What Is Model Generation?

The ultimate purpose of a finite element analysis is to re-create mathematically the behavior of an actual
engineering system. In other words, the analysis must be an accurate mathematical model of a physical
prototype. In the broadest sense, this model comprises all the nodes, elements, material properties, real
constants, boundary conditions, and other features that are used to represent the physical system.
In ANSYS terminology, the term model generation usually takes on the narrower meaning of generating the
nodes and elements that represent the spatial volume and connectivity of the actual system. Thus, model
generation in this discussion will mean the process of defining the geometric configuration of the model's nodes
and elements. The ANSYS program offers you the following approaches to model generation:
• Creating a solid model within ANSYS.
• Using direct generation.
• Importing a model created in a computer-aided design (CAD) system.
Typical Steps Involved in Model Generation within ANSYS
A common modeling session might follow this general outline (detailed information on italicized subjects can
be found elsewhere in this guide):
• Begin by planning your approach. Determine your objectives, decide what basic form your model will
take, choose appropriate element types, and consider how you will establish an appropriate mesh
density. You will typically do this general planning before you initiate your ANSYS session.
• Enter the preprocessor (PREP7) to initiate your model-building session. Most often, you will build your
model using solid modeling procedures.
• Establish a working plane.
• Generate basic geometric features using geometric primitives and Boolean operators.
• Activate the appropriate coordinate system.
• Generate other solid model features from the bottom up. That is, create key points, and then define lines,
areas, and volumes as needed.
• Use more Boolean operators or number controls to join separate solid model regions together as
appropriate.
• Create tables of element attributes (element types, real constants, material properties, and element
coordinate systems).
• Set element attributes pointers.
• Set meshing controls to establish your desired mesh density if desired. This step is not always required
because default element sizes exist when you enter the program (see Chapter 7). (If you want the
program to refine the mesh automatically, exit the preprocessor at this point, and activate adaptive
meshing.)
• Create nodes and elements by meshing your solid model.
• After you have generated nodes and elements, add features such as surface-to-surface contact elements,
coupled degrees of freedom, and constraint equations.
• Save your model data to Jobname.DB.
• Exit the preprocessor.
Comparing Solid Modeling and Direct Generation
You can use two different methods to generate your model: solid modeling and direct generation. With solid
modeling, you describe the geometric boundaries of your model, establish controls over the size and desired
shape of your elements, and then instruct the ANSYS program to generate all the nodes and elements
automatically. By contrast, with the direct generation method, you determine the location of every node and the
size, shape, and connectivity of every element prior to defining these entities in your ANSYS model.
Although some automatic data generation is possible, the direct generation method is essentially a hands-on,
"manual" method that requires you to keep track of all your node numbers as you develop your finite element
mesh. This detailed bookkeeping can become tedious for large models, contributing to the potential for
modeling errors. Solid modeling is usually more powerful and versatile than direct generation, and is commonly
the preferred method for generating your model.
In spite of the many advantages of solid modeling, you might occasionally encounter circumstances where
direct generation will be more useful. You can easily switch back and forth between direct generation and solid
modeling, using the different techniques as appropriate to define different parts of your model.
Detailed discussions of solid modeling and direct generation can be found in Chapter 5 and Chapter 9,
respectively. To help you judge which method might be more suitable for a given situation, the relative
advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches are summarized here.
Solid Modeling
On the plus side, solid modeling
• Is generally more appropriate for large or complex models, especially 3-D models of solid volumes.
• Allows you to work with a relatively small number of data items.
• Allows geometric operations (such as dragging and rotations) that cannot be done with nodes and
elements.
• Supports the use of "primitive" areas and volumes (such as polygonal areas and cylindrical volumes) and
Boolean operations (intersections, subtractions, etc.) for "top down" construction of your model.
• Facilitates your use of the ANSYS program's design optimization features.
• Is required for adaptive meshing.
• Is required in order to do area mesh refinement after loads have been applied (solid model loads are also
required).
• Readily allows modifications to geometry.
• Facilitates changes to element distribution; you are not bound to one analysis model.
However, solid modeling
• Can sometimes require large amounts of CPU time.
• Can (for small, simple models) sometimes be more cumbersome, requiring more data entries than direct
generation.
• Can sometimes "fail" (the program will not be able to generate the finite element mesh) under certain
circumstances.
Direct Generation
On the plus side, direct generation
• Is convenient for small or simple models.
• Provides you with complete control over the geometry and numbering of every node and every element.
However, direct generation
 • Is usually too time consuming for all but the simplest models; the volume of data you must work with
can become overwhelming.
• Cannot be used with adaptive meshing.
• Makes design optimization less convenient.
• Makes it difficult to modify the mesh (tools such as area mesh refinement, Smart Sizing, etc. cannot be
used).
• Can become tedious, requiring you to pay more attention to every detail of your mesh; tedium can
sometimes cause you to become more prone to committing errors.
Importing Solid Models Created in CAD systems
As an alternative to creating your solid models within ANSYS, you can create them in your favorite CAD
system and then import them into ANSYS for analysis. This has the following advantages:
• You can avoid a duplication of effort by using existing CAD models to generate solid models for
analysis.
• Engineers can use familiar tools to create their models.
However, models imported from CAD systems may require extensive repair if they are not of suitable quality
for meshing.