We were honored to have Reza Taghavi from SIW Corporation present at the SIMULIA Americas Users Conference, May 3-4, 2023 in Novi, Michigan.
Abstract: Extreme thickness variations in a part often require to visually select the regions to be 2D-abstracted and manage the transition to the rest of the Abaqus model. The key to reducing element count is using high aspect ratio hexes in thin regions. This is because properly stretched hexahedra maintain their Jacobians while no stretched tetrahedra ever does. Tex is a fully automatic all-hexahedral meshing engine for Abaqus which is particularly suited for the non-linear analysis of complex shapes featuring extreme length scale variations such as space structures, electronic components, mobile devices, MEMS, fluidic devices, and shapes with locally high aspect-ratios such as those typical in additive manufacturing, welding, and automated shape optimization. Tex uses MEES (Mid-object Extraction and Extrusion at Saddle points) to decompose complex geometries into compatible extrudable mesh blocks in such a way that mesh resolution spanwise and across the object can be adjusted independently. MEES relies on the fact that any 3D object may be decomposed into a collection of extrusions. First, a mid-surface is extracted and pruned to specifications informed by surface curvature and quad meshed. Next, a careful reconstruction of extrusions at all mid-surface intersections results in an all-hex mesh. A universally recurring morphology in nearly all mid-objects is that of the saddle point whose treatment during extrusion is key to a successful extrusion. The result is a quality all-hexahedral mesh with element counts typically 10 to 100 times less than equivalent tetrahedral meshes and faster convergence to a more accurate solution.
Bio: For the past 30 years, Reza Taghavi has worked in areas of engineering as varied as hydraulics, cavitation, underwater acoustics, geomechanics, discrete element modeling, CFD, engine design, high-performance computing, haptics, and mesh generation at Renault automobiles, Cray Research, and Itasca consulting Group.
Reza is the founder of SIW Corp., which develops Tex, an automatic all-hexahedral mesh generator for thin parts. He is also the founder of Tactile Image and developer of a neck-worn tactile feedback device for acceleration perception and situational awareness. He is also a founding member of the International Meshing Roundtable.
Reza’s earlier products include CRI-TurboKiva, a combustion simulation product developed with Los Alamos National Laboratory, Hexar, an all-hexahedral meshing product now an HP Enterprise asset, and Kubrix, a meshing tool now an Itasca Consulting product.
Reza obtained a PhD in Fluid Mechanics from the University of Minnesota and an engineering diploma from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris.
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