SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2021 Mesh Quality Diagnostics Tool

SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2021 has added an important tool to help diagnose and efficiently improve mesh quality — the Mesh Quality Diagnostics Tool. Take the hoist ring part below: of particular interest is the area where the ring meets the block.

Hoist ring mesh

In SOLIDWORKS 2020 and previous releases, we could create a mesh quality diagnostic plot to show aspect ratio or Jacobian ratio by right-clicking Mesh in the Simulation Study Tree and selecting Create Mesh Quality Plot. The Mesh Quality Plot below displays the aspect ratio for the hoist ring elements.

Mesh Quality Plot – Aspect Ratio

The Mesh Quality Diagnostics Tool brings numerous improvements, including the ability to automatically isolate poor quality elements. To access the diagnostics tool, right-click Mesh (or an existing Mesh Quality Plot) in the Simulation Study Tree, and select Mesh Quality Diagnostics.

Mesh Quality Diagnostics – PropertyManager

Selecting the option to “Switch to Probe and Diagnose when poor quality elements are detected” brings up the Probe dialog if poor quality elements are present, as shown below. We can select the listed elements to highlight them in the graphics window, and select the Mesh Helper to access helpful tips to refine the mesh before running the study.

Mesh Quality Diagnostics – Isolate