most common mesh format.
 

Hi.

I am working on a hexa-mesher (block structued) and now it's time to finish the mesh-export. I want to export an unstructed hexa mesh.
For the mesh export, I want to use the most common mesh format. I thought that Nastran is one of the most general grid formats, but I don't know how to define family names (for the faces).

The other format I use is TecPlot, but even though Tecplot is able to read the mesh, ICEM is not able to import the mesh and I only get silly messages with no meaning.

So, which other mesh format would you recommend?

go for the .msh for fluent and .cfx or cfx5 for the CFX. Use CGNS if you want to get the global type mesh format which is supported by all CFD programs.

Thanks.

What dou you think about the Nastran or Patran format?

are you asking for the FEA or CFD analysis? I assume you are meshing with ICEM CFD

Hi.

I usually used Icem.

But no. I am writing my own hexa mesher, with almost the same functions as icem-Hexa.

My output is an unstructed mesh. Now I export Nastran and Tecplot.

The de facto standard block structured mesh file format is PLOT3D. http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/wind/valid/plot3d.html

Your next best choice is CGNS. It's a standard for a reason. http://cgns.sourceforge.net/

Good Luck

Thanks.

Shure, it´s not trivial. But algebraic grid-generation is not so complex.

Thanks again. I will take a look at the Plot3D and CGNS format. :)