Project-2-Meshing of Door Inner Panel Challenge

Objectives:

1. To extract midsurface from CAD geometry of plastic model.
2. To deploy 2D mesh on midsurface.

Procedure:

1. Import the geometry.
2. Set geometry color mode as 'By Topo'. The geometry visible in topo mode.Then click on wireframe mode and see where the surfaces are missing and geometry is inappropriate. Then enable the shadow mode.
3. Then select 'autocleanup' option in 'geometry' section and set target element size. Then select the surface and click on autocleanup. The geometry cleanup is done.
4. After geometry cleanup go for midsurfacing. Select the 'midsurface' option in 'geometry' section. And select the 'automidsurface' option.
5. Then go to extraction options and select 'skin offset'. Select the extraction option according to the material of component. E.g. 'skin offset' is used for 'sheet metal component' and 'offset+planes+sweeps' is used for 'plastic component'. This is a plastic material, use various option as suitable to geometry.
6. Then go to auto extraction and select the surafces and then click on extract. The middle surface is generated.
7. The midsurface of ribs and some solid parts are not generated properly. For that create a new free line between two edge lines using 'midline' option in 'Geom' section. Then project this free line on required surface using 'trim with line' option in 'surface edit' panel. Then go to 'surfaces option', select 'ruled surfaces' option and select line list and click on create. The new surface is generated. Then connect the new surface to the base surface using 'extend' option in 'surface edit' panel. The surface is connected to base surface.
8. Divide and create a new components as per their thickness and also create property for that components.
9. After creating midsurface, go for 2D meshing. For that, select 'automesh' command from '2D' section. Enter the quality criteria. Enter element size and mesh type. Set mesh type as 'mixed'. After that enable 'align' and 'size' option. Then select 'link opp. edges with AR<'. Then select the surface and click on mesh. 2D mesh is generated.
10. If mesh flow is poor or getting off elements, then mesh rebuild is required. For that select 'mesh rebuild' option in '2D' section. Then edit criteria and parameters and select the elements. Click on rebuild, mesh gets modify and better.
11. For off elements and tria, go to 'quality index' option in '2D' section and use the cleanup tools like place node, swap edge, smooth etc.
12. After that assign the thickness to component in the property and assign the property to that components.

Conclusion: Hence we created midsurface and mesh the given plastic model successfully.