Hypermesh Introduction, Pre-Processing For Finite Element Analysis

Hypermesh Introduction
Pre-Processing for Finite Element Analysis
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Table of Contents
HyperMesh Desktop Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis
Chapter 1 - Basic Interaction with HyperMesh Desktop ....................................... 5

Exercise 1a - Interacting With HyperMesh Desktop ......................................................... 5
Chapter 2 - Geometry ............................................................................................ 19

Exercise 2a - Loading and Repairing CAD Geometry .................................................... 19
Exercise 2b - Simplifying CAD Tools ............................................................................. 27
Exercise 2c – Generating a Midsurface ......................................................................... 34
Exercise 2d - Midsurface ............................................................................................... 37
Exercise 2e - Midsurfacing with Advanced extraction options ........................................ 42
Chapter 3 - 2D Meshing ......................................................................................... 49

Exercise 3a - 2D Shell Meshing and Topology Refinement ........................................... 49
Exercise 3b - Refining Topology to Achieve a Quality Mesh .......................................... 58
Exercise 3c - Checking and Editing Mesh ...................................................................... 69
Exercise 3d - Mesh component using feature based mesh controls .............................. 93
Chapter 4 - Solids and 3D Meshing .................................................................... 101

Exercise 4a - Tetra Meshing ........................................................................................ 101
Exercise 4b - 3D Solid Meshing with Hexas and Pentas .............................................. 113
Exercise 4c - Shrink Wrap Meshing ............................................................................. 119
Chapter 5 - 1D Meshing and Connectors ........................................................... 125

Exercise 5a - 1D Meshing and Connectors.................................................................. 125
HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 3

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Chapter 6 – HyperMorph Introduction ................................................................ 141
Exercise 6a - Using Free Hand ................................................................................... 141
Exercise 6b - Using Domains and Handles ................................................................. 147
Exercise 6c - Using Map to Geometry ......................................................................... 154
Exercise 6d - Changing the Shape of the B-pillar with the Help of Morph Volume ....... 156
Chapter 7 - Analysis Setup .................................................................................. 165

Exercise 7a - Analysis Setup and Loading .................................................................. 165
Chapter 8 - Model Build & Assembly ................................................................. 185

Exercise 8a - Model Build and Assembly .................................................................... 185
Exercise 8b - Update a Model ..................................................................................... 197
Chapter 9 - Capstone Project .............................................................................. 203

Exercise 9a - Capstone Project ................................................................................... 204
Chapter 10 - HyperWorks Desktop Customization ............................................ 221

Exercise 10a - HyperMesh Desktop Customization ..................................................... 221
Exercise 10b - HyperMesh Desktop Customization ..................................................... 224

Chapter 1: Basics HyperMesh Desktop
Chapter 1
Basic Interaction with

HyperMesh Desktop
Exercise 1a - Interacting With HyperMesh Desktop
This exercise will cover many of the basic concepts that are central to many of the
features in HyperMesh Desktop. By the end of this exercise you should be familiar with
the basic features of the HyperMesh Desktop software.
Step 1: Set the User Profile and retrieve the model file, 01-GUI.hm
1. From the menu bar, select Preferences > User Profiles or select the icon.
2. Select the OptiStruct user profile.
3. Click OK.
4. Select File > Open > Model from the menu bar or select the icon.
5. Select the file ..\Model-Files\CH1-BASICS\01a-GUI.hm.
6. Click Open.

Step 2: Rotate, Pan and Zoom the model

1. Hold down the Ctrl key
2. Click the Left Mouse button. (Note the small square in the center of the screen
indicating the rotational center).
3. While holding both the Ctrl Key and Left Mouse Button, drag your mouse around to
rotate the model.
4. While holding the Ctrl Key, click Left Mouse Button near a node (Note the small
square moves to the node selected and becomes the new center of rotation).
Continue to rotate the model.
5. While holding the Ctrl Key and the Right Mouse Button, drag your mouse around to
pan the model.
6. While holding the Ctrl Key, click the Center Mouse Button (or clickable scroll wheel)
and draw a circle around a portion of the screen.
L
7. This will zoom into the region surrounded by the drawn circle.
6 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2

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8. While holding the Ctrl Key, rotate the scroll wheel forward to Zoom Out and backward
to Zoom In.
9. While holding the Ctrl Key, click the middle mouse button/scroll wheel to “fit” the
model to the screen.
Step 3: Use the Model Browser to control visualization

1. Press F on the keyboard to “fit” the model to the screen. If it does not work, click in
the graphics window and then press F.
2. Make sure the Model Browser tab > Model View icon is active.
3. Expand the Component category by clicking the + close to it. This will list all of the
components in the model.
4. Using the Geometry and Elements Icons, turn on and off components.

Using the Show/Hide Button turn off and on components in the graphics window.
Right click to hide a component and left click in the area of a hidden component to see a
ghost image of the hidden component. Releasing the button reveals the component.
5. Using the Isolate Button , left click on a component in the graphics window to
isolate it (turn off all other components) and right click on a hidden component to see
a ghost image of the hidden component. Releasing the button isolates the selected
component.
6. Use the global controls to turn on, off and reverse all of the
components.
7. Highlight components using the Left Mouse Button in the Graphics Area, and note
how the Global Controls now only affect the highlighted components.
8. Use the icon ( ) to switch the global controls between the Geometry, Elements
and Both options.
9. Review the other Model Browser Views:
a. Component View
This view is highly useful when working solely with components as none of the
other collectors are shown in the view. This view contains all of the visibility
control and right click functions of the Model View. Additionally, it adds fields that
show the mesh and geometry shading as well as the property and material
applied to each component.
b. Property View
This view allows the user to view all of the properties in the model and the
color of the entities on the screen by their assigned property. The visibility
controls as well as all right click extended functionality, work with this view as
well.

c. Material View
This view allows the user to view all of the materials in the model and the
color of the entities on the screen by their assigned material. The visibility
controls as well as all right click extended functionality, work with this view as
well.
10. Context-Sensitive Menu - You can change a variety of options by right-clicking on a

folder or entity in the browser's tree display. Options you specify in empty space
around the model apply to the entire model.
11. Right click on the Component folder will open the following context menu.

Try the following functions:

a. Create a new component:
b. Rename a component:
Click Right Mouse Button on component1 and select Rename or Left Click
on the new component “component1” will open below the Entity Editor tab
area, where you can change component name in the Value field.
c. Change and choose the component color by clicking the Color Value field.

d. Show/Hide & Isolate a component:
e. Isolate Only a component (see if you can figure out the difference between
Isolate and Isolate Only).
f. Delete a component:

Step 4: Working with Collectors

1. Right click on the Model tab > Model View > Component folder will open the
following context menu, select Create.
2. Left Click on the new component “component1” will open below the Entity Editor
tab area, where you can change component name in the Value field.
3. In the Entity Editor, name it “Bucket” and select a color.
The new collector has been created and now we will move the elements for the
bucket into this new collector.
4. From the menu bar select Mesh > Organize > Elements > To Component or select
the icon .

5. In the Model Browser click the Selector Icon . This allows you to pick
components from the graphics window.
6. Click the bucket in the graphics window (component “Schaufel-GEOM-2D”).
7. Click the Add To Panel Collector icon . This will add the selected elements,
included in “Schaufel-GEOM-2D” component, to the selection.
8. Click the dest component= button and select the newly created “Bucket”
component.
9. Click move and the elements in the collector will be moved to the new component.
Step 5: Use of Panels and Directional Functions

This step will introduce the user to commonly used functions in panels as well as the
use of the directional definition tools found in many HyperMesh panels.
1. Locate the item in the menu bar that allows you to Translate Elements (Mesh >
Translate > Elements).
2. Select the elements included in the component “Support-GEOM-3D”.

3. Keep direction option N1, N2, N3.
If you want to change the direction options, you have to click and select the
direction:
x, y and z axis will translate along those cardinal axis, while N1,N2,N3 allows the
user to define a direction as a vector (N1->N2) or as a normal to a plane defined by
the points N1,N2 and N3 following the right hand rule.
4. Pick a node on the flat face of the “Support-GEOM-3D” component shown below. A
green dot will appear at the selected node showing that N1 has been defined there.
The blue focus square will automatically move to N2.
5. Continue in a Clockwise direction picking two more nodes on the face defining the
blue N2 and red N3 nodes. Your model should look like similar to the picture above.
NOTE: It is not necessary that your nodes be identical to the image, just similar.
6. Enter 30 in the magnitude= field.
7. Click translate -.
The entire component will move 30 model units in the negative direction defined by
the normal of the plane N1, N2 and N3.

8. Click reject.
9. Try moving the component in other directions using both cardinal axis and the N1, N2
and N3 options.
10. Try moving the component using only N1 and N2 and then change the magnitude=
field to N2-N1 and see what that option works.
11. Use the reject button and the opposite direction translation to bring your component
back to the previous location.
Step 6: Using the Mask Function and Selecting Entities
1. Using the Mask Icon from the Display toolbar to enter the Mask panel.
2. Change the entity selection to elems.

3. Pick a number of elements on the screen.
4. Click mask.

This will hide the elements from view but they still can be affected through other
panels.
5. Click the Reverse Icon .

This will Unmask the hidden elements and will mask all the elements previously
shown.
6. Click the Unmask Adjacent Icon .

This will unmask elements immediately adjacent to those on the screen. This can be
done repeatedly.
7. Click the Unmask All Icon to bring everything into view.

8. Click the Mask Icon again.

9. Hold the Shift Key down and holding the Left Mouse Button, drag a box in the
graphics window to box select elements.
10. Hold the Shift Key down and holding the Right Mouse Button, drag a box in the
graphics window to de-select elements.
11. Click the yellow elems button to open the extended selection window.
12. Experiment with options, including the following:

• displayed – Selects entities currently displayed on the screen
• all – Selects ALL entities in the model, displayed or not.
• reverse – After selecting a few elements this will “reverse” the selection.
• by collector – Displays a list of collectors and entities can be selected by the
collector they are in.
• by geoms – By choosing either surfs or solids, elements can be selected by
picking the geometry that they were created from. Useful in that a single
geometry selection can select many elements.
• save/retrieve – Saving a selection places those entities into a 1 slot “user
mark” that can be retrieved again and again in selections until it is overwritten.


Chapter 2: Geometry
Chapter 2
Geometry
Exercise 2a - Loading and Repairing CAD Geometry

This exercise uses the model file,
…\Model-Files\CH2-GEOMETRY\02a-TOPOLOGY-REPAIR.hm.
Step 1: Open the model file, 02a-TOPOLOGY-REPAIR.hm.
Step 2: View the model in topology display toolbar to evaluate its integrity.
1. Observe where the model has incorrect connectivity and missing or duplicate
surfaces.
2. Click Geometry > Quick Edit to open the Quick Geometry Edit panel.
Note that the surface edges are now colored according to their topology status. This
occurs because Geometry Color is set to Auto ( ).

Chapter 2: Geometry
3. Click Wireframe Geometry ( ) to display the model in Wireframe mode.

The toolbar contains icons that control the display of the surfaces and surface edges.
Surfaces can be shaded with or without edges or wireframe. Place your mouse over
the cursor to view a description of the button’s functionality and select the icon drop-
down menu for additional options.
4. Click Visualization ( ) and navigate to the Visualization tab > Topology icon.
Visualization controls the display of the surfaces and surface edges. Surfaces can
be shaded or wireframe. The check boxes within this menu turn the display of the
different edge types and fixed points (surface vertices) on or off.
5. Clear all the check boxes except the Free check box.
Only the free edges should be displayed at this point.
6. Observe the free edges and make note of where they are.
The free (red) edges show where there is incorrect connectivity or gaps.
7. Note the locations where there are closed loops of free edges. These are locations
that probably have missing surfaces.
8. Select only the Non-manifold check box.

Chapter 2: Geometry
9. Observe the non-manifold edges and make note of where they are.
The non-manifold edges show where there are more than two surfaces sharing an
edge, which might indicate incorrect connectivity or correct T-Connections. For this
part, there are no yellow edges. This indicates that there are not duplicate surfaces
or T-connection.
10. Select all the check boxes.
11. Click the Close button to close the Visualization tab.
12. Click Shaded Geometry and Surface Edges ( ).

The surfaces should now appear solid rather than having only their edges displayed.
13. Rotate, zoom, and pan to locate any errors in the geometry.
14. Make note of the areas to be worked on:
• A surface that overhangs a round corner
• A missing surface
Step 3: Delete the surface that overhangs the round corner.

1. Enter the Delete panel in one of the following ways:
• From the menu bar click Geometry > Quick Edit > delete surf
OR
• From the menu bar click Geometry > Delete > Surfaces
OR
• Press F2

Chapter 2: Geometry
2. In the graphics area, select the overhanging surface shown in the picture below.
From the menu bar click Geometry > Quick Edit > delete surf
3. This will delete the selected surface.

4. Click return to exit the panel.
Step 4: Create surfaces to fill large gaps in the model.

1. Click Geometry > Create > Surfaces > Spline/Filler to create the surface.
2. Clear the Keep tangency and Keep line endpoints for planar splines check
boxes.
The Keep tangency option is valid for surface edge line selection only. It considers
curvature of any surfaces attached to the selected edges and tries to create a
surface tangent to them. This helps to form a smooth transition to the surrounding
surfaces.
The Keep line endpoints for planar splines is valid for surface edge line selection
only. This option keeps line endpoints of surfaces created with closed spline/filler
lines.
3. Verify the entity type is set to lines.
4. Verify the Auto create (free edges only) check box is selected.
The Auto create (free edges only) option is valid for free surface edge line selection
only. It creates the surface as soon as a closed-loop free surface edge is
selected. This provides a single-click ability to close holes in an existing
surface. When this option is enabled, surfaces are created in the component of the

Chapter 2: Geometry
selected surface edge, and the topology is updated accordingly; when disabled,
multiple bounding lines/edges can be selected to create the surface
The Create in defines the resulting surface component organization. Selecting current
component organizes the new surfaces to the current component, no topology
updates for selected surface edges are made when this option is selected. Selecting
lines component adds the new surfaces to the same component that the selected
lines already belong to, the result is unpredictable if lines from different components
are selected and the topology of the new surface is updated accordingly for any
selected surface edges that belong to the determined lines component.
5. Zoom into the area indicated in the following image.
Pick one of the red lines bounding one of the gaps (missing surfaces).
HyperMesh automatically creates a filler surface to close the hole.
Repeat this step to create a filler surface in the other gaps.

7. If there is a free (red) edge as well as the figure below on the left, from the menu bar
click Geometry > Quick Edit > toggle edge:
8. Click the red edge (don’t change the tolerance).
Step 5: Set the global geometry cleanup tolerance to 0.01.

1. Press O to go to the Options panel or from menu bar, click Preferences >
Geometry Options.
2. Go to the geometry sub-panel.
3. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.01 to stitch the surfaces with a gap less than 0.01.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Step 6: Combine multiple free edge pairs at one time with the equivalence
tool.
1. From the menu bar, click Geometry > Edit > Surface Edges > Equivalence
2. Activate the equiv free edges only check box.
3. Select surfs >> displayed.

4. Verify that the cleanup tol = is set to 0.01, which is the global cleanup tolerance
specified in the options panel.
5. Click the green equivalence button to combine any free edge pairs within the
specified cleanup tolerance.
Most of the red free edges are combined into green shared edges. The few
remaining are caused by gaps larger than the cleanup tolerance.
Step 7: Combine free edge pairs, one pair at a time, using the toggle.
1. Go to the toggle sub-panel.
2. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.1.
3. In the graphics area, click one of the free edges shown in the following image.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Use toggle to equivalence the other edges shown in the image below on the left.
4. Rotate and zoom into the area if needed. When the edge is selected, it will change
from red to green, indicating that the free edge pair has been equivalenced.
Step 8: Combine the remaining free edge pair using replace.

1. Go to the replace sub-panel.
2. With the selector under moved edge: active, click the leftmost free edge in the
graphics area.
Verify that the selector under retained edge: is now active.
4. Select the rightmost red edge.
5. In the cleanup tol = field, enter 0.1.
6. Click replace.
Once the line is selected, HyperMesh posts a message similar to:
7. Click Yes to close the gap.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Edges to retain and move for replacement
Step 9 (Optional): Save your work.

With the cleanup operations completed, save the model.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Exercise 2b - Simplifying CAD Tools
Step 1: Load the model ..\Model-Files\CH2-GEOMETRY\02b-SIMPLIFYING-

CAD.hm
Step 2: View the model in topology display toolbar to evaluate its integrity.
1. Observe where the model has incorrect connectivity and missing or duplicate
surfaces.
Step 3: Find and delete all duplicate surfaces.

