6 Morphing

Tutorial 6
MORPHING
EXTERNAL AERO
Table of Contents
6.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................2
6.1.2. Prerequisites .......................................................................................................................2
6.1.3. Problem description.............................................................................................................2
6.1.4. Data files .............................................................................................................................2
6.2. Read the ANSA database ...........................................................................................................3
6.3. Create the Morphing box.............................................................................................................6
6.4. Morphing the model ..................................................................................................................24
6.5. Improve the quality of the surface mesh ...................................................................................28
6.6. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................31
BETA CAE Systems S.A.
MORPHING External Aero

6.1. Introduction
This tutorial presents the use of several functions of the MORPH menu that can be used in order to
reshape a CFD mesh (surface and volume) and create variations of the initial model very fast and
easily.
The steps described in this tutorial are:
Read the ANSA database containing the CFD mesh.

Create the Morphing Boxes.
Morph the model using the completed Boxes.
Check and improve the quality of the surface mesh after Morphing.
6.1.2. Prerequisites
Reading the 4 pages of section Intro.2.1. Getting Started of this Guide is recommended in order to
obtain a familiarization with the ANSA interface and terminology.
6.1.3. Problem description
The images below show part of the Morphing actions performed in this tutorial:
6.1.4. Data files

The file required for this tutorial is tutorial_files/06-morph_aero/morph_aero.ansa . The
results can be found in the file morph_aero_result.ansa in the same directory for reference.
Tutorial 6 - 2
ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

6.2. Read the ANSA database
Start ANSA and activate FILE>OPEN to read
the ANSA file. The File Manager window
appears. Navigate and select the file
morph_aero.ansa.
Switch to MESH menu and activate SHADOW.
This CFD mesh is in FE-model form (no
Geometry data).
Switch to PID display mode.

This example contains the surface mesh of a
half vehicle and (for demonstration purposes)
part of the shells that belong to the road and
symmetry surfaces.
In addition, there are a few volume elements

that belong to the fluid mesh.
You can imagine this as part of your complete

model.
Since this is FE-model mesh, its visibility is
controlled by the FE-Mod. flag button. For this
type of mesh you can also control the visibility of
different type of elements.
Press the F12 key to activate the
Deck Parameters window (it is
assumed that by default the
NASTRAN Deck is active and this window has
the format shown).
F12
De-activate the SOLID flag at the top of the

window and press Apply.
Press ESC to exit.
Tutorial 6 - 3

Now the solid elements are not visible.
De-activate the WIRE flag button. This allows
the clearer observation of the shape of the
model (it is also de-activated here for clarity of
the images).
Activate the PARTS function to

open the Part Manager.
Notice that there are four Parts. The volume
mesh, a section of the wind tunnel box, the
vehicle and one Part contains a 3D Curve that is
supposedly a target for one of the variations that
will be produced.
PARTS
In order to perform controllable and accurate Morphing you must create some 3D Curves from the
base model. These will be used to fit the Morphing Boxes, but they will also serve as reference
lines in order to retrieve the original shape.
To be able to view the 3D Curves that you will create (and the existing ones as well)
CURVEs
you must first activate the CURVEs flag.
Activate the PERIMETERs>
FL2CURV FL2CURV function (this function
is by default located in the buffer window,
accessed by right-click on the PERIMETERs
group Name).
Activate the flag in the Corner Angle window, in
order to easily select a string of element edges.
Select with the left mouse button one edge (you
can de-select with right mouse button) in order
to select the whole feature line at the top of the
rear windshield.
Confirm with middle mouse button.
The Part Manager opens so that you place the
new 3D Curve in a Part.
Press the NEW [PART] function.
The Part Edit window opens.
Type in the name initial_curve and press

OK.
Tutorial 6 - 4

Back in the main Part Manager window a new
EMPTY Part appears.
Clink on it to place the new 3D Curve there.
Still in the PERIMETERs>FL2CURV function,

select the bottom edge of the rear windshield.

