HM Advanced Tutorials

Contact Altair Engineering at:
Web site
FTP site
www.altair.com
ftp.altair.com or ftp2.altair.com or
Address:
http://ftp.altair.com/ftp
Login:
Password:
ftp
<your e-mail address>
Location
Telephone
e-mail
North America
+1 248.614.2425
hwsupport@altair.com
China
+86 (0)21 5393 0011
support@altair.com.cn
France
+33 (0)1 4133 0990
francesupport@altair.com
Germany
+49 (0)7031.6208.22
support@altair.de
India
+91.80. 658. 8540
support@india.altair.com
+91.80. 658. 8542

Italy
+39 800 905 595
support@altairtorino.it
Japan
+81.3.5396.1341
support@altairjp.co.jp
Korea
+82.31.728.8600
support@altair.co.kr
Scandinavia
+46 (0)46.286.2052
support@altair.se
United Kingdom
+44 (0)2476.323.605
support@uk.altair.com
The following countries have distributors for Altair Engineering. See www.altair.com for
complete contact information.
Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Romania, South Korea, Singapore,
Spain, and Taiwan.
2003 Altair Engineering, Inc. All rights reserved.
Altair HyperMesh 6.0 Advanced Tutorials
Trademark and Registered Trademark Acknowledgments:
HyperGraph, HyperMesh, HyperView, and OptiStruct are registered trademarks of Altair
Engineering, Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
hm-tutorials_adv.doc Created on 6/27/03 2:37 PM
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................i
Preface to the HyperMesh Advanced Tutorials................................................1

Organization of the HyperMesh Tutorials .................................................................. 1
Location of files used in the tutorials ......................................................................... 1
Tutorials .................................................................................................................... 1
Introductory Tutorials...........................................................................................................1
Working with Geometry .......................................................................................................1
Meshing ...............................................................................................................................1
Working with solvers ...........................................................................................................2
Post-processing...................................................................................................................3
Customizing.........................................................................................................................3
Working With Geometry Advanced ................................................................5

Defeature Panel - HM-131 ........................................................................................ 5
Remove Trim Lines .............................................................................................................5
Surface Fillets......................................................................................................................5
Edge Fillets..........................................................................................................................7
Trim-Intersect ......................................................................................................................8
Using the Midsurface Generator - HM-320.............................................................. 11

Creating Loads on Geometry - HM-330 .................................................................. 19
Loading a user profile........................................................................................................19
Defining loads and boundary conditions on geometry ......................................................19
Generating a mesh on the geometry.................................................................................24
Mapping the loads from geometry to elements .................................................................25
Exporting to the solver.......................................................................................................26
Modifying the mesh and re-mapping the loads to the new mesh......................................28
Exporting the new model to the solver and saving the HyperMesh model .......................30
Meshing Advanced ........................................................................................33

Automesh/Remesh - HM-136.................................................................................. 33
Remesh elements .............................................................................................................33
Meshing the Surfaces........................................................................................................33
Remesh the Elements .......................................................................................................35
Automesh/Proj to Edge sub-panel - HM-137 ........................................................... 39

Using the Automesh/Proj to Edge sub-panel ....................................................................39
Automeshing Tria Transition Features - HM-140..................................................... 43

Using the Quads Mapped Mesh Element Type and the Smoothing Controls ..................43
Using the Mixed Mapped Mesh Element Type and the Smoothing Controls ...................46
Chordal Deviation Meshing - HM-141 ..................................................................... 49

The Chordal Deviation Options .........................................................................................49
Creating a Mesh Based Only on Element Size .................................................................50
The Maximum Deviation Parameter..................................................................................51
The Maximum Angle Parameter........................................................................................53
The Maximum Element Size Parameter ...........................................................................54
Spotweld - HM-215 ................................................................................................. 55

Using Geom.......................................................................................................................55
Using nodes.......................................................................................................................59
Using elems.......................................................................................................................62
Building Solid Elements - HM-400........................................................................... 67

Solid Map Panel ................................................................................................................67
Elem Offset Panel .............................................................................................................69
Altair Engineering
HyperMesh Basic Tutorials i
Table of Contents
Drag Panel.........................................................................................................................72
Line Drag Panel.................................................................................................................74
Quality Index Mesh Optimization Features - HM - 460.............................................77

Creating Connectors - HM - 470 ..............................................................................81
Creating Connectors by Importing a Master Connections File - HM - 475................91
Using Composites Panel - HM-1300........................................................................97
Assigning the orientation angle to the element card .........................................................97
Assigning an orientation vector to the elements by using a vector ...................................99
Assigning an orientation vector to the elements by using an angle ................................100
Reviewing Ply Directions .................................................................................................100
Using HyperMorph to modify a finite element model - HM - 1400 ..........................101

Morphing process using HyperMorph .............................................................................101
Morphing a 2-dimensional model ....................................................................................102
ii
HyperMesh Basic Tutorials
Altair Engineering
Preface to the HyperMesh Advanced Tutorials

Organization of the HyperMesh Tutorials
HyperMesh tutorials are categorized by function. Within each function the tutorials are separated
into Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced topics where applicable. This volume contains the
advanced tutorials. The remaining tutorials are in the basic tutorials volume.
Location of files used in the tutorials

All files referenced in the HyperMesh tutorials are located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under <altair install>/tutorials/hm/tutorials.
If you do not know the location of the HyperWorks installation directory, contact your systems
administrator.
Tutorials
Introductory Tutorials
Introduction to HyperMesh - HM-110
Working with Geometry

Basic
Geometry Creating and Editing - HM-120
Geometry Clean Up - HM-130
Going from FE to surfaces - HM-160
Advanced
Defeature Panel - HM-131
Using the midsurface generator - HM-320
Creating Loads on Geometry - HM-330
Meshing
Basic
Automeshing Module- HM-135L
Connecting Components - HM-200
Building 1-D Elements - HM-210
Building Surfaces and Shell Meshes - HM-300L
Using the Automatic Tetramesher - HM-450
Altair Engineering
HyperMesh Basic Tutorials 1
Preface to HyperMesh Tutorials
Element Editing: Splitting and Combining Shell Elements - HM-500L

Model Checking - HM-520
Advanced
Automesh/Remesh - HM-136
Automesh/Proj to Edge-HM-137
Automeshing Tria Transition Features - HM-140
Chordal Deviation Meshing - HM-141
Spotweld - Hm-215
Building Solid Elements - HM-400
Quality Index Mesh Optimization Features - HM-460
Creating Connectors - HM-470
Creating Connectors by Importing a Master Connections File - HM-475
Composite Panel - HM-1300
Using HyperMorph to modify a finite element model - HM - 1400
Working with solvers

OptiStruct
Using OptiStruct in HyperMesh - HM-550
NASTRAN
NASTRAN Static Analysis Using HyperMesh - HM-1010-L
ABAQUS
ABAQUS Analysis Using HyperMesh - HM-1020-L
Using ABAQUS Contact Manager for 2D Models - HM-1021
Using ABAQUS Contact Manager for 3D Models - HM-1022
ANSYS
Stress Analysis using ANSYS - HM-1030
HM-ANSYS Contact Wizard 2-D - HM-1031
HM-ANSYS Contact Wizard 3-D - HM-1032
Crash solvers
General Interfacing with Crash Analysis Solvers - HM-1100
Dummy Positioning, Seatbelt Routing, and Control Volumes - HM-1101
LS-DYNA
LS-DYNA3D Interface - HM-1110-L
Altair Engineering
PAM-CRASH
PAM-CRASH Interface - HM-1120-L
RADIOSS
RADIOSS Interface - HM-1130-L
MARC
Modeling Contact for MARC - HM-1050
Modeling a 3-D Example for MARC - HM-1051
Post-processing
Fatigue Panel - HM-630-L
Customizing
Creating a Macro Menu - HM-115
Altair Engineering
Altair Engineering
Working With Geometry Advanced

Defeature Panel - HM-131
The defeature panel, located on the Geom page, provides tools to help remove unwanted
features in geometry, e.g. edge and surface fillets, holes etc. The tools remove features and
create any necessary filler surfaces as a substitution.
Remove trim lines
Remove Pin Holes
Remove surface fillets and make sharp corners using the parameters specified
Remove edge/line fillets using the specified parameters
Trim-Intersect to remove edge fillets by selecting two points of tangency around the fillet
Remove Trim Lines

Remove trim lines can be used to retrieve the original surfaces from which the current surfaces
were trimmed. It can also be used to remove the interior trim lines of a surface. Interior trim lines
are any free edges that are entirely contained within a surfaces boundary.
In this example, we will remove the interior trim lines by specifying one of the lines:
1.
Retrieve the HM database file defeature.hm.
2.
Go to the defeature panel on the Geom page.
3.
Select trim lines sub-panel.
4.
Click the toggle below remove and select interior trim lines.
5.
Click lines and select one of the interior trim lines defining one of the small rectanglular
cut outs on the top center surface. Alternately, click in the lines box and select displayed
from the extended selection menu.
6.
Click untrim to remove the interior trim lines.

Note: The other option under remove is to remove all trim lines. This function allows
you to specify a surface and will return the original, untrimmed surface information.
Depending on the CAD package and method used to create these surfaces, the results of
this operation will vary.
Surface Fillets
This function can be used to remove surface fillets, or fillets between two non-coplanar surfaces.
The rounded fillet surface will be replaced by a planar, tangential extension of the adjacent
surfaces. Fillets may be specified by selecting the fillet profile as a line, or by specifying a surface
and range of fillet radii.
To search the surface fillets by min/max radius:
1.
Retrieve the hm file defeature.hm.
2.
From the geom page, select the defeature panel.
Altair Engineering
Working with Geometry - Advanced

Defeature Panel HM-131
3.
Select the surf fillets sub-panel.
4.
Select the toggle for surfaces to search: and select surfs.
5.
Click in the surfs box and select displayed.
6.
Set the fillet params as follows: Min radius = 5.0; Max radius = 15.000
7.
Click find fillets.
Figure 1: Use the radius parameters of an example fillet profile to identify surface fillets.
Note: At this point, a new sub-panel appears where you can be specific about selecting
the fillet to be removed, fillet ends and edge associativity. Ignore edge association can
be used to verify or modify the selection of edges whose adjacent surface geometry will
be ignored in favor of using the selected fillet surfaces geometry when calculating the
tangent surface. This is commonly used if the adjacent surface has a very high degree of
curvature compared to the fillet, or if the edge in question is a free edge. Fillet ends can
be used to verify or modify fillet ends. Unless a string of fillets makes a complete loop and
closes upon itself, you should see at least two fillet end lines.
8.
Click remove to delete the rounded fillet surfaces and replace them with an intersecting,
planar surface tangent to the fillet surface edge.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure2: After removing surface fillets, adjacent surfaces are extended along the tangent until they
intersect.
Edge Fillets
This option can be used to remove any edge fillets on a free surface edge. HyperMesh can
identify these fillets given a range of fillet radii and a minimum arc angle. Using these filtering
options, you can find the fillets in your model and then remove them.
To remove fillets:
1.
Retrieve the hm file defeature.hm.
2.
Go to geom page and defeature panel.
3.
Go to edge fillets sub-panel.
4.
Click on surfs and select the end surface in the extreme +X and Z direction of the
model. Set the radius and angle values as follows: Min radius = 5.0; Max radius =
15.000; Min angle = 15.000.
5.
Click find. The fillets will be identified with a white F and lines indicating the beginning
and ending points of tangency of the fillets.
Note: By default, any fillets identified are selected for removal. Should you wish not to
remove one of the selected edge fillets, deselect it by clicking the right mouse button.
6.
Click remove to eliminate the fillets by projecting the surface edges from the point of
tangency until they intersect.
Altair Engineering

Figure 3: Use the edge fillet function to identify and remove rounded corners on free-surface edges.
Trim-Intersect
The trim intersect function works like the edge fillet function, except the points of tangency are
specified by clicking on the free-surface edge.
To trim points:
1.
Rotate the model to center the view to the end surface in the most X and Z direction.
2.
Select the trim-intersect sub-panel.
3.
With the blue box highlighting node under 1 edge trim location:, select the trim point
(point of tangency) for one of the edge fillets, as shown in the figure below.
st
Figure 4: Click on points of tangency of the edge fillets to square off rounded corners on free-surface
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
edges.
4.
Select the second point of tangence for this edge fillet.

Note: In this panel, HM is expecting a point to be defined on a surface edge. A
temporary node will be created. After selecting the second point, the trimming and defilleting operation will occur.
5.
Repeat these steps for the remaining free-edge fillets.