1. From the Menu Bar, click Geometry > Defeature > Duplicates
2. Click surfs >> displayed.

3. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.01.
4. Click find.

Chapter 2: Geometry
The message bar displays, on the left, the following message: "1 duplicated surface
was found."
5. Click delete to remove any duplicate surfaces.
Step 4: Observe the model again to identify any remaining free edges, or
missing or duplicate surfaces.
1. Use the topology display and shaded modes to perform this task. All of the edges in
the model should be displayed as explained below:
• green shared edges, indicating that all internal surfaces are connected
(equivalenced).
• red free edges, indicating that, around the external profile & holes, all surfaces
edges are not connected (equivalenced) at that edge.
• yellow T-junction edges, indicating that these edges are connected
(equivalenced) and associated with 3 or more surfaces.
Step 5: Removing Edge Fillets
1. Enter the Geometry > Defeature > Edge Fillets

2. Click surfs >> displayed .
3. Enter 1 for the min radius.
4. Enter 20 for the max radius.
This will guarantee all edge fillets are selected.
5. Click find.
All of the edge fillets will be highlighted.
If there were fillets that you did not wish to be removed they could be right clicked at
the F and they would be deselected and not removed.

Chapter 2: Geometry
6. Click remove.
All of the edge fillets will be removed leaving sharp corners in their place. This will
result in better mesh quality as will be shown in the next chapter.
Step 6: Removing Surface Fillets

1. Select the surf fillets sub-panel.
2. Select the displayed surfaces.
3. Set the min radius to 0.1.
4. Set the max radius to 5.
5. Click find.

Chapter 2: Geometry
The radius around the hole will be selected but the larger fillet will not be. This is
because the larger fillet has a radius of 7 and thus was not found.
6. Click the two surfaces that make the larger fillet (Set the max radius to 8) to highlight
them.
7. Click remove.
The fillets will be removed once again providing for a better mesh quality.
Step 7: Removing Holes
1. Select the pinholes sub panel.

2. Click surfs>>displayed.
3. Set the diameter < field to 5.
4. Click find.

Chapter 2: Geometry
The small holes will be selected.

Once again if there is a hole that you do not wish to take out simply right click on it to
de-select it.
5. Click delete.
The holes are removed and a fixed point is placed at their former center. This will
guarantee a node is in that location but the points can be removed if no node is
needed.
Step 8: Removing Edge Fillets

1. Select the edge fillets sub-panel.
2. Select the surface shown in the picture below to remove the round edge.

Chapter 2: Geometry
3. Set the edge option as round .

4. Enter 1 for the min radius.
5. Enter 20 for the max radius. This will guarantee the edge fillet is selected.
6. Click find. The edge fillet will be highlighted.
7. Select this edge fillet and click remove.
8. Use Geometry > Quick Edit > toggle edge to complete the model.

Chapter 2: Geometry

With the cleanup operations completed, save the model.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Exercise 2c - Generating a Midsurface

This exercise will cover the basic aspects of geometry repair and preparation for
meshing. It will cover repairing problems with the geometry, midsurfacing and
defeaturing.
The surfaces in this model have no connectivity errors.
This could be because the file was imported without errors or because the errors were
corrected using HyperMesh. In this case, errors in the topology were repaired in the
previous exercise (missing surfaces are re-created, duplicate surfaces are deleted, gaps
are closed, and so on).
For this exercise, you can use the Midsurface panel to generate a midsurface.
Step 1: Retrieve and view the model file.
This exercise uses the model ..\Model-Files\CH2-GEOMETRY\02c-

clip_midsurface.hm.
1. On the Visualization toolbar, click to shade the model's geometry and

surface edges, and click to change the geometry color mode to
1.
mixed.
. The surfaces displayed in the graphics area represent a solid part.
Note: These visualization techniques will be necessary for viewing the newly created
midsurface.
Step 2: Generate a midsurface from Midsurfaces panel.
1. From the menu bar, click Geometry > Create > Midsurfaces > Auto.
2. Verify that the closed solid option is selected, and the entity selector is active and
set to surfs.

Chapter 2: Geometry
3. Select one surface.

4. To start the midsurface generation, click extract. HyperMesh creates the
midsurface, and organizes the surfaces into a new Middle Surface component.
When HyperMesh creates the midsurface, transparency is turned on for all of the
other components in the model except the new Middle Surface component.
Step 3: Review the part’s midsurface.
1. In the Model browser, only display the Middle Surface component. The graphics
area displays the midsurfaces generated for the solid sections of the model using
the auto-midsurface panel.
2. In the Model browser, turn the geometry for the lvl10 component back on
3. To open the Transparency panel, click on the Visualization toolbar.
4. With the comps selector active, select a line or surface of the lvl10 component.
HyperMesh selects the entire component because the entity selector is set to
comps.
Tip: You may need to zoom in on the model to select a valid entity.
5. Under transparency, click several times. The surfaces in the lvl10 component
become more and more transparent.
6. Optional: Drag the transparency slider back and forth to control the level of
transparency.
7. To visualize the midsurface, rotate, zoom, and pan.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Now that the midsurface has been created, it is a good time to save the model.
1. From the menu bar, click File > Save > Model.
Summary
You have now created surfaces on the mid-plane of the part. These surfaces can now be
meshed or further modifications can be made to their topology, depending on the
requirements of the analysis.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Exercise 2d - Midsurface
This exercise will cover the basic aspects of geometry repair and preparation for
meshing. It will cover repairing problems with the geometry, midsurfacing and
defeaturing.
Step 1: Open the file ..\Model-Files\CH2-GEOMETRY\02d-MIDSURFACE.hm
Step 2: Review the model

1. Zoom, Rotate and Pan the model, check topology to find the issues with it.
TIP 1: Use the Visualization Options Icon to find edges to fix.
TIP 2: You can use Geometry > Quick Edit and play with Tolerance value to fix
issues. The tolerance is used to determine if two surface edges are the same and if
two surface vertices are the same. The default tolerance controls if two surface
edges are close enough to be automatically combined to shared edges (green
edges).

Chapter 2: Geometry
If you want you can specify a different value, greater than the default value.
Increasing the tolerance can cause serious problems. When this value is set, any
features equal to or less than the tolerance are eliminated.
If there are edges present that are important to the surface, that surface will be
distorted, or will fail to trim properly.
The tolerance value should not be set to a value greater than the node tolerance set
in the options panel (Preferences > Geometry Options or press O) to be used for
your element mesh.
2. Use geometry repair tools to fix the following issues:
• Duplicate Surfaces to delete with Geometry > Defeature > duplicates
• Missing Surfaces to create with Geometry > Quick Edit > filler surface

Chapter 2: Geometry
• Free Edges to equivalence with Geometry > Quick Edit > toggle edge
Step 3: Create and Edit the Midsurface

1. From the menu bar select Geometry > Create > Midsurfaces > Auto.
This brings you to the auto midsurface sub-panel in the midsurface panel.
2. Set the switch to surfs.

3. Toggle to closed solid.
4. With the surfs button selected pick one displayed surface, the “closed solid” option
will select all surfaces attached.
5. Click on extraction options sub-panel. You will be placed in a secondary panel,
and set offset from the first toggle menu. Go back to auto extraction sub-panel.
6. Click extract.
A new component will be created called Middle Surfaces and the new mid plane
surfaces will be placed in it. Additionally the original component will be set to be
partially transparent so the Middle Surfaces can be seen.

Chapter 2: Geometry
7. Turn off the display of the original component so that only the Middle Surfaces are
displayed.
There are multiple issues with the model. They need to be repaired. Rotate the
model as shown below and zoom into the area.
Zooming in reveals some serious problems with the midsurface in this area. These
can be fixed with the Geometry > Create > Midsurfaces > Surface Pair.
8. This brings you to the final edit tools > surface pair sub-panel (midsurface panel).
9. Select the final edit tools > replace edge… option > replace sub-panel.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Select the 2 yellow edges as moved and retained, set 2 for the cleanup tol value
and click on replace.
10. Repeat steps 8-9 to adjust the area shown in the picture below.
11. (Optional) Check the model and see if there are still remaining issues. Use the
midsurfacing tools to repair the part, if needed.

Chapter 2: Geometry
Exercise 2e - Midsurfacing with Advanced extraction options

This exercise includes CAD geometry data for a box with thin ribs inside of it.
Because the geometry consists of thin planar sections, it is assumed that it will be
modeled for FEA as shell elements.
The elements will be created on the mid-planes of each section
In this exercise, you will learn how to:
• Use the offset+planes+sweeps option when midsurfacing.
• Manually correct gaps in an auto-generated midsurface using the plates edit

function.
Step 1: Retrieve and View the Model File

1. From the menu bar, click File > Open > Model.
2. In the Open Model dialog, open the 02e-PLATE-EDIT.hm model file.
3. From the menu bar, click Geometry > Create > Midsurfaces > Auto.
4. In the auto midsurface panel, click the first toggle and select closed solid.
5. In the graphics area, click any surface.

6. Go to extraction options subpanel and select offset+planes+sweeps option from
dropdown menu.
7. Go to auto extraction subpanel and click on and .

8. On the Visualization toolbar, change the visualization to Shaded Geometry and
Surface Edges ( ).

Chapter 2: Geometry
9. To review the generated misdurface, hide the Body.1 component in the Model
browser. Some of the plates do not properly cross.
Step 2: Use Plates Edit to Resolve Midsurface Gaps

1. In Model browser display the Body.1 component.
2. On the Visualization toolbar, set the geometry display mode to Mixed (
)
3. In the Midsurfaces panel, select interim edit tools panel from the menu
, select edit plates > show/edit all… subpanel.
HyperMesh populates the Model browser with plates that were detected by the tool.
Note: If you haven’t yet extracted middle surface using either offset+planes or
offset+planes+sweeps option then model doesn’t have information about
plates yet. So the plate components will not be populated in this situation.
4. In the Model browser, hide the Body.1 and Middle Surface components.

Chapter 2: Geometry
5. Activate the full plate selector, and select the green face in the graphics area.
HyperMesh selects all of the plates in the ^Planar plate #0 component.
6. To hide all of the plates in the ^Planar plate #0 component, right-click on the green
face in the graphics area.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the three remaining exterior sides. The components
^Planar plate #2, ^Planar plate #3, and ^Planar plate #4 are hidden.
8. Select any face from the long interior rib, as illustrated in the image below. This rib
was split into three groups by the algorithm, and need to be reunited into one plate
component.
9. To merge these three plates into single planar plate specify plate type as planar.

Chapter 2: Geometry
10. Click or middle-click in the graphics area. The three plates are now the
same color, in a single component.
11. To merge the two remaining internal ribs, repeat steps 8 to 10.
12. Click update.
13. Click .
14. To review the generated misdurface, hide the Body.1 component in the Model
browser. The plates are closer together, but they are still not the full length of the rib
due to the holes that trim the plates.
Step 3: Use Plates Edit a Second Time to Resolve Remaining Gaps
We will need to tell the auto-midsurface algorithm not to trim the plates where the holes
are.
1. In the Midsurfaces panel, select interim edit tools panel from the menu, select
edit plates > show/edit all… subpanel. HyperMesh populates less plate
components in the Model browser because some plates were merged in the
previous steps.

Chapter 2: Geometry
2. Hide all of the components except ^Plate edge.

3. Using the single surface selector, select all four internal surfaces of the holes in
the graphics area.
Note: Each hole has two internal surfaces.
4. Click . HyperMesh organizes the selected surfaces into a new

component labeled ^Not a trim surface.

Chapter 2: Geometry
5. Click update.
6. Click .
7. To review the generated midsurface, hide the Body.1 component in the Model
browser. There is now a yellow edge where the plates meet, which indicates that the
plates are intersected correctly. It would have been possible to reorganize the plates
and create the not a trim surface component at the same time.
Step 4 (Optional): Save Your Work

1. From the menu bar, click File > Save.
Summary
The model now contains surfaces on the mid-plane of the part. You used insert planes
and plates edit to ensure that there were no erroneous gaps in the generated
midsurfaces. You can now mesh these surfaces, or further modify their topology,
depending on the requirements of the analysis.

Chapter 2: Geometry

Chapter 3: 2D Meshing
Chapter 3
2D Meshing
Exercise 3a - 2D Shell Meshing and Topology Refinement
Step 1: Load the model: …\Model-Files\CH3-2D-MESHING\03a-2D-MESH.hm.
Step 2: Automatic 2D Meshing

1. Go to Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh to open the Automesh panel and select the
displayed surfaces.
2. Mesh the part with an element size of 5. Set all of the options to match the picture
above.
3. Review the mesh. Overall the mesh looks pretty good but closer examination of
areas around the part reveals there are some extremely poor quality elements.

4. Manipulate the part using the Pan, Rotate and Zoom functions and identify areas of
poor mesh formation.
As discussed in the lecture, HyperMesh always maintains all edges in the model
except those that are suppressed.
Turning the mesh visualization off shows the surface edge lines and reveals that
there are many features within the model that interfere with mesh quality. This is
very often the case in geometric models imported from CAD. Topology refinement is
used to fix those areas to improve the quality of the generated mesh.
Step 3: Topology Refinement

The goal of topology refinement is to manipulate the geometry to remove or alter
geometric features that cause poor element quality. HyperMesh has many tools,
both automatic and manual, to assist in this process.
1. Enter the Geometry > Autocleanup panel.
2. From the Autocleanup panel select the edit parameters button.

3. Enter 5 for the Target element size.

4. Leave the Geometry cleanup option checked and deselect all other options.
5. Click OK.
6. Select the edit criteria button and check Advanced Criteria Table option.
7. Enter 5 for the Target element size, 3 for the Min Size > Good and 6 for the Max
Size > Good.
8. Click OK.
9. Select all the surfaces and click autocleanup.
HyperMesh has suppressed edges that it felt would not allow elements that met the
criteria to be created.
10. Review the part again having a look at the new mesh that was remeshed
automatically during the topology modification due to the Meshing Options already
defined (Preferences > Meshing Options > topology revision: > advanced
remesh).
You will see that the quality of the mesh has improved drastically.

There are still some issues with the mesh though.

11. Using the Mesh > Quick edit (F11) panel improve the quality of the mesh using the
following functions:
• toggle edge
• adjust/set density
• add/remove point
• split surf-node; split surf-line;
Step 4: Interactive 2D Meshing

While automatic meshing is quick and the overall mesh quality is good, HyperMesh
allows the user to interactively manipulate a preview mesh, controlling various
settings before the mesh is finalized.
1. Delete created displayed elements and click the Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh
(F12) panel.
2. Change the toggle from automatic to interactive.

3. Select the surfaces in the Standard collector.
4. Click on mesh to create 2D shell elements.
HyperMesh now enters in a secondary panel.

The green mesh that is shown is only a preview mesh and to see how changes affect
it click the green mesh button. The mesh will not be finalized until the return button
is clicked.
5. From this screen try the following functions and see the effect they have on the
mesh. After each interactive change, click on mesh to update your green mesh to
see effects.
• Adjust the edge densities.
• Recalculate the entire model to have a 6 mm element size.
• Change the mesh style so that the element type is all trias and then all R-Trias.
• Alter the biasing on edges and determine the difference between linear,
exponential and bell curve biasing.
• Recalculate the mesh to have 5 mm quad elements on all surfaces.
6. Click on return to save the mesh.
Step 5: Model Organization

As this exercise will demonstrate the differences between meshing options, multiple
components will be necessary to separate the various meshes.
1. Create two new components called AlignOnly and AlignAndSize and make them
distinct colors.
2. Organize a copy of all the surfaces into both collectors.

Step 6: Meshing Options

There are a few options in the 2D AutoMesh panel which can have a profound effect
on the mesh created. This section will explore these options.
1. Make the AlignOnly collector current and the only collector visible.
2. From the 2D AutoMesh panel, size and bias sub panel, next to flow select the
align option. Leave the two size boxes un-selected.
3. Select the surfaces in the AlignOnly collector and click on mesh.
4. Make the AlignAndSize collector current and the only collector visible.
5. From the 2D AutoMesh panel, size and bias sub panel, next to flow select the
align and size options.

6. Select the surfaces in the AlignAndSize collector and click on mesh.
7. Utilizing the isolate function in the Model Browser to see the results of the different
meshing options.
Note that the non-aligned standard mesh tends to be more orthogonal following the
direction of the cardinal axis. The Align option allows the mesh to flow with the
contours of the part and the addition of the size option controls the size of the
elements more and results in less trias.
Step 7: Edge and Surface Deviation

1. Create 2 more component collectors called EdgeDev and SurfDev and make them
distinct colors.
2. Organize a copy of all the surfaces into both collectors.
3. Make Current the EdgeDev collector and the only collector visible.
4. In the the 2D AutoMesh panel, select the edge deviation subpanel.

