Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

HyperMesh Introduction: The User Interface

Pull Down
Toolbars Menus

Chapter 1: HyperMesh Introduction Graphics Area

Tab Area:
Utility Menu
Getting Started Model Browser
Opening and Saving Files Mask By Config
Etc.
Working with Panels Menu Pages
Organizing a Model
Panel
Controlling the Display

Main Menu

Status Bar

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Modern GUI Environment: Menu Bar Modern GUI Environment: Menu Bar

Easily navigate to Panels

Process Based Workflow

Some panels use
Action / Object / Method Architecture icons to represent
the subpanels
Object: on which to Perform Action
Method: by which to perform Action on
Object

Each menu controls specific HM Entities

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Standard Toolbar Display and Visualization Toolbars

File Management (New, Open, Save,

Import, Export, User Profile, Tcl/Tk Tools)

Standard, User Defined and Model

View Controls (Zoom, Rotate, Pan)
Display controls WHAT is shown
Mask Tools
Find
Not shown by Default, Customize from View Menu
Element/Load Handles
Edges/Features/Faces, Normals, Penetration and Element Check)
Visualization controls HOW things are shown
Suggested Method for Creating/Editing Collectors
Color Modes
(Delete, Card Edit, Organize, Renumber) Shading Modes
1D Beam Visualization
Not shown by Default, Customize from View Menu (Only on Win 32/64) New Visualization Tab
BMP Image Capture System (Copy to Clipboard or File, Capture

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

HyperMesh Introduction: The User Interface File Operations

Graphics area displays the model

General terminology:
Toolbar Gives access to commonly used tools via icons Open : Loads a file into HyperMesh replacing the current session
Pull Down Menu places functionality into groups, accessible via pull downs Save : Saves the current session contents to the file name specified
Import : Loads a file into HyperMesh, merging with the current contents
Menu Pages divides the main menu into groups based on function
Export : Saves data to the file name specified
Main Menu Generally refers to file types other than a HyperMesh binary file
Panels menu items / functions for interacting with HyperMesh
Sub-panels
Command Window lets the user type in and execute tcl commands
Available through the View drop down menu (turned off by default)

Tab Area contains the following tabs:

Solver, Model, Utility, Include, Import, Export, Connector, Entity State, etc.

Status Bar shows status of operations being performed

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

File Operations: The File Pull-down Menu Importing Geometry

: Loads a HyperMesh file into current session Import geometry data via:
Replaces the model in current HyperMesh session File > Import > Geometry drop-down menu
Save : Saves the model in current HyperMesh session
Toolbar > > Geometry
Common types of geometry files supported:
: Opens file browser to specify directory and name to save current Unigraphics (NX2, NX3, NX4, NX5, NX6)
session UG Part Browser
Import of *.prt files
Import : Merges / combines files with the model in the current HyperMesh
Requires an installation of
session Unigraphics to be available
Various types of files: HyperMesh, geometry (IGES, Step, etc.), finite element data CATIA (V4 & V5)
(OptiStruct, Radioss, Nastran, Abaqus, Ansys, LS-Dyna, etc.) import of *.model files
Opens the Import browser CATIA V5 license required to
import V5 files
Export : Writes data in current HyperMesh session to non-HyperMesh files
Pro/ENGINEER (Wildfire 2.0 & 3.0)
types
import of *.prt and *.asm files
IGES, OptiStruct, Radioss, etc.
IGES
Opens the Export browser allowing specification of directory and name Import of *.igs / *.iges files
Recent Files : A listing of HyperMesh files that have been worked on previously STEP
Loads the file and replaces the model in the current session import of *.stp files

Recent Imports : A listing of files previously loaded into HyperMesh via Import

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Custom Import Entity State Browser

Import tab Entity State Browser

Complete control over FE import Available for all entities
Import multiple geometry files Removes inactive entities from any list in
the browser and panels
Removes inactive entities from display and
they cannot be turned on until made active
Exception: Find brings inactive
entities back onto the screen too and
switches these entities to active
Removes inactive entities temporarily from
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Display Control Viewing: Mouse Buttons Toolbars

