Understanding free mapped meshes

The Attempt Free Mapped Meshing option on the 2D Mesh, 3D Tetrahedral Mesh, and 3D Swept Mesh dialog boxes let you create a mapped-like mesh within the context of a free mesh. These types of meshes are known as “free mapped” meshes. With a free mapped mesh, the software tries to create mapped meshes on all four-sided surfaces as well as on any cylinders.

Advantages of free mapped meshes

Free mapped meshes are useful because they give you some of the flexibility of a free mesh while providing a more structured, mapped appearance. The following graphic shows an example of the difference between a free mesh of quadrilateral elements (A) and a free-mapped mesh of quadrilateral elements (B). Notice how the free mapped mesh is much more regular.

Understanding free mapped creation

With a free mapped mesh, the software creates the mapped-like appearance by adjusting the node count on the surface to ensure that there is an equal number of nodes along the edges. In some cases, one of the edges of a surface may already be meshed because it lies adjacent to an existing mesh on another surface. If one or more edges on a face is already meshed, the software tries to insert nodes on the edge with the highest number of nodes to adjust the node count. The software never removes nodes to adjust the node count.

Free mapped meshes are quad dominant

With a free mapped mesh, the software creates a “quad-dominant” mesh, which means that the resulting mesh contains primarily but not exclusively quadrilateral elements. The software inserts triangular elements only where necessary.

Allowing triangular elements in a free mapped mesh removes the even parity (even number of nodes) requirement of a quadrilateral-only mesh. Removing the even parity requirement can help avoid situations in which the software cannot adjust the nodes on a neighboring surface.

Limitations of free mapped meshes

• The software can only create free mapped meshes on four-sided surfaces and on cylinders. In some cases, the software may not be able to create a free mapped mesh on a four sided surface. This can occur when a four-sided surface is located in a confined area or when it is adjacent to existing meshes on other surfaces.

• If the boundary of a surface is very skewed, the free mapped meshing technique may actually create a mesh of worse quality than a regular free mesh. Consequently, the software does not create a free mapped mesh on any surface whose skew angle exceeds 160°.

• If you select the Attempt Free Mapped Meshing check box and specify a value in the Elements per 90 deg box, the software ignores the setting of the Curvature Based Size Variation option.

How do I

Create a 2D free mesh

Learn more

2D free meshing

Using pre-defined favorite settings to create 2D meshes

Understanding the 2D meshing methods

Quadrilateral only meshing

Understanding free mesh generation

Fixing triangular element interior angle quality issues

About CAD curvature abstraction

Midnode placement for parabolic elements

Creating a separate mesh for each face or polygon body

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Understanding free mapped meshes, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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