Note: Using a size 10 quad plate element, compare the resulting mesh for the
defeatured model to the original model.
6.
Click return to go back to the main menu.
7.
Go to the automesh panel on the 2-D page.
8.
In the create mesh sub-panel, click the surfs box and select all.
9.
Click the toggle next to interactive and select the automatic mode.
10.
Click mesh to generate the mesh.
Figure 5: Size 10 quad plate mesh after defeaturing the part.
Altair Engineering

Figure 6: Size 10 quad plate mesh without defeaturing the part.
Note: In these excersises, we used the functions in the defeature panel to simplify the
geometry of a small part. The remove trim lines function was used to eliminate two
rectangular cut outs on the top surface. The surface fillet function was used to remove
the curved fillets where the top surface transitioned to the sides. Edge fillet and Trimintersect were used to square off the end surfaces. The results of these operations will
yield a more regular, geometric mesh.
10 HyperMesh Basic Tutorials
Altair Engineering
Using the Midsurface Generator - HM-320

Most thin solid parts are modeled using a single layer of shell elements defined at the middle of
the solid part. Instead of solid meshing (a long, tedious process), well save time by creating a
mid-surface to represent the part and when the mid-surface is complete, then well shell mesh it.
This tutorial uses the midsurface generator to create the mid-surface.
View and select the mid-surface:

1.
Load the file midsurface.hm.
Figure 1.
2.
Go to Geom Page/midsurface panel.
3.
Select the Solid sub-panel.
4.
Select all of the surfaces by clicking on one of the surfaces displayed (all of the surfaces
will be selected after you choose a single surface if the select enclosed volume is
checkmarked) and click extract.
5.
Go to the Display panel.
6.
Toggle elems to geoms and turn off the AirFreshener component to view the midsurface.
Altair Engineering

Using the Midsurface Generator HM-320
Figure 2.
7.
Turn on both components and select vis opts 0 and zoom in on one corner of the model.
Figure 3.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Edit mid-surface to repair surface irregularities:
1.
Enter the midsurface/user edit panel and select the assign target sub-panel.
2.
Choose the large orange midsurface.

Yellow and Cyan lines now appear
Figure 4.
The yellow lines represent the surfaces that will be offset, and the cyan lines represent
the offset surfaces. They are connected by red lines which represent the corner targets
(points defining the edge of the surface) that are being offset (see tab area). In this
model, the targets did not automatically snap to the correct positions. This must be fixed
to obtain a correct representation of the part.
Fix the targets:

1.
Select point to offset.
2.
Select one of the points on the yellow line and click remove target.
This removes the dependency of the midsurface on these points.
The red line should disappear at that location.
Altair Engineering
13

Figure 5.
3.
Continue this for all points around this yellow line.
4.
After all of the targets have been removed, click offset.

Notice the cyan line no longer appears. This means this surface will not be offset.
5.
Click accept.
This repairs the large surface.
Manually generating a mid-surface:

1.
Go to the midsurface panel/between surfs sub-panel
2.
Ensure the combine with adjacent plates box is not checkmarked.
3.
Select the top and bottom surfaces that appear below in the side1 and side2 entity
selectors appropriately (the surfaces are shown in gray).
4.
Click extract
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure 6
This creates a midsurface between these two surfaces.
Figure 7
Altair Engineering
15

5.
Toggle the pilot point to is opposite and select the corner points starting with the point to
offset on the yellow line.
The pilot point should reside on the opposite surface corner.
6.
Delete the orange sliver surfaces created while midsurfacing.

These were created because the midsurface generator could not properly define the
tabs.
Project surface edge:

1.
Enter the surface edit panel (Shift+F9) and go to the trim with line option.
2.
Select the large midsurface and the line from the small surface just created.
3.
Toggle the option from along a vector to normal to surface and change the tolerance
to 1.
4.
Click trim.
Figure 8
Combining the two mid-surfaces:

1.
Return to the midsurface/replace edge panel by clicking return.
2.
Select the retained edge as the line that was just trimmed and the edge to move as the
line that was selected for the trim operation.
3.
Enter a cleanup tol of .5 and click replace.

The new midsurface is now created.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure 9
4.
Repeat these operations for the remaining 3 tabs.
Conclusion:
After completing the work on the remaining tabs the part can be meshed.
Altair Engineering
17

Altair Engineering
Creating Loads on Geometry - HM-330

This tutorial explains how to create loads on geometry in HyperMesh, and how to map them to a
mesh. The following exercises are included:
Loading a user profile
Defining loads and boundary conditions on geometry.
Generating a mesh on the geometry
Mapping the loads from geometry to elements
Exporting to the solver
Modifying the mesh and re-mapping the loads to the new mesh
Exporting the new model to the solver and saving the HyperMesh model
The file c-channel0.hm referenced in this tutorial is located in the HyperWorks installation
directory under /tutorials/hm/training/.
administrator for assistance.
Loading a user profile

A set of standard user profiles is included in the HyperMesh installation. They include LS-DYNA,
NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS, OptiStruct, Moldflow, MADYMO, and HyperMesh. User profiles
change the appearance of a panel; they do not affect the internal behavior of each function.
To load the OptiStruct user profile:
1.
Launch HyperMesh.
2.
Click the user prof button from the Geom page.
3.
Select OptiStruct as the profile name and click OK.
Defining loads and boundary conditions on geometry

You can apply loads to geometrical entities in a way similar to the manner in which loads are
applied to mesh by using the following panels on the BCs page: forces, moments, constraints,
pressures, temperatures, flux, velocities, and accels. Retrieve a HyperMesh database, create
three load collectors to collect various boundary conditions (constraints, pressures, and forces),
and apply these boundary conditions to geometric entities in the model.
To read in the initial model file:
1.
Select the files panel.
2.
Select the hm file sub-panel.
3.
Click retrieve and select c-channel0.hm.
4.
Click Open.
Altair Engineering
Working With Geometry - Advanced

Creating Loads on Geometry HM-330
To create three load collectors:
Create three load collectors, constraints, pressure and forces:
1.
Select the collectors panel on any main menu page.
2.
Select the create sub-panel using the radio button on the left-hand side of the panel.
3.
Click the switch next to collector type: and select loadcols from the pop-up menu.
4.
Click name = and enter constraints.
5.
Click color and select Color 2.
6.
Click the creation method: switch and select no card image from the pop-up menu.
7.
Click create.
A new load collector, 'constraints', is created.
8.
Click name = and enter pressure.
9.
10.
Click create.
A new load collector, 'pressure', is created.
11.
Click name = and enter forces.
12.
13.
Click create.
A new load collector, 'forces', is created.
14.
To create constraints on geometry:

Constrain the bottom portion of the c-channel using line data.
Set the current load collector to constraints:
1.
Select the global panel from the permanent menu in the lower-right hand corner of the
HyperMesh window.
2.
Set the page toggle to pg1.
3.
Click loadcol =.
4.
Select constraints from the list of load collectors.

Note constraints now appears after loadcol: on the header bar. This indicates the current
load collector.
5.
Click return to exit the global panel.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Create constraints on lines:
1.
From the BCs page select the constraints panel.
2.
Select the create sub-panel, using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
3.
Click the entity selection switch and select lines from the pop-up menu.
4.
Select the lines defining the bottom portion of the c-channel.

Refer to Figure 1 to see what lines should be selected.
Figure 1: Lines to select for constraints.
5.
After size=, enter the value 1.
6.
Uncheck the box next to label constraints.
7.
Constrain dof1, dof2, dof3, dof4, dof5, and dof6.

Dofs with a check will be constrained while dofs without a check will be free.
Dofs 1, 2, and 3 are x, y, and z translation degrees of freedom.
Dofs 4, 5, and 6 are x, y, and z rotational degrees of freedom.
8.
Click create.
This applies these constraints to the selected lines.
9.
Click return to go to the main menu.
To create pressure loads on geometry:

Create pressure loads on the top surfaces of the c-channel.
Altair Engineering
21

1.
Set your current load collector to pressure in the global panel on the permanent menu.
(see step 1 in previous section)
2.
From the BCs page select the pressures panel.
3.
4.
Click the entity selection switch and select surfaces from the pop-up menu.
5.
In the graphics window, select the three surfaces defining the top of the c-channel.
Refer to Figure 2 to see what surfaces should be selected.
Figure 2: Surfaces to select for pressure loads.
6.
Click magnitude= and enter the value 25 for the force of the pressure.
7.
Toggle the display of the pressures from magnitude % = to uniform size =.
8.
Click size = and enter the value 1.
9.
Uncheck the box next to label loads.
10.
Click create.
This applies these pressure loads to the selected surfaces
11.
To create forces on geometry:

Create forces at the eight corners of the surfaces defining the top of the c-channel.
1.
Set your current load collector to forces in the global panel on the permanent menu.
2.
From the BCs page select the forces panel.
3.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
4.
Click the entity selection switch and select points from the pop-up menu.
5.
In the graphics window, select the eight fixed points defining the corners of the cchannels top surfaces.
Refer to Figure 3 to see what surfaces should be selected.
Figure 3: Points to select to apply forces
6.
Set the coordinate system toggle to global system.
7.
Click the vector definition switch and select uniform size=.
8.
Click uniform size= and enter the value 1.
9.
Uncheck the box next to label loads.
10.
Click magnitude = and enter the value 15.
11.
Click the direction definition switch below magnitude =, and select z-axis from the popup menu.
12.
Click create.
This creates a number of point forces, with the given magnitude in the z-direction, to be
applied to the fixed points selected.
13.
Click return to return to the main menu.

Refer to Figure 4 to review all the boundary conditions that were applied to the c-channel.
Altair Engineering
23

Figure 4: Loading conditions applied to geometry
Generating a mesh on the geometry

To mesh the surfaces:
Use the automeshing module to create a quad dominant mesh. The elements generated will be
organized into their surfaces component collectors to avoid the need of setting current
component collectors.
1.
From the 2D page select the automesh panel.
2.
Select the create mesh sub-panel, using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the
panel.
3.
Click the entity selector switch and select surfs from the pop-up menu.
4.
Click surfs and select displayed from the pop-up selection menu.
5.
Check the box next to reset meshing parameters to.
6.
After element size =, enter the value 0.25.
7.
Set the element type to mixed.
8.
Click the toggle to switch from elements to current comp to elements to surfaces
comp.
This ensures that the elements created go into the corresponding surfaces component
collector.
9.
Click the mode toggle from interactive to automatic.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
In this mode HyperMesh will generate automatically a mesh on the surfaces based on the
element size and the type of elements selected. No further user input is required or can be
defined.
10.
Click mesh.
The automesher should create about 1963 elements on the surfaces.
Refer to Figure 5 to see what the mesh should look like.
Figure 5 Meshed c-channel.
11.
Mapping the loads from geometry to elements

Map the loads from the geometrical entities (to which the geometrical loads are applied) to the
mesh associated with the geometrical entities for the constraints and pressure load collectors.
To map the constraints to the mesh:
1.
From the BCs page select the load on geom panel.
2.
Click loadcols and check the box next to constraints from the list of load collectors.
3.
Click select.
4.
Click Map loads.
Altair Engineering
25

The constraints previously applied to the lines are now also applied to the nodes of the
mesh associated to these lines. These constraints are placed in the same load collector
as the ones applied to the geometry.
5.
To map the pressure loads to the mesh:

1.
2.
Click loadcols and check the box next to pressure from the list of load collectors.
3.
Click select.
4.
Click Map loads.

The pressure loads previously applied to the surfaces are now mapped to the nodes
associated to these surfaces. These pressure loads are placed in the same load collector
as the ones applied to the geometry.
Refer to Figure 6 to see the constraints and pressure loads mapped to the mesh.
Figure 6: Loads mapped to the mesh.
5.
Exporting to the solver

When exporting the model using an feoutput template, only the loads on mesh are exported.
These loads on mesh may have been applied directly to the mesh, mapped from geometry to the
mesh, or both.
The export sub-panel on the files panel allows you to export loads to an ASCII solver-specific file
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
(according to the loaded feoutput template). The loads are exported as mesh loads.
The all/displayed toggle allows you to determine which loads are exported.
If all is selected, all the loads on geometry that have not been mapped (if any), are mapped to
loads on mesh and all the loads on mesh are exported.
If displayed is selected, all the displayed loads on mesh (if any) are exported. All the loads on
mesh associated with the displayed loads on geometry (if any) are exported as well. If any loads
on geometry are displayed and have not been mapped, they will automatically be mapped to
loads on mesh and exported as well.
Use the display panel, disp, on the permanent menu to ensure only the mapped loading
conditions are exported.
To turn off the display of the loads on geometry:
One load collector stores both loads on geometry and loads on mesh. The mesh (or multiple
meshes) is associated with the geometrical entities to which the loads on geometry have been
applied. Each load type is stored in a dedicated section of the same load collector.
The display panel allows separate or simultaneous visualization of loads on mesh and loads on
geometry. Turn off the display of loads applied to the geometric entities to display only the loads
applied to the mesh.
1.
Select the display panel disp from the permanent menu.
2.
Click the upper switch and set the type of collector to loadcols.
3.
Next to loadcols, toggle to geoms to modify the display of the loads applied on
geometry.
4.
Use the right mouse click to uncheck the boxes for constraints, pressure and forces.
5.
To export the file to the solver:

1.
From any page select the files panel.
2.
Select the export sub-panel.
3.
Select the TEMPLATE option.
4.
Click the toggle to displayed.

