# Meshing a Complex Part **URL:** \ **Category:** General Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2024, 11:14am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254 "2024-12-10T11:14:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 11:14am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/1 "2024-12-10T11:14:48Z")
Hi I am trying to mesh a complex part and so far been very unsuccessful. Any help much appreciated - thank you so much. ![HexPart](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/e/e3045a590947d348b169b7ebe69326a7d2bff54a.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![FEAnalyst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/feanalyst/32/688_2.png) [@FEAnalyst](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/FEAnalyst)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 11:44am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/2 "2024-12-10T11:44:05Z")
Is it STL geometry ? Can’t it be reduced due to symmetry ? Can you share the file ? ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 3:44pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/3 "2024-12-10T15:44:28Z")
It needs to be total size as it has electronics chips on top which dissipate different powers. The .Step file doen’t even load but STL loads fine but does not mesh. How do I attached the STL please ? ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/4 "2024-12-10T15:47:35Z")
Drag and drop say 8Mb max - file too big. ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 3:50pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/5 "2024-12-10T15:50:07Z")
I can email you file via WeTransfer ? ---
**Author:** ![FEAnalyst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/feanalyst/32/688_2.png) [@FEAnalyst](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/FEAnalyst)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/6 "2024-12-10T16:06:19Z")
You can generate a link on WeTransfer and share it here or send me it in a private message. ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 10:20am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/7 "2024-12-16T10:20:19Z")
Hi - Thank you - I have attached a link below. Its a .STEP file which I managed to mesh but it still falls over in the solver. As an example, you can apply a temperature to the surface and run any simulation would be brilliant if possible. Transfer method link: [Send Large Files - Free Secure File Transfer - TransferNow](https://www.transfernow.net/en) File link below: > **["hexSink" (HexSink.stp) is available for download](https://www.transfernow.net/en/bld?utm_source=20241216Ja5YQmNm)** > > Click to download the transfer "hexSink" (1 files, 92.8 MB) with TransferNow Thank you so so much. I really appreciate for helping me. Angelo. ---
**Author:** ![FEAnalyst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/feanalyst/32/688_2.png) [@FEAnalyst](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/FEAnalyst)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 11:12am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/8 "2024-12-16T11:12:15Z")
> [@Angelo](#): > > Its a .STEP file which I managed to mesh but it still falls over in the solver. How many elements did you have in that mesh ? CalculiX may fail with large meshes (especially when matrix solver other than Pardiso is used). This model is really large and should be simplified in whatever way possible. Since the honeycomb structures are thin-walled, you could try using shell elements but you would have to turn this solid model into a (mid)surface one first. Any solid mesh of a reasonable density might be way too big here. ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 11:59am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/9 "2024-12-16T11:59:40Z")
Thank you for your reply - I will try to make a shell version - thank you. ---
**Author:** ![arnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@arnie](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/arnie)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 1:17pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/10 "2024-12-16T13:17:28Z")
I assume that you have already taken advantage of quarter symmetry (as suggested above). Further, in a CAD program you could split the model into layers and then use Extrude mesh to further reduce the number of elements/nodes. You may also need to clean up some small surfaces and unnecessary lines. See screenshot below of one of the split layers that I extracted from your model and was able to mesh with only 10,546 nodes. With a bit of effort, you can get this model to mesh at around 100k nodes, ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/b/b351230a39e25167992dae74f72929335dd2dda8.jpeg) And if you are just conducting a steady state thermal (heat transfer) analysis, then you can use linear elements which would further reduce your node count. For example, see screenshot below with a 4mm mesh using Linear elements, resulting in only 5058 nodes. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/5/547b07e20c7fa2174ec851ee8785b6e5dea67f7c.jpeg) ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/c/c1bdd95dcb8ef6fd13a6fc3c62f469788a318391.jpeg) Also, are you expecting to have unsymmetrical BCs/Loads ? If not, you can get away with just modelling a small section of the model. Full model… ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/a/a68166f150f3f6967fa48ee21e64225a797b5bb7.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 1:53pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/11 "2024-12-17T13:53:45Z")
Thank you so so much - this is extremely helpful - thank you so much - I will give it a go … ---
**Author:** ![arnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@arnie](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/arnie)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 6:53pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/12 "2024-12-17T18:53:08Z")
Ok, let me know if you run into problems splitting and cleaning your model because otherwise I can share my version. ---
**Author:** ![Angelo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/angelo/32/536_2.png) [@Angelo](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Angelo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 9:43am UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/meshing-a-complex-part/2254/13 "2024-12-18T09:43:40Z")
ok thank you … really appreciate your support …