces, Edges, Vertices, Components for Mesh Control . Select the geometric entities to which you want to define mesh controls.

• Show Preview. Turns on/off the display of the mesh control symbols on selected entities.

• Control Parameters.

• Use same element size. Instructs the mesher to uniformly mesh selected components with the element size specified in the Element Size box. This option is available only when defining mesh controls for components.

• Component significance. Instructs the mesher, based on the position of the slider, to use a different element size for each selected component. The left end of the slider corresponds to using the default global element size of the assembly (G). The right end of the slider corresponds to using the default element size if the component is meshed independently (Ci). Click here for more about component significance.

• Element Size . Sets the element size on selected geometric entities.

• Ratio . Sets the ratio of the element size in one layer to the element size in the preceding layer.

• Layers . Sets the number of layers the mesher will use to smoothly change the element size from the value specified on selected entities to the global size specified in the Mesh PropertyManager.

• Symbol Settings.

• Edit Color. Click this button to change the color of mesh control symbols.

• Symbol Size . Use the spin arrows to control the size of the mesh control symbols.

NOTES

• Assuming that the element size used for meshing an entity is (e), the average element size in layers radiating from the entity will be: e, e*r, e*r2, e*r3, ...., e*rn.

• If the calculated average element size of a layer exceeds (E), where (E) is the Global Size , the program uses (E) instead.

• If the specified number of layers (n) is too small for a smooth transition, the program adds more layers automatically.

• The mesh radiates from vertices to edges, from edges to faces, from faces to components, and from a component to connected components.

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