Volume Mesh Tab Overview
The Volume Mesh ribbon tab provides tools for working with volumetric tetrahedral meshes—three-dimensional discretizations of solid objects used primarily for finite element analysis (FEA), computational simulation, and engineering analysis. Unlike surface meshes that represent only the outer boundary of an object, volume meshes fill the entire interior with tetrahedral elements, enabling simulation of structural behavior, thermal analysis, fluid dynamics, and other physical phenomena.
Understanding Volume Meshes
A volume mesh consists of tetrahedral elements that completely fill a three-dimensional domain. Each tetrahedron is defined by four vertices connected by six edges and four triangular faces. These elements share faces with their neighbors, creating a continuous mesh that discretizes the complete interior of an object.
Volume meshes are typically generated from closed surface meshes using tetrahedralization algorithms. The quality of simulation results depends critically on mesh characteristics—well-shaped elements, appropriate sizing, and proper gradation from coarse to fine regions.
Volvicon supports two types of tetrahedral elements:
- Linear tetrahedra (4-node): Standard elements with nodes at each vertex, using first-order shape functions
- Quadratic tetrahedra (10-node): Higher-order elements with additional nodes at edge midpoints, providing improved accuracy for stress analysis and curved boundaries
Volume Mesh Tab Structure
The Volume Mesh tab organizes its functionality into four main sections:
General
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Render Properties | Modify visualization settings for volume mesh display |
Transform
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Transform | Apply rotation, translation, scaling, or mirroring operations |
| Interactive Transform | Transform volume meshes interactively using 3D gizmo widgets |
Convert
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Volume Mesh to Surface | Extract surface representation from volume mesh |
FEM
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Configure FEM Model | Define material properties, boundary conditions, and element sets |
| Export FEM Mesh | Export volume mesh in formats suitable for FEA solvers |
Working with Volume Meshes
Creating Volume Meshes
Volume meshes are typically created from surface meshes using the Surface to Volume Mesh tool in the Surface tab. This process requires:
- A clean, watertight surface mesh
- Specification of element type (linear or quadratic)
- Mesh quality parameters (element size, grading)
Importing Volume Meshes
Volvicon supports importing volume meshes from various formats including:
- VTK unstructured grid files (.vtu)
- ANSYS mesh files
- Abaqus input files (.inp)
Use File > Import to load external volume mesh files.
Visualization
Volume meshes can be displayed in several representation modes:
- Points: Show only vertex positions
- Wireframe: Display element edges
- Solid: Render element faces as opaque surfaces
- Solid edges: Combine solid rendering with visible edges
The Render Properties tool provides control over these visualization options.
Transformation
Volume mesh transformation operations modify the physical coordinates of all vertices. The Transform tool provides precise numerical control, while Interactive Transform enables intuitive manipulation using 3D gizmo widgets.
FEM Workflow
For finite element analysis, the typical workflow involves:
- Create or import a volume mesh
- Configure FEM model by defining:
- Material properties for each region
- Boundary conditions (constraints, loads)
- Element sets for output requests
- Export the configured mesh to your FEA solver format
Scripting Support
Volume mesh operations can be automated using Python scripting. See the Volume Mesh Operations API for available functions.
Related Resources
- Understanding Volume Mesh - Fundamental concepts about volume meshes
- Surface to Volume Mesh - Creating volume meshes from surfaces
- Mask to Volume Mesh - Creating volume meshes from segmentation masks