Using shell/plate element types
Generate mesh with shell elements - Exercise
- Open the Fender.ipt part from your working folder.
- In the Environments tab>Begin panel, click Autodesk Inventor Nastran.
- In the Autodesk Inventor Nastran tab>Prepare panel, click drop-down menu that says Offset Surfaces and select Midsurfaces.
- Once the dialog box opens, click on the fender in the graphics window to select body<1>.
- Select OK to create the Midsurface.
- In the Nastran Model Tree, note that Midsurface 1 is added under Part 1 and the idealization Midsurface 1 is added under Shells. Double-click on the idealization Midsurface 1 under Shells.
- In the Idealizations dialog box, note that the Type is now set to Shell Elements and that the thickness has been extracted, as shown below.
- Click OK.
- In the Autodesk Inventor Nastran tab>Mesh panel, click Mesh Settings.
- In the Mesh Settings dialog box, change the element size to 10mm.
- Select OK to generate the mesh.
- In the Analysis tree, right click on Elements and select Displace Cross Section.
- In the graphics window you’ll notice the 3mm element thickness has been overlayed onto the 2D shell mesh.
- In the Analysis tree, right click on Analysis 2 – Offset Surfaces and select Activate.
- On the Prepare panel, select Offset Surfaces from the drop-down menu.
- Click any face on the top of the fender. The tangent surfaces are automatically chained.
- Change the Offset(mm) value to 1.5mm.
- Select OK to create the Offset Surface.
- Click Finish Autodesk Inventor Nastran and save the file.