HM-1020: Work with Panels

A large portion of HyperMesh functionality is organized into panels. Many panels have common attributes and controls, so once you become familiar with the features of one panel, it is much easier to understand other panels.

In this exercise you will learn how to:
  • Use the entity selector and the extended entity selection menu to select and unselect nodes and elements from the graphics area.
  • Use the orientation selector to define vectors along which to translate nodes and elements.
  • Switch between different entities to select methods to define vectors.
  • Toggle between two options.
  • Enter, copy and paste, and calculate numbers.
  • Use the rapid menu functionality to execute commands with the mouse buttons rather than clicking buttons.
  • Interrupt, but not exit, a panel to go to another panel using the keyboard function keys.
This exercise uses the following model files found in the hm.zip file. You can copy the file from this directory to your working directory:
  • bumper.hm

Open and View Model Files

In this exercise you will open and view model files in HyperMesh.

This exercises uses the following files:
  • bumper.hm
  1. Start HyperMesh Desktop.
  2. From the menu bar, click File > Open > Model.
  3. In the Open Model dialog, navigate to your working directory and open the bumper.hm model file.
    A model appears in the graphics area.

Import IGES Model Files

In this exercise you will learn how to import IGES geometry files.

This exercise uses the following model file:
  • bumper_end.iges
Import the IGES geometry file, bumper_end.iges, into the current HyperMesh session:
  1. In the Import tab, click .
  2. From the File type list, select IGES.
  3. Click .
  4. In the Select IGES File dialog, open the bumper_end.iges geometry file.
  5. Click Import.
    HyperMesh imports the IGES geometry data.


    Figure 1.

Select Nodes in the Translate Panel

In this step you will use the Translate Panel to select nodes.

  1. To open the Translate panel, click Mesh > Translate > Nodes from the menu bar.
  2. Click the entity selector to activate.
    A cyan border around the entity selector indicates it is active.


    Figure 2.
  3. This step is optional. If necessary, click on the Visualization toolbar to change the element view style to wireframe.
  4. In the graphics area, left-click on the corners of the elements to select a few nodes.
    HyperMesh positions a small, white node at each element corner you select.


    Figure 3.
  5. To reset the selection of nodes, click on the entity selector.

Import OptiStruct Input Files

In this exercise you will learn how to import OptiStruct input files into HyperMesh.

This exercises uses the following files:
  • bumper_end_rgd.fem
Import the OptiStruct input file, bumper_end_rgd.fem, into the current session.
  1. In the Import tab, click .
  2. From the File Type list, select OptiStruct.
  3. In the File field, open the bumper_end_rgd.fem input file.
  4. Click Import.
    HyperMesh imports a mesh for the bumper's end portion to the geometry representing the bumper's end.


    Figure 4.

Select Elements

In this step you will select and unselect elements from the graphics area.

  1. Click on the entity selector and select elems from the list of entities that can be translated.
    The entity selector is now set to elems.


    Figure 5.
  2. In the graphics area, left-click on the element handles (the dot at the element's center) to select several elements.
    HyperMesh highlights the elements you select in white.


    Figure 6.
  3. To unselect an element, right-click on the element handle in the graphics area.

Use the Quick Window Selection Method

In this step you will use the quick window selection method to select and unselect elements.

  1. Verify that the entity selector is active and set to elems.
  2. In the graphics area, press Shift + left-click to draw a rectangular window around a few elements.
    HyperMesh selects all of the element handles inside the rectangular window.


    Figure 7.
  3. To unselect the elements, press Shift + right-click and draw a rectangular window around the selected elements.
  4. In the graphics area, press Shift + left-click.
    The Quick window pop-up menu appears containing eight icons.


    Figure 8.
  5. While still pressing Shift, click and draw a polygon window around a few unselected elements.


    Figure 9.
  6. Release the Shift key and mouse button.
    HyperMesh selects all of the element handles inside of the polygon window.

Save a HyperMesh Session

In this exercise you will learn how to save a HyperMesh session to a model file.

This exercise uses the following model files:
  • practice.hm
Save the session as a HyperMesh model file called practice.hm:
  1. From the menu bar, click File > Save As > Model.
  2. In the Save Model As dialog, navigate to your working directory and save the data in your current session as a binary data file labeled practice.hm.

Use the Extended Entity Selection Menu

In this exercise you will use the extended entity selection menu to select and unselect elements.

  1. Click elems > reverse.
    HyperMesh unselects the elements that you selected, and selects the elements that were not selected.


    Figure 10.
  2. Click elems > by adjacent.
    HyperMesh selects the elements that are adjacent to the selected elements.


    Figure 11.

Export Model Geometry

In this exercise you will learn how to export model geometry data to an IGES file.

This exercise uses the following model files:
  • practice.iges
Export the model's geometry data to an IGES file called practice.iges:
  1. To access the Export tab, click File > Export > Geometry from the menu bar or click on the Standard toolbar.
  2. From the File Type list, select IGES.
  3. In the File field, navigate to your working directory and save the file as practice.igs.
  4. Click Export.
    HyperMesh exports all of the geometry data (points, lines, surfaces) loaded in your current session as a .iges file.

Shade and Select Elements

In this exercise you will display elements in shaded mode.

  1. On the Visualization toolbar, click .
    HyperMesh displays the elements in shaded mode, rather than wireframe mode.


    Figure 12.
  2. To clear the selection of elems, click on the entity selector.
  3. Using the entity selector, select a few elements that are adjacent to each other in the graphics area.

Export Model Data to an OptiStruct File

In this exercise you will learn how to model data to an OptiStruct input file.

