Element Quality

After you build your model, you can use the Check Elems panel to verify the quality of the elements in the model. You can check your model for connectivity and duplicate elements.

Use the 1-d subpanel to:

•	Check one-dimensional elements for free ends

•	Determine if a group of rigid elements form a loop

•	Check weld and rigid elements for double dependency

•	Check all elements for a minimum length of a side

Use the 2-d subpanel to:

•	Check elements for warpage, aspect ratio, skew, and jacobian ratio

•	Check the maximum and minimum interior angles of quad and tria elements

•	Check all elements for a minimum length of a side

•	Check a mesh of elements for its maximum chordal deviation from a real or inferred surface

Use the 3-d subpanel to:

•	Check elements for warpage, aspect ratio, skew, and jacobian ratio

•	Check the maximum and minimum interior angles of quad and tria elements

•	Check all elements for a minimum length of a side

•	Check tetra elements for collapse, CFD-style volumetric skew, and NASTRAN-style aspect ratio

Subpanels on the Check Elems panel apply to different situations:

•	Use the time subpanel to check for elements whose small size might cause problems for an explicit solver.

•	Use the group subpanel to check for and eliminate group or interface elements whose underlying structural element has changed and left them detached.

•	Use the user subpanel to verify element quality by using a template file that checks for user-specified conditions.