5. Set the values as follows:
6. Mesh the part and if in interactive mode, finalize the mesh.

Note how the mesh size varies depending on surfaces curvature. At rounded edges
and around holes the mesh size drops down to the minimum element size to capture
the curvature. Areas of no curvature are meshed at the largest element size.
7. Make Current the SurfDev collector and the only collector visible.
8. Select the surface deviation sub panel.
9. Set the values as follows:
10. Mesh the part. Note how now the mesh size is dependent on and varies with the
curvature of the surfaces. Fillets between and areas of high surface curvature are
captured with smaller elements but large flat areas are of a higher element size.
11. Experiment in these two sub panels and determine how the interactive mesh controls
can be used to enhance the feature capturing abilities of these meshing styles.

Exercise 3b - Refining Topology to Achieve a Quality Mesh
Step 1: Open the model file: …\Model-Files\CH3-2D-MESHING\03b-2D-

MESH-EDIT-CHECK.hm.
The model for this exercise is 03b-2D-MESH-EDIT-CHECK.hm. Take a few moments to
observe the model using the different visual options available in HyperMesh (rotation,
zoom, etc.).
Step 2: Create a preliminary mesh.

1. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh to open the Automesh
panel.
2. Set the selector type to surfs.
3. Go to the size and bias sub-panel.
4. In the element size = field, type 2.5.
5. Set mesh type: as mixed.
6. Switch the meshing mode from interactive to automatic.
7. Click surfs >> displayed.
8. Deactivate the flow: > align and size options.
9. Click mesh to mesh the surfaces.

Initial mesh on the defeatured clip model
Step 3: Review the mesh quality.

1. Take a minute to rotate, zoom, and pan the model to review the mesh that was
created. Note the locations where the mesh was not created in rows and columns of
quads.
2. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements to open
the Check Elements panel.
3. Go to the 2-d sub-panel.
4. In the length < field, type 1.
5. Click the length< button to evaluate the minimum length.

6. Note the elements that failed the check on the screen. The topology will be edited to
correct some of these, leave the rest as is.
Step 4: Remove short edges by combining fixed points.

1. From the menu bar, click Geometry > Quick Edit > replace point: to open the
panel.
2. Verify that the active selector is set to point(s).
3. Select the lower fixed point as indicated in the following image (point to move).
4. Once the point is selected, activate the retain button.
5. Select the upper fixed point as indicated in the following image (point to retain).
6. Once the second point is selected, it will be replaced automatically.
Selecting fixed points to be combined

Step 5: Remove the fixed point interior to all surfaces.

You should still be in the Quick Edit panel.
1. Go to add/remove point:
2. Select the four fixed points as shown in the following image by clicking right mouse
button on the point.
Each fixed point will be deleted as you select it.
These fixed points are left over from a defeaturing operation where small holes
(pinholes) were removed. They could remain without greatly sacrificing the element
quality, given the element size used for the mesh, but the mesh should be better
without them.

Step 6: Add edges to the surfaces to control the mesh pattern.

1. Go to split surf-line:
2. Zoom into the area indicated below and select the indicated fixed point as node.
3. With the active selector now on line, select the line shown in the following image.
Once both the point and line are selected, an edge will be created from the location
of the fixed point perpendicular to the line and the mesh will be modified accordingly.

4. Repeat sub-steps 2 and 3 for the following point and line.

Step 7: Edit surfaces edges to control the mesh pattern.

1. Go to split surf-line.
2. Zoom into the area indicated below and select the indicated fixed point as node and
the indicated edge as line.
3. Select the indicated fixed point as node.
4. With the active selector now on lines, select the edges shown in the following image
(4 edges included in the rectangle).

Once both the point and line are selected, an edge will be created from the location
of the fixed point perpendicular to the line, same for the other lines.
Step 8: Suppress shared edges causing a small edge.

1. Go to toggle edge:
2. Select each of the lines in the image below using your left mouse button and click
line(s).
Each line will become suppressed (blue) as you click line(s).

3. The mesh will be modified based on topology revision.
Step 9: Review the mesh quality.

1. Take a minute to rotate, zoom, and pan the model to review the mesh that was
created. Note that the mesh now consists completely of rows and columns of quads.
2. Enter the Mesh> Check > Elements > Check Elements panel.
3. Go to the 2-d sub-panel
4. In the length < field, type 1.
5. Click the length button to evaluate the minimum length.
Note the elements that failed the check. There are only two elements that fail the
check, and these fail the check because of the shape of the part. However, they are
not too small compared to the global element size, so you can leave them as they
are.

6. Access the Mesh > Create > 2D Automesh panel.

7. Go to the QI optimize sub-panel.
8. Verify that elem size = is set to 2.5, the switch is set to QI optimize and the mesh
type is set to mixed.
9. Click edit criteria.

10. In the Target element size field, type 2.500.
11. Click Apply and OK.

12. Select surfs >> displayed to select all displayed surfaces.
13. Click mesh.
Note that the old mesh is replaced by the new mesh.

TIP: If there is a message saying, "There is a conflict between the user requested
element size and quality criteria ideal element size," click the button, Recompute
quality criteria using size of 2.5.
14. Access the Quality Index panel by clicking Mesh > Check > Elements > Quality
Index.
15. Go to page1 and verify that the comp. QI is 0.00.
This value indicates that the mesh is good quality. The higher the number, the lower
the mesh quality.

The part is now meshed and ready to be set up for an analysis. Save the model, if
desired.

Exercise 3c - Checking and Editing Mesh

• Identify shell element connectivity problems
• Correct shell element connectivity problems
• Review the model’s shell elements to ensure connectivity problems were
corrected
• Remesh the elements along the rib
Exercise
This exercise uses the model file, 03c-2D-MESH-IMPRINT-EXTEND.hm.
Step 1: Retrieve and view the HyperMesh model file.

Open the file …\Model-Files\CH3-2D-MESHING\03c-2D-MESH-IMPRINT-
EXTEND.hm
Step 2: Review the model’s free edges to identify shell element

connectivity problems.
1. Access the Edges panel in the following ways:
• From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Components > Edges.
• From the Checks toolbar, select the Edges icon ( ).
• Press Shift+F3 keys.

2. With the comps selector active, click any element in the graphics area.
The component containing the element is selected.
3. Click find edges.
Red, 1-D elements are displayed. They are organized into the new component
named ^edges. A red 1-D element is created along each shell element edge that is
free; one or more of the element edge’s nodes is not shared by the adjacent
elements.
Note: For a component name whose first character is ^, the component and its
contents is not written to the input file when the model is exported.
4. Click Shaded Elements and Mesh Lines ( ).

5. Observe the red, 1-D elements (free edges).
6. Try to identify gaps in the continuity of the mesh.
TIP: Look closely at free edges interior to the model.
7. In the Model Browser, turn the display off for the component shells to continue to
identify which red, free edges do not belong.

8. Turn on the display for the component, shells.
Step 3: Solve the shell element connectivity issues using the Edges panel.
1. In the tolerance = field, type 0.01.
2. Select an element in the graphics area to select the component.
3. Click preview equiv.
The message bar displays the following message: "81 nodes were found."
A sphere, , is created on nodes having a distance between each other equal to or

less than the specified tolerance.
4. Notice that for this exercise’s model, a sphere is not created on every node along all
of the red, free edges, which do not belong. A larger tolerance must be specified to
identify the rest of the nodes.
5. For tolerance =, increase its value until all 96 nodes are identified as shown in the
following image (Hint: 0.100).
Be careful not to increase too much the tolerance value. Although the 96 nodes will
be identified, an excessively large tolerance value may collapse elements when the
identified nodes are equivalenced. To find out the maximum value that can be safely
used for tolerance without collapsing the elements, press the F10 key to go to the
check elems panel, go to 2-d subpanel and click length. The message bar will
display ‘… The min length is 1.49.’ A tolerance value < 1.49 can safely be used,
without causing any elements to collapse when identified nodes are equivalenced.
Click return to go back to Edges panel.

The nodes identified with preview equivalence
6. Click equivalence.
The 96 coincident nodes are equivalenced.
7. Rotate and observe the model to see that the mesh still looks as it should and no
elements are collapsed.
8. Click delete edges.
The red, free edges and their component, ^edges, are deleted.
Note: Remain in the Edges panel.
Step 4: Review the model’s free edges again to confirm that all of the shell
element connectivity problems have been corrected.
1. Click find edges.
Observe the red, 1-D elements (free edges).
Are there any red, free edges that should not belong if the mesh was continuous or if
all of the elements were connected?
Tip: Only red, free edges should exist on the perimeter of the part and on periphery
of internal holes.
2. Use the Model Browser to turn the display off for the component shells, to observe
that all of the free, red edges belong.
3. After verifying that the model has correct red, free edges, click delete edges.

Red, free edges that belong
Step 5: Display the element normals and adjust them to point in the same
direction.
1. Go to the Normals panel. The Normals panel can be accessed in the following
ways:
• From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Normals
• From the Checks toolbar, select the Normals icon ( )

• Press the Shift+F10 keys
2. Choose the elements subpanel and set toggle to vector display.

3. With the comps selector active, select one element from the graphics area to select
the component.
4. Click display.
Arrows (vectors) are drawn from the element centroids and show the direction of the
element normals.
Notice the arrows do not all point from the same side of the part. For some analysis,
the element normals should point the same side.

5. Click size = and enter the size which the normal should be in model units and select
display again.
When size = is set to 0, the vector will be 10% of the screen.
6. Toggle vector display to color display.
7. Click display.
The element normals are displayed using colors. The red side of the elements is the
positive normal direction, while the blue side is the negative normal direction.
8. Notice each side of the part shows red and blue.

9. Click the orientation: elem selector to make it active.

10. Select an element from the graphics area.
11. Click adjust.

All elements on either side of the part are the same color, red or blue.
The message bar displays the following message: "[X] elements have been
adjusted."
If after adjusting the normals, there are still elements on one side of the part which
are of different color, change to elems from comps for the entity selector, choose
these elements and click reverse.

12. Click return.
Step 6: Review the quality of the elements using the check elems panel.
1. Access the check elems panel in one of the following ways:
• From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements
• From the Checks toolbar, select the Check Elements icon ( )
• Press the F10 key
2. Go to the 2-d subpanel.
3. Verify that jacobian < field is set to 0.7.
4. Click jacobian to determine if any elements have a jacobian of less than 0.7.
Elements having a jacobian of less than 0.7 are highlighted.
5. Notice that several elements on the triangular rib and around the smaller of the two
holes have a jacobian of less than 0.7.
The message bar displays a message indicating how many elements failed this
check.
6. In the graphics area, click an element.
A window appears that lists each quality check result for the element.
7. Click the right or left mouse button to close the pop-up window.
8. On the right side of the panel, switch from standard to assign plot.
9. Click jacobian to review again.
A legend for jacobian values appears and each element is colored accordingly. The
red elements have a jacobian less than the threshold 0.7.
10. Verify that quads: min angle < is set to 45.

11. Click min angle to determine if any quad elements have an angle of less than 45.
12. Notice that a couple of elements on the rib have an angle of less than 45.
13. Verify that the max angle > field is set to 135.
14. Click max angle to determine if any quad elements have an angle greater than 135.
15. Notice that several elements on the rib have an angle greater than 135.
16. Click return.
Step 7: Remesh the elements on the rib using the automesh panel.
1. Access the Automesh panel in one of the following ways:
• From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh
• Press the F12 key
2. Verify that you are in the size and bias subpanel.
3. Switch the entity selector to elems.
4. Toggle to interactive.
5. For element size=, type 3.5.
6. Select one rib element from the graphics area.
7. Select one element on the plane of elements perpendicular to the rib and in the same
plane as the rib’s shortest edge as shown in the following image.
Example of elements to select
8. Select elems >> by face to complete the selection of elements as shown in the
following image.

Elements selected using by face
9. Click mesh.
The meshing module appears.
10. In the density subpanel, change the element density on the rib’s edge to 9.
11. Change the element density on the rib’s shortest edge to 5.

Adjusting element edge densities
12. Keep all other element edge densities the same.

13. Access the mesh style subpanel.
14. Under mesh method, set the last option to free (unmapped).
15. Under mesh method, select set all.
16. Click mesh to preview the mesh.

17. Go to the checks subpanel, and check the jacobian, quads: min angle, and
quads: max angle.
18. Notice that no elements fail the minimum and maximum angle checks.
Only a couple of elements have a jacobian of less than 0.7. The smallest jacobian is
0.68, which can still be considered good quality.
19. Click return to accept the mesh and go back to the main menu.
Step 8: Use the smooth panel to adjust the node placement on the
rectangular plane of remeshed elements.
1. Click Mesh > Cleanup Elements > Smooth to open the Smooth panel.
2. Go to the plates subpanel.

3. Make sure to set the smooth: elems selector active, select an element on the
rectangular plane of re-meshed elements.
4. Select elems >> by face.

5. For iterations = specify 10.

6. Switch the smoothing algorithm from autodecide to shape corrected.
7. Click smooth.
8. Click return.
Step 9: Remove tria elements from another area of the model using the edit
element panel, split and combine subpanels.
1. Press the F6 key or from menu bar, Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Element.
2. Go to the split subpanel.
3. Make sure to set the splitting line: points selector active, click four screen points as
shown the following image.
Temporary line segments are drawn to connect the points.

4. You can right-click to undo the last line segment drawn or you can click delete line to
start over with selecting points.
5. Click split.
Elements that have the line pass through them are split. The resulting mesh should
look like the mesh in the following image. There are two pairs of adjacent tria
elements.
6. Go to the combine subpanel and set the toggle to combine to quad.
7. Select two adjacent tria elements as indicated in the following image.

8. Click combine.
9. Repeat sub-step 7 and 8 for the other two adjacent tria elements.
10. Remain in the edit element subpanel.
Trias to select Combining trias into quads
Step 10: Modify washer radius and optimize element quality by using
Cleanup tools.
1. From the 2D page, click qualityindex or from menu bar, Mesh > Check > Elements
> Quality Index.
2. Click cleanup tools.
3. Click modify hole and washers.
4. Clear the edit checkbox.

5. Select a node on the washer as indicated in the following image. The radius field
displays a value of 5.98.
6. Select the edit check box.

7. In the radius field, enter 7.
8. Select the link washers checkbox.
9. Select the remesh number of layers checkbox, and then enter 3 in the editable
field.
10. Select a node on the washer as indicated in the previous image. HyperMesh
changes the washer's radius to 7.
Note: Because you selected the link washers checkbox, the hole's radius will
change accordingly (approx. 4.68). Due to the change in the hole's and washer's
dimensions, elements around the washer will be distorted and will fail in quality. You
can correct all of the failed elements in the model using the node optimize and
element optimize cleanup tools.
11. Click node optimize.

12. Select a few nodes on the elements that you modified in step 9. When you select a
node, HyperMesh repositions it so that the elements attached to the node will have the
best possible quality based on the criteria specified in the Quality Index panel.
13. Click element optimize.
14. Select the red and yellow elements in the model. When you select an element,
HyperMesh adjusts it to have the best quality possible based on the criteria specified in
the Quality Index panel.
Note: If you select a red element, it may turn yellow or it may no longer have a color
assigned. If you select a yellow element, it may no longer have a color assigned.
15. Click drag tria element.

Note: Use the drag tria element tool to drag a tria element toward a different location in
the model, or out of the model completely.
16. Left-click on a tria element and drag it toward the bottom edge of the model until it is
out of the model completely. HyperMesh highlights the selected tria element in pink.
17. Click return.
Step 11: Add a ring of radial elements around the smaller of the two holes.
1. Click the Utility tab. If the Utility menu is not displayed in the HyperMesh session,
from menu bar, click View > Browsers > Hypermesh > Utility.
2. On the Geom/Mesh page, click Add Washer.
3. The Add Washer along a Circular Holes dialog box will be opened.
4. With the nodes selector active, select one node on the edge of the smaller hole as
indicated in the following image.

Example node to select
5. Click proceed.
A pop-up window for Add Washer along Circular Holes utility appears.
6. Toggle to Width, and for Value specify 3.0.
7. Select the Minimum number of nodes around the hole check box.
8. In the Density: field, enter 12.

9. Click Add.
10. Click Close.
The mesh around the hole should look like the mesh in the following image.
Step 12: Imprint Mesh to different destinations.

1. Open Model Browser and select IMPRINT1 component, right-click mouse button on
it and select Show.
2. Go to Mesh > Edit > Elements > Imprint subpanel.
The imprint subpanel allows you to cause mesh from different, overlapping
components to sync or line up with each other, in order to facilitate better connection
modeling between them.
3. Select component IMPRINT1 as source, Select component shells as destination
and select destination for remain: option.
This tool takes existing elements and/or components and can be imprinted into
elements and/or components, changing direction and destination.
Original: Violet elements are offset from yellow.

