Hex-Layer: Layered All-Hex Mesh Generation on Thin Section Solids via Chordal Surface Transformation

This paper proposes chordal surface transform for representation and discretization of thin section solids, such as automobile bodies, plastic injection mold components and sheet metal parts. A multiple-layered all-hex mesh with a high aspect ratio is a typical requirement for mold flow simulation of thin section objects. The chordal surface transform reduces the problem of 3D hex meshing to 2D quad meshing on the chordal surface. The chordal surface is generated by cutting a tet mesh of the input CAD model at its mid plane. Radius function and curvature of the chordal surface are used to provide sizing function for quad meshing. Two-way mapping between the chordal surface and the boundary is used to sweep the quad elements from the chordal surface onto the boundary, resulting in a layered all-hex mesh. The algorithm has been tested on industrial models, whose chordal surface is 2-manifold. The graphical results of the chordal surface and the multiple-layered all-hex mesh are presented along with the quality measures. The results show geometrically adaptive high aspect ratio all-hex mesh, whose average scaled Jacobean, is close to 1.0.