Create Edges

) to create edges in a component without geometry.

It is possible to add a node when the geometry is empty but the mesh includes either an node or a node. To create edges:

•

For an imported mesh, right-click in the window to open up The Graphics Context Menu and select (

). In 3D, do this from the menu.

•

Right-click the node and select (

). In 3D, do this from the menu.

•

For a 3D mesh, it is available from the menu (

) on the ribbon. For 2D meshes, click the (

) button directly on the ribbon.

Choose between creating new meshed edges between vertices or converting existing mesh edges into edge elements. Edges between vertices can be created in empty space but also overlap existing mesh. Such an edge will not partition existing mesh elements. To partition a domain in 2D or face in 3D, choose .

Edge Specification

From the list, select (default) to convert mesh edges to edge elements. This is done by clicking on mesh edges in the Graphics window. Alternatively, choose to specify the positions of start and end vertices.

Mesh Edge Selection

Click the button to toggle between turning ON and OFF the mesh edge selection. This enables selection by clicking in the Graphics window. When the button is toggled ON, the will automatically be turned ON to facilitate the selection of vertices. Select a mesh edge to populate the table with the , , and (3D only) coordinates of the midpoint of the mesh edge. It is possible enter the exact , , and (3D only) coordinates manually in the table. Selected edges are highlighted in the Graphics. Click a second time on the same edge to remove it from the selection.


	It is only possible to select mesh edges on boundaries in 3D which are visible in the Graphics window. Use Click and Hide and the clipping tools to get access to interior boundaries. Rotate the mesh to make the opposite side come into view.

Starting Vertices, End Vertices

To create edges, select vertices in the and sections. Edges will be created from vertices in the selection in to vertices in the selection in . From each vertex in the selection in , edges will be created to the closest vertices in the selection in .

Element Size

To specify the size distribution of the edge mesh, select one of the methods from the list:

•

Select (the default) to specify the maximum element size (SI unit: m), which you enter in the field. The value is a relative number (default: 0.1 in 3D and 1/15 in 2D). This value is multiplied with the size of the bounding box.

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Select to use a fixed number of mesh elements, which you enter into the (default: 1).

•

Select to use an explicit, user-defined element distribution. To define the distribution of mesh elements, enter a vector-valued expression defining a strictly increasing sequence of nonnegative numbers (using comma-separated numbers) in the field, specifying the relative arc length values of the mesh vertices along the edge or boundary. Select the check box to reverse the direction of the explicit distribution.

•

Select to specify properties of a predefined distribution method that can be a (exponentially increasing or decreasing element size) or an (constant difference in size between neighboring elements), which you choose from the list. In addition, specify values in the and fields to determine the number and ratio of elements in the distribution. Select the check box to make the predefined size distribution symmetric. Select the check box to reverse the direction of the predefined distribution.