4. Select create.
Violet source elements are imprinted in destination (yellow).
5. Select reject.
6. Select component IMPRINT1 as source, Select component shells as destination,
select destination for remain: option and make sure to flag option elems to
destination comp.
7. Select create.
Violet source elements are imprinted in destination (yellow), element organized into yellow component.
8. Select reject.
9. Select component IMPRINT1 as source, Select component shells as destination,
select source for remain: option and make sure to flag option elems to destination
comp.
10. Select create.

Yellow destination elements are imprinted to Violet elements, element organized into yellow component.
11. Select reject and return.
Step 13: Extend Mesh to different destinations.

1. Open Model Browser, select IMPRINT1 component, right-click on it and select Hide.
Select EXTEND component, right-click mouse button on it and select Show.
2. Go to Mesh > Edit > Elements > Extend subpanel.
The extend subpanel allows you to create smoothly-meshed connections between
different components that do not quite touch, but are meant to. Mesh can be
imprinted such that both components are remeshed to match, or the source comp is
remeshed to match the destination comp, or vice-versa. In addition, you can actually
merge the elements of the source component into the destination component
altogether.
3. Select nodes by windows (see red rectangular area in the following picture) from
EXTEND component (source), select component shells as destination and select
along vector for projection: option (select N1 and N2 as shown in the following
picture, red circular area) to define direction.

4. Select create.
The resulted mesh, as shown in the following picture, connects the 2 parts with just 1
element along the projection, the remesh extension option is deactivated.
5. Select reject.
6. Repeat sub-step 3 and 4 with the same options and selections, just make sure to flag
on remesh extension option.
The resulted mesh, as shown in the following picture, connects the 2 parts with
remeshed elements along the projection, the remesh extension option is activated.


With this exercise completed, you can save the model if desired.

Exercise 3d – Mesh component using feature based mesh

controls

• Create regions using feature selection
• Import mesh controls and assign them to predefined regions
• Mesh the model using mesh controls applied
Exercise
This exercise uses the model file Feature_Based_Mesh.hm.
Step 1: Retrieve and view the HyperMesh model file.

Open the file …\Model-Files\CH3-2D-MESHING\Feature_Based_Mesh.hm
Step 2: Import mesh settings.

1. Access the Mesh Controls browser from the menu bar, select Mesh > Mesh
Controls.
2. Right-click mouse button on Mesh Control, click on Import.

3. Select and open Feature_Based_Mesh.xml file in the same model folder.

HyperMesh will load all the meshing parameters saved on this file.
Step 3: Create regions using features selection.

1. Right-click mouse button on Region > Create > From feature Selection. It will open
a new dialog box.
2. In the “Region from Feature Selection” windows, select the Circles sub-menu
3. Set the min and max Radius respectively to 1.0 and 10.0 and switch the selection
from Lines to Surface.

4. Click on Surfaces and select in the graphic area the upper surface as shown below:
5. In the panel menu click on proceed; HyperMesh will show all circles found with
radius specified before.
6. Circles selection has done, in the Region Name field, you’ll find Circle1 named by
default, click on Create to define this region.
7. Create other two Regions for cylinders. Select the Cylinders submenu.
8. Set the min and max Radius respectively to 1.0 and 10.0
9. Double-click left mouse button on Surfaces, in the menu panels will appear surfaces
selection button: click on yellow field and select all and click on proceed.
10. Cylinders selection has done, in the Region Name field, you’ll find Cylinder1 named
by default, click on Create to define this region.
11. Repeat the sub-steps 8 to 10 to create a new cylinder region named Cylinder2; set
min radius 25.0 and max radius 100.0.

12. Click Close.

13. Region collector should contain 3 Regions.
Step 4: Assign regions to the imported mesh settings

1. In the Mesh Controls browser click on Feature > Washer_Mesh. The EE will show
all mesh settings of this mesh control. Click on Entity Selection > Entities > 0 Lines
field. Switch the selection from Lines to Regions, click on Region to select Circle1
region created before.
2. Repeat previous sub-step to assign each region to its mesh controls, following the
associations below:
Cylinder_Refine  Cylinder1
meshcontrol4  Cylinder2
3. All surface meshing settings are updated. Select Volume Mesh > Model >
meshcontrol1, previously imported in order to assign the component to the volume
mesh control. In the EE, Entity Selection > Entities > 0 Components field, select
the *SOL1 component in the select component window.
4. Click OK and volume mesh settings are updated.
Step 5: Create 2D and 3D mesh using mesh settings

1. In the browser, select Surface Mesh > Feature. Right-click mouse button on
Feature, select Mesh to create the surface mesh. In the panel’s menu click on yellow
field named surfaces and select displayed. Click on proceed. The 2D mesh has
been created.
2. Once the process is complete, select Volume Mesh, Right-click mouse button on
Volume Mesh and select Mesh to create the 3D mesh. The 3D mesh has been
created.


With this exercise completed, you can save the model if desired.


Chapter 4: Solids & 3D Meshing
Chapter 4
Solids and 3D Meshing

Exercise 4a - Tetra Meshing
Step 1: Load the model

1. Load the model …\Model-files\CH4-3D-MESHING\04a-VOLUME-TETRA-MESH.hm
Step 2: Attempt to TetraMesh the part

1. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh to create a 3D Tetramesh.
2. Select the Volume tetra sub panel.
3. Change the enclosed volume switch to surfs.
4. Attempt to select a surface on the model. (Note: You will not be able to.)
NOTE: With a properly enclosed model, the Volume tetra sub-panel will
automatically select the entire volume and allow a mesh to be created. With the
model now in a topological display mode, you will note there are many issues with
the topology of the model. Only a fully enclosed volume can be properly
tetrameshed, so we need to fix the model.

Step 3: Fix the geometry topology.

1. Using the Geometry menu in the menu bar, use the geometry cleanup tools to
ensure a fully enclosed volume.
Hints: Equivalence and Toggle will solve most of the problems. Some issues require
filler surfaces and point replacement. Remember that topology visualization can
assist in finding problems.
The main tool to use is Geometry > Quick Edit
2. Check the Topology with the following tool, verify if you still have free edges and if
you now a closed volume of surfaces. Select the Visualization Options icon
and verify edges.
Step 4: TetraMeshing
With a properly enclosed volume you can now create the TetraMesh
1. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh.
2. Select the Volume tetra sub panel
3. Change the enclosed volume switch to surfs.
4. Select a surface on the model. HyperMesh will automatically select all of the surfaces
that enclose the volume. If this fails, there are still errors in the volume and need to
be corrected using the geometry cleanup tools.
5. Leave all the default values and enter 4 into the element size= field.
6. Click on mesh to mesh the part. The part should now look similar to this:

7. Mask half part to see the Tetrahedral Element structure.
8. Now delete the mesh.

From menu bar, click Mesh > Delete > Elements
Click elems >> displayed and click delete entity.
Step 5: Using Proximity and Curvature Options

Proximity and Curvature options can provide a mesh that adheres closer to the
geometry in areas of curvature or small cross sections.
1. From the Volume tetra subpanel, select the part and select the Use proximity and
Use curvature options
2. Set the following fields to the values shown:
3. Click on mesh to mesh the part.

Note the areas of curvature have a smaller mesh size to better capture the geometric
curvature.
4. (Optional): Mask half part to see the Tetrahedral Element internal structure.
Step 6: Check and Improve the mesh quality.

To improve the overall Tetrahedral Element quality, we will check the tet collapse value
of the elements.
Tetra elements whose collapse value falls below the value specified are highlighted
when the tetra collapse function is selected. These elements remain highlighted until the
Check Elems panel is exited.
HyperMesh calculates tetra collapse by the following procedure. At each of the four
nodes of the tetra, the distance from the node to the opposite side of the element is
divided by the square root of the area of the opposite side. The minimum value found is
normalized by dividing it by 1.24, and then reported. As the tetra collapses, this value
approaches 0.0. For a perfect tetra, this value is 1.0.

1. Find the Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements option from the menu bar.
2. Select the 3-d sub-panel.
3. Enter 0.3 into the tet collapse< field and click the tet collapse button.
Note the number of failed elements in the dialog bar; the value should be around 80
elements.
4. Save the failed elements by selecting save failed.
5. Select the switch and choose the option assign plot

, click on tet collapse to view a contour map of 3D Tetra Collapse.
6. In order to improve Tetrahedral Element quality, you can use the following tool from
menu bar Mesh > Check > Elements > Tetra Mesh Optimization
Use this tool to modify an existing tetramesh, either by moving nodes or remeshing,
to meet required parameters. One function is to remove sliver elements--tetrahedral
elements which are so flattened that all of their nodes are very close to planar. If the
element's Aspect Ratio (the ratio of its maximum length to its minimum length) is
high, the element is a sliver; otherwise, it is a wedge.

This sliver is nearly flat in the horizontal plane, while this wedge is nearly flat in the vertical
plane.
When you click Tetra Mesh Optimization, you will first be prompted with a
temporary panel to select a set of elements to fix.
7. Select elems >>displayed and click on proceed.
8. A Tetra Mesh Optimization window opens which contains the tools and settings for
fixing slivers and wedges. The utility also has the ability to constrain trias, feature
lines, nodes or elements within a refinement box.
There are many criteria that you can consider in fixing such elements, each of which
is drawn from the Edit Criteria…
9. Click on Edit Criteria…, this will open the Criteria File Editor to change the element
quality requirements.
10. Select Tetra Collapse, Vol Skew and Aspect Ratio, as shown below.

11. Click on Apply and OK.

12. You’re again in the Tetra Mesh Optimization window.
13. The 3 previous criteria are selected in the Optimize tetras by: section.
14. In the Triangles: section, select the following, as shown also in the picture below:
• Fix all option.
15. In the Constraints: section, select the following, as shown also in the picture below:
• fix shell comp boundaries option.
• maintain geometry edges option.
• Max tetra size, enter 4.
• Min tetra size, enter 0.8.
• Leave the other options with default values.

16. Click on Check button, to examine the mesh and count the number of bad elements,
according to the criteria supplied (Jacobian, Volume Skew, etc.) The results display
in the Status: area.
17. Click on Show Failed to isolates only the failed elements in the graphics area.

18. Click on Apply to begin the fix process. The mesh is scanned and the program will
try to fix as many elements as it can in accordance with the specified settings and
criteria. You can abort the fix attempt early by clicking holding down the right-mouse
button.
Note that there can be a significant delay before HyperMesh finishes its current fix
attempts and stops processing.
The results are shown next:
19. If the results of the fixes are acceptable, click on Close to exit from Tetra Mesh
Optimization utility
20. If the results of the fixes are unacceptable, click Reject to revert the mesh to its pre-
fixed state.
NOTE: You can only undo one fix operation this way--you cannot "back up" more
than one step!
21. Click on to unmask all elements.

22. Refer to Online help to get more details.
23. Delete the mesh.
From menu bar, click Mesh > Delete > Elements
24. Go to Step number 8.
[OPTIONAL] Step 7 (from Step6-point5): Other methods to check and

improve the mesh quality
1. Use Geometry Cleanup tools and Tetra remesh functions to try to achieve the best
possible mesh. Experiment with different techniques and discover the results.
To improve the overall Tetrahedral Element quality, we will check the tet collapse
value of the elements.
Tetra elements whose collapse value falls below the value specified are highlighted
when the tetra collapse function is selected. These elements remain highlighted until
the Check Elems panel is exited.
HyperMesh calculates tetra collapse by the following procedure. At each of the four
nodes of the tetra, the distance from the node to the opposite side of the element is
divided by the square root of the area of the opposite side. The minimum value found

is normalized by dividing it by 1.24, and then reported. As the tetra collapses, this
value approaches 0.0.
For a perfect tetra, this value is 1.0.
2. Go to Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements.
3. Select the 3-d sub panel.
4. Enter 0.3 into the tet collapse< field and click the tet collapse button.
Note the number of failed elements in the dialog bar. The value should be around
100 elements.
5. Save the failed elements by selecting save failed.
6. Select the switch and choose the option assign plot

, click on tet collapse to view a contour map of 3D Tetra
Collapse.
7. Isolate the failed elements

Failed elements can be isolated on the screen anytime using the following procedure.
A. Go to the mask function.
B. Click the elems button.
C. Select retrieve.
D. Click the elems button again.
E. Select reverse.
F. mask the elements.
8. Using the unmask adjacent button twice to retrieve two layers of elements
surrounding the failed elements.
9. In the tetramesh panel select the Tetra remesh subpanel.

10. Select the displayed elements and remesh them.
11. Check the tet collapse again and note the number has dropped.
12. Delete the mesh.
From menu bar, click Mesh > Delete > Elements.
Step 8: Defining Mesh Patterns

In instances where the user needs to define a specific mesh pattern for surfaces or
features, the volume tetra function can incorporate that pattern into the created tetra
mesh.
1. Mesh the flat ring area with an element size of 1 and type of R-Tria.
From menu bar, click Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh.
Set all edges to 60 elements. The resulting mesh pattern should look similar to the
one below.
2. Create a new volume tetra mesh, this time selecting the match existing mesh
option. Make sure to set the tetra element size back to 4.
Note the Tetra Mesh has incorporated the defined mesh pattern.

Exercise 4b - 3D Solid Meshing with Hexas and Pentas
This exercise will demonstrate a method for splitting a solid and then use the solid map
function to create Hexa/Penta Solid elements. It is important to note that this is simply
one way of splitting this solid. As with any solid geometry there are often many ways of
obtaining a fully mappable solid and while some are better than others, there is rarely a
“right” way of doing it. Experience is the key with this function; so experiment with
different techniques for solid splitting and observe the results you get.
Step 1: Import the model

1. Locate and import the Geometry file …\Model-Files\CH4-3D-MESHING\04b-
STAND-SOLID-MAP.prt
This model is in a ProE .prt format.
Step 2: Defeaturing
Small fillets make the geometry substantially more difficult to split into mappable
regions and result in a far more complex solid mesh. In many cases, these fillets are
for manufacturing purposes and can be eliminated from the geometry.
1. Defeature all of the small internal surface fillets.
From menu bar, click Geometry > Defeature > Surface Fillets
HINT: Setting the search values to be 0.5 > 5.5 will select all of the fillets needed.
This range will also result in the fillet shown in the picture below to be selected (fillet
in the red circle area). This fillet must be removed (mouse >Right Click) from the
selected fillets, before to proceed with “remove”, as defeaturing it would cause a
sharp point that would act as a severe stress concentration area.

Step 3: The first split

There is no set method for splitting a solid and often the first cut is the hardest, as
picking the location to begin can be confusing. Often it is easiest to find areas that look
to be close to being mappable. Many regions are only one cut away from becoming
mappable and these frequently are the best place to start. In the case of this model,
these areas are the flat “feet”. One cut will separate them from the rest of the solid and
they will immediately become mappable.
1. Turn on Mappable visualization:
2. From menu bar, click Geometry > Edit > Solids > Trim with Plane/Surfaces.
3. Select the solid and using the N1 N2 N3 option, define a plane on the flat area as
shown in the picture below.
4. Trim the solid and the result will be a mappable region on the “foot”.

5. Repeat this trim on the other side of the part.
Step 4: Splitting out further mappable regions.

With the first splits done, now we can look to what is remaining and determine how these
regions can be made mappable. It is often easiest to visualize this by masking the areas
already split into mappable regions, thus showing only the areas of the part that remain
to be split.
1. Mask the two mappable solids that were created in Step 3.
2. From the trim with plane/surf subpanel, select the solid and define a plane on the
flat recessed area.
3. Trim the solid.
4. Repeat on the other side.

The solid is now in three distinct regions; the two outer regions being mappable and
the central region which is still un-mappable.
5. Mask the two newly created mappable solids.
Step 5: The last trims.

With the thin slice of the part remaining, it is now important to determine which
feature(s) is (are) causing this solid to remain non-mappable.
Remember that the rules state that a mappable solid can have multiple source faces
but only ONE destination face.
The surfaces that make up the face of the pocket that was on the complete solid
(highlighted in white in the picture below) occur on both sides of the remaining solid.
This means there are multiple surfaces on both sides of the solid and thus violate the
mappable rules.
In instances where specific regions prevent a solid from mapping, trimming those
regions out can result in a mappable solid.
1. Select the trim with lines subpanel or

from menu bar, Geometry > Edit > Solids > Trim with Lines.
2. From the with sweep lines column, pick the remaining solid.
3. For the sweep lines, select the outline of one of the surface shown in white above.

4. As this model is aligned with the Global Axis, select the sweep to: option to be by a
vector >> z-axis, select the sweep all option, and then trim the solid.
5. Repeat this process for the other side.

