Learning Forum

[atamvakis]

Hello,

I am an MSc Student of Palaeontology and I am experimenting on Structural Analysis and how I can use this kind of analysis in my thesis. I have made a 3D model of a fox skull and i am trying to produce a mesh in Space Claim in order to start up an Static Structural analysis.

My problem is after I clean up the geometry a bit manually using the facets tools, although I don't get any geometry problems when I try to produce a mesh I get the error message can not retrieve edges. I even tried with a different skull, 3D model, and I get the same error message. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Does anybody have any ideas?

Thank you in advance,

Angelos Tamvakis

[peteroznewman]

Angelos, a facet body is not considered geometry and cannot be meshed in Mechanical. In SpaceClaim, on the Facets tab, use the Check Facets button and make sure the facet body has no errors. If there are errors, try the Auto Fix tool. When there are no errors, right click on the facet body and select Convert to Solid. That will create a solid body that can be meshed.nWhile the above is the simplest workflow, it results in all the facets turning into faces. If you are on the free student license, there is a limit of 300 faces so you may not be able to save the geometry with 300 faces.nThat means you have to do a lot more work in SpaceClaim. Go to the Tools tab and look at the Skin tool. I recently was successful using the Auto Skin tool, but that is not as helpful with complex geometry like this. The skin tool makes one face. You go all over this facet body until you have covered it with patches of skin and in this way, you will have a solid body with < 300 faces.nIf you want, you can change the SpaceClaim file extension to .7z and use the paperclip icon in your reply to attach the file so I can try the skin tool for myself.n