Learning Forum

[LisaA]

Hello,

This seems like such a basic operation but I really can't work it out. I've got a plate, with a hole, and I simply want the hole to be filled in, in a different material to the plate (and not just empty). Does anyone know how to do this?

Thanks in advance

[peteroznewman]

Create > Extrude and pick the edge of the hole.  Change the Operation from Add Material to Add Frozen. Pick a face for Direction and then use Reverse. Pick the opposite face for the Extent Type.

This will create a second solid.  To have the mesh connect these two bodies by sharing common nodes, select both bodies and Form New Part.

In Mechanical, each body can be assigned its own material.

[LisaA]

Hi,

Much appreciated. Still having problems though - if I pick reverse I get this: it's not inside the plate.

If I pick normal direction, it looks like it's inside,

But as soon as I try to open a system I get the following error:

Best wishes,

 

Lisa

 

[Rob]

You've got solid bodies (ie 3d geometry) and you're using a 2d solver. It's expecting surfaces on z=0 (I think). 

[peteroznewman]

If you want a 3D model, then drag and drop a new Static Structural analysis block on the Geometry and in that block, let the Geometry property be 3D instead of 2D.  Mechanical doesn't behave when you try to change the type after the attach has occurred.

[LisaA]

Thanks a lot for your help and sorry for not marking the solution sooner - I was having trouble logging in. It's a steep learning curve!