This will result in a fully mappable solid.
6. Save the model.
Step 6: Solid Meshing

With a fully mappable solid, the solid meshing tools can now be used to create the
3D elements.
1. From menu bar, click Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh.

2. Set the options shown below, click all unmeshed (or solid>>displayed) and then
click mesh.
The interactive multi solid meshing will allow for 2D mesh customization prior to the
creation of the 3D mesh. HyperMesh will show the order in which each solid is to be
meshed and will indicate the direction in which the mesh will be extruded.
Additionally the panel now allows the user to alter the 2D mesh that will be used as
the pattern to extrude the 3D elements. A panel similar to that used in interactive
shell meshing is opened and the pattern mesh is displayed on the solids.
Using procedures identical to 2D meshing, edge densities can be adjusted, element

sizes can be recalculated, mesh styles can be changed and other meshing options
can be altered. Clicking the mesh button will show the solid mesh but the mesh will
not be finalized until the return button is clicked so further changes can be made.
3. Use the edge density, master face style and options sub panels to make changes
to the mesh and see their outcome on the 3D mesh, proceed to mesh the solids.
When happy with the 3D mesh, return from the function and save the part.

Exercise 4c - Shrink Wrap Meshing
Step 1: Open the model file …\Model-Files\CH4-3D-MESHING\04c-SHRINK-

WRAP-MESH.hm.
Step 2: Create a loose shell shrink wrap mesh in the “loose_gap”

component.
1. Click Shaded Geometry and Surface Edges ( ) if the model is not shaded yet.
2. Review the surface geometry on the screen. Notice the gap in the geometry.
3. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > Shrink Wrap Mesh.
4. Select the component in the graphics area.
5. Select the loose wrap option.
6. For element size, enter 4.
7. Click mesh to create the shrink wrap.

8. Expand the Component folder in the Model Browser.
9. Hide the surfaces component in the Model Browser.

Step 3: Review the solid geometry.

1. Show the block component in the Model Browser.
2. Review the model to see the features.
3. Hide the block component in the Model Browser.
Step 4: Create a loose shell shrink wrap mesh in the loose component.
1. Hide the loose_gap component in the Model Browser.
2. Right-click mouse button the loose component and click Make Current.
3. From the menu bar select Mesh > Create > Shrink Wrap Mesh.
4. Activate the loose wrap option.
5. Click comps and select block from the component list.
6. For the element size, enter 10.
7. Click mesh to create the mesh.
8. Click reject to reject the mesh.

9. Change the element size to 5 and click mesh to create the mesh.


11. Change the element size to 3 and click mesh to create the mesh.
Step 5: Create a tight shell shrink wrap in the tight_shell component.

1. Hide the loose component using the Model Browser.
2. Right-click mouse button tight_shell and click Make Current.
3. Click comps and select the block component.
4. Activate the tight wrap option in the shrink wrap panel.
5. Make sure the element size is set to 3.

Step 6: Create a tight solid shrink wrap in the tight_solid component

1. Hide the tight_shell component in the Model Browser.
2. Right-click mouse button the tight_solid component in the Model Browser and click
Make Current.
3. Click comps and select the block component
4. Make sure the element size is set to 3.
5. Activate the generate solid mesh option.
6. Change the minimum jacobian to 1.

9. Change the minimum jacobian to 0.7.
10. Click mesh to create the shrink wrap.

11. Click to open the Mask panel.

12. If not already set, set the panel collector to elems.
13. Use Shift+left mouse button to select a group of elements.
14. Click mask to mask the elements.
15. Click unmask all and return to exit the panel.
Step 7 (Optional): Change the minimum jacobian to 0.3 for optimized

mesh.
1. Delete the elements displayed in the graphics area.
From the menu bar, click Mesh > Delete > Elements.
Click elems>>displayed and click delete entity.
2. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > Shrink Wrap Mesh.
3. Click comps and select the block component from the list.
4. For the minimum jacobian, enter 0.3.

5. Click mesh to generate the mesh.

Chapter 5: 1D Meshing and Connectors
Chapter 5
1D Meshing and Connectors

Exercise 5a - 1D Meshing and Connectors
This exercise will cover the basics behind the creation and visualization of 1D
element, ranging from simple rigid entities to more complex 1D elements with a
defined cross section to automatic 1D element creation through the use of
connectors.
Step 1: Load the model …\Model-Files\CH5-1D-MESHING\05a-1D-

MESHING.hm and set the user profile to OptiStruct.
Step 2: RBE2 Elements

RBEs (Rigid Body Elements) are the simplest of 1D elements and simply connect
two or more nodes together.
In the case of an RBE2, one node serves as the Independent and the other(s) the
Dependent node(s). The Dependent node(s) simply “follow” the motion of the
Independent node in the Degrees of Freedom that have been linked. These
elements are useful to simply represent welds or to tie together two dissimilar
meshes. One word of caution though is that RBE2 elements, as they rigidly link
nodes together, can induce stiffness to the model that may not be desired.

1. Create a component called Rigids and make the color red.

2. Rotate the model as shown in the picture and zoom into the highlighted region.
3. Enter the mesh creation panel for Rigids.
From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 1D Elements > Rigids.
4. Make sure the create sub panel is active.
5. Ensure that all 6 DOFs are selected.
6. Select the red circled node first (Independent Node) and the yellow circled node
second (Dependent Node).
A rigid element (RBE2) will be created connecting the two nodes.
7. Continue to make a few more RBE2 elements down the line.

8. Change the switch next to dependant node to multiple nodes.
9. Pick a node for the independent node and then pick multiple nodes for dependent.
10. Click create.
An RBE2 with multiple dependant nodes connected to one single independent will be
created.

11. Select the update sub-panel
12. Pick the RBE2 created with multiple dependant nodes.

13. Click the connectivity radio button
14. Click the nodes button next to dependent:
15. Right click one of the dependent nodes, it will become de-selected.
16. Left click a new node to select as the dependent node.
17. Click update.

You will note that the connectivity of the RBE2 has changed to remove the
deselected node and include the newly selected node. Update can also be used to
change the independent node, the DOFs of the element and switch RBE2
independent and dependent nodes.

Step 3: RBE3 Elements

RBE3 elements are useful to distribute loads without inducing unwanted stiffness. It
is not an element to be used to model a connection, but rather an element to induce
a motion in a node as a function of the weighted average of other nodes.
1. Go to Mesh > Create > 1D Elements > RBE3.
The RBE3 panel will open. You will notice it looks similar to the RBE2 with the only
changes being the reversal of the Independent and Dependent nodes and the
addition of a weight field.
2. Rotate and zoom so that you are looking down at the large hole in the blue upper
part.
In this step you will create a very common rigid element feature often called the
“wagon wheel” or the “spider web”. When complete the reason will be obvious.
This type of feature is used to link the nodes around the circumference of a hole to a
single node in the center. This can then be used to:
➢ Connect the feature to something else (bolting two parts together).
➢ Constrain the central node. (Bolting to a fixture) (RBE2)
➢ Distribute a central load. (RBE3)
To create this feature, a node must be placed at the center of the hole. This can be
accomplished through the use of the Distance panel.
3. Press F4 to enter the Distance panel.
4. Pick the three nodes sub panel.
5. Pick any three nodes around the interior of the hole.
6. Click the green circle center button.
A yellow temp node will be placed at the circle center.

7. Return out of the function back into the RBE3 panel.

8. Select the new temp node as the dependent node.
9. Pick all the nodes around the interior of the hole as the independent nodes.
HINT: Using the extended selection by path option will make this task much quicker.
Simply select the by path option, click any node on the circumference then click
another node a ways further around. HyperMesh will automatically select all the
nodes between using the shortest route. Continue in this manner until all the nodes
are selected.
10. Set the weight at 1.
11. Click create.
The Wagon Wheel or Spider Web will be created.
Step 4: Bar Elements – Creating the beam section

RBE2 and RBE3 elements are considered “rigid” elements. They are infinitely strong
and as such experience no stress and thus cannot be analyzed. In the event the 1D
element is actually a structural entity that needs to be studied, a bar is used. The bar
element (CBEAM in OptiStruct) has a definable cross section and material assigned
to it and thus will display stress results in post processing.
Before the element can be created, a cross section, a material, and a property need
to be defined and then applied to the element(s).

1. From the menu bar, select Properties > HyperBeam.

HyperBeam is a tool within HyperMesh that allows for easy and graphical creation of
cross sections for beam elements.
2. From the HyperBeam panel select the standard section sub panel.
3. From the standard section type switch pick standard H section.
4. Click create.
The graphical HyperBeam interface will now open:
From within this interface the physical dimensions of the beam section can be
defined.
5. Set the dimensions as shown below:

6. Go to the Model browser and right-click mouse button on the word H_section.1,
select Rename and rename it H_Beam.
7. Click File > Exit.

The beam section has now been created.
8. Right-click mouse button in the Model Browser window and create a property.
9. Name it H_Beam.
10. Select the property H_Beam and define its card using Entity Editor. In the Card
Image assign it a PBEAM.
11. Select Material in the Entity Editor and assign it the material Steel (select form the
Material yellow button).

12. The beam section needs to be assigned to this card. Select Beamsection in the
Entity Editor and assign it the Beam section H_Beam (select form the
Beamsection yellow button).
The inertial information calculated from the cross section will automatically be placed
into the value fields in the card.
Step 5: Bar Elements – Creating the bar elements

With the property and cross section defined the Bar element can now be created.
1. Go to Mesh > Create > 1D Elements > Bars panel.

2. Click the orientation switch immediately next to the N1 button and select x-axis.
3. Click the property = button and pick the H_Beam property.
4. Pick any node on the blue upper component elements for node A.
5. With the focus automatically switching to node B, pick any node on the green lower
component elements.
The CBEAM element will automatically be created.
You will note that the element is displayed as a line in the color of the component it
was created in. Aside from the CBEAM label, it looks identical to the RBE2 and
RBE3 elements created previously.
The 1D Element Representation mode allows for the graphical representation of the
cross section of the 1D element.
6. Click the 1D Element Representation button ( ) and pick the 1D Detailed
Element Representation icon ( ).

7. Zoom on the CBEAM element.

It now shows the actual cross section. This cross section is selectable and reflects
the color of the component. It also is a live view so that if any aspect of the element
is changed, it will show that.
8. Re-open HyperBeam and change the dimensions to see the changes reflected on
the part. From the menu bar, click Properties > HyperBeam.
9. Create a brand new cross section of some other standard type and file > exit.
10. Right-click mouse button on the H Beam property card in the HyperMesh Model
Browser and card edit the property.
11. Click the beamsection button and pick the new cross section.
12. Return out of the card and see the change in the model.

Step 6: Combining 1D Elements

A typical bolt representation consists of a “wagon wheel” inside the two bolt holes
connected at their centers with a CBEAM that has a solid circle section that
represents the bolt. In this step you will create one of those common structures.
1. Create a component called Bolts and give it a unique color.
2. Re-open HyperBeam and create a standard section as solid circle beam with a
diameter of 5.
3. Create a PBEAM property named Bolt with a material of Steel and the solid circle
beam section just created.

4. Pick one of the two circle pairs between the Blue Upper Component and the Purple
Flanges Component to create the bolt in.
5. Put temp nodes at the center of both the upper and lower holes
6. Create an RBE2 “wagon wheel” in each of the holes.
7. Create a CBEAM element connecting the center of the RBE2 elements with the Bolt
Property.
8. Repeat this for the other hole.
Step 7: Connectors
Connectors are a quick way of creating multiple and complex rigid entities
representing welds, bolts and adhesives.
First you will use the Connectors panel to create a weld of rigid elements similar to
those created in Step 2, Item 6. In that case, two nodes were selected and a single
RBE2 was created. To run down the entire length of the edge would have required
each node be picked individually. You will now accomplish the same result using
connectors in a fraction of the time.
1. From the menu bar, select Connectors > Create > Spots.
2. From the spot submenu, next to location, click the nodes button and pick by path.

3. On the opposite edge from the one used in Step 2, Item 6 to create the RBE2
elements, pick the first node and using the by path option, proceed down the entire
edge until all the nodes are selected.
4. Next to connect what, make sure to select comps and pick the blue Upper Plate
collector and the teal Arm collector.
5. Make sure elems is selected by the toggle and num layers should be total 2 as
there are only 2 layers being connected.
6. tolerance = should be set for 10 (this determines the distance HyperMesh will
search from the node to find nodes of both collectors to create the welds. The
distance is a bit over 6, so 10 should work fine.)
7. For type= select rigid (this option allow you to establish what type of element will be
created.)
8. Change the mesh independent switch to mesh dependent.
9. Under mesh dependent, change the switch from quad transition to remesh.
10. Verify the panel has all the settings shown below:
11. Click create.

The entire row of rigid elements will be created with this one click.

The process can be used to create these types of rigids or rigids that will represent
spot welds. These elements can even be created before the part is meshed (must
pick geom instead of elems for the connect what option) and in that case a fixed
point will be placed at either end of the element, guaranteeing that a node will be
there when the mesh is created.
12. Experiment with creating other connectors in the model with other options in the
panel.
13. From the menu bar, select Connectors > Create > Bolts enter the Bolt panel.
14. Zoom to the section of the model shown below.
15. Pick one node on the circumference of each of the holes on the purple Flanges
component, as location:.
16. Set connect what to comps and pick the purple Flanges component and the green
Lower component.
17. Set the tolerance to 20 and fill in the rest of the panel as shown below.
18. Click on realize & hole detect details...

19. Set the values in the panel as the following:

20. Click return and then select create.

Immediately two rigid bolts are created. If desired, the type can be set as bolt
(CBAR), and a PBAR card in combination with a beam section can be defined, and
the bolt can be analyzed. Bolt (Washer) types will not only select the nodes around
the circumference but will grab nodes around a washer ring as well.
21. Experiment with other options in the panel.
Step 8: Connector Browser

1. From the View menu activate the Connector Browser by selecting Browsers >
HyperMesh > Connector.

The Connector Browser will appear and display all of the connectors in the model.
From the browser you can see information about the connectors, reasons for
realization failure and when you right click on a connector you can edit the
connectors.
2. Experiment with the Connector Browser.

Chapter 6: HyperMorph
Chapter 6
HyperMorph Introduction
Exercise 6a - Using Free Hand
This exercise shows how to translate Nodes to Increase the Length of a Propeller Blade.
Figure 1: Original blade
Figure 2: Blade after morphing

Step 1: Load the model.

Open the HyperMesh file …\Model-Files\CH6-HYPERMORPH\6a-PROPELLER-FREE-
HANDS.hm.
Step 2: Morph the blade.
Method1 - Fixed Value based method.

1. Click the Morphing > Free Hand, then select the move nodes subpanel.
2. Verify that the morphing method is set to translate.
3. For the translate value, type in z field -100.
4. Open the View folder in the Model Browser.
5. Click next to View1 to set the view.

6. For moving nodes and fixed nodes select the nodes as displayed in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Node and element selections.
7. For affected elements select the elements between fixed nodes and moving nodes.
8. For mv bias and fx bias keep the default value (1.0)
9. Click morph to alter the blade of the propeller.
The length of the propeller blade has increased by 100. The fixed nodes do not move.
The affected elements were stretched evenly to maintain element quality.

The stretching of the elements takes place between the moving nodes and the fixed
nodes.
10. Click undo to go back at the original shape of the propeller.
Method2 - Interactive based method, using manipulators.

1. You’re still in the move nodes subpanel.
2. Verify that the morphing method is set to manipulator.
3. Leave the other parameters and options with the actual values.
4. Select nodes (moving and fixed) and elements (affected) as you did before.
5. You should see the manipulator. If you want you can select another node as origin: as
shown in the picture below to set the manipulator in a different position.

6. Zoom in and rotate close to the manipulator area.
7. Click and drag, graphically, one of the three yellow arrows of the manipulator to
translate the nodes.
8. Click and drag, graphically, one of the three yellow arcs of the manipulator to rotate the
nodes about the center of the manipulator, click undo.

9. Click and drag, graphically, one of the three yellow right angles of the manipulator to
move the nodes in a plane.
You may create more than one manipulator at a time by switching the toggle between
single manipulator and multiple. When switched to multiple, clicking the new manip
button will allow you to create a new manipulator by selecting one or more moving
nodes. The different manipulators may have different selected entities and different
parameters, and can be moved independently of one another. Moving a manipulator,
clicking a manipulator, or simply moving the mouse over one of the manipulators will
cause the panel to be updated to parameters for that manipulator, allowing you to
change the parameters or the entities associated with them if you desire.
The manipulators can be set to be active or inactive by switching the toggle to either
manip:active or manip:inactive. When active the manipulators will morph the model
when moved. When inactive the manipulators will only change their own position and
orientation when moved.

