Triangle Element

Jan 28, 2019

Three nodes in a cartesion coordinate system are used in order to create a triangle element (or short element).
Adjoining Elements share the same nodes.
The line from one node to another is called element edge.
In order to ensure a correct FEM mesh it is not allowed to have a node of an adjoining element on an element edge of another triangle element.
The sequence in which the nodes are selected determines the direction of the normal vector for the triangle element.
The normal vector defines the front side and the back side of an element.
The quality of all elements needs to be checked before a simulation can be started.

Triangle Element in Plastic Industry

Volume Model

Mar 11, 2019

In the CAD-System, a geometry of the part is generated.
This can be done in different ways:
One way is to use simple 3D-volumes (cylinder, cuboids, etc.) to build directly a more complex 3D-object.
The other way is to create single surfaces to build a 3D-object.
Independent of the selected way to generate the CAD model, the result is called volume model, if all surfaces build a closed skin with a clearly defined inside and outside surface.

Volume Model in Plastic Industry

Simulation: Volume model of a ship.

Related topics:

CAD
CAE
Surface Mesh

< Back to Glossary

This glossary of plastic industry is provided by PLEXPERT Canada Inc.