How to Create a Mesh in SOLIDWORKS Simulation
Contents
Meshing is the step that turns your CAD model into small elements that SOLIDWORKS Simulation can solve. A good mesh is fine enough to capture important stress, displacement, thermal, or vibration behavior without making the study unnecessarily slow. A bad mesh can give noisy results, missed stress concentrations, or failed solves.
This guide explains what a mesh is, how to create one in SOLIDWORKS Simulation, when to refine it, and how to avoid common beginner mistakes.
What is a mesh?
A mesh divides the model into many smaller elements. The solver calculates behavior across those elements instead of trying to solve the full continuous shape in one step. In solid studies, those elements are usually three-dimensional. In shell or surface studies, they may be two-dimensional elements on a surface.
The mesh does not have to look beautiful, but it needs to be suitable for the engineering question. A coarse mesh may be fine for a first check of overall deformation. A fillet, notch, hole, contact region, or thin feature may need local refinement.
Before you create the mesh
Do not start with the mesh. Start with the study setup. Confirm the material, fixtures, loads, contacts, and analysis type first. A perfect-looking mesh will not save a study with unrealistic constraints or incorrect load direction.
- Simplify tiny cosmetic features that do not affect the result.
- Check that bodies are included in the study.
- Apply realistic fixtures and loads.
- Define contacts before meshing an assembly.
- Use symmetry when it is valid and saves solve time.
Basic steps to create a mesh
- Open the part or assembly.
- Enable the SOLIDWORKS Simulation add-in if it is not already active.
- Create a new study from the Simulation tab.
- Choose the analysis type, such as static, frequency, buckling, thermal, or another available study type.
- Apply material, fixtures, loads, and contacts.
- In the Simulation study tree, right-click Mesh.
- Choose Create Mesh.
- Set the mesh density or open mesh parameters for more control.
- Click the green check to generate the mesh.
Global mesh size vs mesh control
The global mesh size controls the overall element size for the model. Smaller elements usually improve detail, but they also increase solve time and memory use. Do not simply drag the mesh to the finest setting on every study. Use the coarsest mesh that still gives stable, believable results.
Mesh controls let you refine specific faces, edges, vertices, or components. They are useful around holes, fillets, contact regions, load application areas, and stress concentration zones.
How fine should the mesh be?
Use a mesh convergence mindset. Run the study with a reasonable mesh, record the result you care about, refine the mesh in important areas, and compare the result. If the value changes a lot, the first mesh was probably too coarse. If the value changes only a little, the mesh may be adequate for that decision.
| Result behavior | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Results change dramatically after refinement | The earlier mesh was likely too coarse or the setup needs review. |
| Peak stress rises at a sharp corner forever | You may have a stress singularity rather than a meaningful design stress. |
| Displacement changes only slightly | The mesh may be good enough for stiffness comparison. |
| Study fails to mesh | Look for tiny geometry, bad contacts, thin features, or overly aggressive mesh settings. |
Common meshing mistakes
- Using one global fine mesh for everything: this wastes time and can make large studies hard to solve.
- Trusting peak stress at sharp corners: sharp re-entrant corners and point fixtures can create unrealistic stress spikes.
- Ignoring contact: assembly studies depend heavily on contact definitions.
- Keeping tiny decorative features: logos, tiny chamfers, and cosmetic details can create unnecessary elements.
- Skipping a sanity check: always ask whether the deformation, reaction forces, and stress pattern make physical sense.
When to use a different tool or workflow
SOLIDWORKS Simulation is useful for many mechanical design checks, but it is not magic. Highly nonlinear behavior, advanced contact, complex composites, detailed fatigue, crash, high-end CFD, and certification-critical analysis may require a more specialized solver or an experienced analyst.
If simulation performance is slow because your workstation struggles with models, review the best laptop for SOLIDWORKS or CAD workstation guides before assuming the study setup is the only problem.
Bottom line
To create a mesh in SOLIDWORKS Simulation, set up the study first, right-click Mesh, choose Create Mesh, and tune the global size or mesh controls as needed. The best mesh is not always the finest mesh. The best mesh is one that captures the engineering behavior you care about, converges reasonably, and lets you make a better design decision.
References: SOLIDWORKS Mesh PropertyManager Help, SOLIDWORKS Meshing Options Help, and SOLIDWORKS Simulation meshing tutorial Help.