Summary
Method1 - The length of the propeller blade has increased by 100.
The fixed nodes do not move.
The stretching of the elements takes place between the moving nodes and the fixed nodes.
Method2 - The length of the propeller blade has increased using interactive by clicking and
dragging one of the three arrows/arcs/right angles of the manipulator to respectively
translate/rotate/move the nodes.
The fixed nodes do not move.
The stretching of the elements takes place between the moving nodes and the fixed
nodes.

Exercise 6b - Using Domains and Handles

In this exercise you will create domains, handles and morph the model.
Step 1: Load and review the model.

Open and review the HyperMesh model ...\Model-Files\CH6-HYPERMORPH\6b-DOMAINS-
HANDLES.hm.
Step 2: Auto generate 2-D domains and handles.

1. From the menu bar, click Morphing > Create > Domains.
2. Change the create method to auto functions.
3. Click generate.
Based on the model’s geometric features, all of the model’s elements are organized into
various domains and local handles are created and associated with the domains.

Step 3: Move elements into a new 2-D domain.

1. Set the selector for methods to 2D domains. Toggle to the elems selector if not already
there.
2. Click to clear the elements that were already selected.

3. Using elems >> by window or Shift+left mouse button, select the elements indicated
in figure 1.
Figure 1: Elements to select to move into a new domain
4. Verify that partition 2D domains is active.
5. Click create to create the domain.

Local handles are created for the new domain. You should now have two local domains.
Elements can only belong to one domain at a time. Thus, the elements you selected
were moved into the new domain. This functionality makes it very easy to group
elements into different domains.

Step 4: Split the edge domain of the radius to have more control when
morphing.
1. Click the edit edges subpanel in the Morphing > Create > Domains panel.
2. Verify that the split option is selected.
3. With the domain selector active, select the edge domain of the part’s radius as indicated
in the Figure 2.
The node selector automatically becomes active once the edge domain is selected.
Click the domain selector to make it active and see that you selected the desired edge
domain.
Figure 2: Edge domain to select
4. Click the node selector to make it active.

5. Select the node on the positive Y-axis end of the radius, as indicated in the Figure 3.

Figure 3: Node selection to split the edge domain of the radius
6. Click split to split the edge domain at the node.

7. Repeat the above process to further split the edge domain of the radius, this time at the
node indicated in the Figure 4.
Figure 4: Node selection to further split the edge domain of the radius
8. When complete, click return to exit the panel.
Step 5: Add local handles to the 2-D domain on the part’s left side.
1. From the menu bar, click Morphing > Create > Handles.
2. In name= field, type local.
3. Click the attached to: domain selector to make it active.
4. Select the 2-D domain on the part’s left side by selecting its red icon, as indicated in the
following image.
Figure 5: Adding handles to a 2-D domain
5. Click the by nodes: nodes selector to make it active.

6. Select the two nodes as indicated in the previous image.
7. Click create to create the handles and add them to the 2-D domain.
Step 6: Perform basic morphing to understand how domains and handles

interact with each other and the mesh.
1. From the menu bar, click Morphing > Morph.
2. Select the move handles subpanel if not already there.
3. Change the mode to interactive if not already set.
4. Switch from manipulators to on plane.
5. Click the N1 selector to make it active.
6. For N1, N2, and N3, select any three nodes on the model to define a plane.

7. With the handles selector active, select the two handles on the right-hand end of the
part, as indicated in figure 6, marked by the red circle.
Figure 6: Example result of morphing the model
If you select one or more handle, those handles follow the handle you drag.
8. Click morph.
The message, “pick handles and move to new location” appears in the message bar.
9. Click on and drag one of the selected handles to morph the part.
As you drag the handle, the mesh’s size and shape is adjusted.
Notice that the following occurs as the selected local handle is moved:
• The handles selected in sub-step 7 above follow the handle you are dragging.
• All of the elements belonging to the selected local handle’s 2-D domain are affected
by moving that local handle.
• The 2-D domain’s non-selected local handles act like anchors (they do not move).
• The nodes on the edge domains and between any two non-selected local domains
do not move.
• None of the elements in the other 2-D domain are affected.
10. Click undo to cancel the change.

The HyperMorph module allows for multiple levels of undo and redo for all morphing
operations. This functionality is available for any particular HyperMesh session and its
current model as long as the session and its model remain open.
11. Click to clear the selected handles.

12. With the handles selector active, select one or more global handles.
13. Click morph.
14. Click on and drag any global handle to morph the part.
Summary
The following occurs as the selected global handle is moved:
• The handles selected in sub-step 7 above follow the handle you are dragging.
• The non-selected global handles act like anchors (they do not move).
• All of the elements, local handles and edge domains are affected.

Exercise 6c - Using Map to Geometry

In this exercise, you will use the line difference approach to change the Curvature of a
Bumper to a Curved Line
Figure 1: Bumper before and after morphing

Open the HyperMesh file …\Model-Files\CH6-HYPERMORPH\06c-MAP-TO-GEOM.hm.
Step 2: Morph the bumper.

1. From the menu bar, Click Morphing > Map to Geometry to open the Map to Geom
panel
2. Switch the geometry selector to line difference.
3. Select the from line (Line A) and the to line (Line B) as shown in figure 2.
Figure 2: from line and to line
4. Toggle the morphing entity (2nd column) from map domains to map nodes.
5. Select nodes >> displayed.
6. Use no fixed nodes (2nd column, 2nd row).
7. Use map by line axis morphing with a value of 1.0 for mvbias and fxbias (3rd column).
8. Click map.
Summary
The profile of the bumper is changed to follow the new section line.

Exercise 6d - Changing the Shape of the B-pillar with the Help of

Morph Volume
This exercise shows how to change the Shape of the B-pillar with the help of Morph Volume
Figure 1: B-Pillar before and after morphing

Open the HyperMesh file …\Model-Files\CH6-HYPERMORPH\6d-body-side.hm.
Step 2: Create morph volumes.

1. From the menu bar, click Morphing > Create > Morph Volumes.
2. Switch the create morphvol to pick on screen.
3. For handle placement, select corners only.
4. Keep the auto-tangent check box selected.
5. Click the XZ Right Plane View ( ) icon to set the view.

6. Draw a window by clicking at the four places shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Points for creating the morph volume
Note: A morph volume is created, enclosing the area.
Step 3: Split the morph volumes.

1. Click the split/combine subpanel in the Morph Volumes panel.
2. Verify the split toggle is set to split mvols: by edges
3. Select an edge of the morph volume close to location 1 (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Locations to split the morph volume
The green colored cross moves to the location of the black dot.
4. Click split.
The morph volume is split into two.

Follow the same steps to create another split at location2 (see Figure3).
Step 4: Change the profile of the b-pillar.
Method1 - Fixed Value based method.

1. From the menu bar, select Morphing > Morph. Click the move handles subpanel if not
already open.
2. Switch the morphing method to translate.
3. Set direction as along xyz.
4. Type in the following field:
x val = 0
y val = 100.00
z val = 0

5. Select the eight handles by window as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Select handles for morphing
6. Click morph.
Rotate the model to observe that the b-pillar is morphed.
7. Click undo to go back at the original shape of the b-pillar.
Method2 - Interactive based method, using manipulators.

1. You’re still in the move nodes subpanel.
2. Switch the morphing method to interactive and manipulators.
3. Leave the other parameters and options with the actual values.

4. Click the XZ Right Plane View ( ) icon to set the view.

5. Select the eight handles by window as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Select handles for morphing
6. You should see the manipulator. If you want you can select another node as origin: to
set the manipulator in a different position.
7. Zoom in and rotate close to the manipulator area.

8. Click and drag, graphically, one of the three yellow arrows of the manipulator to
translate the nodes, click undo.
9. Click and drag, graphically, one of the three yellow arcs of the manipulator to rotate the
nodes about the center of the manipulator, click undo.
10. Click and drag, graphically, one of the three yellow right angles of the manipulator to
move the nodes in a plane, click undo.

You may create more than one manipulator at a time by switching the toggle between
single manipulator and multiple. When switched to multiple, clicking the new manip
button will allow you to create a new manipulator by selecting one or more moving
nodes. The different manipulators may have different selected entities and different
parameters, and can be moved independently of one another. Moving a manipulator,
clicking a manipulator, or simply moving the mouse over one of the manipulators will
cause the panel to be updated to parameters for that manipulator, allowing you to
change the parameters or the entities associated with them if you desire.
The manipulators can be set to be active or inactive by switching the toggle to either
manip:active or manip:inactive. When active the manipulators will morph the model
when moved. When inactive the manipulators will only change their own position and
orientation when moved.
Summary
The b-pillar is morphed in a smooth fashion with minimum distortion to the elements in both
methods.


Chapter 7: Analysis Setup
Chapter 7
Analysis Setup
Exercise 7a - Analysis Setup and Loading
This exercise will focus on setting up a model for analysis. At the end of this exercise,
you will run an analysis in OptiStruct. While this exercise is focused on an OptiStruct
Analysis setup, the methods and techniques explored here are applicable to a setup in
any solver.
Step 1: Load the file …\Model-Files\CH7-ANALYSIS-SETUP\7a-ANALYSIS-SETUP-

OPTISTRUCT.hm and the OptiStruct user profile.
Step 2: Studying the Model

The normal process for setting up an analysis would be the setup of materials,
properties and components before the meshing of the model. As this exercise
focuses only on analysis setup, the mesh has already been created for you.
This model is a quarter segment of a submarine pressure hull. The exercise will
cover the steps required to analyze the stress on the hull of a decent to a depth of
300 meters and determine if the hull design can handle that pressure.

1. Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the model and get a concept of the
size and scale of the parts.
2. Based upon measurements and knowledge of how large a submarine is, what would
you assume to units of this model to be?
Now that the scale of the model has been determined, it is important to establish a
unit scheme. These are often dictated by corporate standards, but in this case it will
be established by the units that were used to create the model.
For this analysis, the Millimeter-Ton-Second scheme will be utilized.
The first step in any analysis should be model organization. This frequently occurs
before the model is meshed but can be done post mesh as well.
To make sure each step has the information already available, the ideal order is to
create materials first, then properties and then finally component collectors.
Step 3: Model Organization

In this step, we will take the elements that represent the Hull and place them into the
Hull component. The collector that holds the remaining Rib elements will then be
renamed Ribs.
Component collectors are, as previously discussed, used for model organization.

One of the most logical organization schemes for this model would be a component
for the Hull elements and then another for the Ribs. This, of course, is only one
method and could be altered for any number of organizational reasons.
1. Right click mouse button in the Model Browser and select Create > Component
2. A new component will be created and you can edit it using Entity Editor. Enter
Hull in the Name field. Assign it a unique color.
3. Organize the Hull elements into the Hull component, by clicking or from the
menu bar, click Mesh > Organize > Elements > to Component.
Click the selector elems >> by geoms, then active the surfs selector to select the
surfaces and in the end, click the green button add to selection.
HINT: Using the extended selection option of by geoms and picking the 20 surfaces
that make up the hull is the easiest way to get all of the appropriate elements.

4. Rename the Middle Surface component to Ribs.
Step 4: Material and Property Creation.

1. Right click mouse button in the Model Browser and select Create > Material.
2. A new material will be created and you can edit it using Entity Editor. Enter Steel
in the Name field and pick a color.
3. For Card Image select MAT1 (A Linear Elastic Isotropic Material).
4. Click [E], [NU] and [RHO] to open the fields. These fields are the material properties
for the material being created and are defined as follows:
• [E] Young’s Modulus (Modulus of Elasticity)
• [NU] Poisson’s Ratio
• [RHO] Density
As it has been established the Millimeter-Ton-Second unit scheme will be utilized, the
Young’s Modulus needs to be in terms of Newton/mm2 (MPa) and the Density in
Ton/mm3. Poisson’s ratio is unit-less and is the same no matter what the unit
scheme.
Enter the following values:
• [E] 2.4e+5
• [NU] 0.3
• [RHO] 7.85e-9

At this point you can see that a new folder has been created in the Model Browser,
Material, and the new material, Steel, is included in it.
5. Right click mouse button in the Model Browser and select Create > Property.
While the elements (quads and trias) have been created, they need to be defined as
an entity the solver can analyze. In the case of OptiStruct, these 2D elements are
defined as PSHELL. Creating the PSHELL property will give these elements their
definition (card Image) and will allow for the definition of the material thickness they
have.
6. A new property will be created and you can edit it using Entity Editor. Enter Hull
in the Name field and pick a color.
7. For Card image select PSHELL.
8. Set the value for Thickness T field at 19.
9. Go to the Material field; “Select from list” the material “Steel”, to assign this material
to the property.

10. Right click mouse button in the Model Browser and select Create > Property.
11. Using the techniques explored, create a property with the name Ribs with the
following settings:
Card image = PSHELL
Material = Steel
Thickness = 13
Set a color.

Step 5: Property and Material Assignment.

Property and material can be created without creating a component at the same time.
This is usefull when the components already exists, you can assign property and
material later.
As the component were created prior to the creation of the properties, it is now
necessary to assign the property to them.
1. From the Model Browser, select component “Ribs”.
2. The Entity Editor will open, Go to the Property field; “Select from list” the property
“Ribs”, to assign this property (and associated material “Steel”) to the “Ribs”
component.

3. From the Model Browser, select component “Hull”.

4. The Entity Editor will open, Go to the Property field; “Select from list” the property
“Hull”, to assign this property (and associated material “Steel”) to the “Hull”
component.
Step 6: Load Collector Creation

1. From the Model Browser, click right mouse button to create a LoadCollector.
2. The Entity Editor will open and name it Pressure.
3. Assign it a unique color
4. Leave the Card image as <None>.
5. Follow the previous steps to create another LoadCollector called Constraints.

Step 7: Model Loading

With the elements properly assigned a card image (through the property) and a
material, it is now necessary to create the loads on the model. As this is a submarine
hull, a constant pressure will be applied to the exterior of the hull, directed inwards
normal to the elements.
To establish the orientation of the pressure load, the element normals direction must
first be discovered.
1. Go to View > Toolbars > HyperMesh > Checks toolbar, select the Normals
icon .
2. In the elements sub-panel select all of the elements in the Hull collector.
3. Click display.
Arrows should now indicate the element normal direction.

The element normals should be pointing outward from the hull, so if they are not,
click the green button reverse.
4. Make the Pressure Load Collector current.
5. From the menu bar, click BCs > Create > Pressures panel.
6. In the create sub-panel, select the elements in the Hull collector.
7. Set the magnitude = to -3.0. (This value is in MPa and corresponds to the
approximate pressure at a depth of 300 meters)
The direction switch under the magnitude field allows for the direction of the pressure
to be set. If this value is NOT set then the default is to make the pressure normal to
the element. The value previously entered was negative so that the pressure is
opposite the element normal and thus directed inwards.
8. Change the relative size= toggle to uniform size = and set it to 200.
This option establishes the size of the arrow that will graphically represent the load.
“Relative size” will make the arrow length the set percentage of the value of the load
in model units. For example in our case of a 3.0 magnitude load, a relative size=
value of 200 would result in a load arrow of 6 units in length. Uniform size will set the
length to the set number of model units regardless of the magnitude value.
9. Click the load types= button and select PLOAD.
PLOAD is the standard pressure loading card in OptiStruct Analysis. For

explanations of other types of pressures and loads you can refer to the online help.
10. Create the pressures by clicking the green button Create. The model should now
look similar to this picture.

Step 8: Save the Model

While this step is optional, it is good practice to frequently save your model.
Step 9: Constraints
Constraints hold the model in place. Without them any force applied to the model
would send it flying off. Constraints typically represent the physical restrictions on a
part, some examples being welds, fasteners or other parts that constrain the part and
allow it to resist the forces applied. These are represented through the use of an SPC
(single point constraint) which restricts the movement of a single node in any of 6
degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z translational and X, Y, Z rotational).
In the case of this model, a special constraining system called Symmetric
Constraining is used. This is a common practice when analyzing a part with some
form of symmetry. In the case of this Submarine Hull model, it represents ¼ of the
complete hull circle. Analyzing only part of a symmetric model saves time in both
model setup and analysis. The results can be assumed to be identical across planes
of symmetry, assuming the loading is also identical across the plane.
1. From the Model Browser, select Load Collector “Pressure” and right click mouse
button on “Hide”
2. Make current the Constraints load collector.
3. From the menu bar, click BCs > Create > Constraints.
4. Select the YZ Front Plane View .

5. Select or de-select the appropriate check boxes so that the only DOFs selected are
2, 4 and 6.
6. Using a box select (HINT: Shift+Left mouse button Drag a box) to pick the nodes
shown in the image below.
7. Click create.
8. Select and de-select the appropriate check boxes so that the only DOFs selected are
3, 4 and 5.
9. Using a box select pick the nodes shown in the image below.
10. Click create.
11. Select the XY Top Plane View .

