FEM multiple objects and material properties

Hello,

I'm trying to perform a structural FEM analysis on an object which consists out of multiple .STL files. These all have different material properties.

The problem is that I cannot import multiple models.

Now I can combine the .STL's into one, but how do I then define the material properties?

Thanks in advance!

[Duncan Carlsmith]

I too have this question.

[Duncan Carlsmith]

Ah, maybe https://www.mathworks.com/help/pde/ug/discretegeometry.addcell.html SO you first have to import each stl into a geometry and then combine them.

Answer 1

[Anshuman]

Hello,

Here are few general steps that you can follow to address this issue:

• A 3D modeling software like Blender, Meshmixer, or similar can be used to import and combine your .STL files into a single mesh. Ensure that each part of the mesh retains its identity, which can be done by keeping them as separate objects within the software.
• Within the 3D modeling software, assign different regions or labels to each part of the mesh that corresponds to the original .STL files. This can often be done by assigning different materials or groups to each part.
• Export the combined mesh as a single .STL or another suitable format that supports regions or groups, like .OBJ or .STEP, if your FEM software supports it.
• Import the combined mesh into your FEM analysis software.
• In your FEM software, assign material properties to each region or group. This is typically done by selecting the region and specifying the material properties.
• Generate the finite element mesh, ensuring that the mesh respects the boundaries of different material regions.
• Proceed with setting up the boundary conditions and loads, and then run the analysis.

Hope it helps!