I try to understand how to do use FEM meshes in FreeCad so I can generate Bodies and boundaries for Elmer FEM. I think there might be a bug when exporting KiCad PCB and the .step file is not properly configured…
Lets start with bodies, say I do something very simple, I selected two parts of my mesh and made them two bodies:
I calculate the mesh again and export to .unv
But when I import them to Elmer I see 3 bodies on the list, where when I select the se bodies I do not see anything selected on the visual mesh/model and when I select the one boundary it has, the whole mesh is selected.:
I haven’t used Elmer in a few years and see it’s improved but, I did not use Elmer in the example below. That shouldn’t make a difference re Meshing (maybe it does but, I’m too lazy to install Elmer).
I meshed it with Gmesh and Netgen. Both work. I did not do any FEM analysis on it but, see no reason why either would not work for an Elmer analysis. They work for Calculux in my other FEM work.
UPDATE:
I spent a few minutes reviewing this and, though I did Not use Elmer, I have No problem creating individual meshes for the two items.
I did not bother with any Anaysis but, that would not be a problem having/using the two individual meshes.
Look at the Tree and see:
• The ‘Compounded’ Antenna and PCB items - they get exported
• A new Anaysis item containing two New Meshed items
• The Meshed two items get Exported
• A New Part is added
• The Two meshed items are Imported into the new Part
Now, they are ready to use for analysis… Two Meshed items as you designed. Kicad usage was not involved in anything I did
