In Ansys Icepak, assemblies of objects can be meshed separately. A region can be defined around a particular assembly and this region can be meshed independently of the mesh outside it. At the interface with the main model, there is a many-to-one transition between the mesh cells inside the region and those outside it, and a non-conformal interface is created at the boundary between the meshes. This allows for the embedding of a fine mesh within the sub-region around an assembly where it is needed, and for a coarse mesh in the rest of the model. To use non-conformal meshing for assemblies, you will use the following procedure:
Right-click on the assembly in the Model manager and select Edit object from the context menu.
In the Meshing tab of the Assemblies panel, turn on the Mesh separately option.
If required, add a "slack" region around the assembly.
Under Slack settings, enter the desired offset distances in the Min X, Y, Z and Max X, Y, Z directions. Positive values prescribe a slack region toward the exterior of the assembly.
By default, the bounding box of the assembly has the exact extent necessary to enclose the objects that make the assembly. Defining a slack region enables you to make the bounding box slightly larger. This will make it possible to mesh more assemblies separately. Defining a non-zero slack value is recommended but not necessary. It is recommended that the boundary box not touch a CAD object except when the CAD surface is located on the boundary of the computational domain. Where a foreign object crosses the bounding box of an assembly, the non-conformal interface will cross through that object. See Editing Properties of an Assembly for more details on specifying the slack distance around the bounding box of the assembly.
Note: If slack values are defined as zero, ensure the assembly boundary does not touch 2D objects like conducting thin plates, sides of network objects and network blocks.
Note: If radiation for a side is specified, it is essential that the side does not touch the interface of the assembly with zero slack.
Note: If the cabinet type is set as NONE and if there is a symmetry wall at the boundary, then the non-conformal interface can't touch the boundary wall.
Multiple assemblies can be meshed separately provided that:
Assemblies are not partially embedded within one another (that is, the bounding box of one assembly cannot intersect the bounding box of another assembly).
For assemblies that are completely embedded within one another, there cannot be a common interface where the slack values of any of the touching assemblies are defined as zero. Assemblies with zero slack values can touch externally at a common interface.
If required, specify the Minimum gap that separates objects in the assembly. See Editing Properties of an Assembly for more details on specifying the Minimum gap.
If required, specify the Mesh type to mesh the objects in the assembly. See Editing Properties of an Assembly for more details on specifying the Mesh type.
In the Mesh control panel, turn on the Mesh assemblies separately option.
Note that the hexa-unstructured, hexa-cartesian and hex-dominant meshers can be used to mesh assemblies separately, using non-conformal meshing. See Hexahedral Meshing Procedure for more information on hexahedral meshing in Ansys Icepak.
Note: When the meshing procedure has been completed, any assembly that has been meshed separately from the rest of the model will have its name displayed in a different color (default is pink) in the Model manager window.