12. Select and de-select the appropriate check boxes so that the only DOFs selected are
1, 5 and 6.
13. Using the standard views and model rotation tools, select all of the nodes on both
remaining edges of the Hull elements.
You will have to manually select the nodes at the end of the ribs, component “Ribs”,
zoom and rotate the model.
14. Click create.

15. The model is now properly constrained for the analysis.
Step 10: Define the LoadStep

This step in the analysis setup is to establish a load step. A load step is combination
of constraints and loads that will define a single analysis in the solver. Multiple load
steps can be defined in a single model allowing for one run of the solver to conduct
numerous studies.
1. From the Model Browser, click right mouse button to create a Load Step.
2. The Entity Editor will open and name it as pressure load.
3. Go to the SPC field; “Select from list” the Loadcol “Constraints”.

4. Go to the LOAD field; “Select from list” the Loadcol “Pressure”.
5. Go to the Subcase Definition > Analysis type option, change the Analysis type
from Generic to Linear Static from the menu in the Value field.
6. The Load Step “pressure load” is defined.

Step 11: Control Cards

Control cards are special cards in the deck that control aspects of the solver run.
They can be used to:
• Set parameters of the analysis.
• Control aspects of the analysis.
• Request certain types of output.
1. From the menu bar, click Setup > Create > Control Cards panel.
2. Find the FORMAT card and click on it. (Use the next button move scroll through the
cards).
3. Change the number_of_formats field to 2.
4. Change the second FORMAT card to HM.
This will provide output in both HyperView (H3D) and HyperMesh (HM) formats.
5. Click return and then use next to find the SCREEN card.
6. Set the SCREEN_V1 to OUT

7. From the Model Browser, have a look at the cards created.
Step 12: Run the Analysis

For any other solver the next step should be to export a solver deck and use the
individual solver tools to being the study. As OptiStruct is an Altair product it can very
easily be invoked from within HyperMesh.
1. From the menu bar, click Optimization > OptiStruct.
2. Set the panel options to match those below.
NOTE: Your model name and path will differ from the picture, leave the default.

3. After the settings are made, click the OptiStruct button to begin the analysis.
4. A new window will open to show that the OptiStruct analysis is running.
5. When the message “ANALYSIS COMPLETED” appears, the run is complete and the
window can be closed.

Step 13: Post Processing

While the workings of HyperView will be discussed in greater length in the Post
Processing section of the class, this step will cover basic post processing steps to
review the analysis you just ran.
1. In the HyperWorks Solver View dialog box, click the Results button to load the
results in HyperView .
2. If you want, you can load a different input/result file clicking on Load model (load
.fem as input file) and Load results (load .res as result file); leave h3d format for
now and click on Apply.
3. Enter the Deformed Panel .

4. Set the Value to 100 and click Apply.
5. Change the animation type to Set Linear Animation Mode.

6. Go to the Contour Panel .

7. Select the Result Type to be Element Stress 2D&3D (t).
8. Change Averaging Method to Advanced.
9. Set Display > Interpolate Color.
10. Click Apply.
11. Click the animate icon .

12. Rotate the model to review it using the same keys and buttons as HyperMesh.

Step14: Engineering Review

1. Given that the Yield Strength of an HSLA Steel is around 360 MPa, do you think this
structure, as designed, will survive a dive to a depth of 300 meters?
2. Using the Card Editing functions, experiment with thickness values to determine how
the changes affect the stress and deformation of the model and achieve a model that
does not exceed the yield strength.
NOTE: The more weight of the structure, the less weight that can go in it so try to
keep the materials as thin as possible.


Chapter 8: HyperWorks Assembly
Chapter 8
Model Build and Assembly
Exercise 8a - Model Build and Assembly

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:
• Import a PLMXML file.
• Load and create a Common representation and NVH representation for
modal analysis
• Import connector parts, add connector representations, and realize
connectors
• Edit part attributes using the Entity Editor to reflect design changes
• Activate configurations
• Import and Export an assembly as a Solver Deck
• Renumber entities using the ID-Manager
• Check for errors using the Model Checker
• Create Part Library
Exercise
This exercise uses the following files ...\Model-Files\CH8-ASSEMBLY\Exercise_8a
folder
• lst_input folder
• BOM_input.xml
• plmxml_udm_config.xml
• Realizations.hm
Step 1: Start HyperMesh Desktop and Load the OptiStruct User Profile
1. Start HyperMesh Desktop.
2. In the User Profile dialog, select OptiStruct.
HyperWorks 2017 HMD Introduction 185

3. Click OK.
Step 2: Import the PLMXML File

1. From the menu bar, click File > Import > BOM.
2. In the File field, locate the BOM_input.xml file
(…\Model-Files\CH8-ASSEMBLY\Exercise_8a\BOM_input.xml).
3. Click Import. Part assemblies and parts are imported into the session.
Step 3: Load and Create a Common Representation

The sub-steps 4 – 6 below are optional as the Common representation can be
created without loading the CAD into the session. Since the Common representation
forms the basis of subsequent discipline specific mesh representations, its creation is
a prerequisite for the next steps.
1. From the menu bar, open the Part browser by clicking View > Browsers >
HyperMesh > Part
2. In the Part browser, right-click and select Column Visibility from the context
menu.
3. In the Column Visibility dialog, select the following columns: PDM PID, PDM
MID, PDM Material, PDM Thickness and PDM MeshFlag. These columns show
the PDM metadata that is parsed upon importation of the PLMXML file. This
information is also shown in the Entity Editor, PDM Data panel.
186 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017

4. Right-click on the Frame_Assembly_000495 part assembly and select

Representations > Load > from Session from the context menu.
5. In the Change Representations dialog, Load tab, select the CAD
representation.
6. Click OK. All available CAD representations are imported into the session.

7. Right-click on the Frame_Assembly_000495 part assembly and select

Representations > Create from the context menu.
8. In the Change Representations dialog, Create tab, set the Representations
field to Common (0/8).
9. Click OK. Available CAD representations are sent to the BatchMesher for
processing.
Note: In the case of sheet metal parts, the BatchMesher extracts the midsurface
from the solid CAD representation.
10. In the BatchMesh dialog, click Yes to load the new representations for the eight
parts.

11. Repeat sub-steps 7 –10 to create NVH10 and NVH15 representations.
Step 4: Add Connector Representations
1. In the Part browser, right-click on the Connectors_000481 part assembly and

select Representations > Load > from Session from the context menu.
2. In the Change Representation dialog, Load tab, select the Connector
representation.
3. Click OK. Components containing connectors are prepared to their corresponding

parts.
Step 5: Design change – modify Center Rail part attributes

1. In the Part browser note the PID of parts CenterInner_var2_A_000431_Safety
and CenterOuter_var2_A_000432_Safety.

2. In the Model browser, switch the view mode to Properties.

3. Select PID 103 and 104. The Entity Editor opens and displays the two properties
common corresponding attributes.
4. In the Entity Editor, T field, enter 3.0.

5. In the part Part browser, notice the attribute modification you made is updated in
the Thickness columns. Save these changes to ensure that they are available if
the current representation is unloaded.
Step 6: Create part Sets

Create part sets Var1 and Var2 for Variant 1 and Variant 2 in the Part Set view.
1. In the Part browser, enable the Part Set view.
2. Create two part sets.

a. In the Part Sets view, right-click and select Create > Part Set from the context
menu.
b. Name the part sets Var1 and Var2.
3. Group common and unique parts by dragging-and-dropping parts from the Part
view onto the set.
Var1:
• Center_Rail_Connectors_var1_000484
• CenterInner_A_000428_Safety
• CenterOuter_A_000429_Safety
Var2:
• Center_Rail_Connectors_var2_000485
• CenterInner_var2_A_000431_Safety
• CenterOuter_var2_A_000432_Safety
Step 7: Create Configurations

Create configurations Var1 and Var2 for part sets Var1 and Var2 in the Configuration
view.
1. In the Part browser, enable the Configuration view.
2. Create two configurations.

3. In the Configurations view, right-click and select Create > Configuration from
the context menu.
4. Name the configurations Var1 and Var2.
5. Group part sets that are unique by dragging-and-dropping part sets from the Part
Set view onto the configuration.
a. Group the Var1 part set into the Var1 configuration.
b. Group the Var2 part set into the Var2 configuration.
Step 8: Activate the Var2 Configuration

1. In the Configuration view, Active column, enable the checkbox for Var 2. All of
the parts, part assemblies, components, and part sets not associate with Var 2
become inactive.
Step 9: Export Assembly as a Solver Deck

1. From the menu bar, Open the Export – Solver Deck tab by clicking File >
Export > Solver Deck.
2. In the File field, enter frame_var2_model.fem.
3. Under Export Options:
• Set Export to Custom to ensure that the inactive parts are not written to the
solver deck
• Under Comments, select the part Assemblies/Parts checkbox.
4. Click Export.
5. Save the model as frame_assembly.hm
Step 10: Import Assembly Solver Deck

1. Start a new HyperMesh Desktop session
2. From the menu bar, open the Import – Solver Deck tab by clicking File > Import
> Solver Deck.
3. In the File field, locate the frame_var2_model.fem solver deck.
4. Click Import.
5. In the Part browser, verify that the BOM was imported correctly.
Note: All part assembly and part metadata in the original model should be
present, with the exception of the Representation name.
Step 11: Import Realizations

1. From the menu bar, click Import > Model to open
...\Model-Files\CH8-ASSEMBLY\Exercise_8a\Realizations.hm file
or click .
2. The Spotwelds component, in the Realizations.hm file, references a material that
has the same ID as a material that already exists in the current session, therefore
under Entity Management, set Material to Keep Existing Attibutes.
4. Click Import. Connector parts are imported and organized in the Part browser.
Step 12: Realize Connectors

1. In the Part browser, right-click on the Spotwelds component and select Make
Current from the context menu.
2. In the Part browser, right-click on the Longitudinal_Rail_Connectors
component and select Hide from the context menu. The display of the
component’s connectors is turned off in the grapichs area enabling you to get a
better visual of each component’s connectors.
3. From the menu bar, open the Connector browser by clicking View > Browsers >
HyperMesh > Connectors.
4. In the Connector Entity browser, select the acm (shell gap) connector folder.
5. In the Entity Editor, set Property Script to no/skip post script.

Note: Connector link are defined via Parts to ensure that connectors realize even if
you, accidentally, renumber all of the entities in the model.
6. In the Connector Entity browser, select all of the connectors.

7. Right-click on the selected connectors and select Rerealize from the context
menu.
8. In the Part browser, right-click on the Spotwelds part and select Isolate Only
from the context menu. Verify that the realized FE resides in the Spotwelds
components.
Step 13: Renumber Nodes and Elements

1. Open the ID-Manager by clicking Tools > ID-Manager from the menu bar.
2. In the ID-Manager, select Components, Properties, and Materials then right-
click each one and select Exclude from the context menu.
3. For the Master Model, enter 1000000 in the Min field and 1500000 in the Max
field.
Step 14: Run the Model Checker

1. Open the Model Checker by clicking Tools > Model Checker > OptiStruct.
2. In the Model Checker tab, click .

3. Verify that the model is error free.
Step 15: Export the Solver Deck

1. From the menu bar, click File > Export > Solver Deck.
2. In the Export – Solver Deck tab, File field, enter the file name
frame_var2_assembled.fem.
3. Under Export Options, Comments, select the Part Assemblies/Parts
checkbox.
4. Click Export.

Step 16: Working with Libraries

A default Part Library is generated when the Part Browser is enabled, and is
located at <user home>\AltairLibraries\2017. You can register and connect to new
libraries of your choice.
1. In the Part browser, right-click and select Library > Libraries… from the context
menu.
2. In the Libraries dialog, manage libraries.
• Register a new library.
a. Click +.
b. Enter a Library Name and Library path.
c. Click Add.
• Delete a registered library.
a. Select a library to unregister.
b. Click -.
• Connect/disconnect a library.
a. Select the currently connected library, and click Disconnect.
b. Select a disconnected library and click Connect.
Step 17: Syncing Library Revisions

1. In the Part browser, right-click on a part/part assembly and select Library > Sync
from the context menu.
The in-session version is synced with the latest, available version in the Part
Library. If the version available in the current session is out of sync with the
Library reversion, use Sync to update the session version with the Part Library
version.
Note: You can only sync library revisions when there is a connected library.

Step 18: Creating study revisions

Study Revisions are a way to explore design space, and can be promoted to a Major
Revision as required. You can assign and edit Study Revisions in the Entity Editor.
1. In the Part browser, select a part/part assembly.
2. In the Entity Editor, edit the Study Revisions field.

Exercise 8b – Update a Model

This exercise uses the following files ...\Model-Files\CH8-ASSEMBLY\Exercise_8b
folder
• lst_input folder
• Ist_input_B.xml
• plmxml_udm_config.xml
Step 1: Open a new session of HM

3. Click OK.
Step 2: Import the PLMXML File

1. From the menu bar, click File > Import > BOM.
2. In the File field, locate the BOM_input.xml file
(…\Model-Files\CH8-ASSEMBLY\Exercise_8b\Ist_input_B.xml).
3. Click Import. Part assemblies and parts are imported into the session.
Step 3: Create a NVH 10mm and NVH 15mm Representation

1. Right-click on the Underbody_000495_Safety part assembly and select
Representations > Create from the context menu.
2. In the Change Representations dialog, Create tab, select the NVH 10 mm and
NVH 15mm representation.

3. Click OK. Available NVH 10mm and NVH 15mm representations are sent to the
BatchMesher for processing.
4 In the BatchMesh dialog, click OK.
5. Right-click on the Underbody_000495_Safety part assembly and select

Representations > Load > from Libray from the context menu.
6. In the Change Representations dialog, Library tab, select the NVH 15mm
representation.

7. Click OK. All available NVH 15mm representations are shown into the session.
Step 4: Open frame_assembly.hm

3. Click OK.
4. From the menu bar, click File > Open > Model.
5. In the File field, locate the frame_assembly file
(…\Model-Files\CH8-ASSEMBLY\FINAL\Exercise_8a\frame_assembly).
6. Click Open. Part assemblies and parts are opened into the session.

Step 4: Change Major Revision and Load NVH 10 mm Library

1. From Part browser, select LeftInner_A_000434_Safety,
LeftOuter_A_000435_Safety, RightInner_A_000437_Safety,
RightOuter_A_000438_Safety (left-click mouse + CTRL).
2. From Entity Editor, in the Major Revision Value field edit A to B.
3. Right-click on the a part assembly and select Representations > Load > from
Libray from the context menu.
3. In the Change Representations dialog, Library tab, select the NVH 10mm
representation.

4. Click OK.
5. In the Confirm Load Representation dialog, click Load All.
6. the model is updated and the new parts are shown into the session.


Chapter 9: Capstone Project
Chapter 9
Capstone Project
1 - Bringing it all together.
At this point all of the major topics have been discussed, demonstrated and tried. Now it
is time to put them all together and experience a project on the full process that the
engineer will experience using HyperMesh in a real world situation. This final exercise
will cover the following topics:
• Importing a Model
• Geometry Cleanup
• 1D Meshing
• 2D Meshing
• 3D Meshing
• Analysis Setup
• Model Loading
• Analysis
• Post Processing
Each of these topics has been covered in previous chapters and the student is
encouraged to use this manual as a reference guide to assist in performing these tasks.

Exercise 9a - Capstone Project

This is a pseudo realistic situation where you as an analyst will be asked to determine
the inertial effects of a thrust scenario on a satellite in orbit. This will be an idealized
analysis as satellites typically do not have thrusters of this sort and in that we will be
assuming many things. We will also be ignoring other external factors such as micro
gravity.
Step 1: Loading the model and setting the User Profile

1. Import the IGES model:
…\Model-Files\CH9-CAPSTONE-PROJECT\SolarPanels.igs.
In most cases you will be asked to start your analysis from a CAD model. This is a
geometric representation of the solar panels that will be attached to the satellite that
we need to study.
2. Import the HyperMesh Model:
…\Models-Files\CH9-CAPSTONE-PROJECT\SatelliteBody.hm.
There are often times when you or a coworker will have a HyperMesh model of a part
that needs to be included in your model. In this case we can import a HyperMesh
model into our current session.
3. Save the model.

Name the model whatever you wish but be aware of the location the model is being
saved. It will be the working directory unless that has been changed during the
session of HyperMesh.
4. Load the OptiStruct User Profile.
Step 2: Clean up the geometry

1. There are some issues with the model that need to be fixed to assure an accurate
representation of the geometry. Find and fix them.
HINT: Do not use the AutoCleanup tool on this model. Remember to use
visualization tools. There are 4 areas that need to be fixed (Component “Body”).
2. Eliminate the solar panel mounting holes on the satellite body.

