Use to specify mesh settings.
The following parameters specify the mesh sizing, transition rate, and other general options. Finer meshes take longer to solve (because there are more elements) but produce better results. Coarser meshes solve more quickly, but may produce inaccurate results. An ideal mesh balances quality and performance considerations.
To access the Mesh Settings dialog box, right-click the Mesh browser node and choose Mesh Settings
| Setting | Use | Default | Recommended range, unless required otherwise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Element Size – Solids (% of model size) | Specifies the average element size for solid elements. | 10 % | Between 5 and 10% |
| Minimum Element Size (% of average size) | The mesh size is automatically reduced on small parts and features. This value specifies the lower limit of the element size refinement. This limit is specified relative to the average element size. | 20 % | Between 10 and 20% |
| Maximum Turn Angle | Specifies the maximum angle for arcs. This setting affects the number of elements on curved edges and surfaces. The smaller the angle, the greater the number of elements along a curve. | 60° | Between 30 and 60° |
| Grading Factor | Controls the mesh size transition rate between fine and coarse elements. The grading factor is the maximum ratio of the edge lengths of two adjacent elements. For example, a setting of 1.5 limits element edge lengths to be no more than 1.5 times the edge length of adjacent elements. | 1.5 | Between 1.5 and 3.0 |
| Setting | Use | Default | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create Curved Mesh Elements | Creates meshes with curved edges and faces using higher order elements. When disabled, element edges and faces are straight, which can lead to a less accurate representation of the model when the features are curved. | Activated | Activate for models with curved features, unless the model complexity makes generation of a viable mesh difficult. |
| Use Part Based Measure for Assembly Mesh | When activated, the element length is relative to each part bounding box rather then the assembly bounding box. | Deactivated | Activate when part volumes vary significantly, unless the small features are not too significant or are removed from critical stress regions. |