Element type reassigned after generating mesh

[Madjerry]

Hello,

When I assign a part an element type (such as 3-D Kinematic), it gets reassignned as Brick or Tet whenever I regnerate mesh. This also forces me to go back into the Element Definition otherwise I get errors when checking the model that indicate I have not assigned an element definition.

It's not the end of the world, but tedious and easy to overlook these steps.

Am I doing something wrong or should I submit this as an enhancement request?

Thanks

[AstroJohnPE]

Hi Madjerry,

I agree that you should submit that as an enhancement request. Kinematic elements should be a valid element type for a "brick" mesh.

[zhuangs]

How did you create the model? Manually generated or inputted from CAD?  Recently I helped work on a customer model, the remesh process does not get any problem though a few parts are using kinematic element.  Could you please share your model if possible?

-Shoubing

[Madjerry]

Here is an example. 

1. Mesh the parts

2. Reassign element type for the crate (part 9) to 3D Kinematic

3. Regenerate mesh

You should see that the element type is reassigned brick.  

[zhuangs · Accepted solution]

You are right.  Remesh will change the element type back to "Brick".

I test one more case.  For part 1, change thte mesh option to "All Tetrahedron".  After mesh, the element type will be  changed to "Tetrahedrn" automatically. I manually changed the element type to "Brick", and then remesh the model, and the element type will be  changed to "Tetrahedrn" automatically again.

Thus, for 3D model (if not using shell element, plate element), the element type is defined by MESHER first, based on the mesh option ('All Tegrahedron" or not), either Brick or Tetrahedron.  There is a logic in MESHER.  This logic might help the user to select the correct/best element type.  For another different example, for a 3D part, I general 3D mesh and define brick element, later I use "Midplane" or "Plate/shell" mesh type to remesh the model, the MESHER had better change the element type from "Brick".  Of course, "Kinematic element" is different.

We can submit for a request for this.  The MESHER should put "3D Kinematic element" into the logic, but I doubt this can be easily done.

-Shoubing