As the Part Manager opens again click on the
initial_curve Part.
Tutorial 6 - 5

6.3. Create the Morphing box
Switch to MORPH menu.
Press F3 to view the model from the side.
Activate the BOXES>ORTHO
function to create an orthogonal
Morphing Box.
Select with left mouse button box selection the
area shown.
ANSA prompts you in the Text Window to pick a
coordinate system.
ORTHO
Press again middle mouse button, so that ANSA

creates the Morphing Box aligned with the
global coordinate system.
The Part Manager opens.
Press NEW [PART]
In the Part Edit window that opens, type the
name morphing_box and press OK.
Left click on the new Part to place the Morphing

Box there.
The Morphing Box appears in green.
The box is straight and has eight Control Points
at its corners.
The fact that the Control Points are green as
well implies that there are no elements that
intersect with the faces of the box.
Tutorial 6 - 6

Activate the BOXES>INFO
function.
Select the Box with left mouse button.
ANSA highlights the box and all the elements

that are contained in it.
Press ESC to exit the function.
For demonstrative purposes, in this draft form

you can morph the model.
Activate the MORPHING>
MV.FREE MV.FREE function.
In the Move window that
appears de-activate the
Y-axis flag.
Select the two corner Control Points and

confirm with middle mouse button.
As the middle mouse button is pressed the
cursor is snapped to the closest selected
Control Point.
Moving the mouse reshapes the model.
(It is always advisable to perform MV.FREE
morphing just to check visually the results while
creating the Morphing Boxes).
Esc
PARTS
Press ESC to exit the function

without morphing the model.
Activate the PARTS function.
In the Part Manager right click on the Parts

shown and select the option LOCK.
The icons become yellow and from now on
when you press ALL from the Focus group only
the entities that belong in the locked Parts will
appear.
Tutorial 6 - 7

Now you will begin reshaping the Morphing Box
In order to fit it to the vehicle.
First of all it is always suggested that the outer
limits of the Boxes are not too close to the
model. This provides more space for morphing
actions, and also enables the Boxes to retain a
more orthogonal shape when Control Points are
moved for Morphing.
You will now extend the size of the Box 200mm

upwards.
TRANSL.
MOVE
Activate the TRANSL [MOVE]

function from the Geometry
group of functions (at the
bottom of the GUI).
In the Selection Mode window switch to Nodes

mode.
Select with the left mouse button the four top
Control Points. (To avoid selecting nodes by
mistake, you can de-activate the FE-Mod.
visibility flag button).
In the Translate window that opens type the
vector 0,0,1 and the distance 200 and press
OK.
The box is enlarged upwards.
Next activate the CONTROL

POINTS>PROJECT
NORMAL [NORMAL] function.
PROJECT
2
1
Select a node of the model that lies on the

symmetry line.
Next select the edge of the Morphing Box

shown.
Tutorial 6 - 8

ANSA creates a Control Point on that edge.
Activate the BOXES>SPLIT

function. Select with the rightmouse button (right button implies the selection
of an existing Point and not the creation of a
new one).
SPLIT
ANSA splits the Morphing

Box in two. Zooming in
close you can see the
thick lines implying
tangency condition in
this direction.
Activate the BOXES>DELETE

function.
Select the excess Box and confirm with middle
mouse button.
DELETE
The remaining Control Points on the symmetry

plane may remain green or turn red.
This is because the elements are marginally
identified as intersecting the face of the Box.
Red Control Points imply that no Morphing is
allowed on them so as not to distort the
continuity of the model.
Either way this does not affect you at the
moment.
Tutorial 6 - 9

Activate again the CONTROL
POINTS>PROJECT
PROJECT
2
1
Select the node shown (top symmetry node of

the rear windshield).
Next select the top Morphing Box edge.
ANSA creates a new Control Point.
SPLIT

function.
Select with right-mouse button the new Control

Point.
ANSA splits the Box.

Note again the thick tangency lines.

POINTS>PROJECT
PROJECT
Select the node shown (top left node of the rear

windshield).
Tutorial 6 - 10

SPLIT

function.

Point.

POINTS>PROJECT
PROJECT
Select the node shown (top left node of the rear

windshield).
Next select the vertical Morphing Box edge.
SPLIT

function.

