Department of Mechanical Engineering,

KL University

CAE using
HYPERWORKS:
Hypermesh and Radioss

HyperMesh Introduction:
Starting HyperMesh
On PC:

Start > Programs > Altair HyperWorks > Altair HyperMesh

Shortcut icons

Go to <install directory>\hm\bin\
Right-click hmopengl.exe > create shortcut
New shortcut can be renamed, drag and dropped, etc.
Windows 2000, XP, etc. can create shortcuts from the Start menu icons

On UNIX:

At the prompt, type <install directory>/scripts/hm

Can set up an alias

HyperMesh Introduction: Starting Directory

By default, HyperMesh uses the start directory for files

Reads configuration files (hm.mac, hmmenu.set, etc.)

Writes history (command.cmf)
Open/save HyperMesh model, FE data, and geometry data files

Start directory determined by:

On PC, specified by the programs icon

Right click the icon
Go to Properties
Go to the Shortcut tab
A path is specified for Start In:
On UNIX:
Start directory is the directory where you typed the command to run
HyperMesh
If configuration files are not found in the start directory, HyperMesh will
then look in the users home directory

To start HyperMesh:

HyperMesh Introduction: The User

Interface
Graphics area displays the model
Toolbar holds a number of tools that are used often, such as collectors,

display controls, and the card editor (for analysis setup)

Header Bar displays prompts, error messages, etc.
Pull Down Menu places functionality into groups, accessible via pull
downs
Menu Pages divides the main menu into groups based on function
Main Menu contains panels grouped in columns
Panels menu items / functions for interacting with HyperMesh
Sub-panels divide a panel into similar tasks relating to the panels main
function
Command Window lets the user type in and execute tcl commands

Available through the View drop down menu (turned off by default)

Tab Area contains the following tabs:

Solver, Model, Utility, Include

HyperMesh Introduction: The User Interface

HyperMesh Introduction: Online Help

From the help pull down click HyperMesh, OptiStruct and
Batch Mesher

If accessed while on main menu, help will open the contents

If accessed while in a panel, help will open directly to the help
for that panel

Types of information:

How to use individual functions

Notes on interfacing HyperMesh
with external data types
Tutorials
Programming guides
Organized by product

File Operations: The File Pull-down Menu

Open : Loads a HyperMesh file into the current session.
Replaces the model in the current HyperMesh session
Save : Saves the model in the current HyperMesh session
File browser will prompt for a location and file name if one doesnt exist
Save As : Opens a file browser to specify a location and name to save the

current session
Import : Merges / combines files with the model in the current HyperMesh
session
Various types of files: HyperMesh, geometry (IGES, Step, etc.), finite
element data (OptiStruct, Radioss, Nastran, Abaqus, Ansys, LS-Dyna, etc.)
Opens a file browser
Export : Writes data in the current HyperMesh session to files of types other
than HyperMesh
IGES, OptiStruct, Radioss, etc.
Opens a file browser to specify a location and name
Recent Files : A listing of HyperMesh files that have been worked on previously
Loads the file and replaces the model in the current session
Recent Imports : A listing of files that have been loaded into HyperMesh
previously via Import

Opening and Saving FIles

File Operations: Panels

Many panels in HyperMesh use file operations
Files panel
on the toolbar is a prime example

hm file : Opens and saves HyperMesh files

import : Merges files with the current HyperMesh session
export : Writes out data types other than HyperMesh files
Buttons in panels for file operations
Buttons with in the name open a file browser
Most default to the start directory
A field showing the path is in most
Can use Ctrl + C, Crtl + X, and Ctrl + V to copy, cut, and paste into
the fields
General terminology:
Retrieve : Loads a file into HyperMesh replacing the current session
Save : Saves the current session contents to the file name specified
Import : Loads a file into HyperMesh, merging with the current
contents
Export : Saves data to the file name specified
Generally refers to file types other than a HyperMesh binary file

