ANSYS Basics Help: Is Meshing Necessary?

[ashishvinayak]

I've been studying ANSYS v11 from a book I bought online. I remember doing the same during my graduation. Now that I am studying in-depth I'd like to know why meshing is required (in more technical terms). Also, I am solving 2D truss related problems where I realize meshing is not done. However, when I checked online 2D truss tutorials suggest implementation of meshing. So what's the right answer? Is it necessary?

Ps. Additional question: I assumed that meshing is something which is attributed only to 3D members. Is this correct?

Please help.

 

[sisquet]

Hi!

about meshing, you can do 1D meshing (if you are working in beams) 2D or 3D

I'm not good at ansys, but I've found that preprocessor in Ansys is somehow messy and difficult to get used to. I use a magnificent preprocessor called Ansa (I use one of latest versions, 13.1. If you google around you can find it easy, and the good thing about it, is that has capabilities of beeing preprocessor for Ansys, Abaqus, Nastran, Pam crash, etc etc etc

 

[ashishvinayak]

I could use that but that wasn't my question really. I'd like to know when meshing should be used and when it should not be used ?

 

[Thermalne]

Meshing is required for all simulations using Finite Element Analysis. You will have to use meshing whenever you try and use programs that use FEA.

Some info on FEA http://www.sv.vt.edu/classes/MSE2094_NoteBook/97ClassProj/num/widas/history.html
and the wikipedia article. (Check the references)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finite_element_method