Merging Elements

This functionality allows to merge coincident elements of a mesh. Two elements are considered coincident if they are based on the same set of nodes.

_images/mergeelems_ico.png

“Merge elements” menu button

To merge elements choose in the main menu Modification -> Transformation -> Merge elements item. The following dialog box shall appear:

_images/mergeelems_auto.png

In this dialog:

  • Names contains names of the selected mesh objects whose elements will be merged.

  • Automatic or Manual Mode allows choosing how the elements are processed. In the Automatic Mode all elements created on the same nodes will be merged. In Manual mode you can adjust groups of coincident elements detected by the program.

  • Exclude groups from detection group allows to ignore the elements which belong to the specified mesh groups. This control is active provided that the mesh includes groups.

  • Elements to keep during the merge group allows to specify elements to keep in the mesh. (By default an element being the first in a group of coincident elements is kept.) It is possible to either select elements in the Viewer or select groups whose elements will be kept.

    • Selection button activates selection of elements to keep.

    • Elements button activates selection of elements in the Viewer.

    • Groups and sub-meshes button activates selection of groups and sub-meshes.

    • Add button adds selected elements or groups to the list.

    • Elements or groups selected in the list can be removed using Remove button.

    If the Manual Mode is selected, additional controls are available:

    _images/mergeelems.png
    • Detect button generates the list of coincident elements found in the selected object.

    • Coincident elements is a list of groups of elements for merging. After the operation all elements of each group will be united into one element. The first element of a group is kept and the others are removed.

    • Remove button deletes the selected group from the list.

    • Add button adds to the list a group of elements selected in the viewer with pressed “Shift” key.

    • Select all check-box selects all groups.

    • Show double elements IDs check-box shows/hides identifiers of elements of the selected groups in the 3D viewer.

    • Edit selected group of coincident elements list allows editing the selected group:

      • ad adds to the group the elements selected in the viewer.

      • rm removes the selected elements from the group.

      • mv moves the selected element to the first position in the group in order to keep it in the mesh.

  • To confirm your choice click Apply or Apply and Close button.

In the following picture you see a triangle which coincides with one of the elements of the mesh. After we apply Merge Elements functionality, the triangle will be completely merged with the mesh.

_images/meshtrianglemergeelem1.png

See Also a sample TUI Script of a Merging Elements operation.