Home
Structures
Set up your model and run a structural analysis or optimization.
Model Setup
Create connections and apply loads, constraints, materials, and manufacturing controls to your model.
Mesh Controls
Use mesh controls to assign an element size to parts or faces.

Welcome
What's New
Discover new features and enhancements.
Get Started
New to Inspire? Learn the basics here.
Tutorials
Start using Inspire with our interactive tutorials.
Variables
Create and assign variables to parametrize a model. This allows you to quickly iterate and compare design concepts by tweaking the values of the variables.
Parametric Modeling
Create parametric sketches, geometry, and PolyNURBS with construction history and variables.
Implicit Modeling
Create implicit models with primitives, lattices, point clouds, fields, offsetting, Booleans, inverting, smoothing, morphing, and filleting.
Structures
Set up your model and run a structural analysis or optimization.
- Model Setup
  Create connections and apply loads, constraints, materials, and manufacturing controls to your model.
  - Connections
    Create and define connections such as fasteners, joints, connectors, spot welds, and contacts.
  - Loads and Constraints
    Apply loads and supports, displacements, accelerations, gravity, temperatures, and center of gravity.
  - Materials and Libraries
    Create materials, assign materials to parts, and organize them into libraries.
  - Concentrated Masses
    Use the Masses tool to create a concentrated mass either on a part or at a point in space.
  - Systems
    Use the Systems tool to create and apply user-defined coordinate systems to loads, supports, and displacements.
  - Manufacturing Controls
    Apply manufacturing constraints using shape controls and bead patterns.
  - Mesh Controls
    Use mesh controls to assign an element size to parts or faces.
  - Temperatures
    Use the Temperature tool to simulate the effects of temperature changes on your model.
  - Center of Gravity (COG)
    Use the Center of Gravity Constraint (COG) tool to apply, reposition, and set upper and lower bounds for a center of gravity constraint. COG constraints are used to limit the position of the center of gravity while running a topology optimization.
  - Gravity
    Use the Gravity tool to apply gravitational acceleration (G) and adjust its direction.
- Structural Analysis
  Set up and run a linear static analysis using the SimSolid or OptiStruct solver. You can also analyze normal modes and buckling modes.
- Structural Optimization
  Set up and run a topology, topography, or gauge optimization.
- Report
  Generate PPT or PDF reports from analysis results. The Report tools are available after you have run an analysis.
Motion
Set up and run a motion analysis, plot the results, and export the results.
Fluids
Prepare and run a computational fluid dynamics simulation.
Design Explorer
Evaluate designs by using geometric variables and applying a design-of-experiments (DOE) or optimization method. We recommend fully constraining your sketch when sketch variables are used in the design exploration.
Manufacture
Set up and run a basic porosity or thinning analysis.
Print 3D
Prepare and run an additive manufacturing simulation, and export a file for 3D printing.
Rendering
Adjust the materials and environment of objects in the scene to create a photorealistic image.
Inspire Python API
Learn how to access the Inspire Python API including online help, quick start demos, and the Extension Manager.
Reference
View the glossary, frequently asked questions, and errors and alerts.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.

Mesh Controls

Use mesh controls to assign an element size to parts or faces.

The element size dictates the quality of your analysis or optimization results. In general, the smaller the element size, the more accurate the result.

Use the Mesh Control tool to define a default global element size. You can also use it to create mesh groups and assign an element size to the group. When running a topography optimization, only one mesh control group can be used per design space.

Define a Global Element Size

Use mesh controls to define a default global element size.

Open the Mesh Control tool:
1. On the Structures ribbon, next to Setup, select . A dropdown menu appears.
  
  Tip: To find and open a tool, press Ctrl+F. For more information, see Find and Search for Tools.
2. Select the Mesh Control tool.
  
  Tip: To find and open a tool, press Ctrl+F. For more information, see Find and Search for Tools.
Enter an Element Size.

Note: To improve overall performance, when a CAD file is imported the mesh sizes are not calculated and are shown as Auto. Click the Calculate button to display the Element Size.

Create a Mesh Group

Use mesh controls to create a mesh group and assign an element size.

Open the Mesh Control tool:
1. On the Structures ribbon, next to Setup, select . A dropdown menu appears.
  
  Tip: To find and open a tool, press Ctrl+F. For more information, see Find and Search for Tools.
2. Select the Mesh Control tool.
Select a face on a part.

Tip: Hold down Ctrl to select multiple faces, or use the Model Browser to select an entire part.
Enter an Element Size.
Press Enter or click Create to create the mesh group.

Mesh Control Legend

Select and edit mesh control groups.

The mesh control legend is shown whenever the Mesh Control tool is active.

Click a row in the legend to make it active and editable.
Hover over a row in the legend and click Isolate to show only the entities included in the mesh group. Hover and click All to show all entities.

Keyboard Shortcuts


To	Do this
Add/remove face from selection	Hold down the Ctrl key and click an unselected face.
Exit the tool	Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.