Since loads applied to geometry were turned off in the disp panel in the previous section,
only the loads mapped previously will be exported using the displayed option in the export
sub-panel.
5.
Click write as and type in a name for the input deck: c-channel.dat.
6.
Click Save.
7.
Click return to exit the panel.
Altair Engineering
27

Modifying the mesh and re-mapping the loads to the new mesh
Loads on geometry allow you to apply loads to geometrical entities and map them to the FE
mesh. This feature can be used for remeshing a model without deleting complicated loads or
boundary conditions. After remeshing loads or boundary conditions that have been applied to
geometrical entities they can be remapped to the new mesh.
To modify the mesh:
1.
From the 2D page select the automesh panel.
2.
Select the create mesh sub-panel, using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the
panel.
3.
Click the entity selector switch and select surfs from the pop-up menu.
4.
Click surfs and select displayed from the pop-up selection menu.
5.
Check the box next to reset meshing parameters to.
6.
After element size =, enter the value 0.5.
7.
Set the element type to mixed.
8.
Click the toggle to switch from elements to current comp to elements to surfaces comp.
This ensures that the elements created go into the corresponding surfaces component
collector.
9.
Click the mode toggle from interactive to automatic.

In this mode, HyperMesh generates automatically a mesh on the surfaces based on the
element size and the type of elements selected. No further user input is required or can be
defined.
10.
Click remesh.
The automesher deletes the existing elements and creates about 488 elements on the
surfaces.
Refer to Figure 7 to see the new mesh.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure 7: New mesh for c-channel.
11.
Click return to go back to the main menu

As you return out of the automesh panel, the previous loads on the mesh disappear since
they are no longer associated to existing elements (the elements were deleted in the remesh
operation).
To map the loads on geometry to the new mesh:

1.
2.
Click loadcols and check the boxes next to constraints , pressure and forces.
3.
Click select.
4.
Click Map loads.

The loading conditions initially defined for the geometric entities are now applied to the new
mesh. The various loading conditions are placed into the same load collector as the
corresponding ones applied to the geometry.
Refer to Figure 8 to see how the loads are mapped to the new mesh.
Altair Engineering
29

Figure 8: Loads mapped to the new mesh
5.
Exporting the new model to the solver and saving the HyperMesh model
HyperMesh sessions can contain loads on mesh that have been applied directly to mesh, loads
on geometry, and also loads on mesh that have been mapped from loads on geometry.
When saving the model as an .hm file, all load types are saved and are retrieved when you open
the .hm file.
To export the constraints and forces load collectors only:
1.
Select the display panel disp from the permanent menu.
2.
Click the upper switch and set the type of collector to loadcols.
3.
Next to loadcols, toggle to elems to modify the display of the loads applied on the mesh.
4.
Use the right mouse click to uncheck the boxes for pressure.
5.
6.
Select the files panel on any page.
7.
Select the export sub-panel.
8.
Select the TEMPLATE option.
9.
Click the toggle to displayed.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
10.
Click write as and type in a name for the input deck: c-channel1.dat.
11.
Click Save.
12.
To save the .hm file and quit HyperMesh:

1.
Select the files panel from any page.
2.
3.
Click save as and type c-channel1.hm.
4.
Click Save.
5.
6.
Click quit to exit HyperMesh.

After you quit HyperMesh you can run the solver using the file that was written from
HyperMesh.
Altair Engineering
31

Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Automesh/Remesh - HM-136
This tutorial demonstrates how to remesh elements using the automesh panel and create mesh
sub-panel. In HyperMesh, you can remesh elements when no geometry exists.
The following exercises are included:
Remesh Elements
Meshing the Surfaces
Remesh the Elements
Remesh elements
In HyperMesh, the automesher has two functional modes: interactive and automatic. Interactive
is the default option. In the create mesh sub-panel, select the surfaces to mesh or remesh, or
select the elements to remesh.
Elements are remeshed with the use of the HyperMesh inferred surface algorithm, if geometry for
the selected elements needs to exist in the model. The inferred surface algorithm interpolates
geometry data from the selected elements in order to create new mesh.
When elements are selected to be remeshed, there is the break connectivity option and the
vertex angle parameter. The break connectivity option detaches the node connectivity
between adjacent selected and unselected elements. This allows you to adjust the node
densities along the boundary of the selected elements. The vertex angle parameter defines the
placement of vertices along the boundary of the selected elements. If the angle between two
adjacent element edges along the boundary is less the specified angle, a vertex is placed at the
meeting point of the two edges. Anchor nodes create the effect of a fixed point on the inferred
surface (which is derived from the existing mesh) and keep the location of the anchor nodes
intact.
In HyperMesh 5.0, the mixed (quads and trias) meshing algorithm can be used on mapped and
unmapped surfaces. The mixed meshing algorithm generates a quad dominant mesh where
transitions between opposing mesh densities are accomplished using tria elements. This
produces mesh patterns that are more regular in appearance.
Figure 1 - The automesh panel
Meshing the Surfaces

To retrieve the HyperMesh Database:
1.
Select the files panel on any main menu page.
2.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Automesh/Remesh HM-136
3.
Retrieve the remesh.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
<altair home>/altair/tutorials/hm/tutorials.
4.
Click return to access the main menu.
Figure 2 - The remesh.hm file
Rotate the model and notice the contours of the surfaces.

To mesh the surfaces:
1.
Select the 2-D page.
2.
Select the automesh panel
3.
Select the create mesh sub-panel.
4.
Click the upper left entity selector switch and select surfs.
5.
From the pop-up menu, select displayed to select all of the surfaces displayed on the
screen.
6.
Click the box preceding reset mesh parameters to: to make this option active.
7.
In the element size = text field, enter 12 and press ENTER.
8.
Click the switch under the element size = button and select mixed.
9.
Click mesh.
The automesh module displays in the main menu area. It consists of density, algorithm,
type, biasing, details, and checks.modules.
10.
Click mesh again to preview the mesh.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure 3 - Surfaces selected and meshed
To check the mesh quality:

1.
Select the checks module.
2.
Click jacobian.
The minimum jacobian of 0.45 displays on the header bar.
3.
Click warpage.
The maximum warpage found of 1.33 displays on the header bar.
4.
Click aspect.
The maximum aspect ratio of 4.09 displays on the header bar.
5.
Click skew.
The maximum skew angle of 63.36 displays on the header bar.
6.
Click return to accept the mesh and return to the automesh panel / create mesh subpanel.
7.
Click return to exit the automesh panel.
Remesh the Elements

To remesh some elements to improve jacobian:
1.
Select the 2D page.
2.
Select the automesh panel.
3.
4.
Click the upper left entity selector switch and select elems.
Altair Engineering
35
Meshing Advanced
5.
Click elems and from the pop-up menu select by window.
6.
Move the mouse over to the graphics area and draw a window around the elements as
shown in Figure 4.
7.
Click remesh.
8.
Click mesh to preview the mesh.

The automesh module will be displayed in the main menu area.
9.
Select the checks sub-panel.
10.
Click jacobian.
11.
Click return to accept the mesh and go back to the automesh panel / create mesh subpanel.
Figure 4 - Elements selected to be remeshed
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure 5 - Selected elements remeshed
To remesh some other elements to improve jacobian:

1.
Select the upper left entity selector switch and select elems.
2.
Click elems and from the pop-up menu select by window.
3.
Bring the mouse over to the graphics area and draw a window around the elements as as
shown in Figure 6.
4.
Click remesh.
The automesh module will be displayed in the main menu area.
5.
Click mesh to preview the mesh.
6.
From the permanent menu, click f next to local view to fit the area being meshed to the
graphics area.
7.
Select the biasing module.
8.
Click adjust edge.
9.
Right click multiple times on the bias value on the lowest boundary edge to change the
value to 2.400. Or drag the mouse over to the bias value on the lowest boundary edge.
Hold down the left mouse key and drag the mouse down to quickly change the value to
2.400.
10.
Click mesh.
11.
Select the checks module.
12.
Click jacobian.
13.
Click return to accept the mesh and go back to the automesh panel / create mesh subpanel.
Altair Engineering
37
Meshing Advanced
14.
Click return to exit the automesh panel.
Figure 6 - Elements selected to be remeshed
Figure 7 - Selected elements remeshed
Altair Engineering
Automesh/Proj to Edge sub-panel - HM-137

The automesh/proj to edge sub-panel is used to project fixed points in the interior of a surface
to the surfaces edge or to multiple surfaces. As a result, when the surface is meshed, the mesh
pattern will look more regular than before. An example of this functionality would be a surface
with interior fixed points that specify weld point locations.
The following exercise is included:
Using the Automesh/Proj to Edge sub-panel
Using the Automesh/Proj to Edge sub-panel

To retrieve the HyperMesh database file:
1.
Select files on the main menu.
2.
3.
Retrieve the file projectedge.hm in the <altair

home>/altair/tutorials/hm/tutorials directory.
4.
Click return.
Figure 1. Proj to Edge
To mesh a surface containing interior fixed points without using the proj to edge subpanel:
1.
Click the 3 button on the vis opts: line on the macro menu to display the surfaces in
shaded topology mode.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Automesh/Proj to Edge HM-137
2.
Select the 2D page.
3.
Select automesh.
4.
Select create mesh.
5.
6.
Drag the mouse over to the graphics area and select the yellow, slender, rectangular
surface as shown in Figure 1 below.
7.
Click the box preceding reset meshing parameters to: to activate this option.
8.
Enter 20 in the field following elem size = and press ENTER.
9.
Click the switch below elem size = and select quads.
10.
Click mesh.
The automesh module displays in the main menu area.
11.
12.
Click abort to return to the automesh panel and not accept the mesh.
Figure 2. Surface meshed without using the automesh / proj to edge sub-panel.
To project the surface's interior fixed points to its edges:

There are three ways to perform this task:
The fixed points can be projected to its edges
The fixed points can be projected onto its surfaces
The fixed points can be projected to multiple surfaces by changing the tolerance values
1.
Select the proj to edge sub-panel.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
2.
Select on surfs option as the method of projection.
3.
Click surfs to make sure it is active.
4.
surface.
5.
In the text field following distance tolerance = type 20 and press ENTER.
6.
In the text field following angle tolerance = type 25 and press ENTER.
7.
Click project.
Note: The distance tolerance and angle tolerance parameters control the creation of
fixed points. If the shortest distance between an edge and an interior fixed point is less
then or equal to the distance tolerance, a fixed point will be created on the edge. If the
angle ABC, formed by an existing fixed point edge (A), the fixed point to-be-created (B)
and the interior fixed point (C), is greater than the angle tolerance, a fixed point will not be
created.
To mesh the surface:

1.
2.
3.
surface.
4.
Click mesh.
5.
6.
Click return to accept the mesh and return to the automesh panel.
Figure 3. Surface meshed after using the automesh / proj to edge sub-panel.
Altair Engineering
41
Meshing Advanced
Altair Engineering
Automeshing Tria Transition Features - HM-140

In this tutorial, create 2-D finite elements to demonstrate the mesh quality produced using the
options on the mesh params sub-panel and automeshing module
Perform the exercises in the following order:
Using the Quads Mapped Mesh Element Type and the Smoothing Controls
Using the Mixed Mapped Mesh Element Type and the Smoothing Controls
under /tutorials/hm/tutorials.
administrator.
Using the Quads Mapped Mesh Element Type and the Smoothing Controls
To retrieve the file for this tutorial:
1.
Retrieve the file tria_trans.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory
under /tutorials/hm/tutorials..
2.
To display the surface IDs:

1.
Select the numbers panel on the Tools page.
2.
Click the input collector switch and select surfs.
3.
Click surfs and select all from the extended entity selection menu.
4.
Click display.
5.
Click on button.
6.
To select the collector type:

1.
Select the global panel on the permanent menu.
2.
Click component = and select quads_size_only.
3.
To set the mesh parameters:

1.
Select the automesh panel on the 2-D page.
2.
Select the mesh params sub-panel.
3.
Click the leftmost toggle and select use size and biasing.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Automeshing Tria Transition Features HM-140
4.
Click elem size = and enter 1.000.
5.
Click the switch under mapped mesh elem type and select quads.
6.
Activate size control and deactivate skew control, if necessary.
To mesh the surface and create elements:

1.
2.
Set the interactive meshing mode using the rightmost toggle.
3.
4.
Click mesh.
5.
Review the densities and click mesh to preview the elements.
6.
Click return.
Note that some of the elements may need to be modified.
7.
Repeat the steps using the quads_skew_only component and the skew option
activated.
8.
Repeat the steps using the quads_size_skew component and the skew and size
options activated.
9.
Compare the elements created with each of the options:
Quads Size Only
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Quads Skew Only
Quads Size and Skew
See Also
Altair Engineering
45
Meshing Advanced
To set the collector type:
1.
Select the global panel on the permanent menu.
2.
Click component = and select mixed_size_only.
3.
To set the mesh parameters:

1.
2.
3.
Click the leftmost toggle and select use size and biasing.
4.
5.
Click the switch under mapped mesh elem type and select mixed.
6.
Activate size control and deactivate skew control, if necessary.
To mesh the surface and create elements:

1.
Click create mesh sub-panel.
2.
Select the interactive sub-panel.
3.
4.
Click mesh.
5.
Review the densities and click mesh to preview the elements.
6.
Click return.
Note that some of the elements may need to be modified.
7.
Repeat the steps using the mixed_skew_only component and the skew option
activated.
8.
Repeat the steps using the mixed_size_skew component and the skew and size
options activated.
9.
Compare the elements created with each of the options:
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Mixed Size Only
Mixed Skew Only
Altair Engineering
47
Meshing Advanced
Mixed Size and Skew
Altair Engineering
Chordal Deviation Meshing - HM-141

This tutorial explains the effects of the chordal deviation parameters in the automesh panel.
Chordal deviation is a meshing algorithm that allows HyperMesh to automatically vary node
densities and biasing along curved surface edges to gain a more accurate representation of the
surface being meshed.
Since each procedure builds on the preceding section, you should start with the first exercise and
continue doing the exercises in the following order:
The Chordal Deviation Options
Creating a Mesh Based Only on Element Size
The Maximum Deviation Parameter
The Maximum Angle Parameter
The Maximum Element Size Parameter
administrator.
See Also
Automeshing Module - HM-135L
The Chordal Deviation Options

The chordal deviation options are located on the mesh params sub-panel of the automesh
panel. By default, meshing a surface ignores all settings in the mesh params sub-panel. To
include the mesh parameter settings, set the element size = toggle to use mesh params in the
create mesh sub-panel of the automesh panel.
The mesh params sub-panel is divided into two halves. The left half contains the options for
chordal deviation meshing. The right half contains options for the tria transition meshing
algorithm described in tutorial HM-140-L.
use size and biasing / use

chordal deviation toggle
Used to activate or deactivate chordal deviation meshing.

use size and biasing arranges the nodes that lie on the
surface edges equidistant from each other and at a spacing
approximately equal to the specified element size.
use chordal deviation automatically adjusts the surface edge
densities and biasing values based on the specified chordal
deviation criteria discussed below.
For more information on using the automesh panel with the
use size and biasing option, please see tutorial HM-135-L
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Chordal Deviation Meshing HM-141
min elem size and max elem

size
Controls the nodal densities along surface edges.

The largest distance between two nodes is the max elem
size.
The smallest distance between two nodes is the min elem
size.
The element size parameters take precedence over all other
chordal deviation parameters.
max deviation
Defines the maximum allowable distance between an edge of

the surface being meshed and an element edge.
max angle
Defines the maximum allowable angle between two element

edges.
The chordal deviation parameters are also available in the density sub-panel of the
automeshing module.
See Also

In this tutorial, create a mesh using only element size, not the chordal deviation meshing
parameters. Compare the mesh created in this tutorial with those created in the following
tutorials, which use the chordal deviation mesh parameters:
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
1.
Retrieve the file chordal_dev.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory
2.
To set the mesh parameters and create the mesh:

1.
2.
3.
Set the meshing mode to automatic using the rightmost toggle.
4.
Activate reset meshing parameters to:.
5.
6.
Click the lowest toggle and select elements to surfaces comp.
7.
Click surfs and select by collector from the extended entity selection menu.
HyperMesh goes to the display panel.
8.
Select use size from the component list.
9.
Click select.
10.
Click mesh to create the mesh.
11.
Click return.
View of the completed mesh for this exercise.
See Also

In this tutorial, mesh a set of surfaces using the maximum deviation parameter to control the
element densities and biasing.
Altair Engineering
51
Meshing Advanced
To set the chordal deviation parameters:
1.
2.
Click the upper toggle and select use mesh params.

HyperMesh now uses the settings in the mesh params sub-panel.
3.
4.
Click the leftmost toggle and select use chordal deviation.
5.
Click min elem size = and enter 1.000.

NOTE
You can cycle through the parameter settings by

pressing the TAB key after typing in a value.
6.
Set max elem size = to 15.000.
7.
Set max deviation = to 0.500.
8.
Set max angle = to 90.000 for the maximum angle parameter to be neglected.
To create the mesh:

1.
2.
Select the automatic mode on the create mesh sub-panel.
3.
4.
Select deviation ctrl from the component list.
5.
Click select.
6.
7.
Click return to access the automesh sub-panel.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
See Also

In this tutorial, use the same chordal deviation settings from the previous tutorial, but reduce the
maximum angle parameter to compare the effects.
1.
2.
3.
Click min elem size = and enter 1.000

NOTE

4.
Set max elem size = to 15.000
5.
Set max deviation = to 0.500
6.
Set max angle = to 20.000
To create the mesh:

1.
2.
3.
Select angle ctrl from the component list.
4.
Click select.
5.
Altair Engineering
53
Meshing Advanced
See Also

In this tutorial, use the same chordal deviation parameters from the previous exercise except for
the maximum element size parameter. The maximum element size parameter is increased to
allow the algorithm to create larger and fewer elements along planer and less curved surface
edges.
1.
2.
3.
Click min elem size = and enter 1.000.

NOTE

4.
Set max elem size = to 30.000.
5.
Set max deviation = to 0.500.
6.
Set max angle = to 20.000.
To create the mesh:

1.
2.
3.
Select max size ctrl from the component list.
4.
Click select.
5.
Altair Engineering
Spotweld - HM-215
The first part of this tutorial demonstrates three different ways to create spotwelds or 1D elements
in spotweld panel:
Using geom
Using nodes
Using elems
Using geom option creates 1D elements when surface geometry is available. Using nodes
option creates spotwelds or 1D elements between two nodes or two node sets. It is often used to
connect two finite element parts. Using elems options creates spotwelds or 1D elements
between two element sets. Different from using node options, the 1D elements generated in this
way are not necessary keeping the connectivity between two parts.
The second part of this tutorial demonstrates the use of spotweld input translator in conjunction
with spotweld panel.
Using Geom
Using geom sub-panel creates 1D element among surface geometry. It is further divided into
two options: surfs-surfs and lines-surfs. The surfs-surfs sub-panel is intended to project a
number of spot weld (or any 1D element type) locations defined by either points or nodes onto a
large number of surfaces within the search tolerance of the identified location. When two or more
surface intersections are found for a given location, fixed points are added to the intersected
surfaces, nodes are created at these fixed points, and FE 1D elements are created between
nodes. During the element creation, an option property can be assigned to the 1D elements and
an optional set of local coordinate systems aligned with the 1D elements axis can be created.
The ind surf options allows you to pick individual surfaces defining the independent and
dependent regions.
Figure1
The second option in this sub-panel, lines-surfs, has the same functionality as surfs-surfs
except the 1D elements are created between a group of lines and a set of surfaces. Two options
are given in choosing the line: lines and line list. When lines option is chosen, each line is
treated independently. This results in elements being located at beginning and end of each line
with the remainder of the 1D elements being spaced evenly along the length of each individual
line. If the line list option is chosen, all of the selected lines are combined head to tail in the
order they are selected, and are treated as a single line. The density/spacing option indicates the
number or spacing of 1D elements along the line or a set distance between the weld elements to
be created along the line or lines.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Figure2
Retrieve and prepare the file for this tutorial:

1.
Retrieve the file spotweld_geom.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation

directory under <altair home>/altair/tutorials/hm/tutorials/.
2.
Figure 3
3.
Go to option/modeling sub-panel located at permanent menu.
4.
Check the box in front of element handle to turn on the element handles.
5.
In the cleanup tol = field, enter 0.5.
6.
Switch template labels (type) to HM labels (config).
7.
Click return to exit option panel.
8.
Go to geom clean up located on the geom page.
9.
Enter edges/equivalence sub-panel, click surfs, choose all, then click equivalence.
10.
11.
Save the file as spotweld_step1.hm.
12.
Click return to access main menu.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Create 1D element using surfs-surfs option:
1.
Retrieve spotweld_step1.hm in the file panel.
2.
Go to geom clean up located on the geom page.
3.
Enter edges/(un)suppress sub-panel, click lines, choose all, and click suppress.
4.
Click on spotweld panel located at 1D page. The default setting is using geom subpanel with surfs-surfs option.
5.
Click return.
6.
Click surfs and select all.
7.
Click on the switch under the weld location and choose points.
8.
Click on points again to bring up extended entity selection window. Choose points by
collector, select component collector named Points, and click select.
9.
In the search tolerance = field, enter 1.0.
10.
Click create. Note each element has its own local coordinate system.
Figure 4
Create 1D element using lines-surfs option:

1.
Retrieve spotweld_step1.hm saved earlier in the files panel.
2.
Altair Engineering
57
Meshing Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
3.
Enter spotweld /1D sub-panel. Choose lines-surfs option.
4.
Click the switch in front of all surfs to choose ind surfs. Now the user can specify the
independent surfaces and dependent surfaces through this option.
5.
Activative the surfs button next to ind surf. Choose the surface belonged to lvl9
component (blue component) by clicking the surface in the window area.
6.
Click the surfs button next to dep:. Choose the upper flange belong to lvl7 component
(orange component) by clicking these four surfaces in the window area.
7.
Change to without system by clicking the switch in front of build system.
8.
In the spacing = field, enter 20.
9.
In the search tolerance = field, enter 10.
10.
Highlight the lines button, choose the middle lines of the upper flange.
11.
Click create.
Note: The weld will be created between two ends of each line with weld equally spread
along the line based on the specified spacing. Welds will not be created if the separation
between ind surfs and dep surfs is larger than search tolerance (shown in the left part
of Figure 5).
Figure 5
12.
Click reject button.
13.
Now change the lines to line list.
14.
Select the same lines described in step 10.
15.
Click create.
Note: There is no weld created at the connection of these two selected line since
HyperMesh considers these two lines as a single line in this case to create the welds.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Figure 6
16.
Click reject button again.
17.
Click the toggle in front of spacing to use the density option.
18.
In the density = field, enter 10.
19.
Change line list to lines option.
20.
Select the same lines as step 10.
21.
Click create.
Note: 10 welds are created in the long line. Due to the distance between two parts,
there are only 4 welds created in the short line.
Figure 7
Using nodes
This sub-panel is used to create 1D elements between nodes. It is further divided into two
options: node-node and nodes-nodes. Node-node option creates one 1D element at a time.
Nodes-nodes option creates multiple 1D elements at a time by specifying the nodes on the
independent FE shell mesh, and a set of possible dependent nodes on the dependent FE shell
mesh. This option will find the best pairing of the independent and dependent nodes within the
search tolerance and create 1D elements between them.
The move dep node option can be activated to move the dependent node and create a 1D
element normal to the surface formed by the elements attached to the independent node. This
relocation can occur either with or without pre-existing geometrical surfaces defining the
dependent surface. With the move dep node option activated, the remesh dep region option
is available to remesh the dependent region if the quality of mesh is not acceptable.
Altair Engineering
59
Meshing Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Figure 8
Retrieve and prepare the file for this tutorial:

1.
Retrieve the file spotweld_node.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation

directory under <altair home>/altair/tutorials/hm/.
2.
Click view located at permanent menu. Choose right.
3.
Figure 9
Create 1D elements using nodes-nodes option:

1.
Enter spotweld panel located at 1D page.
2.
Click using nodes to activate using nodes sub-panel.
3.
Click nodes-nodes button.
4.
Activate the nodes box next to indep. Click the nodes in the window area as shown in
Figure 10.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Figure 10
5.
Activate the nodes box next to dep:. Click the nodes box again to bring up the entity
selection window, click by collector, and select the big_flange component collector.
6.
7.
Click create. Created welds are shown in Figure 11.
Figure 11
8.
Click reject.
9.
Check the box in front of move dep nodes option. Note the remesh dep region is
available now.
Altair Engineering
61
Meshing Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
10.
Click create. Created welds are shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12
11.
Click reject.
12.
Check the box in front of remesh dep region.
13.
Click create. The welds created in this option are shown in Figure 13.
Figure 13
Using elems
Using elems sub-panel is used to create 1D elements between elements. It is intended to
connect two or more finite element models at specific weld locations that are not necessary on
the node of the elements. Therefore the 1D elements created in this way are not necessarily
connected to the FE shell elements. When nodes or points are selected, HyperMesh will first
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
duplicate the selected nodes or points, project these duplicated nodes or points to the inferred
surfaces created by these two element sets, then create 1D elements between the projected
points. The ind elems option allows you to pick individual elements defining the independent and
dependent regions.
Retrieve the file for this exercise:
1.
Retrieve the file spotweld_elem_new.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation

2.
Click Return.
Create 1D elements:
1.
From the 1D page, enter spotweld/using elems sub-panel.
2.
Click the switch under the weld location and choose nodes.
3.
Select the nodes belonging to component surf1(blue component).
4.
Highlight elems box. Click elems and choose all.
5.
6.
Switch build system to without system.
7.
Click create. Four weld elements are created. Note these 1D welds are not connected
to the shell elements.
Figure 14
Importing weld data to existing model:

Spotweld data in ASCII format can be imported to HyperMesh through an fe input translator.
The supported formats include Element ID, spotweld locaton, Connector part Ids. Each weld
location is stored in HyperMesh as a free point. Based on whether the welds connect two,
three, or four parts (2t, 3t, 4t), different component collectors are generated to store these welds
Altair Engineering
63
Meshing Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
respectively (named Master weld points_2t, Master weld points_3t, or Master weld point_4t).
Once the weld point is imported to the model, the welds can be generated from spotweld panel.
Retrieve the file for this exercise:
1.
Retrieve the file spotweld_elem_new.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation

Import weld data:

1.
Go to the import sub-panel.
2.
Click WELD, and set the translator to spotweld.
3.
Import the file spotweld_point.txt.
4.
Click return to access main menu.
5.
Click display panel located at permanent menu. A new component, Master Weld
points_2t containing 7 free points is created.
Create welds between sheel elements on the imported welds:

1.
Enter spotweld/using elems sub-panel located at 1D page.
2.
Switch weld location option from nodes to points.
3.
Click point, choose by collector, and select component named Master weld points_2t.
4.
Highlight elems box. Click elems and choose all.
5.
6.
Switch build system to without system.
7.
Click create. Note these welds are not connected to the dependent shell elements.
Figure 15
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Create welds between surfaces on the imported weld points:
1.
Still in the spotweld panel, click reject.
2.
Click F2 function key to delete panel. Delete all the elements.
3.
Click Esc key to return to spotweld panel.
4.
Choose using geom sub-panel and choose surfs-surfs option.
5.
Click surfs, choose displayed.
6.
7.
Click point, choose by collector, and select component named Master weld points_2t.
8.
Click create. Note the fixed points are created between the welds and the surfaces.
Figure 16
Altair Engineering
65
Meshing Advanced
Spotweld HM-215
Altair Engineering

This tutorial demonstrates how to build solid elements using the following panels:
The solid map panel
The elem offset panel
The drag panel
The line drag panel
under /tutorials/hm/tutorials/.
administrator.
Solid Map Panel

In this tutorial, use the solid map panel to create solid elements by first extruding an existing 2-D
element mesh, then mapping the extruded mesh into a volume.
1.
2.
3.
Retrieve the solidmap.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
/tutorials/hm/tutorials/.
4.
Click return to exit the files panel.
The solidmap.hm file
To create a new collector for the new solid elements:

1.
Select the collectors panel on any main menu page.
2.
Select the create sub-panel.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
3.
Click the switch after collector type: and select comps as the type of collector you want
to create.
4.
Click name = and type sldelems (or a name of your choice).

Collector names are limited to 32 characters.
5.
Click color to display the pop-up menu of color choices.
6.
Select Color 5.
7.
Click create.
8.
Click return.
To create solid elements using the solid map panel:

1.
Select the solid map panel on the 3-D page.
2.
Select the both sub-panel.
3.
Click the input collector switch by source: and select surfs.

This specifies the source surface.
4.
Pick surface A in the graphics area.

The surface is highlighted when selected.
5.
Click the input collector switch by end: and select surfs.

This specifies the end surface.
6.
Pick surface B in the graphics area.

The surface is highlighted when selected.
7.
Click the input collector switch by along: and select surfs.

The input collector displays surf list. This specifies the along surface.
8.
Pick the three surfaces between the source and end surfaces in the graphics area.
Hold the left mouse button and move the cursor in the graphics area to highlight the
surfaces. Release the left mouse button to select the highlighted surface.
9.
Click surf list.

The along surfaces you selected are highlighted in sequence.
10.
Click elems and select displayed from the extended entity selection menu.
This specifies which elements to drag. The plate elements on surface A are displayed.
11.
Click density = and enter 10 to indicate the number of rows of elements you want to
create between source surface A and end surface B.
12.
Click mesh.
The header bar gives status messages as the elements are generated.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
When finished, the model contains ten rows of elements that begin at surface A and end
at surface B. The new solid elements follow the contour of the specified along surfaces.
The hole in the center of the original shell element mesh is propagated through the solid
element mesh.
13.
Click return to exit the solid map panel.
To view the model in hidden line mode:

1.
Press the function key F1 to access the hidden line menu, or select the hidden line
panel on the Post page.
2.
Click fill plot.
The model in hidden line mode
3.
Click return.
Elem Offset Panel

In this tutorial, use the elem offset panel to create solid elements by extruding an existing 2-D
mesh in the direction of the element normals.
1.
2.
3.
Retrieve the bumper.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
4.
Altair Engineering
69
Meshing Advanced
The bumper.hm file
To change the performance graphics mode and view the model in hidden line mode:
1.
From the macro menu under Disp, on the gfx line, click Per.
2.
Select the vis panel on the permanent menu.
3.
Click the Hidden Line with Mesh Lines icon,
4.
Click all.
5.
Click return twice to access the main menu.
To orient the element normals in the same direction:

1.
Select the normals panel on the Tool page.
2.
Select the elements sub-panel.
3.
Click the switch and select comps.
4.
Click comps again and select end2 and mid2 as the component collectors.
5.
Click return.
6.
Click size = and enter 10 for the size of the normal vectors to be displayed.
7.
Click display normals to show the element normals directions.
8.
Click elem under orientation:.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
9.
From the graphics area, pick any element in the cyan colored collector end2.
10.
Click adjust normals.

The normals of the elements in the green collector, mid2, are the same as the elements
in cyan collector, end2.
11.
To create solid elements using the elem offset panel:

1.
Select the elem offset panel on the 3-D page of the main menu.
2.
Click elems and select by config from the extended entity selection menu.
3.
Click config = and select quad4 from the pop-up menu.
4.
Click select entities.
5.
Click elems and select by config from the extended entity selection menu.
6.
Click config = and select tria3 from the pop-up menu.
7.
Click select entities.
This selection method can be used to select elements of more than one type in a model.
1.
Click number of layers = and enter 3 for the number of rows of elements you want to
create.
2.
Click total thickness = and enter 5 for the total thickness of the elements you want to
create.
3.
Click offset + to create the solid elements.
4.
Click z on the permanent menu and use the left mouse button to draw a circle around the
right side of the bumper.
Model with solid elements created from faces of shell elements
Altair Engineering
71
Meshing Advanced
NOTE
The solid elements that have been created are extruded from the faces of
the original shell elements. In some cases, the shell elements may have
been modeled at the mid-plane of the solid elements you want to create.
5.
Click reject to reject the solid elements.
6.
Click offset = and enter 2.5 as the starting position for the solid elements.
7.
Click offset to create the solid elements.
Model created with solid elements from shell elements shown at mid-plane
NOTE
8.
The solid elements that have been created start at a

distance of 2.5 behind the shell elements with a total solid
thickness of 5.
Click return to exit the elem offset panel.
Drag Panel
In this tutorial, use the drag panel to create solid elements with a linear bias by extruding an
existing mesh of 2-D elements.
1.
2.
3.
Retrieve the drag.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
4.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
The drag.hm file.
To create solid elements using the drag panel:

1.
Select the drag panel on the 3-D page.
2.
Select the drag elems sub-panel.
3.
4.
Click the plane and vector collector switch and select N1, N2, N3.
5.
Click N1.
6.
Pick any three nodes on the model.

This defines a plane and normal vector from which HyperMesh creates the solid
elements.
7.
Click the toggle and select distance =.
8.
Click distance = and enter 100 for the total thickness of elements you want to create.
9.
Click on drag = and enter 20 for the number of rows of solid elements you want to
create.
10.
Click bias intensity = and enter 10 for the intensity.
11.
Click drag.
The solid elements are created.
12.
Click return to exit the drag panel.
To view the model in hidden line mode:

1.
Press the function key F1 to access the hidden line menu, or select the hidden line
panel on the Post page.
Altair Engineering
73
Meshing Advanced
2.
Click fill plot.
3.
Click z on the permanent menu and use the left mouse button to draw a circle around the
right side of the bumper.
NOTE Each row of elements gets progressively thicker due to the linear bias.
Experiment with the exponential and bellcurve bias styles.
4.
Line Drag Panel

In this tutorial, use the line drag panel to create solid elements by extruding an existing mesh of
2-D elements along more than one non-linear line.
1.
2.
3.
Retrieve the linedrag.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
4.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
The linedrag.hm file
To change the performance graphics mode and view the model in hidden line mode:
1.
From the macro menu, under Disp, on the Gfx line, click Per.
2.
Select the vis panel on the permanent menu.
3.
Click the Hidden Line with Mesh Lines icon,
4.
Click all.
5.
Click return twice to access the main menu.
To create the solid elements using the line drag panel:

1.
Select the line drag panel on the 3-D page.
2.
Select the drag elems sub-panel.
3.
This selects the shell elements that define the section of the solid mesh you want to
create.
4.
Click line list next to along:.
5.
Pick the two lines that define the helical spring from the graphics area.
Hold the left mouse button and move the cursor in the graphics area to highlight each
line. Release the left mouse button to select each highlighted line.
6.
Click on drag = and enter 200 for the number of rows of solid elements you want to
create.
Altair Engineering
75
Meshing Advanced
7.
Click drag to create the mesh.

The header bar displays status messages as the elements are created.
Model with solid elements created
8.
Click reject to reject the solid mesh that was created.
9.
Practice by clicking the use default vector toggle and selecting specify vector. Also,
define a bias style: and a value for bias intensity =
NOTE
If you select specify vector, use the plane and vector collector to select the
orientation vector.
For more information on the biasing options, refer to the Element Biasing section in
the Automatic Mesh Generation chapter of the Users Manual.
10.
Click drag to create a new solid mesh based on the changes made.
11.
Click return to accept the new solid mesh and access the main menu.
Altair Engineering
Quality Index Mesh Optimization Features - HM - 460

HyperMesh 6.0 has a new set of features designed to help you achieve good element quality
more efficiently. These features use settings from the qualityindex panel to generate or modify a
mesh. This allows HyperMesh to give results that account for your preferences for which element
quality checks are more or less important than others. The new quality index (Q.I.) optimization
features are found in the automesh, smooth, and qualityindex panels. These functionalities
can be used separately or in unison.
Prepare the file for the tutorial:

1.
Open the planar.hm file from the /tutorials/hm/tutorials directory.
2.
Generate a mesh on the part.

-
From the 2D page go to the automesh panel.
Make sure you are on the create mesh sub-panel.
Select the surface in the graphics area.
Check the box for reset meshing parameters to:.
Enter a value of 15 in the elem size= field.
Set the type to quads.
Set the meshing mode to automatic.
Click mesh. The mesh should be generated.
Click return to exit from the automesh panel.
3.
Load the quality index criteria settings to be used.

-
From the 2D page go to the qualityindex panel.
Make sure that the panel is set on criteria instead of results.
Go to page 3 (pg3) of the criteria.
Click the load button next to the field for criteria file:.
Open the QI_meshing_tutorial_criteria file from the

/tutorials/hm/tutorials directory.
This loads the element quality criteria we will be using for this tutorial. If you scroll
through the different pages of criteria, you should see different values entered in the
fields from what you saw before. Also, the highlighting of elements in the graphics area
should change. This is because the elements are being judged according to the new
criteria we just loaded. For a complete explanation of the qualityindex panel, see the
on-line help under qualityindex.
Working with node and element quality optimization:

Within the qualityindex panel, there are functions that allow the user to select individual nodes or
elements, and then alters the position or shape of the node/element to optimize the element
quality for the surrounding elements. The element qualities are optimized according to the
settings in the qualityindex panel. These features are very useful for improving element qualities
in local areas of the mesh.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Quality index Mesh Optimization - HM - 460
4.
While still in the qualityindex panel, toggle the button labeled criteria to results.
On the right-hand side of the panel, note the value for comp. Q.I.=. Currently, it should
read 875.15. We will keep this number in mind so that we can judge how much progress
we make in improving the element quality.
5.
Switch the button labeled view to optimize.
6.
Experiment with the node optimize function.

-
The button labeled node optimize should already be highlighted. Selecting a node while
this button is highlighted optimizes the location of the node to improve the quality of the
surrounding elements.
Try selecting some of the nodes on the mesh. In particular, select nodes of elements that
are highlighted red, since these have the worst quality. You should see each node move
as it is selected, improving the surrounding mesh quality.
Notice what happens to the value of the comp. Q.I. It should improve as you select more
nodes.
7.
Experiment with the element optimize function.

-
Click the button labeled element optimize. Selecting an element while this button is
highlighted optimizes the location of the elements nodes to improve the quality of the
element. It also considers the quality of the surrounding elements.
Try selecting some of the elements on the mesh. In particular, select elements that are
highlighted red, since these have the worst quality. You should usually see the shape of
the element change as it is selected, improving the surrounding mesh quality.
Notice what happens to the value of the comp. Q.I. It should improve as you select more
elements.
8.
Click return to exit from the qualityindex panel.
Reset the part by remeshing:

At this point, we need to regenerate the original mesh so we can try fixing the element quality
using a different method. The new method is to use the smooth panel. Regenerating the
original mesh allows us to compare the smooth functionality to the node and element optimization
used in the previous section.
1.
From the 2D page go to the automesh panel.
2.
Make sure you are on the create sub-panel.
3.
4.
Make sure the panel has the following settings:
5.
The check-box for reset meshing parameters to: is checked on.
The elem size= field has a value of 15.
The type is set to quads.
The meshing mode is set to automatic.

