Creating a Source Mesh Using Patches

For a source mesh using patches, you first define the patches, and then generate quadrilateral faces within the patches. This option is only available as part of the 1-1 meshing strategy.

A patch is a four-sided shape that is made up of four patch vertices. The curves that define a patch can be straight or curved, and can be derived from CAD part curves on the original geometry parts.

You can create as many patches as you like on the source surfaces providing you meet the following conditions:

  • There is at least one patch
  • The patches cover the entire surface

Currently, it is not possible to specify the exact location of patch vertices that connect the patch curves using coordinate values.

For patch meshing, all patch curves must be part of a closed loop. Patch curves that are not on part curves must also be shared between patches.

Patch curves are colored according to their status:

  • Red indicates that the patch curve is not part of a closed loop; add additional curves to create a complete patch
  • Yellow indicates that the curve is part of a closed loop but it is only associated with a single patch
  • Green indicates that the curve is part of a valid patch

You can only create a patch mesh when all the patch curves are green.



Patch vertices (green points) connect patch curves. A patch curve is created from a patch vertex that has the “focus”, shown using red lines passing through the vertex point. For curved patch curves, blue construction points are used to guide the curve, but do not act as patch vertices.



Patch meshing uses a patch edit panel. The panel consists of two modes:
To create a patch mesh:
  1. Enter the directed mesh edit panel by right-clicking Operations > Directed Mesh and selecting Edit.


  2. In the Directed Mesh panel, right-click the Source Meshes node and select New Source Mesh > Patch Mesh.
    Note Make sure that source and target surfaces are already specified before creating the source mesh.
  3. In the Part Collection For This Source Mesh dialog, select the connected parts on which you are going to create the patch mesh and click OK.

    Doing so opens an Edit panel that is used to create patch curves:



The Graphics window updates to show the selected parts. The source surface on which you create the patches appears gray and the remaining surfaces are translucent for reference. Part curves appear yellow.