Panels: General Layout

Panels often have sub-panels

Accessed by radio buttons on the left side of the panel

Panels generally work from left to right

Example: Project / to plane sub-panel

1) What to do:

2) What to do it to:

3) How to do it:

4) Do the action:

Pick a sub-panel
for the function
to be used

Select entities that

will be affected

Give parameters
that define how
the function will
be executed

Execute the
function

Panels: General Layout

Some sub-panels are organized in columns

Each column is a different method

Work from top to bottom in the relevant column
Example: surface edit : trim with surfs/plane sub-panel

1) What to do:

2) Method to
use:

3) What to do
it to:

Pick a sub-panel
for the function
to be used

Work in the
appropriate
column

Select entities
that will be
affected

4) How to do it:
Give parameters
that define how
the function will
be executed

5) Do the
action:
Execute the
function

Panels: Overview
Panels organize and control functionality

Each panel focuses on a specific type of function

May have sub-panels which are related to the panels focus
Contain the controls needed to operate the function

Shortcuts

Commonly used panels can be access via the keyboard function keys (F1 F12)
Act in an interrupt mode if you are in a panel
Can return to the panel you were in
Selections made in that panel are remembered

Help for Panels

While in a panel, accessing help provides the help for that panel

Panels: Basic Controls

Switches

Allows a choice of several options vis a pop-up menu

Toggles

Allows a choice between 2 options

No pop-up; button label simply changes

Text input fields

Operate like text fields in most programs

Can use Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V to copy and paste between fields
Double clicking on a text field that requires numbers accesses the calculator
Uses reverse notation
Example: 1 + 1 = 2
1 <Enter> 1 + instead of 1 + 1 =

Panels: Selection
Entity selectors

Control what and how entities are selected for a function

Entity Type Button
Shows the type of entity
currently being selected

Entity Type Switch

Reset

Changes what type

of entity is being
selected

Deselects all entities

for the selector

Cyan border
Indicates the selector is active (there can only
be 1 active selector)
Clicking the entity type button when it is active
accesses the extended selection menu

Panels: Overview
Select entities with a window using Shift + mouse
Left mouse drag select entities
Right mouse drag unselect entities
Left click change window shape

Rectangle Inside
Rectangle Outside
Polygon Inside
Polygon Outside

Entities are selected when

mouse button is released

Panels: Extended Selection Menu

Click an active selector to access the extended menu selection

The extended menu selection offers

Methods for selecting many entities at once

Tools for modifying an existing selection
Save an existing selection and retrieve it in any panel

Multiple extended selection methods can be used on a selection

Allows you to easily select exactly what you want

Panels: Direction Selection

Used for input of directions or planes for a given function

Planes can be selected from a vector (normal to the vector)

Directions can be selected from a plane (normal to the plane)
Current Direction / Plane

Direction Switch
Options for what
direction is selected

Shows a selected axis or inputs for selecting

entities to define a direction / plane
Reset
Deselects the
selected nodes
Base

Edit

Select a node
to position a
selected plane

Double click to
access and enter
coordinates for N1,
N2, N3 and Base.

Panels: Direction Selection: N1, N2, N3

N1, N2, N3 direction option allows nodes to be selected to define either a
direction or a plane

Select 2 nodes to define a direction (only N1 and N2)

Select 3 nodes to define a plane (N1, N2, and N3)

Plane defined by N1, N2, N3

N3
N2

N1

N1

Direction is normal
to plane
Positive direction
is by right hand
rule

N2

Panels: Execution
Action buttons

Green button on right hand side of the panel

Execute the (sub-)panels functionality

Rapid menus

Middle mouse click to execute an action button bordered in black

Always the action button at the top of the list
Reduces mouse travel needed to perform functions

Reject

Local undo Resets the model to the state before the action was exectuted
Not available after returning out of a panel

Return

Exits the panel to the menu from which the panel was accessed