Mesh Generation Failure

Plastic Injection issues an error message, accompanied by a list of products, when the mesh fails to generate.

The error message reads:

Mesh generation failed for the following products

You can modify the mesh parameters so the mesher can generate the mesh.

Cause: The Overall Element Size is Too Large

The mesher cannot generate a suitable mesh because the overall element size is too large for the geometry.

Solution: Use the Mesh Setup dialog box to reduce the overall element size of the mesh. In general, the mesh should be fine enough that it includes at least three elements through the thickness of a part where plastic flows; it is preferable to have five or more elements through the thickness. For more information, see Setting Up the Mesh.

Cause: The Plastic Part Mesh is Too Coarse

Depending on the current mesh density of the parts, the default mesh in the plastic part is too coarse compared to the other contacting parts.

Solution: Use the Local Mesh Size dialog box to apply local mesh refinement within the cavity. For more information, see Defining a Local Mesh.

Cause: The Mesh Around the Injection Locations is Too Coarse

The mesh around the injection location holes is too coarse (most likely because the holes are often small).

Solution: Use the Local Mesh Size dialog box to apply local mesh refinement to create a smaller mesh around the injection location. For more information, see Defining a Local Mesh.

Cause: The Mesh on the Valve Gates is Too Coarse

The default mesh settings generate a coarse mesh on valve gates.

Solution: Use the Local Mesh Size dialog box to decrease the element size so that it can capture the mesh correctly from the plastic part. For more information, see Defining a Local Mesh.

Cause: The Mesh is Too Coarse in the Cooling Channels

By default, the mesher cannot create a suitable mesh in the cooling channels.

Solution: Define a finer mesh in the cooling channels by doing one of the following:

  • Reduce the overall mesh size in the Mesh Setup dialog box. For more information, see Setting Up the Mesh.
  • Refine the local mesh in the cooling channels using the Local Mesh Size dialog box. For more information, see Defining a Local Mesh.

Cause: The Mesh Density is Incorrect for Inserts

The mesh density of the insert parts is either much coarser or much finer than the mesh density of the plastic part.

Solution: Use the Local Mesh Size dialog box to apply mesh refinement on the insert parts, bringing their mesh density closer to that of the plastic part. For more information, see Defining a Local Mesh.

Cause: Too Few Elements Through the Thickness of Cavity Parts

The mesher cannot generate a suitable mesh through the thickness of cavity parts.

Solution: Change the offset thickness of cavity parts, which can be useful in maintaining a minimum of five elements through their thickness in the entire model.

Cause: The Mesh Capture Order is Defined Incorrectly

The mesher cannot create a suitable mesh on parts that are in contact because the mesh capture order is not correct. In the example below, two bodies are included in the simulation. Body 2 needs to capture the mesh from Body 1 because the edges from Body 1 cut the faces of Body 2. If Body 2 is meshed first, the resulting mesh could be non-conformal.

Solution: Use the Mesh Capture Order dialog box to specify the order for meshing the parts. For more information, see Defining the Mesh Capture Order.

 

See Also
Mesh