Point.
Tutorial 6 - 11

The Boxes have now been properly split so that
one of their edges can be fitted exactly along
the top of the rear windshield.
All their edges are at the moment straight lines.
Before reshaping the edges you can perform a
box selection with CONTROL POINTS>
DELETE function (This is just in case you have
multiply-defined Control Points at some
locations.).
EDGE.FIT
Activate the EDGES>

EDGE.FIT [ADD PNTS].
ADD PNTS
Select the Morphing Box edge.
Next select the 3D Curve (the one you created

earlier).
ANSA adds Control Points and fits the Morphing

Box edge to the 3D Curve.
The edge now has curvature.
Tutorial 6 - 12

De-activate the visibility flag of FE-Mod.
This should only leave visible the Morphing

Boxes and the initial 3D Curves.
You will now create symmetry copies of the
above.
This will ensure that during Morphing the
Symmetry conditions are respected.
SYMMETRY
COPY
Activate the SYMMETRY

[COPY] function from the
Geometry group of functions
at the bottom of the GUI.
In the Selection Mode window switch to Entities

mode.
Select with left mouse button the Morphing
Boxes and the 3D Curves.
Press OK in the Warning window that appears.
Press OK in the Input window that appears

next.
Symmetric copies of the selected entities are

created.
Tutorial 6 - 13

Activate the HATCH visibility flag button to view
the hatches on the Faces of the Morphing
Boxes.
Their color indicates their connectivity type.
Green implies unconnected, while yellow
connected.
You can observe that along the symmetry plane
the Boxes are not connected.
Activate the BOXES>TOPO function.

Select the Boxes to be connected topologically
(you can select all the Boxes).
ANSA performs topology and the Boxes are

now properly connected.
De-activate the HATCH visibility flag button, to

clear the display.
Bring back the visibility of the FE-Mod.
If you use the BOXES>INFO function on one of

the Boxes you will observe that every box on
the left side contains all the elements of the
original big Box.
The Boxes on the right are empty.
Tutorial 6 - 14

LOAD
WHOLE DB
Activate the function

BOXES>LOAD [WHOLE
DB].
Select all the Boxes and confirm with middle

mouse button.
ANSA searches all the elements in the ANSA
Database (even the ones which are not
currently visible) and places each one inside the
proper Box.
You can observe the appearance of some red

Control Points.
Fortunately these are located at the front and
the bottom as expected. ANSA does not allow
moving Control Points for Morphing if there are
loaded elements that intersect the Faces on
which they rest.
INFO
Activate the BOXES>INFO

function and select one Box.
You can see that now each Box contains only

the elements that it should.
You should always perform a LOAD [VISIBLE]

or [WHOLE DB] operation before Morphing.
This guarantees that the correct elements, and
only them, are placed to the proper Boxes.
This accelerates dramatically the Morphing
actions later.
Press F3.
NOT
Perform a NOT operation to

remove the top Boxes from
visible.
This will allow you to view the vehicle more

clearly.
Tutorial 6 - 15

MV.FREE

MV.FREE function.
In the Move window leave only the X-axis

active.
Select the center Control Point and confirm with
middle mouse button.
Move the mouse to morph the model.
You can notice two things:
- There is no tangency normally to the symmetry
plane.
- As the top windshield is moved the lower is
also affected.
Press ESC to exit without morphing.
Activate the EDGES>TANGENT

function.
Select the two Edges shown and confirm with
middle mouse button. Tangency condition is
imposed as implied by the thick lines.
TANGENT
Press ALL to bring all Boxes back to visible.

LOAD
WHOLE DB

BOXES>LOAD [WHOLE
DB].

mouse button.
(The application of Tangency should also be
considered as a box modification, so it is
prudent to perform the LOAD operation again).
Tutorial 6 - 16

MV.FREE

MV.FREE function.
In the Move window leave
only the X-axis active.

Performing a test morphing shows that now the
symmetry condition is properly imposed.
Still the lower windshield is moved. What if we
wanted it to be fixed?
From this point there are two ways to proceed.
The first is to perform the modifications (SPLIT
and EDGE.FIT) of the boxes simultaneously on
both sides of the symmetry plane.
The second is to delete the symmetric boxes,
perform the modifications and symmetry copy
again.
For simplicity and clarity of images the second
way is followed.
Activating the BOXES>DELETE
DELETE
and viewing the model from the
top select the symmetric Boxes for deletion.
POINTS>PROJECT
PROJECT
Select the node shown (bottom symmetry node

of the rear windshield).
SPLIT

function.

Point.
Tutorial 6 - 17

Notice that one of the edges that was created

by the SPLIT operation contains Control Points.
This is because it took the Points of its
neighboring edge.
You can delete them if required with CONTROL
POINTS>DELETE.
On the other hand, they can be used for the fit
to the lower windshield.
Activate the
EDGES>EDGE.FIT
CURRENT PNTS [CURRENT PNTS].
EDGE.FIT
Select the Morphing Box edge.
Next select the 3D Curve along the lower

windshield.
ANSA fits the Edge to the Curve using the

existing Control Points (no more Points are
added).
Tutorial 6 - 18

Press F3 to view the model from the side.
Notice some slightly inclined edges.

