Problem meshing from Rhinoceros model

[Anonymous]

Hello!

I am having trouble with my mesh when I try to use a Rhino model. I want to design a barge with all it's structure with plate elements. The problem is, my hull is not getting attached to the structure.

When I have a surface with its edge touching another surface, I would like Simulation Mechanical to understand that I have these two surfaces welded. Therefore, It is necessary that the mesh creator generates common nodes on those two surfaces. The meshing is not connecting when a surface reaches the other. An example of it is shown on the following images:

Image 1: Rhino model

Image 2: Meshed model showing meshing problems

Could anyone give me any help?

Thanks in advance

Yossef Sami El Didi

[Anonymous]

Guys if you have similar experience with this meshing problem and you use other software for conceiving the model, I accept help from you too!

[AstroJohnPE · Accepted solution]

Hi Yossef,

I do not know if the issues are related to it being a Rhino model or not, but one option may be to export your Rhino file to .step or other neutral format and open that with Sim Mech.

I am pleasantly surprised that Sim Mechanical is able to detect "edge of a surface" contact with a "face of another surface". At least it was able to do that with a test model created in Inventor. I doubt that it will detect where a surface intersects another surface; that is, if they pass through each other, the intersection will not be detected.

So my suggestions of things to check would be as follows:

1. Make sure that the end of the surface lies on the plane of the adjacent surface.The L-beam should end precisely at the wall.
2. Make sure that "Mesh > Mesh > Use VCAD" is selected (checked).
3. Make sure that "Mesh > 3D Mesh Settings > Options > Model > Use virtual imprinting" is selected (checked).
4. Manually split surfaces in Rhino where parts are supposed to come together. (I can't tell from the image whether the T-beam has an edge where it meets the wall, or does the surface of the T-beam pass through the surface of the wall.)

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much John, I have found the solution to my problem by the suggestion 3. I don't have much experience with meshing, as I usually design my models with Sim Mech directly. But sometimes if something changes it is very difficult to change the finite element model. Changing it in Rhino will be so much easier now.

The desired result is in the following image, showing all elements having common nodes:

THank you again John