Learning Forum

[calvinmooney03]

I brought in a step file from creo parametric and i keep getting these three failures when trying to generate the mesh. I have tried changing the element size but that wont work, is there anything else i can do to resolve this issue?

[peteroznewman]

Calvin,

I expect the geometry in Creo is a solid model.  I recommend you convert the solids to lines to represent this 3D truss. The lines obviously have to meet at the ends to other lines. Ansys will easily be able to mesh the lines.

[calvinmooney03]

If i import just a line body from creo it gives an error in ansys saying there are no solid bodies found

[calvinmooney03]

Should i import just the sketched lines from creo or after i have created a sweeped body around the lines, when i imported the sweeped body, it was the one that couldn't generate a mesh.

[peteroznewman]

In Workbench, open the Properties of the Geometry cell and make sure you have checked Line Bodies.

You will create a cross-sectional shape and assign it to those line bodies. The meshing software will put beam elements along the lines and assign that cross-section to the beam elements.

[calvinmooney03]

 

When I go to do this there are no basic geometry options, it only shows advanced geometry options.

[calvinmooney03]

I got it up and line bodies is checked but when I only have line bodies checked, it comes up with an error saying "No solid bodies found". 

[peteroznewman]

Here is a workflow to create beam models in Mechanical for a Static Structural model from a STEP file with lines in it.

Right click on Geometry and start SpaceClaim (SC).  In SC, use File Open, set the filter to file type STEP and open the STEP file. On the Prepare tab, use the Profiles button to create the cross-sectional profile that represents the different sized truss cross-sections. The click on the Create button to convert each line to a beam with the selected cross-section.  If you want all the truss beams welded together, go to the Workbench tab and click on the Share button. This will cause all the coincident end point to merge which will be helpful in Mechanical after meshing. Close SC.

In Workbench, double click on the Model cell and Mechanical will open. Now you have line bodies that can be meshed with beam elements.

[calvinmooney03]

But the import from creo is already a solid body as i cannot just import a line body itself from creo.

[peteroznewman]

My suggestion is that you don't want to mesh solids in Mechanical, you want to mesh line bodies.

The work you have to do is to convert the solid body in Creo into Beams in SpaceClaim (SC).

There are two ways to accomplish this.

1. You can draw lines in Creo and export the lines into SC where you will define cross-sections and assign them to the lines to convert them to beams. You are wrong when you say you cannot import a line body from Creo. I drew a line in Creo, exported the line in a STEP file and opened that STEP file in SC then defined a cross-section and converted it to a beam.
2. You can export the solid from Creo and open the STEP file in SC. Then in SC you will cut the solid into truss elements and convert the solid tubes into Beams in SC.

[calvinmooney03]

When i try to import my line body from creo i just keep getting an error, shown in the picture. 

[peteroznewman]

Don't Import the STEP file into the Geometry cell.  Right click on the Geometry cell and start SpaceClaim. When SC opens, use File Open and set the File Type to STEP. Then point to the STEP file. It will show the lines.