Left mouse button Standard Views Toolbar

+CTRL & drag for rotate
+CTRL & click on entity to change center of
rotation
+CTRL & click in graphics area, off entities to Previous Reverse
reset center to middle of screen View Bottom Right Front View

Middle mouse button Fit Top Left Rear Isometric

+CTRL & drag for zoom
+CTRL & click for fit

Right mouse button

+CTRL & drag for pan

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Display Control 3D View Controls Display Control 3D View Controls

Zoom In (+) Zoom in or out by dragging the mouse vertically Rotate Left Rotate the model view Left or Right about an
imaginary vertical axis in the middle of the graphics
Zoom Out (-) Rotate Right area

Draw a circle (freeform) around the area to be Rotate the model view Up or Down about an
Circle Zoom (Z) magnified
Rotate Up imaginary horizontal axis in the middle of the
graphics area
Dynamic Zoom (S) Zoom into the center of the screen Rotate Down

Dynamic Rotate Dynamically rotate the model about defined center Rotate Clockwise Rotate the model view Clockwise or Counter
Dynamically spin the model about a defined center Clockwise about an imaginary axis coming out of the
Dynamic Spin Rotate Counter graphics area
Clockwise
Pan Drag the model around in the graphics area
Select a node/point to center of the model at that
Center point
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Display Control Visualization: Surfaces

Display and Visualization Toolbars

Various surface shading options are available on the Toolbar:

Wireframe Shaded with Surface edges

Wireframe with Surf lines Shaded

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Toolbars Panels: General Layout

Panels often have sub-panels

Accessed by radio buttons on the left side of the panel
Image Capture Toolbar
File / Panel Frame Panels generally work from left to right
Clipboard Area Area Example: Project / to plane sub-panel

1) What to do: 2) What to do it to: 3) How to do it: 4) Do the action:

Pick a sub-panel Select entities that Give parameters Execute the

for the function will be affected that define how function
to be used the function will
be executed
Graphics Rectangle
Area Area
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Panels: General Layout Panels: Selection

Entity selectors
Some sub-panels are organized in columns
Control what and
Each column is a different method how entities are Entity Type Button
Work from top to bottom in the relevant column selected for a Shows the type of entity
function currently being selected
Example: surface edit : trim with surfs/plane sub-panel
Entity Type Switch Reset
Changes what type of Deselects all entities
2) Method to 3) What to do 4) How to do it: entity is being selected for the selector
1) What to do: use: it to: 5) Do the
Give parameters
action:
Pick a sub-panel Work in the Select entities that define how Cyan border
for the function appropriate that will be the function will Execute the Indicates the selector is active (there can only be 1 active selector)
to be used column affected be executed function Extended Selection Menu

Switches Text input fields

Allows a choice of several options vis a pop-up Operate like text fields in most programs
menu Can use Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V to copy and paste
Toggles between fields
Allows a choice between 2 options Double clicking on a text field that requires
No pop-up; button label simply changes numbers accesses the calculator

Reset
Example: 1 + 1 = 2
Allows to reset the entities selection
1 <Enter> 1 + instead of 1 + 1 =

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Panels: Extended Selection Menu Panels: Overview

Click an active selector to access the extended menu selection

Select entities with a window using Shift + mouse
Left mouse drag select entities
Right mouse drag unselect entities
Left click change window shape

Rectangle Inside
Rectangle Outside
The extended menu selection offers Polygon Inside
Methods for selecting many entities at once Polygon Outside
Tools for modifying an existing selection Circle Inside
Circle Outside
Save an existing selection and retrieve it in any panel
Entities are selected when
mouse button is released
Multiple extended selection methods can be used on a selection
Allows you to easily select exactly what you want
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Panels: Direction Selection Panels Direction Selection: N1, N2, N3

Used for input of directions or planes for a given function N1, N2, N3 direction option allows nodes to be selected to define either
Planes can be selected from a vector (normal to the vector) a direction or a plane
Directions can be selected from a plane (normal to the plane) Select 2 nodes to define a direction (only N1 and N2)
Select 3 nodes to define a plane (N1, N2, and N3)
Current Direction / Plane
Direction Switch Shows a selected axis or inputs for selecting
Options for what entities to define a direction / plane
direction is selected
Reset Plane defined by N1, N2, N3
Deselects the
selected nodes N3 Direction is
N1 normal to plane
N2
Base Edit Positive direction
Select a node Double click to
to position a access and enter
coordinates for N1, N1
selected plane N2
N2, N3 and Base.

