Decoupled parallel meshing in computer aided design

1. A meshing method for use in a computer-aided design (CAD) or computer-aided engineering (CAE) manufacturing specification system, in which serial meshing processors are used to carry out a decoupled parallel meshing process in respect of all parts of a CAD assembly model specifying a product to be manufactured,

wherein input parameters for the meshing process are set automatically, for each part to be processed, using live runtime information comprising information about the outcome of previous attempts to carry out the meshing process of the part concerned; and

wherein a part of the CAD assembly model is split into a desired number DN of sections prior to undergoing the CAD meshing process by corresponding serial meshing processors, the method further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining (i) the number of split points Nx in an X direction, (ii) the number of split points Ny in a Y direction and (iii) the number of split points Nz in a Z direction, where the X, Y and Z directions are mutually parallel and (Nx+1)(Ny+1)(Nz+1)≥DN;

(b) recursively bisecting the part in the X direction until (Nx+1) sections are obtained;

(c) for all sections obtained in step (b), recursively bisecting the sections in the Y direction until (Nx+1)(Ny+1) sections are obtained; and

(d) for all sections obtained in step (c), recursively bisecting the sections in the Z direction until (Nx+1)(Ny+1)(Nz+1) sections are obtained;

wherein the memory requirements of the serial meshing processors for carrying out the meshing process are reduced.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising modifying a two dimensional (2D) mesh at a surface of a section obtained in a computer-aided design process in which an assembly model which is the subject of the CAD process has been separated into different parts each of which is split into sections which are then subjected to 2D meshing such that each surface of the section is defined by a set of 2D elements produced using a meshing method which generates the same one dimensional (1D) edge mesh at every surface, in which method the modifying comprises:

allocating all the sections of the part to either a first set or a second set according to the location of the section in the part such that all the sections which have an interface with the sections in the first set are allocated to the second set;

for each of the sections in the first set, matching nodes of elements along edges of a surface of a section in the first set with nodes of elements along edges of an opposing surface of a section in the second set; and

replacing the elements on the surface of the first set section with the elements on the surface on the second set section.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying instructions which, when carried out on a computer, cause that computer to carry out a method as claimed in claim 1 .

4. Meshing apparatus for use in a computer-aided design (CAD) or computer-aided engineering (CAE) manufacturing specification system, which apparatus uses serial meshing processors to carry out a decoupled parallel meshing process in respect of all parts of a CAD assembly model specifying a product to be manufactured, the apparatus comprising a first processor to:

set input parameters for the meshing process automatically, for each part to be processed, using live runtime information, comprising information about the outcome of previous attempts to carry out the meshing process of the part concerned, to determine one or more input parameters; and

splitting a part of an assembly model specifying a product to be manufactured into a desired number DN of sections prior to meshing of the sections by corresponding serial meshing processors, by carrying out the steps of:

(a) determining (i) the number of split points Nx in an X direction, (ii) the number of split points Ny in a Y direction and (iii) the number of split points Nz in a Z direction, where the X, Y and Z directions are mutually parallel and (Nx+1)(Ny+1)(Nz+1)≥DN;

(b) recursively bisecting the part in the X direction until (Nx+1) sections are obtained;

(c) for all sections obtained in step (b), recursively bisecting the sections in the Y direction until (Nx+1)(Ny+1) sections are obtained; and

(d) for all sections obtained in step (c), recursively bisecting the sections in the Z direction until (Nx+1)(Ny+1)(Nz+1) sections are obtained;

wherein the memory requirements of the serial meshing processors for carrying out the meshing process are reduced.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first or another processor carries out the step of modifying a two dimensional (2D) mesh at a surface of a section obtained in a computer-aided design process, where an assembly model which is the subject of the CAD process has been separated into different parts each of which is split into sections which are then subjected to 2D meshing such that each surface of the section is defined by a set of 2D elements produced using a meshing method which generates the same one dimensional (1D) edge mesh at every surface, the second processor carrying out a method in which:

all the sections of the part are allocated to either a first set or a second set according to the location of the section in the part such that all the sections which have an interface with the sections in the first set are allocated to the second set;

for each of the sections in the first set, nodes of elements along edges of a surface of a section in the first set are matched with nodes of elements along edges of an opposing surface of a section in the second set; and

the elements on the surface of the first set section are replaced with the elements on the surface on the second set section.