FEM Mesh

From FreeCAD Documentation
 Do not translate !


Create a FEM Mesh

There are different possibilities to create a FEM Mesh in FreeCAD:

  • The Gui tool
  • The Gui tool by Python
  • Python directly means make the FEM Mesh by Hand
  • Import a FEM Mesh

Objects created in PartDesign and Part are supported, as well as simple copies of those bodies. There are two Meshers available to the user: Netgen and GMSH. Netgen is included in FreeCAD. Refer to FEM Install For FEM Mesh generation by GMSH user psicofil has provided a GMSHMesh Macro.


Import and Export of FEM Mesh Elements
Element Element Import unv Export unv Export inp Import frd Python create View nodes View all
Med CalculiX IDEAS IDEAS Abaqus Mesh CalculiX Result FreeCAD API
seg 2 B31 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
seg 3 B32 yes yes yes no no yes yes
tria 3 S3 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
tria 6 S6 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
quad 4 S4 yes yes no yes yes yes yes
quad 8 S8 yes yes no yes yes yes no
tetra 4 C3D4 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
tetra 10 C3D10 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
pyra 5 ? ? ? no no yes yes no
pyra 13 ? ? ? no no yes yes no
hexa 8 C3D8 yes yes no yes yes yes yes
hexa 20 C3D20 yes yes no no yes yes no
penta 6 C3D6 yes yes no no yes yes no
penta 15 C3D15 yes yes no no yes yes no

FEM Element Types

General

More informations about the FEM element types and their data structure inside FreeCAD can be find on FEM Element Types.

Segment element

File:Segments.gif


Triangle element

File:Triangles.gif


Quadratic element

File:Quadrangles.gif


Tetrahedron element

File:Tetraedres.gif


Pyramid element

File:Pyramides.gif


Hexahedron element

File:Hexaedres.gif


Pentahedron element

File:Pentaedres.gif


Scripting

Create a FEM Mesh totally py python

Creating a mesh with one Tet-10 Elements

import FreeCAD, Fem
# create a empty mesh
m = Fem.FemMesh()
#create the nodes
m.addNode(0,1,0)
m.addNode(0,0,1)
m.addNode(1,0,0)
m.addNode(0,0,0)
m.addNode(0,0.5,0.5)
m.addNode(0.5,0.03,.5)
m.addNode(0.5,0.5,0.03)
m.addNode(0,0.5,0)
m.addNode(0.03,0,0.5)
m.addNode(0.5,0,0)
# add the volume with the created nodes
m.addVolume([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10])

Fem.show(m)

If you want to have predefined element and node numbering:

m.addNode(0.0,1.0,0.0,1)

m.addVolume([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10],1)


Visual handling

Highlight some nodes on the view:

import FreeCAD, Fem

m = Fem.FemMesh()

m.addNode(0,1,0)
m.addNode(0,0,1)
m.addNode(1,0,0)
m.addNode(0,0,0)
m.addNode(0,0.5,0.5)
m.addNode(0.5,0.03,.5)
m.addNode(0.5,0.5,0.03)
m.addNode(0,0.5,0)
m.addNode(0.03,0,0.5)
m.addNode(0.5,0,0)
m.addVolume([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10])

Fem.show(m)
Gui.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject.HighlightedNodes = [1,2,3]


Postprocessing colors and displacement: Highlight some nodes on the view:

# set the volume 1 to red
Gui.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject.ElementColor= {1:(1,0,0)}
# set the node 1 and 2 to a certain Color and interpolate the survace
Gui.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject.NodeColor= {1:(1,0,0),2:(1,0,0)}
# set the node 1 and 2 to a certain displacement
Gui.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject.NodeDisplacement= {1:FreeCAD.Vector(1,0,0),2:FreeCAD.Vector(1,0,0)}
# double the factor of the displacement shown
Gui.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject.animate(2.0)

Script one Element of each supported Element Type

import Fem
#################################################
# Beams
# 2 node line --> seg2 ##########################
seg2 = Fem.FemMesh()
seg2.addNode( 0,  0, 0, 1)
seg2.addNode(10,  0, 0, 2)
seg2.addEdge( 1,  2)
seg2
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","seg2")
obj.FemMesh = seg2
obj.Placement.Base = (0,110,0)

