Hexa

Advanced Functions,
Hints and Tips

Hexa 1

June 8, 2015

Advanced Functions

Hexa 2

Split/Unsplit edge
Link shape
Set location
Align vertices
Topology functions
Collapsed blocks
Periodicity
Delete blocks, blanked
Refinement
Output blocks

June 8, 2015

Edges, Split / Unsplit Edge

Used to modify the shape of block edges

Introduces shape control points
Linear and spline shapes are supported

Hexa 3

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Split Edge

Single edge 1 control point

Creates spline edge shape
Control points can be positioned using Move vertex

Single edge 1 point

Piecewise linear

Hexa 4

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Split Edge - Auto

Introduces many control points

Uses current mesh density to determine the number of
control points

Hexa 5

June 8, 2015

Edge Options

Toggle between linear and spline edges using

Make an edge smooth
Make an edge linear

Move dependant
Control points move when end vertices are moved

Hexa 6

June 8, 2015

Edges Link Shape

Use one edge to control the shape of another

Select target edge(s) and then source edge
Apply factor between 0 and 1

Source
Target

Hexa 7

June 8, 2015

Edges Set Location

Set x, y, and/or z location of selected vertices
Usage

Select vertices to move, or use index control and select

Visible vertices option
Select directions to move
Enter values or select Get from:
Vertex
Screen position
Point
and then pick on screen
Press Apply
Hexa 8

June 8, 2015

Edges Set Location

Hexa 9

Example

June 8, 2015

Edges, Align Vertices

Align vertices along one primary co-ordinate direction
Vertices are moved in a plane at several split locations
to line up with those at another location

Usage:
Use Query edge to determine Dimension
I-direction is dimension 0, J is 1, K is 2,
O3 is 3,
Index is the split to align to
Select plane in which vertices will move

Hexa 10

June 8, 2015

Edges Align Vertices

Example
Index control used to limit affected vertices
K=4

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KHexa 11

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Topology Menu

Merge several blocking files to mesh a complex

model by components
Extract sections of a topology for reuse

Create a library of components

Hexa 12

Mesh repetitive geometry

June 8, 2015

Topology, Transform
Transform, Copy and Merge
Rotate, translate and mirror
Meshing repetitive geometry

Hexa 13

June 8, 2015

Bottom-up Meshing
Methods
Top-down is, in general, more robust
Bottom-up methods improve flexibility

Topology methods
Block independently and merge
2-D to 3-D extrusion
Blocking, Extrude face
Blocking, Create block

Hexa 14

June 8, 2015

Topology 2-D to 3-D

Hexa 15

2-D and then extrude/revolve to 3-D

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Blocking, Extrude face

Select face (two corner vertices)
Enter volume family name for the resulting block
and distance to extrude

1
2

Hexa 16

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Blocking, Create Block

Select eight vertices

Enter material family name
Selection order is important
5

2
7

3
4

Hexa 17

June 8, 2015

Blocking, Create Block

What if I dont have eight vertices to select?

1
3

Hexa 18

Select n vertices first

Press middle mouse button
Complete by selecting 8-n locations on the screen
Use same overall order as previous

2
4

Press
middle
button

June 8, 2015

Collapsed Blocks

Used for Creating

Pinched or Branching
Grids
Choose direction to
collapse (choose edge)
Choose block to
collapse

Hexa 19

June 8, 2015

Collapsed Blocks

Nodes along this edge

are coincident
Example:
Meshing Tutorial 3.6:
Pipe Blade

Hexa 20

June 8, 2015

Periodicity

Can enforce rotational and translational

periodicity (cyclic symmetry)
The parameters for periodicity are saved
in the Tetin file
Define in ICEM CFD GUI using
Geometry > Mesh params > Model
Choose Define periodicity
Choose Rotational or Translational periodic
Enter axis and angle or translation vector

For Tetra, resulting mesh will be periodic

Hexa 21

June 8, 2015

Using Periodicity in Hexa

Use Blocking >

Periodic Nodes
Select Make nodes
periodic
Subsequent splits
will be periodic
where appropriate

Hexa 22

June 8, 2015

Delete Blocks, Blanked

In general, using Delete blocks is not
recommended, instead assign blocks to VORFN
However, in certain situations it can be useful

For very complex meshes, it can serve as a repair tool,

particularly where topology features have been used
To free up node connectivity across VORFN blocks

# of nodes can
be unequal

Equal # of nodes
across hole
Hexa 23

June 8, 2015

Refinement
Allows N to 1 connection across block interfaces
Can only be used with certain solvers

Hexa 24

June 8, 2015

Output Blocks

In multiblock format,
Hexa can yield grids
with very many blocks
Merging blocks can
result in loss of
topology information
Blocks can be merged
for output purposes
only
Use Meshing > Init
output blocks to
initialize to full
blocking

Hexa 25

June 8, 2015

Output Blocks

Turn on Output blocks

Use Blocking > Merge
Blocks to reduce number
of domains
automatic
Interactive

Write out volume

domains using File >
Multiblock

Hexa 26

June 8, 2015

Exercise Sphere Cube

Hexa 27

Without instruction, Hex mesh the sphere cube

example

June 8, 2015

ICEM CFD Hexa Hints and

Tips
Hints are more valuable to the users after
they have completed several of the
tutorials.

Hexa 28

June 8, 2015

Frequently Save Blocking

Files
Save blocking before making major changes
Try to capture the solution path

An example:

b1

b2

b3
b3b

b4
b4b
b4c

b5
b5c

b6c

Feel free to come up with your own system!

Hexa 29

Turn off PPM files to save disk space

June 8, 2015

Capture the Basic Shape

Early
Here is where experience pays, but dont be afraid
to try several options along the way
What is the underlying shape?
Would an O-grid work better than splits?