It is always recommended whenever possible to
have well shaped Boxes.
Remove the top Boxes from visible using NOT.
SLIDE
Activate the CONTROL

POINTS>SLIDE function.
Select the four Control Points shown and

Next select the four Edges on which they lie.
Finally select the corner Control Point, as guide,

And slide it downwards so that the Boxes are
better shaped.
Press left mouse button to lock to the new

position.
Tutorial 6 - 19

ALL
Press ALL to view all the Boxes.
View the model from the side and see how

better the boxes now are.
De-activate FE-Mod. flag.

De-activate CURVEs flag as well.
SYMMETRY
COPY


mode.
Select with left mouse button the Morphing
Boxes.
New symmetry copies are created.
Tutorial 6 - 20

TOPO
Activate again the BOXES>TOPO

function.
Apply topology to connect the Boxes along the

symmetry plane.
Activate back the visibility flag buttons for

CURVEs and FE-Mod.
TANGENT

function.
Select the two Edges at the top and press

middle mouse button
(Note that for clarity reasons the top row of
Boxes has been removed from visible).
..and similarly at the bottom

in order to apply the tangency condition.
Tutorial 6 - 21

View the model from the top and rotate slightly
to view from the inside of the vehicle.
Notice how there is no tangency along the
ceiling and the rear windshield.
TANGENT

function.
Select the two Edges and confirm with middle

mouse button.
Tangency is applied.
Note that the same function can be used to

remove tangency conditions in the same
manner, if so required.
Activate the WIRE flag button in order to be able

to view the nodes of the mesh.
MV.FREE
Activate the CONTROL

POINTS>MV.FREE
Keep all the degrees of freedom active in the

Move window.
Select the top front Control Point shown and

Tutorial 6 - 22

As you move the Control Point freely, select
with the right mouse button a nearby node on
the ceiling in order to snap the Control Point on
it.
LOAD
WHOLE DB

BOXES>LOAD [WHOLE
DB].

mouse button.
MV.FREE

MV.FREE function.
In the Move window leave
only the X-axis active.

Performing a test morphing shows that now the
lower windshield is not affected by the
morphing.
Note the effect of the application of Tangency condition in the longitudinal direction. The windshield
is curved at the top, while at the bottom where there is no Tangency a sharp corner is formed. Use
Tangency only in locations and directions that it is required.
You can still perform some fine-tuning adjustments, but for now lets proceed to the next step,
Morphing.
Save the file from FILE>SAVE.
Tutorial 6 - 23

6.4. Morphing the model
PARTS
Activate the PARTS function.
Press UNLOCK in the Part Manager to unlock

all the Parts.
Press ESC to exit the Part Manager.
Activate the Deck parameters window by the

F12 key. Activate the SOLID flag. In reality with
a full volume mesh you should not do so.
Visibility of volume elements is only enabled
here to demonstrate their Morphing.
In a real case scenario you would perform the Morphing only with the shells visible and only at the
end you would enable its visibility to perform quality control.
Press ALL to bring all the entities
ALL
of the database to visible.
Tutorial 6 - 24

Remove from visible the top row of Morphing
Boxes using the NOT function.
Notice that now the target curve is also visible.

However its symmetry image is not present.
SYMMETRY
COPY


mode.
Select with left mouse button the target 3D
Curve.
Press OK in the Warning and Input windows
that appear next.
The Curve is symmetry copied.
Activate the
MORPHING>EDGE.
CURRENT PNTS FIT [CURRENT
PNTS].
EDGE.FIT
Select the two Edges along the top of the

windshield.
Tutorial 6 - 25

Next select the two 3D Curves.
ANSA Morphs the surface and the volume

mesh.
Activate the
MORPHING>TRANSL function.
Select the three Control Points shown (pay
attention to select the exact vertex Points and
not any other Points along the Edges which are
very close to them).
The Translate window opens.
TRANSL
Type in 150 in the z-direction and press OK.
ANSA moves the selected Control Points and

the model is morphed again.
Tutorial 6 - 26

SLIDE
Finally, activate the

MORPHING>SLIDE function.
Select the same three Control Points.
Next select the three Edges on which the

Control Points lie.
Select the center Control Point and slide it along

the Edge.
Left click on the new position.
The result has been achieved.