Holes can have an especially detrimental effect on the quality of mesh and if they are
not needed, it is best to remove them.
HINT: The holes locations are important as we will be attaching the solar panels at
their location after we mesh. Make sure there is a fixed point at each hole location so
a node will be placed there in the mesh.
Step 3: Organize the model

1. Move the Solar Panel surfaces to a component called SolarPanels (Choose any
color you wish).
2. The component Electrnics is misspelled. Correct the spelling of the component
name to Electronics.
3. Green is often a poor choice for a component color as it can hide topological colors
of shared edges. Change the color of the Engine component to Grey.
4. Rename the component Body to Body-Aluminum.

Step 4: Materials and Properties

The best practice for model setup is to create your materials first, then your
properties and then your mesh. This prevents the need to go back and assign
properties later.
HINT: You can use Model Browser + Entity Editor.
1. Create a Material for the Aluminum body of the satellite.
• Type: ISOTROPIC
• Name: Aluminum
• Card image: MAT1
• E: 7.0e+04
• NU: 0.330
• RHO: 2.1e-09
2. Create a Material for the Electronics Packages.

• Type: ISOTROPIC
• Name: Electronics
• E: 1000
• NU: 0.300
• RHO: Leave Blank for now. To be explained later

3. Create a Material for the Solar Panels.

• Type: ISOTROPIC
• Name: SolarPanels
• E: 2.0e+04
• NU: 0.400
• RHO: 1.0e-009

4. Create a Property for the elements that will make up the Body of the satellite.
• Type: 2D
• Name: Body-Aluminum
• Card image: PSHELL
• Material: Aluminum
• Thickness: 5.00mm

5. Create a Property for the elements that will make up the Electronics.
• Type: 3D
• Name: Electronics
• Card image: PSOLID
• Material: Electronics

6. Create a Property “SolarPanels” for the elements that will make up the SolarPanels.
• Type: 2D
• Name: SolarPanels
• Card image: PSHELL
• Material: SolarPanels
• Thickness: 1.50mm
7. Create a Property for the elements that will make up the Engine.
• Type: 3D
• Name: Engine
• Card image: PSOLID
• Material: Aluminum

8. Assign the properties to the appropriate components.

HINT: The Components view can help.
Step 5: Mesh the part

When solids are connected to surfaces, as is the case with the Electronics
Packages and the Engine, it is often best to model the solid elements first.
1. Split the Engine into mappable regions and solid mesh with an element size of 100.
Make sure to have a good circular pattern of elements. Also make sure you always
have at least two elements through the thickness.

2. Solid Mesh the electronics Packages with a size of 100.
3. With the solids now meshed, mesh the body of the Satellite with an element size of
100. Assure good mesh pattern and quality as the quality of the analysis is highly
dependent on mesh quality.
TIP: Avoid using automatic element cleanup as it can cause distortion in solid
elements that are connected to shells.
HINT: Differences in mesh densities for edges across from each other cause trias.
Projecting points to edges can help mesh pattern problems around nodes enforced
by fixed points.
4. Mesh the Solar Panels with an element size of 200.

Step 6: Import the Satellite Dish

Often we can take information from previously run FEA’s and incorporate it into our
FEA model. In this case, we will take a Satellite Dish that has been previously
modeled and saved in an OptiStruct.fem format and import it into our model.
1. Import the file …\Model-Files\CH9-CAPSTONE-PROJECT\Dish.fem.
This model has previously defined materials and properties.
2. Verify that all the components have materials and properties assigned to them.
While the elements are properly imported into location, importing an FEM file will not
connect the nodes of the imported model into the existing model. We need to attach
the dish supports to the body of the satellite.
Equivalence the nodes at the 4 connection points where the Dish Supports meet the
Body of the Satellite.
HINT: Node equivalence is found on the Replace panel.

Step 7: Connect the Solar Panels to the Body

1. Using HyperBeam, create a BeamSection that is a thinwalled box that is 100mm on
each side and 10mm thick. Name it Square_SolarPanel_Support.
2. Create a PBAR property and name it Square_SolarPanel_Support and assign the
material Antenna that was imported in with the Dish.
3. Create a component for the Solar Panel Supports.
4. Create BAR2 elements that connect the top and bottom innermost nodes to the
nodes at the center of the connection holes you eliminated previously. Make sure
they have the Solar Panel Support property and align them with the Z axis.
5. Turn on the beam visualization mode to assure they were created properly.

Step 8: Analysis Setup.

By this stage all elements should be properly assigned properties and all properties
should be assigned materials. Shell elements should have thicknesses and a
PSHELL card and solids should have a PSOLID card. At this stage we begin the
loading of the model.
The analysis we will be conducting is an Inertial Relief Analysis. This method was
specifically designed to study spacecraft and aircraft in flight. The difficulty of
studying situations such as those is the lack of a constraint system. Free flying
objects are not constrained in a traditional manner so the SPC (Single Point
Constraint) we have used up to now will not work for this type of study. Instead we
shall define a structure of SUPPORT1 constraints. These work to limit Rigid Body
Motion (movement of the entire structure without deformation) but do not constrain
the body against local deformation and thus are ideal for studying a free flying object.
An inertial relief analysis can only have 6 TOTAL Degrees Of Freedom (DOF)
constrained. When creating the SUPPORT1 constraint system, the exact location of
the constraints is not critical but typically follows this pattern:
a) Create a SUPPORT1 constraint at an extreme location of the part with X, Y
and Z translational DOF constrained (1, 2 and 3).
b) Pick another node at an extreme location and whichever direction that node is
from the original node, that DOF is removed. For example, if to reach the
second node you traveled in the Z axis direction, the Z DOF (3) would be
removed making a new DOF of 1 and 2.
For the final location, pick one more extreme position and remove the DOF
that corresponds to the direction moved from the constraint created in step b.
For example, if you traveled in the Y axis direction from the “b” constraint, you
would remove the Y DOF (2) and would make the final constraint DOF 1 only.
1. Create a Load Collector called Supports.
2. Create the load types SUPORT1 constraints in the following pattern.

3. Now a force needs to be applied to the thruster. While it is not entirely representative
of an engine giving thrust, what we will do is to place a distributed force on the nodes
of the flat outer ring of the engine. The net force we will place on the thruster is 500N.
Because this net force is to be split across many nodes, we need to calculate the
portion of the force that will be applied on each node.
4. Create a Load Collector called Thrust.
5. Count the number of nodes on the flat outer ring of the thruster.
HINT: HyperMesh has a count function and selecting the nodes by plane makes
counting them easy.
Number of nodes on Thruster = 134

6. Divide the Net Force (500N) by the number of nodes counted.
500N/134 (number of nodes) = 3.73 N (Force per node)
7. Create forces in the –Z direction at each node with the value calculated above.
Now all of the loads are in place for our Inertial Relief Analysis. Next a Control Card
must be set to tell the solver this will be that type of analysis.

8. In the PARAM control card, activate the INREL keyword and give it a value of -1.
This value indicates it is an Inertia Relief Analysis with SUPPORT1 constraints. For
more information about the PARAM, or any other control card, consult the OptiStruct
Format Reference Guide in the HELP Documentation.
The final step in setting up an analysis is to define a LOAD STEP. The load step is a
combination of loads and constraints that represent an analysis in the solver. There
can be multiple load steps in a single model containing any combination of defined
loads and constraints.This saves time as multiple runs of a solver can be defined in
one model.
9. Create a Linear Static Load Step that combines the Supports Constraints and the
Thrust Force.
HINT: Remember that the Supports are SUPPORT1 loads and NOT SPCs. Make
sure you reference them in the correct location.

The model is now set to run. Save it.
Step 9: Emergency Engineering Change

At the last minute it has been decided that the Dish on this satellite is not large
enough to properly broadcast back to Earth. Engineers have determined the Dish
needs to be 4500mm in Diameter.
Much time has been spent setting up the model. While it would be possible to
remodel, remesh and re-setup the analysis, this would take time. Morphing is a
perfect tool to quickly alter the already created mesh.
1. Using Morphing, create a domain and then change the dimension of the radius of the
Dish to 4500mm.
HINT: It’s a 2D Domain.

Step 10: Run the Analysis

With everything set up and the emergency engineering change dealt with, it is time to
run the analysis.
1. Run the Analysis in OptiStruct.
Step 11: Post Process

1. In the HyperWorks Solver View dialog box, click the Results button to load the
results in HyperView.
2. You can load a different input/result file clicking on Load model (load .fem as input
file) and Load results (load .res as result file); click on Apply.
3. Change the animation type to Set Linear Animation Mode ( ).
4. Go to the contour panel ( ).

5. Select the Result type to be Von Mises Stress (s).
6. Change Averaging method to Advanced.
7. Click Apply.

Step 12: Design Changes

As you can see from the results, the bottom of the satellite is not strong enough.
1. Using the tools within HyperMesh, increase the strength of the satellite. Some
options are:
• Material Thickness
• 1D Reinforcement Beams.
• Material Changes
Keep in mind though that it costs roughly $3,000-$4,000 per Pound to place
something in Low Earth Orbit and closer to $10,000/lb for a Geosynchronous Orbit,
so try to engineer the design and not just “beef it up!”

Chapter 10: HyperMesh Desktop Customization
Chapter 10
HyperMesh
Desktop Customization
Exercise 10a - HyperMesh Desktop Customization
Description
The purpose of this example is to show how the user can create and/or use a script
in Hypermesh Desktop.
• Add a button to the User Page on the Utility Menu which executes the script
modeltour.tcl.
• This script is located in the installation under hm\scripts, so a path is not
needed.
• The name of the button should be “Model Tour”.
• The pop up help string should be “Explore HyperMesh Session”.
• The color and location are up to you.
HyperMesh commands used

*createbutton()
TCL/TK commands used

none
Hints: On Windows, the working directory is located in the My Documents folder.

Create a new text file called userpage.mac in this location and add the appropriate
commands to make the button evaluate the tcl file.
Step 1: Create the userpage.mac text file
1. On Windows, the working directory is located in the “My Documents” folder.

2. Create a new text file called userpage in this location and save it as *.mac.

Step 2: Edit the userpage.mac text file to create a button and label for
the script on the Utility menu’s User page.
1. Open the text file userpage.mac with a Text Editor (Word Pad or others).
You need to add the appropriate commands to create and make the button
evaluate the tcl file.
2. Create an activation button in the Utility Menu to execute the macro. Place
the button on page 5 (User page) of the Utility Menu as that page is
dedicated to user-defined macros.
3. The name of the button should be “Model Tour”.

In the userpage.mac file, add the following line at the beginning of the file to
create a cyan button called “Model Tour”.
Set CYAN as button color.
Set -1, 0, 10 as button location.
*createbutton(5, "Model Tour", -1, 0, 10, CYAN,
Note that the *createbutton command should all be on a single line. It is

shown on two lines below simply due to space limitations.
4. The pop up help string should be “Explore HyperMesh Session”, add this to
the line as shown below.
*createbutton(5, "Model Tour", -1, 0, 10, CYAN, "Explore

HyperMesh Session",
5. Use “EvalTcl” command to make the button evaluate the “modeltour.tcl” tcl
file, add this to the line as shown below.
*createbutton(5, "Model Tour", -1, 0, 10, CYAN, "Explore

HyperMesh Session", "EvalTcl", "modeltour.tcl")


Exercise 10b - HyperMesh Desktop Customization
Description
The purpose of this example is to show how the user can create and/or use a script
in Hypermesh Desktop.
• Add a pair of buttons to the User Page on the Utility Menu.
The first one shall call an editor with a certain file (tcl script “myScript.tcl”),
the other one shall run this tcl script.
This is a starting point to write scripts.
The file name might be myScript.tcl in the local directory.
• The names of the buttons should be "Test" and "Edit".
• The pop up help strings should be “Test myScript.tcl" and "Edit
myScript.tcl”.
• The color and location as well as the macro names are up to you.
HyperMesh commands used

*createbutton()
TCL/TK commands used

none
Hints: On Windows, the working directory is located in the My Documents folder.

Create a new text file called userpage.mac in this location and add the appropriate
commands to make the button evaluate the tcl file.
Step 1: Create the userpage.mac text file
1. On Windows, the working directory is located in the “My Documents” folder.

2. Create a new text file called userpage.mac in this location or use the
previuos one.
3. Copy the tcl file located at
..\Model-Files\CH10-HMD-CUSTOM\10b\myScript.tcl in the “My
Documents” folder.
Step 2: Edit the userpage.mac text file to create 2 buttons and labels for
the scripts on the Utility menu’s User page.
1. Open the text file userpage.mac with a Text Editor (Word Pad or others).
You need to add the appropriate commands to create and make the button
evaluate the tcl file.
2. Create an activation button in the Utility Menu to execute the macro. Place
the button on page 5 (User page) of the Utility Menu as that page is
dedicated to user-defined macros.
3. The name of the button should be “Test”.

In the userpage.mac file, add the following line at the beginning of the file to
create a red button called “Test”.
Set RED as button color.
Set 0, 0, 5 as button location.

*createbutton(5,"Test",0,0,5,RED,
Note that the *createbutton command should all be on a single line. It

could be on two lines simply due to space limitations.
4. The pop up help string should be “Test myScript.tcl”, add this to the line as
shown below.
*createbutton(5,"Test",0,0,5,RED,"TestmyScript.tcl",
5. Use “runMyScript” command to make the button run the “myScript.tcl” tcl
file, add this to the line as shown below.
*createbutton(5,"Test",0,0,5,RED,"TestmyScript.tcl",runMy
Script)
6. Add the following lines, after the *createbutton line, used to launch the
TCL script.
*createbutton(5,"Test",0,0,5,RED,"TestmyScript.tcl",runMy
Script)
*beginmacro(runMyScript)
*evaltclscript("myScript.tcl",0)
*endmacro()
7. Click on “Test” button to run the script.
8. Create another button and name it “Edit”.

In the userpage.mac file, add the following line at the bottom of the file to
create a button called “Edit”.
Set BUTTON as button color.
Set 0, 5, 5 as button location.

*createbutton(5,"Edit",0,5,5,BUTTON,
Note that the *createbutton command should all be on a single line. It

could be on two lines simply due to space limitations.
9. The pop up help string should be “Edit myScript.tcl”, add this to the line as
shown below.
*createbutton(5,"Edit",0,5,5,BUTTON,"Edit myScript.tcl",
10. Use “editMyScript” command to make the button edit the “myScript.tcl”
tcl file, add this to the line as shown below.
*createbutton(5,"Edit",0,5,5,BUTTON,"Edit
myScript.tcl",editMyScript)
11. Add the following lines, after the *createbutton line, used to launch the
TCL script.
*createbutton(5,"Edit",0,5,5,BUTTON,"Edit
myScript.tcl",editMyScript)
*beginmacro(editMyScript)
*systemcommand("notepad.exe myScript.tcl")
*endmacro()
12. Click on “Edit” button to run the script.
13. Edit the script with Notepad text editor, change the text in the brackets with
“Bye!!” as shown in the picture below and save the file.

14. Click on “Test” button to run the script.


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Hypermesh Introduction, Pre-Processing For Finite Element Analysis

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HyperMesh Desktop Introduction

Chapter 1 - Basic Interaction with HyperMesh Desktop ....................................... 5

Chapter 2 - Geometry ............................................................................................ 19

Chapter 3 - 2D Meshing ......................................................................................... 49

Chapter 4 - Solids and 3D Meshing .................................................................... 101

Chapter 5 - 1D Meshing and Connectors ........................................................... 125

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 3

Chapter 7 - Analysis Setup .................................................................................. 165

Chapter 8 - Model Build & Assembly ................................................................. 185

Chapter 9 - Capstone Project .............................................................................. 203

Chapter 10 - HyperWorks Desktop Customization ............................................ 221

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 4

Basic Interaction with

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 5

Step 2: Rotate, Pan and Zoom the model

6 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2

Step 3: Use the Model Browser to control visualization

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 7

8 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2

10. Context-Sensitive Menu - You can change a variety of options by right-clicking on a

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 9

Try the following functions:

10 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2

d. Show/Hide & Isolate a component:

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 11

Step 4: Working with Collectors

3. In the Entity Editor, name it “Bucket” and select a color.

12 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2

Step 5: Use of Panels and Directional Functions

2. Select the elements included in the component “Support-GEOM-3D”.

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 13

3. Keep direction option N1, N2, N3.

14 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2

Step 6: Using the Mask Function and Selecting Entities

2. Change the entity selection to elems.

HyperWorks 2017.2 HMD Introduction 15

5. Click the Reverse Icon .

6. Click the Unmask Adjacent Icon .

7. Click the Unmask All Icon to bring everything into view.

16 HMD Introduction HyperWorks 2017.2