Module 4: Advanced Meshing

This lecture introduces Global Size Functions as the foundation of professional mesh generation, explaining how the initial global element size controls the overall mesh density, computational cost, numerical accuracy, and quality of the final simulation. Participants will learn how to select an appropriate global size based on geometry scale, physics, required solution accuracy, characteristic length, and computational resources before applying more advanced local mesh controls. The lecture demonstrates the complete meshing workflow: Geometry → Global Size → Local Sizing → Inflation → Mesh Generation → Mesh Quality Assessment Participants will understand that the global size establishes the baseline mesh resolution across the computational domain, while local sizing techniques are subsequently used to capture critical geometric and physical features such as small gaps, sharp edges, high-curvature regions, boundary layers, wakes, contact areas, and stress concentrations. Key Topics & Skills Covered Understanding the purpose and importance of global mesh sizing. Defining the relationship between element size and mesh density. Understanding how global size affects accuracy, convergence, memory usage, and CPU time. Selecting an appropriate global size based on the characteristic length of the geometry. Understanding the interaction between global and local sizing controls. Introduction to important ANSYS Meshing parameters such as: Element Size Relevance Center Smoothing Transition Span Angle Center Comparing very fine, fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse meshes. Understanding the trade-off between accuracy and computational cost. Identifying when a coarse global mesh can miss important physical phenomena. Understanding why an excessively fine global mesh can unnecessarily increase computational requirements. Establishing a reasonable global size before applying local refinement and inflation layers. Understanding the influence of global sizing on mesh quality and element distribution. Developing a systematic approach for preparing a mesh before simulation. Introducing mesh independence and sensitivity studies to verify that the selected mesh is sufficiently accurate. Professional Meshing Strategy A major objective of this lecture is to develop the correct engineering mindset: Start with an appropriate global size → evaluate the mesh → identify critical regions → apply local refinement → improve boundary-layer resolution → check mesh quality → perform mesh independence verification. By the end of the lecture, participants will understand that good meshing starts with the correct global size. They will be able to establish an efficient baseline mesh, balance computational cost against solution accuracy, and prepare a robust foundation for more advanced meshing techniques in CFD, FEA, and multiphysics simulations.