When creating your mesh for the first time on different components in an assembly Nastran looks at the parts and puts what it thinks is an appropriate size mesh on. This might work for some parts as they would be the right size for that size component but for others it might be too small or too big.
Inventor Nastran has a table setting where you can check the sizes as well as how many nodes and element faces are present in your mesh. Remember, more nodes and elements mean longer calculating time but also more accurate results.
As you can see from the above table you can change the colour of your mesh to more easily identify each part and then also change the mesh under the Size column. The element order allows you to change the type of element you are using. there are 2 types.
- Parabolic – This equates to having nodes on the corners as well as the mid points of the edges of the element. This can be used for objects with curved surfaces.
- Linear – This equates to having nodes on the corners and not the midpoints of the elements.
Each of these meshes have their own advanced control mesh settings as well. This enables you to change the ration between your small and large elements in each part. It isn’t just a global setting which allows you to create a really good quality mesh for your entire assembly.
When it comes to troubleshooting why mesh is not getting generated, it allows for you to just mesh that particular part and then troubleshoot to see why the mesh is not working.
