A mesh-based geometry is a geometric model defined by a mesh, in contrast to a standard geometry that is defined through operations in a geometry sequence. See The Mesh Node for more information about meshes that define their own geometric model. A green or yellow frame around the Mesh-Based Geometry () node icon means that the physics is defined on the geometric model defined by this mesh.

In 3D, a mesh-based geometry typically contains a surface mesh and unmeshed domains (if any). Use a Mesh-Based Geometry sequence to import any mesh that you want to remesh or where you want to modify the geometric model, such as forming computational domains, partition boundaries, or repair the mesh. A mesh-based geometry can also be used to combine several imported meshes or when Combining Geometry and Mesh. Boolean operations and operations for repairing, editing, intersecting, and partitioning the mesh are supported.

To add a Mesh-Based Geometry () node, right-click the Component node and choose Mesh-Based Cleanup or click Add Mesh () on the Mesh toolbar and choose Mesh-Based Geometry. A Mesh-Based Geometry () node is automatically added to a new Component if you right-click a Filter or Partition Dataset and select Create Mesh-Based Geometry.

Select the Build new operations automatically checkbox (cleared by default) to allow new operation for this mesh-based geometry to build automatically. Clear the checkbox to require that the Build Selected or Build All buttons are clicked in order for the operations to build. The default value is controlled by the preference setting Mesh > Build new operations automatically. Select the In new meshes preference setting to always build operations directly, unless overridden by the settings in individual Mesh-Based Geometry nodes.

The setting Build automatically when leaving mesh (selected by default) controls if the mesh-based geometry sequence is automatically built when going to another node in the Model Builder where the geometric model of the mesh is used. For example, when defining materials or physics settings.