Features

Detect, review, and manage geometric holes, fillets, flanges, and logos.

HyperMesh supports the detection and management of geometric holes (2D and 3D), fillets, flanges, and logos, as well as mesh holes and flanges. After a feature is detected, it will keep track of the geometry or elements defining it and automatically update if their topology is modified by another operation, like splitting the edges or surfaces defining it.
Note: Features identified within BatchMesher are stored in the output .hm file. Features are organized under the respective part. These features can be accessed by the Features Browser.

Create Features

Use the Features tool to find and create geometric features in the displayed model.

  1. From the Topology ribbon, click the Features tool from the Features tool group.
    Figure 1.


    The Feature Detection Parameters dialog opens.
  2. Select the feature types you want to find and enter the minimum and maximum dimensions to include in the detection.
  3. Optional: Select Delete existing features to delete existing features before detection.
  4. Optional: Select Preserve edited features to preserve manually created/edited features before detection.
  5. Click Find to begin the detection process.
    Tip: Using larger tolerances will capture more features but will increase processing time.
    The Features Browser opens automatically.
  6. Optional: From the Topology ribbon, click the Create Features tool from the Features tool group to manually create features.
    Figure 2.


    1. Select the config of the feature to be created.
      Tip: You can define your own features for 2D and 3D holes by selecting Hole2D or Hole3D. These features are used by connectors during the realization.

      Select the Open Hole check box to select topology to define Open Holes.

    2. Select the type (Geometry or FE).
    3. Select the entities for the given config and type.
    4. Enter the feature parameters.
    5. Click Create to add the feature.
    Tip:
    • Select the Auto Compute check box to automatically compute the parameters.
    • In the Features Browser, click to manually create features.
  7. Optional: From the Topology ribbon, click the List Features tool from the Features tool group to open the Features Browser.
    Figure 3.


  8. Use the Features Browser to select, review, and edit the detected features.
    By now, the feature entities are already in the model and can be also accessed via the Model Browser or by selecting them directly in the modeling window.
    Status
    Green – Auto detected
    Blue – Edited/Manually created
    Red – Invalid
    Empty
    A feature that does not have any entities.
    Edit Feature
    Edit a feature using the Entity Editor in the Features Browser
    Tip:
    • The same entity cannot be in two features of the same category. For example, the same surface cannot be in two fillets.
    • A feature is removed if all its entities are moved to the another feature of the same category. For example, a fillet is removed if all of its surfaces are moved to another fillet.
    • Feature editing cannot be done if it’s not continuous. For example, feature editing cannot be done if a surface is removed from a fillet by making it discontinuous.
    Validate
    Select Validate from the right-click context menu to synchronize data and attributes for the chosen features with their current geometry or mesh.
    Tip: Validating the selected features also updates the Invalid column in the Features Browser. Features can be flagged as invalid if their associated geometries have been deleted or modified in ways that cannot be referenced anymore. Invalid features can still be selected and used, but they may have some missing associated geometries or inaccurate dimensions.
    Delete features
    Deletes the selected features from the model. To remove individual features, select them anywhere and press Delete.
    Fit
    Select Fit from the right-click context menu to adjust the view of the selected features.
Tip:
  • You can interact with features in the modeling window by setting the entity selector filter to Features with the mouse or by pressing the E key.
  • Selection conversion between features and surfaces, lines, or elements (depending on feature type) is supported by switching the filter type with an active selection.
  • Advanced selection methods are available for selecting features By Config, and geometry or mesh By Features.

Feature Types

HyperMesh supports the detection and management of the following feature types:

  • Geometry
    • 2D holes
    • 3D holes
    • Flanges
    • Fillets
    • Logos
  • Mesh (FE)
    • 2D holes
    • 3D holes
    • Flanges
  • Both (Geometry + Mesh Associativity)
    • 2D holes
    • 3D holes
    • Flanges

2D and 3D Holes

2D holes are surface holes with edges as perimeters and no height dimension. They can be detected as Geometry only, FE (Mesh) only, or both (associated). When all nodes of a meshed 2D hole are associated to geometry, the feature is categorized as Geometry type and shows the Associativity flag enabled.
Figure 4.


The following shapes and measured dimensions are supported for 2D holes:

Circular
Figure 5.


Rounded
Figure 6.


Square
Figure 7.


Rectangular
Figure 8.


General
Figure 9.


3D holes have surface faces along their height dimension, and surface edges at either the top side (blind) or top and bottom sides (through). Supported shapes and dimensions for either side are the same as 2D holes. Through holes with different top and bottom shapes are listed as General shape.
Figure 10.


Right-click on 2D or 3D holes for quick access to the following special actions:
  • Defeature - Selected holes are defeatured using the same commands used by Geometry > Defeature > Holes.
  • Fill - Selected holes are filled with a filler surface using the same commands used by Geometry > Surfaces > Patch.

Flanges

Figure 11.


Flanges are surfaces along the edge of a part, with a width typically smaller than its length, as measured between its connected and free edges. Their measured dimensions are minimum and maximum width.
Figure 12.


Fillets

Figure 13.


Fillets can be curved rounds (exterior) or fillets (interior) connecting surface edges in place of a corner. Their measured dimensions are minimum and maximum radius, minimum and maximum width, and minimum and maximum angle.

Right-click on fillets for quick access to the following special actions:
  • Defeature - Selected fillets are defeatured using the same commands used by Geometry > Defeature > Fillets.

Logos

Figure 14.


Logos are collections of surfaces representing symbols or letters that are embossed, etched, or machined into other surfaces. Their measured dimensions are size and height.

Right-click on logos for quick access to the following special actions:
  • Defeature - Selected logos are defeatured using the same commands used by Geometry > Defeature > Logos.