The finite element method (FEM) has been used as a powerful tool to solve engineering problems since the late 50s. The calculations were, at that time, carried out by hand and the method was force-based, not displacement-based as we use it today. Thanks to advances in the computer industry, a variety of FE commercial software have been developed. Ansys can be considered one of the most used FEM software globally with a wide range of products, such as; Fluent, Workbench etc. Beginner Workbench users occasionally are facing the problem of choosing the correct meshing method, Tetrahedrons, Hexdominant, Sweep, Multizone or Cartesian, to obtain a good mesh quality. However, before explaining what those methods stand for, We’d better start with what does the element type mean? Element Types Probably senior Ansys Classic (APDL) users know very well that choosing an appropriate element type is vital for finite element solutions. In the past, it was mandatory to define the correct element type which was often a 2-dimensional element such as triangular or quadratic. In short, choosing the correct element defines your FE model properties, such as being a solid block, behaving as a load-carrying beam or a plain surface. One of the … Continue reading Mesh Methods and Element Types in ANSYS Workbench