# 3 node line --> seg3 ##########################
# not implemented


#################################################
# Shells

# Shells
# 3 node triangle --> tria3 #####################
tria3 = Fem.FemMesh()
tria3.addNode( 0,  0, 0, 1)
tria3.addNode( 6, 12, 0, 2)
tria3.addNode(12,  0, 0, 3)
tria3.addFace([ 1,  2,  3])
tria3
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","tria3")
obj.FemMesh = tria3
obj.Placement.Base = (0,80,0)


# 6 node triangle --> tria 6 ####################
tria6 = Fem.FemMesh()
tria6.addNode( 0,  0, 0, 1)
tria6.addNode( 6, 12, 0, 2)
tria6.addNode(12,  0, 0, 3)
tria6.addNode( 3,  6, 0, 4)
tria6.addNode( 9,  6, 0, 5)
tria6.addNode( 6,  0, 0, 6)
tria6.addFace([ 1,  2, 3,  4, 5, 6])
tria6
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","tria6")
obj.FemMesh = tria6
obj.Placement.Base = (30,80,0)


# 4 node quad --> quad4 #########################
quad4 = Fem.FemMesh()
quad4.addNode( 0, 10, 0, 1)
quad4.addNode(10, 10, 0, 2)
quad4.addNode(10,  0, 0, 3)
quad4.addNode( 0,  0, 0, 4)
# quad4.addQuad( 1,  2,  3, 4)    # without brackets
# addQuad  adds a Face of four nodes --> see FmMeshPyImp.cpp --> redundant with addFace !
quad4.addFace([ 1,  2,  3, 4])
quad4
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","quad4")
obj.FemMesh = quad4
obj.Placement.Base = (60,80,0)


# 8 node quad --> quad8 #########################
quad8 = Fem.FemMesh()
quad8.addNode( 0, 10, 0, 1)
quad8.addNode(10, 10, 0, 2)
quad8.addNode(10,  0, 0, 3)
quad8.addNode( 0,  0, 0, 4)
quad8.addNode( 5, 10, 0, 5)
quad8.addNode(10,  5, 0, 6)
quad8.addNode( 5,  0, 0, 7)
quad8.addNode( 0,  5, 0, 8)
quad8.addFace([ 1,  2,  3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8])
quad8
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","quad8")
obj.FemMesh = quad8
obj.Placement.Base = (90,80,0)
obj.ViewObject.DisplayMode = "Nodes"  # up to date only viewing nodes is implemented


#################################################
# Volumes
# 4 node tetrahedron --> tetra4 #################
tetra4 = Fem.FemMesh()
tetra4.addNode( 6, 12, 18, 1)
tetra4.addNode( 0,  0, 18, 2)
tetra4.addNode(12,  0, 18, 3)
tetra4.addNode( 6,  6,  0, 4)
tetra4.addVolume([ 1,  2,  3, 4])
tetra4
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","tetra4")
obj.FemMesh = tetra4
obj.Placement.Base = (0,50,0)


# 10 node tetrahedron --> tetra10 ###############
tetra10 = Fem.FemMesh()
tetra10.addNode( 6, 12, 18, 1)
tetra10.addNode( 0,  0, 18, 2)
tetra10.addNode(12,  0, 18, 3)
tetra10.addNode( 6,  6,  0, 4)

tetra10.addNode( 3,  6, 18, 5)
tetra10.addNode( 6,  0, 18, 6)
tetra10.addNode( 9,  6, 18, 7)

tetra10.addNode( 6,  9,  9, 8)
tetra10.addNode( 3,  3,  9, 9)
tetra10.addNode( 9,  3,  9,10)
tetra10.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10])
tetra10
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","tetra10")
obj.FemMesh = tetra10
obj.Placement.Base = (30,50,0)


# 8 node Hexahedron --> hexa8 ###################
hexa8 = Fem.FemMesh()
hexa8.addNode( 0, 10, 10, 1)
hexa8.addNode( 0,  0, 10, 2)
hexa8.addNode(10,  0, 10, 3)
hexa8.addNode(10, 10, 10, 4)
hexa8.addNode( 0, 10,  0, 5)
hexa8.addNode( 0,  0,  0, 6)
hexa8.addNode(10,  0,  0, 7)
hexa8.addNode(10, 10,  0, 8)
hexa8.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8])
hexa8
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","hexa8")
obj.FemMesh = hexa8
obj.Placement.Base = (60,50,0)