Click the remesh button.
The mesh should be regenerated.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
6.
Using Q.I. optimization smoothing:

The smooth panel also has quality index optimization features. Using this allows you to adjust
the element quality according to the settings in the qualityindex panel for an entire group of
selected elements.
1.
From the 2D page, go to the smooth panel.
2.
Make sure you are on the plates sub-panel.
3.
Click the elems button next to smooth:.
4.
Select displayed from the extended entity selection menu.
5.
Switch the algorithm to QI optimization. (By default, the button should be set to
autodecide.)
6.
There are several optional controls you should understand, but are not needed for this
tutorial:
7.
target quality index =
Specify a number for the value you would like the quality index
to be after the smoothing operation. This value is not
guaranteed from smoothing. The smooth operation will
attempt to hit this target.
time limit
The check-box for can be checked on or off. For this model, a

time limit doesnt matter very much. However, if you are
working with a large model, you may want to check this box on
to ensure the smoothing routine doesnt take more time than
you want to allow.
feature angle =
The smooth panel looks at the angle between the normals of

two adjacent elements. If this angle is equal or greater than
the value specified in this field, it will not allow the nodes
shared by the elements to move.
use criteria in QI panel can be left alone in this case. You could toggle it to QI criteria
file, allowing you to select and use a criteria file for your Q.I.
settings. Since, we specified a criteria file at the beginning of
this tutorial, we can leave this option alone.
recursive optimization procedure

can be left alone in this case. You could
optionally toggle this to single optimization step. Using the
recursive optimization procedure allows the automesher to
take more than one pass in generating the best quality mesh it
can. However, this can take longer than single optimization
step, so you might want to use single optimization step for
larger models.
Click the smooth button.
Once HyperMesh has run the routine, you should see a message saying result
approximate quality index = X. Compare this to 875.15, which is the quality index
value we got after creating the original mesh. In this case you should see that it is
significantly lower, which tells us that the element quality is much better.
8.
Click return to exit from the smooth panel.
Altair Engineering
79
Meshing Advanced
Using the Q.I. settings in the automesh panel:

The automesh panel is capable of using quality index settings to automatically decide what
pattern of mesh it should generate.
1.
From the 2D page, go to the automesh panel.
2.
Make sure you are on the create sub-panel.
3.
4.
Make sure the panel has the following settings:

-
The check-box for reset meshing parameters to: is checked on.
The elem size= field has a value of 15.
The type is set to quads.
5.
Change the meshing mode from automatic to QI optimized.

Like the smooth panel, the QI optimized meshing mode of the automesh panel has
some controls of which you should be aware. They are, however, not needed in this
tutorial.
-
use criteria in QI panel can be left alone here. You could toggle it to QI criteria file,
allowing you to select and use a criteria file for your Q.I. settings. Since a criteria file has
already been specified at the beginning of this tutorial, this option can be ignored.
Smooth across common edges determines whether nodes generated on a surface

edge can be moved off the surface edge when the algorithm smoothes the mesh.
feature angle < works in conjunction with smooth across common edges. If the angle
between the normals of the surfaces sharing the edge are equal to or greater than this
value, the nodes along the edge will not be moved during smoothing. This is true even
when the smooth across common edges is checked on.
time limit: sets the maximum time that the automesher is allowed take in generating the
mesh. Turning this option on can be useful for large models to limit the time you are
willing to allocate. However, this might not allow the automesher to arrive at the absolute
best element quality.
6.
Click the remesh button.

The mesh should be regenerated.
7.
8.
Check the quality index of the mesh to compare it to the previous mesh.
-
Go to the qualityindex panel.
Make sure the panel is set on results instead of criteria.
Look at the value for the comp. Q.I.= field. It should be 351.22, which is much lower that
the 875.15 value of the mesh we originally generated.
Altair Engineering
Creating Connectors - HM - 470

This tutorial demonstrates how to use connectors panel in the 1-D page to create connections
between components. Connections can be created on FE entities or geometric entities. The
following sections explain:
Creating connectors by selecting nodes on elements (Selecting nodes on elements is a
new feature in Hypermesh 6.0) defining the components that need to be connected.
Creating connectors without defining the components and later updating the component
list using add links panel.
Creating connectors on geometric entities such as lines.
The model used in this tutorial is shown in figure 1.
Figure 1: Model used to build Connectors

1.
Select the files panel from any main menu page.
2.
3.
Click the retrieve ... button to bring up a file browser.
4.
Browse and select the connectors1.hm file, located in the installation directory under
altair/tutorials/hm/tutorials/.
5.
Click Open to open the file.
6.
To create new collectors:

Like any other HyperMesh entity, connectors are stored in the working collector when they are
created. To avoid confusion, it is advisable to create new collectors thereby storing different sets
of welds in different collectors.
The steps below explain the procedure to create two different collectors to store two-thickness
welds (2t) and three-thickness (3t) welds separately.
1.
Select collectors from any main menu page.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
2.
3.
Click the switch at the top select comps.
4.
Click name = and enter Conn_2T.
5.
Click the button that says color and select from the available 16 colors.
6.
Click create.
7.
Repeat steps 4 through 6 for collectors named Conn_3T and Conn_Lines.
8.
Click the global button on the permanent menu and set the working collector to
Conn_2T.
9.
Click return.
10.
Turn on performance graphics. (Macro menu/Gfx:/Per)
To create connectors by selecting nodes on elements using now comps option:

1.
Click disp in the permanent menu and turn off Top.

This allows selection of nodes on the Middle component.
2.
On the 1D page, click connectors to go to the connectors panel.
3.
Click create to go to the create panel.

Figure 2 shows a picture of the create panel for connectors.
Figure 2: Create Connectors Panel
Select nodes where you want welds attached. In this section, select any number of nodes in a
line following these instructions.
4.
Click the switch next to location: and select nodes.
5.
Click and hold the left mouse button, move it slightly until the cursor turns to a square.
6.
Then select any element on the Middle component in the display.

Any selected element is highlighted.
7.
When the element you want is highlighted, release the left mouse button and then click
the element again to put a node on the element.
8.
Click additional elements until a few nodes have been placed on the middle surface.
9.
Click the switch next to connect when: and select now. This selection determines when
the entities to be connected are defined.
The panel changes to include more options.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
10.
Click the switch next to connect what: and select comps.

This selection determines the kinds of entities and what entities are connected.
11.
Click comps again and select the Top and Middle components and click return.
12.
Click the toggle next to comps and toggle it to elems.

This selection determines if elements/geometric entities are used in the definition for
entities to be connected.
13.
Click the switch next to # of layers: and select total 2.

This determines the number of layers that are being connected (Weld thickness: 2t/3t).
14.
Leave the switch next to reconnect rule: set at the default none.
This determines what rule should be followed when there is swapping of components in
big assemblies. The available options are
None (Default)
Use ID
Use name
Use Use ID or Use name if you want the ID or name to be retained by the connector.
15.
Click create to create the connectors.

Figure 3 shows a picture of created connectors. Your connectors will appear similarly.
Figure 3: Connectors
16.
Click return to go back to the connectors panel.
To create two thickness welds (2t):

1.
Click fe realize to go to the fe realize panel.
2.
Click connectors to highlight it.
3.
Click it again and select displayed.
4.
Click the switch under element config: and select weld.
Altair Engineering
83
Meshing Advanced
5.
Click in the box next to proj tol = and enter a value of 3.0.
6.
Click realize.
Weld elements are created and stored in the collector Conn_2T.
7.
Click return.
The connectors that are successfully realized turn green.
To create connectors by selecting nodes on elements using none option

In this part of the exercise, we will create the connectors and add the links in a separate step.
1.
Click global from the permanent menu and set the working collector to Conn_3T.
2.
3.
Click the switch next to location: and select nodes.
4.
Click and hold the left mouse button and move it slightly until the cursor changes to a
box.
5.
Select any element on the Middle component in the display.

Moving the cursor over any element causes the element to be highlighted.
6.
When youve selected the element of your choice, release the left mouse button and then
click the element again to put a node on the element.
7.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 until a few nodes have been selected.
8.
Click the switch next to connect when: and select none.
9.
Click create.
10.
Click return to go back to the connectors panel.
To update the component list to be connected using add links panel

In this step we will link the connectors created above to the Top, Middle, and Bottom surfaces.
1.
Click add links to go to the add links panel.

Figure 4 shows a picture of the add link panel.
Figure4: Connectors Add Links Panel
2.
Click the yellow box that says connectors, select by collector and select Conn_3T.
3.
Click select.
4.
Click the switch next to connect when: and select now.
5.
Click the switch next connect what: and select comps.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
6.
Click comps again and select the Top, Middle and Bottom components.
7.
Click select.
8.
If the toggle button next to comps is not set to elems, click it to select elems.
9.
10.
Leave reconnect rule: at its default of none.
11.
Click add links.
12.
Click return to return to the connectors panel.
To create three thickness welds (3t):

1.
2.
If connectors is not highlighted, click connectors to activate it.
3.
Click it again, select by collector and select Conn_3T.
4.
Click select.
5.
6.
7.
Click realize. Weld elements are created and stored in the collector Conn_3T.
8.
Click return.
The connectors successfully realized turn green.
Note the weld indicators take on the color of the collector they are assigned.
Viewing connectors based on their realization states:

From the vis opts panel you can view the realized status of connectors or the number of layers.
1.
Select any of the following panels: create, add links, fe realize, or fe quality.
2.
Click vis opts.
3.
In the vis opts panel, under CE color, click realize.

Connectors assume one of three colors based on their FE-realization state.
The connectors with successful realization are green.
The connectors never realized are yellow.
The connectors with failed realization are red.
The display of connectors can be turned on or off based on their realization states.
4.
Under CE state, click the checkbox to activate or de-activate the realized states you wish
to see.
Figure 5 shows the realized, unrealized and failed connectors with a view of the vis opts
panel.
Altair Engineering
85
Meshing Advanced
Figure 5: View of vis opts panel and Connectors based on their Realization States
Viewing connectors based on the number of layers that are connected:

1.
In the vis opts panel, under CE color, click layer.

Connectors display in one of four colors based on the number of layers that are
connected.
Connectors that have less than two layers are shown in amber.
Connectors that have two layers are shown in purple.
Connectors that have three layers are shown in blue.
Connectors that have more than three layers are shown in cyan.
Figure 6 shows a view of the connectors based on the number of layers they connect and
the vis opts panel.
Figure 6: View of vis opts panel and Connectors based on the Number of Layers
Reviewing the connectors after realization:

A table of information about the connectors provides information about each of the connectors.
To access that table:
1.
From the connectors panel, click fe realize to go to the fe realize panel.

This can be done from the add links panel as well.
2.
Click connectors and select displayed.
3.
Click info table to bring up the Connector Information Table.
4.
Click configure and select all, then close the dialog.

The table contains the following information.
- Connector Entity information
ID - Id of the connector (*)
Layers - The total number of layers of entities added to CE (2T/3T/4T/etc)
Comp - The ID of the component to which the connector belongs
Location - Location entity at which it was created (nodes/points/lines)
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
- FE realization information
Config - The config of the FE (weld) defined for that CE (21 - spring, 71 - acm etc)
- Link Entity definition information
Type - The type of entity added to CE definition
(NODES/ELEMS/SURFS/TAGS/COMPS)
Id/Name - The ID/Name of the above entity
ProjectTo - Valid for SURFS/COMPS. Means if they contain mesh or geometry
(elems/geom)
Rule - The rule means the entity is remembered in connector by its ID/Name (useid/use-name)
- Connector Entity Status
State - State of connector entity after it is realized as a weld
(unrealized/realized/failed).
Figure 7 shows a picture of the info table.
Figure 7: Connector Information Table
Reviewing the Weld Elements:

1.
From the connectors panel, click fe quality to go to the fe quality panel.
2.
Click the switch under check fe quality: and select 1D elems or 3D elems.
3.
Check the boxes that say length> and angle> and enter appropriate values.
4.
Click check. The number of failed elements shows in the display.
5.
Click save failed to save the failed elements.

Figure 8 shows a picture of the fe quality panel.
Figure 8: FE quality panel
Altair Engineering
87
Meshing Advanced
To Create Connectors on Geometric Entities such as Lines
1.
Click global from the permanent menu and set the working collector to Conn_Lines.
2.
Click disp from the permanent menu and turn off all elements.
3.
Toggle the switch that says elems to geoms and turn on the Bottom component.
4.
From the 1D page, click connectors to go to the connectors panel.
5.
6.
Click the switch next to location: and select lines.
7.
In the display, select the line at the middle of the surface.
8.
Click the switch next to connect when: and select now.
9.
Click the switch next to connect what: and select comps.
10.
Click comps again and select the Middle and the Bottom components. Click select.
11.
Toggle the button next to comps to geom.
12.
13.
Click the text box next to spacing = and enter a value of 10.0.
This value determines the intervals at which welds will be placed along the line.
14.
Click create.
This creates a single connector at the center of the line.
Figure 9 shows a connector created on a line.
Figure 9: Connector Created on a Line
15.
Click return.