(Note here WIRE flag is de-activated to view the
new shape).
Save the file.
Tutorial 6 - 27

6.5. Improve the quality of the surface mesh
Switching to ENT and HIDDEN display mode,
the highly skewed elements are colored in
green (the current check is performed with the
default ANSA quality settings).
You will use the Reconstruction algorithm in
order to remesh the model locally and improve
its quality.
Before using Reconstruction you should specify

some parameters.
Activate the SHELL MESH>

PARAM function to access the
Meshing Parameters window.
PARAM
Specify as target element length 30mm.
Press OK to confirm.
TRIA
Finally, switch to TRIA type mesh

in SHELL MESH>TRIA.
RECONS
Activate the RECONS [Select]

function.
Select
Select the elements to reconstruct (use careful
left and right mouse button selections).
Tutorial 6 - 28

Before the reconstruction algorithm takes effect
ANSA provides a preview of the feature lines
(green color) and PID boundaries (magenta
color) that will be respected.
The feature lines are identified based on the
value specified in the Meshing Parameters
window.
You can, however, remove
or add more feature lines by
de-selecting or selecting
element edges, while the
Selection Mode window is in
Edges mode.
Activate also the Corner
Angle flag so that you can
make string selections of
element edges, within the
specified Corner Angle limit.
De-select any that you do not want to retain, or
select some more, like the two lines shown
here.
Press middle mouse button to confirm.
ANSA reconstructs the mesh and provides a

preview of the result.
Press the Run Again to perform a couple more

reconstruction passes.
Press OK at the end.
Proceed in a similar manner to correct other
problematic regions.
Tutorial 6 - 29
Press Run Again and OK at the end.
The result should be a morphed model with

good quality mesh.
An important note here is the fact that reconstruction is currently limited to surface mesh. If a
Volume mesh is connected to the surface mesh, you cannot reconstruct it.
This leaves two options:
- For small Morphing displacements where the quality is not significantly deteriorated, you can keep
the same mesh topology using the SHELL MESH>SMOOTH [SHELLS] for smoothing of the
surface mesh only.
- For large Morphing displacements, you should only keep the surface mesh, which you can
reconstruct and then create a new volume mesh form the morphed surface mesh.
Save the FILE from FILE>SAVE.
Tutorial 6 - 30

6.6. Conclusion
In this tutorial you have followed all the basic steps to create properly shaped Morphing Boxes that
are fitted to the model in order to perform a controlled modification of it. In the case of surface only
mesh, reconstruction was performed to correct the skewed elements that were distorted by the
Morphing actions.
Tutorial 6 - 31
Tutorial 6 - 32

6 Morphing

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

6 Morphing

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Tutorial 6

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

MORPHING External Aero

Read the ANSA database containing the CFD mesh.

6.1.4. Data files

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

Switch to PID display mode.

In addition, there are a few volume elements

You can imagine this as part of your complete

De-activate the SOLID flag at the top of the

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

Activate the PARTS function to

Type in the name initial_curve and press

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

Still in the PERIMETERs>FL2CURV function,

Confirm with middle mouse button.

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

Press again middle mouse button, so that ANSA

Left click on the new Part to place the Morphing

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

ANSA highlights the box and all the elements

Press ESC to exit the function.

For demonstrative purposes, in this draft form

Select the two corner Control Points and

Press ESC to exit the function

Activate the PARTS function.

In the Part Manager right click on the Parts

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

You will now extend the size of the Box 200mm

Activate the TRANSL [MOVE]

In the Selection Mode window switch to Nodes

The box is enlarged upwards.

Next activate the CONTROL

Select a node of the model that lies on the

Next select the edge of the Morphing Box

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

Activate the BOXES>SPLIT

ANSA splits the Morphing

Activate the BOXES>DELETE

The remaining Control Points on the symmetry

BETA CAE Systems S.A.

ANSA v.12.0.1 Tutorials

MORPHING External Aero

Select the node shown (top symmetry node of

Next select the top Morphing Box edge.

ANSA creates a new Control Point.

Activate the BOXES>SPLIT

Select with right-mouse button the new Control

ANSA splits the Box.