Element Edit

Purpose:

The main purpose of this interface is to provide various mesh quality check and repair functions in one central area. Single element creation for various element types is available, and splitting of shells using various schemes is available for quick repair of an existing mesh.

Function:

Check : Check elements interface.

Create : Create elements interface.

Delete : Delete elements interface.

Split/Merge : Split/merge shell elements interface.

Modify : Modify elements interface.

Direction : Element orientation (default material direction, AOPT=0) interface.

Composite : Create/modify *ELEMENT_SHELL_COMPOSITE elements.

Sample:

no sample.

Dialog:

Check

  • Show Free Edges : Find and show free edges.

  • Beam : Check beam elements.

  • Shell : Check shell elements.

  • Solid : Check solid elements.

  • Tshell : Check tshell elements.

  • Fringe : Display results option.

  • Solid Rev : Change node order in solids.

  • Check : Press to perform checking.

  • Save Failed : Save elements to general selection buffer.

  • Done : Exit this interface.

Create

  • Elem Type : Selete element type(Beam/Shell/Solid/Tetra/Hexa/Discrete) to create.

  • Elem Id : Input element id.

  • New EID : Get new default element ID.

  • PID : Pick part id.

  • New PID : Get new default part id.

  • NODE1 : Pick node on model to define node 11.

  • NODE2 : Pick node on model to define node 2.

  • NODE3 : Pick node on model to define node 3.

  • NODE4 : Pick node on model to define node 4.

  • Tria Only : Create triangle elements only.

  • Replace : Replace a existing shell element.

  • Redefine : Create nodes and put into temporary buffer.

  • Clear : Clear all fields and set default new node id.

  • Reject : Commit created nodes and clear them from screen.

  • Accept : Commit created nodes and clear all of them from screen.

  • Done : Exit this interface.

Delete

  • Elem Type : Selete element type to delete.

  • Remove Unref Node : Remove unreferenced nodes.

  • Delete : Delete elements.

  • Reject : Reject deletion(reset).

  • Accept : Make deletion permanant.

  • Done : Exit this interface.

Split/Merge

  • Split Operation : Selete element type(Beam/Shell/Solid) to Split.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • : Pick element at dot to define split location.

  • Apply : Apply split elements.

  • Reject : Reject last split elements.

  • Accept : Accept all split elements.

  • Done : Exit this interface.

Modify

  • Add Thickness to Shell : Change two triangle.

  • Two Tria : Change two triangle.

  • Quality Check : Check element quality when modifying element.

  • Thick1 : Input first thickness value.

  • Thick2 : Input second thickness value.

  • Thick3 : Input third thickness value.

  • Thick4 : Input fourth thickness value.

  • Apply : Apply modified elements.

  • Reject : Reject last modified elements.

  • Accept : Accept all modified elements.

  • Done : Exit this interface.

Direction

  • Shell : Set default material directon for shell elements.

  • Vector: Orientate elements by vector.

  • Solid : Set default material directon for solid elements.

  • Rotate : Incrementally totate element orientation.

  • Vector : Rotate orientation by increment in positive direction.

  • X : X component of vector.

  • Y : Y component of vector.

  • Z : Z component of vector.

  • Angle : Increment angle for psi(degrees).

  • Rot- : Increment psi in negative direction.

  • Rot+ : Increment psi in positive direction.

  • Set PSI : Explicitly set psi angle value for selected elements.

  • AB ref : Use Airbag Reference Geometry as base geometry.

  • Apply : Apply orientation by vector.

  • Reject : Reject the modified element orientations.

  • Accept : Accept the modified element orientations.

  • Done : Exit this interface.

Direction>Solid and Vector

  • A-vector : A-vector for solid _ortho.

  • X : X component of A-vector.

  • Y : Y component of A-vector.

  • Z : Z component of A-vector.

  • D-vector: D-vector for solid _ortho.

  • X : X component of D-vector.

  • Y : Y component of D-vector.

  • Z : Z component of D-vector.

