In this tutorial, you will learn how to create mesh for a solid profile with pockets using the Extrusion Wizard.
The model files for this tutorial are located in the file mfs-1.zip in the subdirectory \hx\MetalExtrusion\HX_0102. See Accessing Model Files.
To work on this tutorial, it is recommended that you copy this folder to your local hard drive where you store your HyperXtrude data; please refer to the tutorial HX-0004 for more details on how you can accomplish this with project browser. This will enable you to edit and modify these files without affecting the original data. In addition, it is best to keep the data on a local disk attached to the machine to improve the I/O performance of the software.
| 1. | From the Start menu select: All Programs > Altair > HyperXtrude to launch the HyperXtrude user interface. The User Profiles dialog appears with Manufacturing Solutions as the default application. |
| 2. | Select HyperXtrude and Metal Extrusion. |
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| 1. | From the File menu, select Open.... |
| 2. | Browse to the file HX_0102.hm and click Open. |
This model has four components - Billet, Pocket1, Pocket2 and Bearing. There is a shared surface between Billet - Pocket1 and Pocket2 -Bearing so you do not have to create a shared surface.
| 3. | Inspect the model for any issues with the surfaces. Since this model is clean, you can go ahead with the next step. |
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| 1. | On the Utility menu, click Extrusion Wizard. Depending on how you loaded the model, the Project Browser may prompt you for action (see HX-0004 for details). |
| 2. | In the Extrusion Wizard, click the Set Model Units checkbox. |
Note: Measure dimensions of the model (ex: diameter of the billet) by pressing F4 button on the key board. Find the distance between any two nodes lying diagonally opposite to each other on the circumference of the billet. The numerical value of this distance (the diameter of the billet) gives you an idea about the unit system in which the model is created.
In the model, billet diameter is about 210. Hence, it is reasonable to conclude that the length unit of the model is ‘mm’. (210 inch diameter billets are practically not used in extrusion). If the diameter is between 15 and 20 or less, then the units will be in inches.
| 3. | Set the Unit System to Metric and click OK. |
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| 1. | Click Set Analysis Requirements and set the options as shown in the image below. |
| 2. | Click Next and set the options as shown in the image below: |
| 3. | Click Next to go to the Select Extrusion Components window. Notice Billet, Bearing Cavity and Profile are recognized and pre-selected. |
| 4. | Select Pocket1 and Pocket2 and click OK to close this window. |
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| 1. | Click Select Material Data. |
| 2. | Expand Workpiece, then expand Aluminum_Alloys and expand 6000_Series. |
| 3. | Select AA6063 and click Add to add the material under Selected Materials. |
You do not need to assign a material in the Extrusion Wizard. The selected material will be assigned to the workpiece automatically.
In the Extrusion Wizard, you will skip the Select Press Data step as this model does not contain the information.
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| 1. | Click Generate Workpiece Mesh. |
| 2. | Verify the default input parameters and set them (if necessary) as shown below. |
| 3. | Notice that the Extrusion Wizard already picked the components for Billet, Pocket1, Pocket2 and Bearing. |
Note: Please always rename the components by proper names so that the Extrusion Wizard identifies the components by default.
| 4. | Input the size of the elements as shown below. |
Please see HX-0100 for more details about biasing and tet mesh growth type options
| 6. | After the mesh is created, click OK. Five more components are created - Bearing3D, Billet3D, Pocket13D, Pocket23D and Profile3D. |
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| 1. | Click Generate Workpiece BCs and input parameters as shown below: |
| 3. | Click on the Model Browser and notice that related boundary conditions components are created. |
| 4. | Click on the Extrusion Wizard tab to return to the Extrusion Wizard. |
| 5. | Click the Summary button to review all the data related to Process Conditions, Material, BCs and Element Statistics. |
| • | Under the Material tab, verify that the material is assigned to all the components. |
| • | Under the BCs tab, verify the type of boundary conditions applied to the model. |
| • | Under the Element Statistics tab, click on Show Element Quality to verify the quality of the generated mesh. |
| 6. | Click Close to close the Model Summary dialog. |
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| 1. | Click File > Save As… and save the file as HX_0102_final.hm |
| 2. | Click Save and Export the Model in the Extrusion Wizard. Browse to choose the location for the Project file name. |
| 3. | Click Export to generate HX_0102_FINAL.grf and HX_0102_FINAL.hx files. |
The .hx and .grf files can be passed to the HyperXtrude solver for solving analysis.
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