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Display Control Visibility: Mask Browser Model Organization: HyperMesh Entity Types

Geometry Points
Mask Browser Control of visibility by
entity type Points
Surfaces
Lines Lines
+ : Displays / unmasks all of the Surfaces
selected entity type Solids
Added to whatever is already
Connectors (used for welding)
displayed
Solids
- : Switches off display or masks all of
the selected entity type
Nodes Elements
1 : Displays only the selected entity FE Model
type and switches off display of all Nodes
other entity types. Temp Nodes (marks a node with a small circle)
Elements

Temp Nodes
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Model Organization: HyperMesh Entity Types Model Organization: HyperMesh Entity Types

Coordinate Entities
FE Loading
Systems (coordinate axes)
Loads (constraints, forces, pressures, etc.)
Vectors
Equations (mathematical link between nodes) Vectors Systems
Forces

Reference Entities
Pressures Sets (a simple list of a particular type of
Constraints entity)
Blocks (a list of entities contained within a Beam Section
box shape)

Contacts
Group (defines contact between entities)
Contact Surfs (defines a list of entities that can be
1D Element Cross Sections
used as master or slave in a group) Beam Sections (cross sectional
Contact properties for a property collector)
Surface

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Model Organization: HyperMesh Entity Types Model Organization: Collectors

Plotting
There are many types of collectors
Curves (X-Y data)
Most entities in HyperMesh must be placed in a collector
Plots (a display of curves with axes)
Each collector type holds a specific type of entity

Collector Types Can contain entity types:

Output Requests
Loadsteps (combinations of load collectors) Component Elements, Points, Lines, Surfaces, Connectors

Output Blocks (request output from an Plot with a Curve Multibody Ellipsoids, Mbjoints, Mbplanes, Sensors
analysis for certain entities) Assembly Components, Multibodies, Assemblies
Load Collector Loads, Equations
Material
Labels still treated as collectors)
Property
Titles (label for a displayed item)
System Collector Systems
Tags (assigns a name to an entity)
Vector Collector Vectors
Beam Section Collector Beam Sections
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Model Organization: Collectors Toolbars

An entity can usually only belong to 1 collector of a given type

Ex: an element can only be in 1 component collector
Can create many collectors of the same type Collectors Toolbar
All entities in a collector are the same color Assemblies
Delete Panel (F2)
Materials Load Organize
Organization can be however the user desires Collectors
Component 4

Component 3

Card Edit
Properties

System Collector
Components Renumber
and Options
Component 1 Component 3
Component 2 Component 2
Component 1

1 component per part Multiple components per part

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Model Organization: Collectors Model Organization: Collectors

Model browser
View collectors and assemblies in a Creating a new collector automatically sets the current collector to that new
hierarchical tree format collector
Create, delete, and rename collectors Model Browser used to change the current collector
Edit collector attributes Organize panel can be used to move entities into a different collector
Right-Click on
Organize collectors into assemblies
Collector for
Drag and drop advanced
options
Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Browsers Browser Modes Select

Model Browser Graphics Area Browser Area

Complete Listing of all HyperMesh Entities in Model
Add Left mouse click Left mouse click

Component Browser Remove Right mouse click Ctrl + Left mouse click
Lists All Components in Model
Multiple Shift + Left mouse click Shift + Left mouse
Quickly Sort by Name, ID, Color, or Property click
(drag and select)
Display State Icons
Geom ON/OFF Single Picking Advance Left mouse click + Wheel -
FE ON/OFF Single Picking
Global Controls to Operate on all Components
All
None
Reverse
Browser Modes
Graphics/Browser List Picking for:
Select
Show/Hide
Isolate

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Model Organization: Tools

Panels
Collectors Create new collectors

Model Browser Set the current collector for various entity types

Organize Move entities into a different collector than the one they are currently
contained in

Rename Change the name of an existing collector

Reorder

Collectors appear in a certain order when presented in a list to pick from

Reorder allows the order the collectors appear in to be changed

Delete Delete entities or collectors