Mesh a CAD model

The quality of the mesh used in your analysis determines the accuracy of your results.

The models you worked with so far have already been meshed, but this is not how a model is imported from a CAD program.

Download the files for this tutorial from Autodesk Knowledge Network - Meshing tutorial.

In this task, you will:

• Import a CAD model
• Generate a mesh on the model.

A Dual-Domain is the imported mesh type that is often selected when the part geometry is shell-like in appearance. A 3D mesh, while often more accurate, has many more elements and so requires more computational time.

1. Ensure the Mesh tutorial project you used in the previous task is active. If it is not already open, click (Start & Learn tab > Launch panel > Open Project) and select Mesh tutorial.

2. Click (Home tab > Import panel > Import).

3. In the Files of type drop-down list, select IGES (*.igs, *iges).

4. Navigate to where you saved your tutorial models.

5. Select Dustpan.IGS and click Open.

6. In the Import dialog, select Dual Domain from the drop down list.

7. Click OK.

8. Select mold12 in the Study Tasks pane.

9. In the Study Tasks pane, double-click Create Mesh.

   The Generate Mesh pane of the Tools tab appears.

10. Ensure the General tab is selected.

11. Note the suggested Global edge length of about 7.3 mm.

12. Click Mesh, to launch the Simulation Compute Manager.

13. In the Simulation Compute Manager, select the solve location, then click Launch.

    The generation of the mesh will take a short time.

14. Rotate and zoom in on the part to examine the mesh.

15. From the Application menu , click (Close > Project). Save each study if you are prompted to do so.

Parent topic: Mesh

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