You will create the following model files:
  • practice.fem
Export the model's mesh data to an OptiStruct input file called practice.fem:
  1. In the Export tab, click .
  2. From the File Type list, select OptiStruct.
  3. In the File field, navigate to your working directory and save the file as practice.fem.
  4. Click Export.
    HyperMesh exports all of the finite element data (nodes, elements, loads) loaded in your current session as a .fem file.

Specify Direction Vectors

In this step you will specify the direction vector along which to translate selected elements.

  1. On the orientation selector, click and select N1, N2, N3 from the list of vector and plane options. These options define the direction in which to translate the selected elements.


    Figure 13.
  2. To activate the N1 selector, click .
    The cyan border around the N1 selector indicates that it is active. Since the entity selector is no longer active, HyperMesh changes the color of the selected elements in the graphics area to gray.


    Figure 14.
  3. In the graphics area, select any node for N1.
    HyperMesh highlights the selected node in green and the active selector advances to N2 in the Translate panel.


    Figure 15.
  4. In the graphics area, select a node near N1 for N2.
    HyperMesh highlights the selected node in blue and the active selector advances to N3 in the Translate panel.

Delete Model Data (Optional)

In this exercise you will delete all data from the current session.

This exercise is optional.

Delete all data from the current session by starting a new session:
  1. To open a new HyperMesh model, click File > New > Model from the menu bar, or click on the Standard toolbar.
  2. In the HyperMesh dialog, click Yes if you would like to discard all current model data.

Specify a Translate Distance

In this step you will specify a distance to translate the selected elements and translate them.

  1. Click the second toggle and select magnitude = N2-N1.


    Figure 16.
  2. Click translate+.
    HyperMesh translates the selected elements in the N1 to N2 direction by N2-N1 units in the graphics area.
    Note: HyperMesh places a thick black border around translate+ to indicate it is a rapid menu button.
  3. Instead of clicking translate+, middle-mouse click.
    HyperMesh translates the selected elements again by N2-N1 units.
  4. Click translate- twice.
    HyperMesh translates the selected elements in the negative N1-N2 vector direction and restores them to their initial position.

Measure Distance Between Nodes

In this step you will measure the distance between two nodes.

  1. To interrupt, but not exit the Translate panel and go to the Distance panel on the Geom page, press F4.
    The graphics area is currently not displaying the elements and nodes that you selected in the Translate panel. However, they are still selected. When you return to the Translate panel, they will reappear.
  2. In the Distance panel, click two nodes.
    The N1 selector is active.
  3. In the graphics area, select any node for N1.
    HyperMesh highlights the selected node in green, and the active selector advances to N2.


    Figure 17.
  4. In the graphics area, select a node near N1 for N2.
    The distance between N1 and N2 appears in the distance= field.
  5. In the distance= field, highlight the value.


    Figure 18.
  6. To copy the value, press Ctrl+C.
  7. To return to the Translate panel, click return.
    The graphics area displays the elements and nodes you selected earlier in the Translate panel.

Import IGES Geometry Files (Optional)

In this exercise you will learn how to import IGES geometry files.

This exercise is optional. It uses the following model files:
  • practice.igs
Import the IGES geometry file you created, practice.igs:
  1. To import the practice.igs file into your current session, repeat Step 2.
    HyperMesh imports the geometry data in the file to the existing data.

Import OptiStruct Input Files (Optional)

In this exercise you will learn how to import OptiStruct input files.

This task is optional. You will use the following model files:
  • practice.fem
This step is optional. Import the OptiStruct input file you created, practice.fem, into the current session:
  1. To import the practice.fem file into the current session, repeat Step 4.
    HyperMesh imports the data in the file to the existing data.

Translate Selected Elements

In this step you will specify a distance to translate the selected elements and then translate them.

  1. Click the second toggle and select magnitude =.
  2. In the magnitude = field, highlight the value.
  3. To past the distance= value that you copied from the Distance panel, press Ctrl+V.


    Figure 19.
  4. Click translate +.
    HyperMesh translates the selected elements in the direction from N1 to N2 by the number of units specified in the magnitude = field.
  5. Click translate -.
    HyperMesh translates the selected elements in the negative N1-N2 vector direction, and restores them to their initial position.

Calculate the Value of Magnitude

In this step you will calculate and specify the value for magnitude.

  1. Right-click in the magnitude = field.
    The calculator appears.


    Figure 20.
  2. Click 5.5.
  3. Click enter.
  4. Click 10.5.
  5. Click x.
    The calculator displays a value of 57.75.
  6. Click exit.
    The calculator closes and 57.75 appears in the magnitude = field.
  7. Optional: To enter a value into the magnitude = field, left-click in the field to highlight the current value, then enter a new value.

Save Your Work (Optional)

With the completion of Steps 8, 9, and 10, your current session should contain all of the geometry and mesh data that existed in the session that you saved to a HyperMesh file.

This exercise is optional.

This step is optional. Save your work:
  1. From the menu bar, click File > Save > Model.

Specify a New Vector

In this step you will specify a new vector and translate the elements.

  1. To reset the direction of the translated elements, click on the direction selector. N1 becomes the active selector.
  2. In the graphics area, select three nodes for N1, N2, N3 to define a plane.


    Figure 21.
  3. Click translate + or middle-mouse click.
    HyperMesh translates the elements 57.75 units in the positive direction normal to the defined plane.


    Figure 22.
  4. To exit the panel, click return.

Save Your Work

In this optional step, you will save your work.

When you have completed all of the exercises in this tutorial, from the menu bar, click File > Save > Model.