1.
2.
If connectors is not highlighted, click connectors to highlight it.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
3.
Click it again, select by collector and select Conn_Lines.
4.
5.
6.
Click realize.
Weld elements are created and stored in the collector Conn_Lines. The top surface has
fixed points added to it at all the weld points.
Figure 10 shows a picture of welds created by creating connectors on a line.
Figure 10: Welds Created by Connector Created on a Line
Altair Engineering
89
Meshing Advanced
Altair Engineering
Creating Connectors by Importing a Master Connections File - HM - 475

This tutorial demonstrates how to use connectors panel in the 1-D page to create connections
between components. Connections can be created on FE entities or geometric entities.
Connections can also be created based on point data, which can be imported through a master
connections file. The master connections file has information about location of connections,
components/entities that need to be connected and the thickness of the welds. The following
sections describe creating connections by importing a master connections file (mcf).
The model used for this tutorial is shown in figure 1.
Figure 1: Model used to build connectors

1.
2.
3.
Click the retrieve .. button to bring up a file browser.
4.
Browse and select the connectors2.hm file, located in the installation directory under
altair/tutorials/hm/tutorials/.
5.
Click Open to open the file.
6.
To import the master connections file for creating connectors:

1.
The master connections file is a text file that has the following information:
-
ID of the node/point at which the connection is made.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
-
Number of layers that are being connected.
Co-ordinates of the node/point where the connection is made
Component ID of the first part
Component ID of the second part and so on.
2.
HyperMesh takes this information and creates connectors at the node/point locations
available in the master connection file.
3.
The steps below explain the procedure to import a master connections file for creating
connectors.
4.
5.
Select the import sub-panel.
6.
Select the radio buttons in the center to WELD and toggle the switch to CONNECTORS.
7.
Click import to bring up the file browser.
8.
Select the file connectors2.mcf .
9.
Click Open to import the master weld file.

This should bring up all the weld location information and create connectors in a new
collector called CE locations as shown in figure 2.
Figure 2: View of connectors created after importing the master weld file
To create new collectors:

1.
Like any other HyperMesh entity, connectors, when they are created, are stored in the
working collector. To avoid confusion, it is advisable to create new collectors to store
different sets of welds in different collectors.
2.
The steps below explain the procedure to create two different collectors to store twothickness welds (2t) and three-thickness (3t) welds separately.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
3.
Select collectors from any main menu page.
4.
5.
Click the switch following collector type: and select comps.
6.
Click name = and enter Conn_2T.
7.
Click color and select from the available 16 colors.
8.
Click create.
9.
Repeat steps 4 through 6 using the name Conn_3T.
10.
Click global from the permanent menu and set the working collector to Conn_2T.

1.
From the 1D page, click connectors to go to the connectors panel.
2.
3.
Click connectors and select displayed.
4.
5.
Click proj tol= and enter a value of 2.0.
6.
Click realize to create the welds.

The connectors where welds were created successfully turn green as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Connectors where FE-realization was successful (Welds were created successfully)
Viewing connectors based on their realization states:

1.
Based on the FE-realization state, the connectors are shown in three colors.
-
The connectors where successful realization occurred are shown in green.
The connectors that were never realized are shown in yellow.
Altair Engineering
93
Meshing Advanced
2.
The connectors failing realization are shown in red.
The display of connectors can be turned on or off based on their realization states by
clicking vis opts from any of these panels: add link, fe realize, fe quality. Figure 4
shows a picture of the panel that pops up when vis opts button is clicked.
Figure 4: vis opts panel
3.
By checking any of the boxes off under the heading that says CE state, the realized,
unrealized or the failed connectors can be turned off the display.
4.
Figure 5 below shows the connectors in three different realization states.
Figure 5: Realized, unrealized and failed Connectors
Reviewing the connectors after realization:

1.
In the connectors panel, click fe realize to go to the fe realize panel.
2.
Click connectors and select the displayed.
3.
Click info table.

This brings up the connectors information table.
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
The info table has the following information.
-
ID of connectors
Name of the component in which the connectors are organized.
Realization state of the connectors
Number of layers/Thickness of the welds
Element configuration of the connecting element
Type of element
Type of entity being connected (comps/elements/nodes/lines/surfaces)
ID of the entity being connected (element ID/component ID)
Rule for re-connection (use ID/usename/none)
Figure 6 shows a picture of the info table.
Figure 6: Info Table
By clicking on the button that says CE State in the info table, the connectors can be
arranged based on their realization state.
Figure 7 shows the info table in which failed connectors have been arranged at the top.
Connectors show up as failed in their realization states when the projection tolerance
(proj tol=) is less than the actual distance between the entities that need to be
connected. Connectors can also fail to realize if the number of layers specified (# of
layers) is not equal to the number of layers available to be connected. For instance, the #
of layers is set to three, however, only two layers are specified to be connected in the
proj tol.
Figure 7: Info Table with Failed Connectors Arranged at the Top
Altair Engineering
95
Meshing Advanced
Reviewing the Weld Elements:

1.
In the connectors panel, click fe quality to go to the fe quality panel.
2.
Click the switch under check fe quality: and select 1D elems or 3D elems.
3.
Check the boxes that say length> and angle> and enter appropriate values.
4.
Click check.
The number of failed elements will be shown in the display
5.
Click save failed button to save the failed elements.
Altair Engineering
Using Composites Panel - HM-1300

The composites panel aligns the element material angle of a mesh of shell elements with a
selected direction or coordinate system. This material angle is used in different analysis codes to
define composites, or other non-isotropic materials, or stress output request directions. You can
also review the material angle directions to verify that they have been set correctly. You can
choose to have the material angles displayed either as vectors or as continuous lines that follow
the 0-degree direction within each element.
The following exercises are included:
Assigning the orientation angle to the element card
Assigning an orientation vector to the elements by using a vector
Assigning an orientation vector to the elements by using an angle
Reviewing Ply Directions
Assigning the orientation angle to the element card

A valid analysis template must be selected for the composites panel to function properly.
Currently, valid analysis templates include:
Nastran
Ansys
To use the composites panel to assign the orientation angle, system or vector to the
element card:
1.
Retrieve the HM database file named composites.hm.
2.
Load the nastran\general template using the files\template panel.
To update all the elements to the correct element types for Nastran:
1.
Go to the elem types panel on the 2D page.
2.
Click on the elems button and select all.

When you select all, all element types (1D, 2D, and 3D) are updated.
3.
Click update to update the element types.

Note: For visualization purposes, HyperMesh projects the local x-axis of the selected
system onto the face of the shell elements. How each analysis code interprets this
information varies.
To assign the material direction using the system ID:

1.
Check elem orientation from the composites panel on the 2-D page.
2.
Indicate the elements that you want to assign material angles to.
3.
Select elems, by collector, white and select.
4.
Click the Element orientation method: switch and select by system ID.
5.
Select system and enter ID = 1.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
6.
Click color and select the display color of the review vectors or lines.
7.
Click size = and enter a value that specifies, in model units, how large the review vectors
are when displayed.
8.
Activate join lines if you want to display connected lines instead of review vectors to
represent 0-degree ply directions.
9.
Click assign.
To Undo:
1.
Click reject immediately after clicking assign.

Note: The selected elements are re-assigned to the global coordinate system (id = 0)
and the panel is reset. This function assigns the ID of the coordinate system to the
selected elements. How each analysis code interprets this information varies. For
visualization purposes, HyperMesh projects the local x-axis of the selected system onto
the face of the shell elements. If you later modify the system, the element material
directions change implicitly.
To assign an orientation vector to the elements by using a system axis:

1.
Select the composites panel from the 2D page.
2.
Select the elems, by collector, red component and select.
3.
Select the switch under Element Orientation Method and select by vector:
4.
Set the switch under by vector to y-axis.
5.
Set size = 2.000.
6.
Set the color to blue.
7.
Click project.
8.
Click the card button from the permanent menu.
9.
Set the entity selector to elems.
10.
Select any element in the red component.
11.
Click edit.
12.
Review the card.

Note: The THETA field for the NASTRAN element card is now set to an angle for each
element in the collector. (This is the angle from the global coordinate system x-axis in the
model.)
Altair Engineering
Meshing - Advanced
Figure 1
Note: This function assigns a material angle to the selected elements, which is defined
as the angle between the node1-node2 direction and the projection of the selected local
axis onto the surface of the shell element. How each analysis code interprets this
information varies. For visualization purposes, HyperMesh projects the selected axis
onto the face of the shell elements. Any changes you subsequently make to the specified
system have no effect on the elements.
Assigning an orientation vector to the elements by using a vector

1.
2.
Select the elems, by collector.
3.
Select collector color and click select.
4.
Set the Element orientation method: to by vector.
5.
Set the switch to vector.
6.
Select the radial r vector from the spherical coordinate system on the bottom of the ball;
the r axis will flash once when you click on it,
7.
Select the origin of the local spherical system as the base.
8.
Set size = 2.000.
9.
Set the color to blue.
10.
Click review.
11.
Click the card button from the permanent menu.
12.
Set the entity selector to elems by double clicking on an element in the model.
13.
Select any element in the green component.
Altair Engineering
99
Meshing Advanced
14.
Click edit.
15.
Review the card.

Note: This function assigns a material angle, which is defined as the angle between the
node1-node2 direction and the projection of the selected vector, onto the surface of the
shell element, to the selected elements. How each analysis code interprets this
information varies. For visualization purposes, HyperMesh projects the selected vector
onto the face of the shell elements.
Assigning an orientation vector to the elements by using an angle

1.
2.
Select the elems, by collector, in the yellow component.
3.
Select the yellow_sample collector and click select.
4.
Set the Element orientation method: to by angle.
5.
Enter angle = 45.00.
6.
Click set.
7.
Click the card button from the permanent blue menu.
8.
Set the entity selector to elems by double clicking on an element in the model.
9.
Select any element in the yellow component.
10.
Click edit.
11.
Review the card.

Note: THETA is set to 45.000. This function assigns the specified material angle, which
is defined as an angle from the node1-node2 along the surface of the shell element, to
the selected elements. How each analysis code interprets this information varies. For
visualization purposes, HyperMesh rotates the node1-node2 edge of the element around
the element normal through the defined angle.
Note: This option should be used only in situations where great care has been taken to
assure that the node1-node2 direction of the shell elements are initially aligned properly.
Reviewing Ply Directions

1.
Select the ply directions sub-panel from the composites panel.
2.
Select the elems, by collector, in the yellow component.
3.
Select the yellow_sample collector and click select.
4.
Click color and select the display color of the review vectors or lines.
5.
Click ply = field and enter the ply layer number that you wish to review.
6.
Click review.
Note: Any elements that do not have a ply angle assigned, display the 0-degree
direction as the ply angle. Ply directions are set through card images in solver templates.
Altair Engineering
Using HyperMorph to modify a finite element model - HM - 1400

This tutorial introduces HyperMorph. The models used here can be found in
<altair>\tutorials\hm\tutorials.
Introduction
HyperMorph, a module within HyperMesh, allows you to modify the geometry of finite element
models with a minimum of mesh distortion. Morphing allows you to make evolutionary design
changes to a model without having to re-create the entire model. HyperMorph can be used also
to define and edit shape variables for design optimization.
HyperMorph works by dividing the model into domains or logical groups of elements. Handles are
placed at the domain boundaries and can be moved to change the shape of the model. When a
domain handle is moved, the nodes within the domain are moved along with it. Additionally,
nodes within an influence zone lying outside of the domain are moved to minimize mesh
distortion.
You can define domains automatically or specify them manually. HyperMorph allows domains of
any shape and allows for handles to be placed anywhere. In addition, a global domain and global
handles govern the entire model.
HyperMorph operational modes
The following is an overview of the operations available in HyperMorph.
Operation
What can be done
Interactive morphing
Select a handle, define movement constraints, and then move

the handle to the desired position.
Parametric morphing
Alter dimensions by changing the distance or angle between

nodes, alter the radius of holes or fillets, or alter curvature in a
model.
Mapping to geometry
Map an existing mesh to geometric lines, planes, or surfaces.
Non-linear morphing
Set a bias to alter the influence of the morphing.
Symmetric morphing
Define symmetry so changes to one part of the model will be

applied to the corresponding symmetric part. Twelve symmetry
types are available.
This tutorial has two parts.

Morphing process using HyperMorph
Morphing a 2-dimensional model
Morphing process using HyperMorph

The following steps outline the morphing process using HyperMorph:
1.
Create domains in the model.

In most cases, you will use the autogenerate function to create all of the domains
typically needed to morph a model in one step. However, in those situations where you
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Using HyperMorph to modify a finite element model- HM-1400
need finer control of the model, define additional domains manually. When you are
working with large models, performance will be improved if domains are manually defined
local to the area being morphed.
2.
Create additional handles (optional).