Direction>Solid and Rotate

  • Angle: Increment angle for psi(degrees).

  • Global direction : Rotate about element global axis.

  • Local ele. axis : Rotate about element local axis.

  • X : X component of rotation vector.

  • Y : Y component of rotation vector.

  • Z : Z component of rotation vector.

  • Rot- : Rotate orientation by increment in negative direction.

  • Rot+ : Rotate orientation by increment in positive direction.

Composite

*ELEMENT_SHELL_(OFFSET_)COMPOSITE is created/modified within this interface. Each ply represent an integration point. Tapered layups (when a ply is not covering the whole part) can be created by setting a very small thickness and a *MAT_NULL material at locations where a certain ply does not exist. In this way a whole physical ply can be evaluated over the complete part by selecting the desired integration point.

  • PID: Active part to operate on. Pick, type in or select part from list. Only one part is active at any singe time.

  • Insert: Insert a new ply below the currently selected. Select none to insert at first position.

  • Delete: Delete selected plies for selected elements.

Composite>Material

  • Material ID : Type in material ID or select it from list.

  • Select Elements: Put elements that match selected plies and materials in to selection buffer.

  • Apply: Apply the material ID to selected plies and elements.

Composite>Thickness

  • Thickness: Enter the thickness to be applied to selected plies.

  • Fringe Thickness: Fringe plot the total thickness for selected layers.

  • Thick display: Display the layup for each element as blocks.

  • Apply: Apply the thickness to selected plies and elements.

Composite>Offset

  • Abs. value: Enter the absolute value for the offset.

  • Flat lower: Let LSPP compute the currently total thickness and apply an offset that locate the nodes at the bottom surface of the stack.

  • Flat upper: Let LSPP compute the currently total thickness and apply an offset that locate the nodes at the upper surface of the stack.

  • Apply: Apply the offset based on the above selection to the currenly selected plies and elements.

Composite>Direction>Vector

Unmodified ply direction: The vector N1->N2 is drawn with a red arrow
Modified ply direction: The vector N1->N2 rotated Bi degrees is drawn with a green arrow
Modified ply direction: The vector N1->N2 rotated Bi + BETA degrees is drawn as a blue arrow. BETA is the angle from the _BETA keyword option

  • Vector: Brings up the vector selection interface.

  • X,Y,Z: Set the direction to {1,0,0}, {0,1,0} and {0,0,1} respectively in the direction fields below.

  • Set BETA: Set the material angle to a specified value.

  • Apply: Apply the direction from the text fields above to selected plies and elements. The vector will be projected on to each element in the element normal direction and the material angle will be computed and applied to the keyword.

  • Accept/Reject: Accept or reject the smoothed ply directions.

Composite>Direction>Rotate

  • Angle: Angle increment to rotate.

  • Rot +/-: Rotate the direction for selected plies and elements "Angle" degrees about positive or negative element normal direction

  • Accept/Reject: Accept or reject the rotated ply directions.

Composite>Direction>Smooth

  • Iterations: Number of smooth iterations to be performed.

  • Apply: Perform smoothing of directions on selected plies and elements by applying the average direction of all attached elements.

  • Accept/Reject: Accept or reject the smoothed ply directions.

Composite>Direction>Map

  • File Add: Create a direction vector by adding from (.dvm) file defined as vectors at discrete points.

    The format of the file is simply a text file with one line for each coordinate (xc, yc, zc) and the vector (xd, yd, zd) at this point:
    x1c y1c z1c x1d y1d z1d
    x2c y2c z2c x2d y2d z2d
    .
    .
    .

  • Curves: Create a vector field from geometric curves.
    Pick: Activate picking of curves.
    Apply: Create the vector field from selected curves.

  • Scale: Scale factor for the displayed vectors from the file.

  • Apply: Apply selected discrete vector field map as directions for selected plies and elements. This is done by using the vector which is closest to each element. The vector is then projected on the the element in the element normal direction and the corresponding ply angle is computed and applied to the shell.

  • Accept/Reject: Accept or reject the smoothed ply directions.