# 20 node Hexahedron --> hexa20 #################
hexa20 = Fem.FemMesh()
hexa20.addNode( 0, 10, 10,  1)
hexa20.addNode( 0,  0, 10,  2)
hexa20.addNode(10,  0, 10,  3)
hexa20.addNode(10, 10, 10,  4)
hexa20.addNode( 0, 10,  0,  5)
hexa20.addNode( 0,  0,  0,  6)
hexa20.addNode(10,  0,  0,  7)
hexa20.addNode(10, 10,  0,  8)

hexa20.addNode( 0,  5, 10,  9)
hexa20.addNode( 5,  0, 10, 10)
hexa20.addNode(10,  5, 10, 11)
hexa20.addNode( 5, 10, 10, 12)

hexa20.addNode( 0,  5,  0, 13)
hexa20.addNode( 5,  0,  0, 14)
hexa20.addNode(10,  5,  0, 15)
hexa20.addNode( 5, 10,  0, 16)

hexa20.addNode( 0, 10,  5, 17)
hexa20.addNode( 0,  0,  5, 18)
hexa20.addNode(10,  0,  5, 19)
hexa20.addNode(10, 10,  5, 20)
hexa20.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20])
hexa20
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","hexa20")
obj.FemMesh = hexa20
obj.Placement.Base = (90,50,0)
obj.ViewObject.DisplayMode = "Nodes"  # up to date only viewing nodes is implemented


# 6 node pentahedron --> penta6 #################
penta6 = Fem.FemMesh()
penta6.addNode(10,10,10, 1)
penta6.addNode( 0, 0,10, 2)
penta6.addNode(20, 0,10, 3)
penta6.addNode(10,10, 0, 4)
penta6.addNode( 0, 0, 0, 5)
penta6.addNode(20, 0, 0, 6)
penta6.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])
penta6
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","penta6")
obj.FemMesh = penta6
obj.Placement.Base = (0,0,0)
obj.ViewObject.DisplayMode = "Nodes"  # up to date only viewing nodes is implemented


# 15 node pentahedron --> penta15 ###############
penta15 = Fem.FemMesh()
penta15.addNode(10,10,10, 1)
penta15.addNode( 0, 0,10, 2)
penta15.addNode(20, 0,10, 3)
penta15.addNode(10,10, 0, 4)
penta15.addNode( 0, 0, 0, 5)
penta15.addNode(20, 0, 0, 6)

penta15.addNode( 5, 5,10, 7)
penta15.addNode(10, 0,10, 8)
penta15.addNode(15, 5,10, 9)

penta15.addNode( 5, 5, 0,10)
penta15.addNode(10, 0, 0,11)
penta15.addNode(15, 5, 0,12)

penta15.addNode(10,10, 5,13)
penta15.addNode( 0, 0, 5,14)
penta15.addNode(20, 0, 5,15)
penta15.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15])
penta15
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","penta15")
obj.FemMesh = penta15
obj.Placement.Base = (40,0,0)
obj.ViewObject.DisplayMode = "Nodes"  # up to date only viewing nodes is implemented


# 5 node pyramid --> pyra5 ######################
pyra5 = Fem.FemMesh()
pyra5.addNode( 0,20, 0, 1)
pyra5.addNode(20,20, 0, 2)
pyra5.addNode(20, 0, 0, 3)
pyra5.addNode( 0, 0, 0, 4)
pyra5.addNode(10,10,10, 5)
pyra5.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5])
pyra5
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","pyra5")
obj.FemMesh = pyra5
obj.Placement.Base = (80,0,0)
obj.ViewObject.DisplayMode = "Nodes"  # up to date only viewing nodes is implemented


# 13 node pyramid --> pyra13 ####################
pyra13 = Fem.FemMesh()
pyra13.addNode( 0,20, 0, 1)
pyra13.addNode(20,20, 0, 2)
pyra13.addNode(20, 0, 0, 3)
pyra13.addNode( 0, 0, 0, 4)
pyra13.addNode(10,10,10, 5)

pyra13.addNode(10,20, 0, 6)
pyra13.addNode(20,10, 0, 7)
pyra13.addNode(10, 0, 0, 8)
pyra13.addNode( 0,10, 0, 9)

pyra13.addNode( 5,15, 5,10)
pyra13.addNode(15,15, 5,11)
pyra13.addNode(15, 5, 5,12)
pyra13.addNode( 5, 5, 5,13)
pyra13.addVolume([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13])
pyra13
obj = App.ActiveDocument.addObject("Fem::FemMeshObject","pyra13")
obj.FemMesh = pyra13
obj.Placement.Base = (120,0,0)
obj.ViewObject.DisplayMode = "Nodes"  # up to date only viewing nodes is implemented


Fem Workbench