If desired, create additional handles to give you better control over the model behavior
during morphing.
3.
Define symmetry (optional).

If symmetry exists in the model and you desire to maintain it, the symmetry needs to be
specified. HyperMorph requires that a local coordinate system be used to define
symmetry.
4.
Set constraints (optional).

Define constraints to fix nodes in space or restrict their movement giving you additional
control of the models behavior when morphed.
5.
Morph the model.

Changes the shape of the model in the desired fashion. There are four common buttons
in many of the morph sub-panels: undo, redo, undo all, and redo all. These buttons
allow you to move forward or backward through the morphs that you have applied to your
model. They remain active when you leave the panel and are reset only after you
perform an autogenerate or delete your model.
Morphing a 2-dimensional model

This example explores how a 2-dimensional plate element model may be modified using
HyperMorph. It covers:
Autogenerating morphing domains
Parametric morphing - altering dimensions
Morphing with symmetry
Adding additional domain handles
Using biasing to change the morphed shape
To autogenerate morphing domains
1.
From the tutorials directory retrieve the model 2dmorphing.hm.
2.
From the Tool page select the HyperMorph panel.

The panels in the HyperMorph module are arranged in three columns, based on their
function. The first column contains the basic HyperMesh utility panels such as files and
colors. The second column contains panels related to setting up a model for morphing.
They are the handles, domains, systems, and symmetry panels. The third column
contains panels that allow you to perform morphing operations and create shapes. They
are the morph, map to geom, and autoshape panels.
3.
Select the domains panel.
4.
On the create sub-panel, leave the default settings for global domain and create
handles.
5.
Click the green autogenerate button to create the morphing domains and handles.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Figure 1.2d domains
6.
Click return to go back to the main HyperMorph panel menu.
To change the location of one of the holes:
1.
Select the morph panel.
2.
On the move handles sub-panel, with the handles selector active, pick the local handle
located on the edge of the bolt hole on the right side.
3.
Click the green morph button to activate the morphing mode.
4.
Grab the handle on the edge of the hole and drag it to a new location.
Figure 2. Hole position moved up and to the right by morphing
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
To change the location of two holes:
When using the interactive morphing mode, you can select more than one handle. To move both
holes while maintaining the same relative spacing between them, select the handles for both
holes, then morph.
1.
Click the green undo all button to undo any morphing changes and revert to the original
model.
2.
Select the local handle on the second hole.

The handle on the first hole remains selected.
3.
Click morph to activate the morphing mode.
4.
Grab either handle and drag it.

Both holes move together.
To define how the handle moves:

One of the requirements of interactive morphing is to define how the handle may move. This is
necessary to convert the two-dimensional mouse movements on the screen to the threedimensional model. The default selection allows the handle to move anywhere on the domain to
which the handle belongs. This works well for the case of moving a hole to a new location within
the domain, but would not allow the model to be stretched beyond its original boundaries.
1.
Reset the handle selection by clicking the reset button under handles.
2.
Select one of the local handles on the edge of the model.
3.
Click morph.
4.
Try to move the selected handle.

The handle can only be moved in the domain. Once the shape of the domain has been
modified, the movement is constrained to the modified shape.
5.
Click undo all to revert to the original model.
6.
Click the switch next to on domains.

A pop up window appears listing the six mouse orientation methods.
7.
Select the on plane option.

Below the movement method selector, a vector selector appears allowing you to
define a plane.
8.
Pick any three nodes in the model to define a plane.

The three nodes you pick define a plane, in this case, the X-Y plane.
9.
Click the yellow handles selector to make it active.
10.
Select one or more of the edge handles.
11.
Click morph.
You can now stretch the model beyond its original boundaries.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Parametric morphing
In parametric morphing you can change the dimensions of the model using the alter dimensions
sub-panel.
1.
Click undo all to revert to the original model.
2.
Click the radio button next to alter dimensions to select that sub-panel.
The default mode for alter dimensions is to change the distance between nodes.
Other options are: change the angle made by two nodes and a vertex, change the radius
or curvature of holes or fillets.
To change the width:

Use the distance function to change the overall width of this part from 10 units to 15 units.
1.
Change the movement constraints from hold end a to hold middle using the switch
above the green node a selector.
2.
Click the green node a selector to make it active.
3.
Select one of the nodes on the top edge of the model.

The node selector automatically switches to node b.
4.
Select a node on the bottom edge of the model, directly below the node a selection.
5.
Activate the yellow handles selector under end a followers.
6.
Select the four yellow local domain handles across the top half of the model.
7.
Activate the handles selector for node b followers.
8.
Select the four local domain handles across the bottom of the model.
Figure 3. Change width selections
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Note the value in the distance field indicates 10.0 units, the current distance between the
selected nodes.
9.
Click in the number field and change the value to 15.0.
10.
Click the green morph button to change the width of the part.
To modify the spacing between holes:

You can use the previous method to alter the spacing between the holes.
1.
Reset the handles selectors by clicking the reset button under each selector.
2.
Activate the node a selector.
3.
Pick a node on the edge of the left hole.
4.
Select a corresponding node on the right hole for node b.
5.
Select the handle on the edge of the left hole as the node a follower.
6.
Select the handle on the edge of the right hole as the node b follower.
7.
Increase or decrease the distance value by one or two units.
8.
Click the green morph button to change the hole spacing.
To change the size of holes or fillet radius:

Use the radius function to change the size of the holes or change the fillet radius.
1.
Use the switch next to distance and change the function to radius.
2.
Change the movement constraint from hold center to fillet.
3.
Pick the red edge domain elements of one of the corner fillets.
4.
Set the radius value to 3 units.
5.
Click the green morph button to change the fillet radius.
6.
Reset the domain selector.
7.
Select the edge domain elements around the inside of each hole.
8.
Set the hole radius from to 1.5 units.
9.
Click the green morph button to change the size of the holes.
10.
Morphing with symmetry
If it is possible to take advantage of model symmetry, the morphing process may be simplified.
Twelve different symmetry types may be defined in HyperMorph. The most common types are
planar and cyclical. For this example problem, use 2-plane symmetry to apply changes in one
quadrant to the remaining three quadrants.
First, reload the original model and generate the morphing domains.
11.
Use the files panel to retrieve the original model, 2dmorphing.hm.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
12.
Use the autogenerate function within the domain panel of HyperMorph to create the
morphing domains.
To define the symmetry:

1.
Within the HyperMorph module, select the symmetry panel.

Planar symmetry definition requires a local coordinate system be used to define the
symmetry. For this example, a local coordinate system has been defined at the exact
center of the model. You need only to activate the display of this system using the display
panel on the permanent menu.
2.
Click the disp button on the permanent menu.
3.
Set the collector type from comps to syscols.
4.
Check the auto1 collector to display the local coordinate system.
5.
Click return to exit the display panel and return to the symmetry panel.
6.
On the create sub-panel, use the switch in the center to change the symmetry type from
1- plane to 2-plane.
2-plane symmetry uses the X- and Y-axis of the local coordinate system to define planes
of symmetry. Note the X-and Y-axis of the local coordinate system also correspond to the
global X- and Y-axis.
7.
Click in the symmetry = field and enter planar for the name of the symmetry definition.
8.
With the syst selector active, pick the local coordinate system in the center of the model.
9.
Click the yellow domains selector twice to bring up the extended selection menu, and
then select all domains.
This applies the symmetry definition to all of the morphing domains in the model.
10.
Click the green create button to define the symmetry.
To review how symmetry effects the morphing of the model:

Use the interactive morphing mode.
1.
Click return to go back to the HyperMorph main menu.
2.
Select the morph panel, then select the move handles sub-panel.
3.
Select the on plane movement definition, and then use the N1, N2, N3 selectors to pick
any three nodes in the model to define the plane of movement.
4.
Activate the yellow handles selector, pick any of the handles on the edge of the model,
and then click morph to activate the morphing mode.
5.
Grab the selected handle and move it with the mouse.

Observe the four handles are moving, maintaining model symmetry about the Y-Z and XZ planes.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
To prepare to use biasing and constraints:
Add an additional local domain handle to the top edge of the model.
1.
Use the files panel to retrieve the original model, 2dmorphing.hm.
2.
Use the autogenerate function on the domains panel to generate the morphing
domains.
3.
Select the handle / create panel.
4.
Enter a name for the handle.

HyperMorph creates and references morphing entities by name.
5.
With the nodes selector active, pick the node at the center of the top edge of the model.
6.
Activate the attached to: domain selector, and select the red edge domain on the top
edge of the model.
7.
Click create to generate the additional local domain handle.
8.
Click return to exit the handles panel.
Using biasing and constraints to fine-tune the morphing

Biasing and nodal constraints can be used to control the morphing effects on the model. Biasing
changes the influence that the handle movement has over nearby nodes. By default, the bias
factor is set to 1.0, resulting in a linear influence along the morphed domain. Use constraints to
fix or limit the movement of nodes during the morphing operation.
1.
Select the morph panel, and then select the move handles sub-panel.
2.
With the handles selector active, pick the newly created local domain handle.
3.
Select the on plane movement definition, and then use the N1, N2, N3 selectors to pick
any three nodes in the model to define the plane of movement.
4.
Click morph, and then move the handle in the positive Y direction approximately half the
width of the part.
Figure 4: Added local handle morphed with a biasing factor of 1
5.
Go to the set biasing sub-panel.
6.
Check the make retroactive option.
7.
Pick the handle moved in step 4.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
8.
Set the bias value to 2.0, and then click update to see the effect of the biasing.
Figure 5. Domain perturbation with a biasing factor of 2.0
9.
Set the bias factor to 0.5, and then click update.

The biasing factor may be set to any positive number.
10.
Try some other values to see the effect on the morphing.
11.
Set the biasing factor to 1.0.
12.
Click the undo all button to revert to the original model.
To use constraints to limit movement of some nodes:

Constraints can be defined to fix the position of nodes, or limit their movement along a specific
vector, line, plane or surface.
1.
Select the set constraints sub-panel.
2.
Click the yellow nodes selector and select by sets from the extended selection menu.
A pre-defined node set, constrain nodes, exists in the model.
3.
Check the box, and then click select to select all of the nodes in that set.
Seven nodes should appear highlighted on the screen.
4.
Leave the constraint type set to fixed.
5.
Click constrain nodes.
6.
Return to the move handles panel.
7.
Try moving the top center local domain handle in the plane of the model.
Note that the constrained nodes do not move.
Altair Engineering
Meshing Advanced
Figure 6. Fixed nodes do not move during morphing
Altair Engineering

HM Advanced Tutorials

Încărcat de

Informații document

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

HM Advanced Tutorials

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Contact Altair Engineering at:

+86 (0)21 5393 0011

+33 (0)1 4133 0990

+91.80. 658. 8540

+91.80. 658. 8542

+39 800 905 595

hm-tutorials_adv.doc Created on 6/27/03 2:37 PM

Preface to the HyperMesh Advanced Tutorials................................................1

Working With Geometry Advanced ................................................................5

Using the Midsurface Generator - HM-320.............................................................. 11

Meshing Advanced ........................................................................................33

Automesh/Proj to Edge sub-panel - HM-137 ........................................................... 39

Automeshing Tria Transition Features - HM-140..................................................... 43

Chordal Deviation Meshing - HM-141 ..................................................................... 49

Spotweld - HM-215 ................................................................................................. 55

Building Solid Elements - HM-400........................................................................... 67

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials i

Quality Index Mesh Optimization Features - HM - 460.............................................77

Using HyperMorph to modify a finite element model - HM - 1400 ..........................101

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Preface to the HyperMesh Advanced Tutorials

Location of files used in the tutorials

Working with Geometry

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials 1

Preface to HyperMesh Tutorials

Element Editing: Splitting and Combining Shell Elements - HM-500L

Working with solvers

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Preface to HyperMesh Tutorials

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Preface to HyperMesh Tutorials

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Working With Geometry Advanced

Remove Trim Lines

Retrieve the HM database file defeature.hm.

Go to the defeature panel on the Geom page.

Select trim lines sub-panel.

Click untrim to remove the interior trim lines.

Retrieve the hm file defeature.hm.

From the geom page, select the defeature panel.

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials 5

Working with Geometry - Advanced

Select the surf fillets sub-panel.

Select the toggle for surfaces to search: and select surfs.

Click in the surfs box and select displayed.

Click find fillets.

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Retrieve the hm file defeature.hm.

Go to geom page and defeature panel.

Go to edge fillets sub-panel.

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Working with Geometry - Advanced

Select the trim-intersect sub-panel.

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Select the second point of tangence for this edge fillet.

Repeat these steps for the remaining free-edge fillets.

Click return to go back to the main menu.

Go to the automesh panel on the 2-D page.

Click mesh to generate the mesh.

Figure 5: Size 10 quad plate mesh after defeaturing the part.

HyperMesh Basic Tutorials

Working with Geometry - Advanced

Figure 6: Size 10 quad plate mesh without defeaturing the part.