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A Mesh Generator and Pre-Processor for
FEA and CFD Analysis

TrueGrid® Essentials Training Outline

I. Overview Of TrueGrid

  • A. Documentation and Hotline
  • B. Computing Environment
  • C. Structures and Fluids
  • D. Interactive and Batch Mode
  • E. Interrupt/Resume
  • F. Files
  • G. Help and Menu Windows
  • H. Control Phase
  • I. Part Phase
  • J. Merge Phase
  • K. Information Commands
  • L. Command Syntax
  • M. Parameters
  • N. Expressions ( "[...]" )
  • O. Error and Warning Messages
  • P. Extensive UNDO (HISTORY, ACTCMD, DECMD, UPDATE)

II. Graphical User Interface

  • A. Text Window
  • B. Menus
  • C. Dialogue Window (DIAL)
  • D. Help Window (HELP)
  • E. Physical Window
  • F. Computational Window
  • G. Environment Window
  • H. Pop-up Windows
  • I. Point-and-Click Mouse Controls
  • J. Point-and-Click Coordinates
  • K. Grabbing Text
  • L. Function Keys
  • M. Distance, Angle, and Transform

III. TrueGrid Geometry

  • A. 2D Curves (LD, APLD, LCD, NDD)
  • B. 3D Curves (CURD, RMSEG, DCD, ACD, RCD, RACD)
  • C. Surfaces (SD, DSD, ASD, RSD, ANSD, LASD, ACCURACY)
  • D. Curve and Surface Fitting

IV. Importing CAD/CAM Geometry

  • A. Reading IGES Data (IGES, IGESFILE)
  • B. IGES Binary Files (SAVEIGES, USEIGES)
  • C. NURBS (NURBS, NURBSD)
  • D. Planes (IGESP, IGESPD)
  • E. Other Surfaces (IGESS, IGESSD)
  • F. 3D Curves and Composites (IGC, IGESCD)
  • G. Trimmed Surfaces
  • H. Levels and Groups (DLV, ALV, RLV, DGRP, AGRP, RGRP)

V. Initializing A New Part

  • A. BLOCK and CYLINDER Commands
  • B. Point-and-Click Vertex Placement
  • 1. Move single closest vertex - automatic selection
  • 2. Select set of vertices - moves center of set
  • 3. Screen plane
  • 4. Coordinate constraint movement - depends on system
  • 5. Front view constraint wit cross hairs
  • 6. Attach to another node
  • 7. Project to a curve, edge, or surface
  • C. PBS - Place A Vertex Onto A Surface Or Curve
  • 1. Dialogue box with options
  • 2. Attach without options
  • D. TR - Transform The Initial Coordinates
  • E. CUR, CURF, CURE, and EDGE - Placement Along A 3D Curve
  • 1. Dialogue for each
  • 2. Attach means CUR or EDGE
  • F. PATCH - Face Mapped to 4-edged Surface
  • G. SPLINT - Cubic Spline Edges
  • H. BB command - Block Boundary Interface

VI. Computational Mesh

  • A. Regions
  • B. Highlightig
  • C. Multiple Regions Selection
  • D. Multiple Faces Selection
  • E. Multiple Edges Selection
  • F. Multiple Vertices Selection
  • G. Progressions
  • H. Shells
  • I. Holes
  • J. Beams
  • K. Sets
  • L. Graphics Control
  • M. Deleting A Region (DE, DEI)
  • N. Peeling (RG, ARG, RRG, DARG, DARGED)
  • O. Inserting a New Region (INSPRT)

VII. Projection Method

  • A. Smooth Surfaces
  • B. Piecewise Smooth Surfaces
  • C. Surface Concatenation
  • D. Intersection of Three Surfaces
  • E. Intersection of Two Surfaces
  • F. Intersection of More Than Three Surfaces
  • G. Projection Onto a Single Surface With Low Curvature
  • H. Projection Onto a Single Surface With High Curvature
  • I. Nodal Distribution Along Edges (RES, DRS, NDS, AS)

VIII. Interpolation And Smoothing

  • A. Linear, Bi-Linear, and Tri-linear Interpolation
  • B. Default Interpolation - Modification
  • 1. Edges
  • 2. Faces
  • 3. Volumes
  • C. Multiple Regions Interpolated Together (LIN, LINI)
  • D. Transfinite Interpolation (TF, TFI)
  • E. Equipotential Relaxation (RELAX, RELAXI)
  • F. Thomas-Middlecoff Elliptic Solver (THE, TMEI)

IX. Command Hierarchy

  • A. Commands Are Not Executed in the Order They Are Entered
  • B. Each Change to the Mesh Requires That the Mesh Be Rebuilt
  • C. Must Tell TrueGrid to Draw Before it Rebuilds the Mesh
  • D. Vertices Are Positioned First
  • E. Edges Are Placed Between the Vertices
  • F. Faces Are Then Placed Between The Edges
  • G. Interior Nodes Are Interpolated Last
  • H. Complex Order of Events Known as the Hierarchy

X. Special Elements and Conditions

  • A. B Command - Constraint Nodes
  • B. Nodal, Facial, and Volume Conditions in the Part Phase
  • C. Sets in the Part Phase (NSET)
  • D. Sets in the Merge Phase (NSET)
  • E. Nodal, Facial, and Volume Conditions in the Merge Phase
  • F. Manipulating Existing Conditions (INFOL, RML, RSL)
  • G. Displaying Conditions (LABELS, CONDITION)
  • H. Orientations (ORPT, N, OR)
  • I. Materials (MATE, MT)
  • J. Contact/Sliding Interfaces (SID, SI)
  • K. Joints and Nodal Shared Constraints (JD, JT)
  • L. Shell and Brick Transition Elements (TRBB)
  • M. Point Masses, Springs, and Dampers
  • N. Beams in the Merge Phase (BM)

XI. Importing A Mesh

  • A. READMESH Command (NASTRAN, NEUTRAL, & DYNA3D)
  • B. Information on the Mesh
  • C. Changing/Translating the Mesh/Conditions/Loads/Properties

XII. Transformations

  • A. Rotations
  • B. Translations
  • C. Scaling
  • D. Complex Transformations

XIII. Part Duplication

  • A. Local Transformation Definitions
  • B. Local Replications
  • C. Global Transformations
  • D. Global Replications

XIV. Output and Analysis Options

  • A. Output
  • B. Material Models and EOS
  • C. Analysis

XV. Mesh Diagnostics

  • A. Part Information
  • B. Mass and Moments
  • C. Mesh Quality Check
  • D. Special Conditions Displayed

XVI. Node Merging and Writing The Output File

  • A. Merging Commands - When Entering Merge Phase (T, TP, STP)
  • B. Special Tolerance for Nodes Within a Part (PTOL)
  • C. Special Tolerance Between Parts (BPTOL)
  • D. Sliding Interfaces and Joints Do Not Merge
  • E. Free Edges and Free Surfaces and Other Diagnostics
  • F. Dummy Sliding Interface Avoids Merging
  • G. Write the Output File (WRITE)