Hexa 30

June 8, 2015

Delay Adding Blocking

Complexity

Do as much as possible with the current topology

before adding complexity
Move vertices to improve block quality
Define edge to curve projections
Generate the mesh and evaluate

This way
Blocking is more manageable
New splits, O-grids, etc. will be closer to the correct
location when you make them

Hexa 31

June 8, 2015

Using Worst Block

Under display options for blocks, turn on worst

block
Most distorted block is highlighted in red

Adjust vertices for worst block

Select update worst
Adjust until that block is no longer the worst
Move on to the next block
Know when to quit!

Hexa 32

June 8, 2015

Control Display Clutter

Use the display control frequently

Turn on/off items to highlight what youre working on
For example, when grouping curves, make sure
surfaces, edges, etc. are turned off

Turn on/off families

For example, to move a vertex on a particular surface

Use Index Control often

From corners is easiest, but often doesnt work as
desired with O-grids

Hexa 33

June 8, 2015

More on Index Control

Limits display clutter
Limit extent of block splits
Many operations only affect displayed blocks

Project displayed (works on displayed blocks and active

families!)
Rescale O-grid
Align vertices

Hexa 34

June 8, 2015

Splitting edges

In general, perform edge splitting later in the

meshing process
Limits blocking complexity

Watch for edges which wrap back on themselves

This happens when you shape an edge and add splits
later

Hexa 35

Splitting and edge can override automatic shape

interpolation

June 8, 2015

Material families

Additional material families can be useful

To arrange the blocking into zones
For blocking around solid objects
Car body

Hexa 36

June 8, 2015

Using O-grids

There are two basic applications of O-grid

To capture the underlying shape
Create these early in the process
To improve mesh quality in corners
Add an O-grid layer later in the process
Try to add all at once
Try to have very good before O-grid blocking:
To minimize O-grid distortion
This adds a lot of edges and vertices, you dont want to
have to move all of them!

Hexa 37

June 8, 2015

Using O-grids: Examples

Consider the tutorial examples, what kinds of

O-grids were used?
To capture the underlying shape
Sphere Cube
Elbow Part (first O-grid, to capture the annular
region around the inner cylinder)
U-Pipe (first O-grid)
To improve mesh quality in corners
3-D Pipe Junction, Pipe Blade, Wing Body
Elbow Part (second O-grid)
U-Pipe (second O-grid around entire body)

Hexa 38

June 8, 2015

Projection
Group curves which are tangent
Dont group curves which meet at a discreet angle
Finding projection problems

Edges, Opts, Project

Mesh without projection to speed up mesh

generation
Particularly useful when you are fine tuning edge
parameters

Hexa 39

June 8, 2015

Projection, contd
Remember, by default, all boundary (white) edges
will project to the closest active surface
To change default face projection

Face->surface, project
Explicitly project to selected family
Project to dummy family
Interpolate edges

Hexa 40

June 8, 2015

Node distribution
Use surface params to set overall mesh size and
near-wall spacing
Fine tune edge params at end

Many mesh quality issues (skewness) relate to edge

parameters, not necessary bad blocking
Use copy to parallel to advantage
Be careful using late in the process
Use copy to edge where copy to parallel affects edges
you want to leave alone
Match edges helps ease mesh size transition across grid
blocks

Hexa 41

June 8, 2015

Quality checking

Check determinant and skewness

Use show to highlight worst elements
Is the problem bad blocking or bad edge params?
Use scan planes to highlight mesh near worst elements

Hexa 42

June 8, 2015

ICEM CFD Hexa Review

Questions

Hexa 43

June 8, 2015

Hexa Review Questions

What is the significance of color for topology?

Hexa 44

Look at vertex and edge color

Blue?
Green?
Red?
White?
Yellow?
How do these vertices and curves behave?
When moving vertices?
During mesh create?

June 8, 2015

Review Questions

Hexa 45

What is the difference between an edge and a

curve?

Can you project multiple edges to one curve?

Can one edge be projected to multiple curves?

June 8, 2015

Review Questions

A vertex is Red (projected to point).

Can I move it?
How?

An edge is projected to a specific curve. A change

is made to the geometry and the curve is no longer
there.
Is this a problem?
What can be done to correct it?

Hexa 46

June 8, 2015

Review Questions

Hexa 47

Here is a portion of a simple airfoil blocking

How can we check if green edges are projected to

the appropriate curves?
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Review Questions

Is there a problem here?

The underlying curves

Hexa 48

How can it be fixed?

June 8, 2015

Review Questions

Hexa 49

Is there a problem here?

Explain two ways it can be fixed.

June 8, 2015

Review Questions

Hexa 50

What is a volume family?

How do you make a volume family?

Where can they be defined?

June 8, 2015

Self-Guided Tutorials
Reference: Tutorial Manual, Meshing
Modules, version 4.1

Hexa 51

June 8, 2015

Optional Meshing Tutorials

Simple Examples
3.2:

3.3:

3.5:

3.6:

2-D Car
Splitting at prescribed points
O-grid around objects
Replay files
Sphere Cube
Very simple
Elbow Part
More advanced use of O-grids
Pipe Blade
Using collapse block

Advanced Examples

For Tet-Hex Hybrid,

try the Hybrid Tube
example

3.7: Wing Body

3.8: Submarine (advanced)
Hexa 52

June 8, 2015

Exercise Hex Meshing a

Bracket

Hexa 53

Use Hexa to mesh the bracket we meshed earlier

with Tetra

June 8, 2015

Exercise Meshing a Lever

Model

Hexa 54

Start-to-finish instructions
can be provided for creating
a brick-element mesh for the
lever shown below

June 8, 2015