Curved Mesh on Symmetry Boundary in ANSYS Maxwell 3D

[ajbroadbent]

I figured this would be the best place to ask as there doesn't seem to be a FEM/Simulation specific sub-forum here, but I am looking for some help regarding mesh generation in ANSYS Maxwell. I have an array of "micro-needles" that I am applying a voltage to in order to determine the electric field at the tip as the spacing between them increases The "needles" are modeled as cones with spherical tips, and I have cut the array into a 1/4 portion since it is symmetrical. When the center-to-center spacing reached 20 um, I noticed that the mesh of the tips of the needles along the symmetry boundaries were not forming properly. The mesh along the bottom of the spherical sections would start fine, but closer to the top it seems to just stop forming the mesh and sometimes pushes the geometry outwards- forming points that aren't actually there. I've attached a couple pictures as an example. The four that are inside the region and not touching any boundary manage to mesh just fine.

Everything has been modeled within ANSYS Electronics Desktop/Maxwell 3D (version R18.0). I tried modelling and meshing through Workbench, but there doesn't seem to be any way to import a mesh into Maxwell. I have looked through the documentation files and online, but have not been able to find the cause of this problem. Unfortunately as well, no one at my school has any prior experience with the Electronics Desktop package or Maxwell as we just got a license for it just over a month ago. I have tried using different mesh refinement operations and adjusting the mesh setting sliders, but I still end up with a similar result. I am not sure if the mesh is too fine, too coarse, or if there is some setting I am missing since it is on a boundary. Any suggestions or help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[professor x]

I have never worked with Ansys Maxwell, but I am surprised that it is impossible to import mesh from Workbench.
Maybe you should try to decrease the maximum surface deviation and the maximum aspect ratio in surface approximation.

 

[ajbroadbent]

I have never worked with Ansys Maxwell, but I am surprised that it is impossible to import mesh from Workbench.
Maybe you should try to decrease the maximum surface deviation and the maximum aspect ratio in surface approximation.

Yeah, it's rather weird. I can import a geometry but the only type of meshes that can be imported are ones created in EDT, even after upgrading to version 19. However, I took your suggestion and adjusted the surface deviation and that seems to have fixed the issue. I now have nice clean meshes with no breakdowns, craters, or other deformations. The results I'll have to analyze to make sure they make sense, but this is a massive relief. Thanks!