Creating Mesh Parts

Nonlinear Structural Analysis and Thermal Analysis support solid continuum element meshes, shell element meshes, and beam element meshes. Any combination of element meshes can be used to make up a model. For all of these mesh types you must do the following:

  1. Create the geometry.

  2. Assign a material to the geometric part.

  3. Create a mesh part.

  4. Create a mesh property.

Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis automatically creates an OCTREE mesh part and a 3D property for solid geometries when you enter the Nonlinear Structural Analysis or the Thermal Analysis workbench for the first time.

You can create solid, shell, or beam mesh parts in Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis using the following tools:

Octree Tetrahedron Mesher: Creates three-dimensional tetrahedral mesh parts for solid/volume geometries (Solid Linear or Solid Parabolic).

Octree Triangle Mesher: Creates two-dimensional triangular mesh parts for shell/surface geometries (Shell Linear or Shell Parabolic).

Beam Mesher: Creates one-dimensional mesh parts for beam/wire geometries (Beam Linear or Beam Parabolic).

However, CATIA provides other methods for creating mesh parts in additional workbenches. For example, the Advanced Surface Mesher, Sweep 3D, and Tetrahedron Filler tools are available in the Advanced Meshing Tools workbench.

The mesh part tools are documented in more detail in the CATIA V5 Generative Structural Analysis User's Guide and the CATIA V5 Advanced Meshing Tools User's Guide.