CAD model simplification using a removing details and merging faces technique for a FEM simulation

The simulation process is currently used in the design and dimensioning of mechanical parts. With the progress of computer materials, the finite elements method (FEM) becomes the most used approach in the simulation of mechanical behaviour. The simulation process needs multiple Design-FEM loops. In order to accelerate those analysis loops, an adaptation of computer aided design (CAD) model is necessary. The adaptation step consists in the simplification of the CAD model geometry by eliminating details (holes, chamfers, fillet, etc.) and faces. In this paper, a novel technique of simplification of the CAD geometry is developed. This technique is a hybrid method based on a combination of the elimination details and merging faces. The merging of faces is based on the energetic method. With this approach, the computing time is reduced by the elimination of geometric details which do not boundary conditions. An implementation of the proposed algorithm on the Open Cascade platform is also presented. The results of the developed method are compared with a previous publication. The reduction of the computing time and the amelioration of the result precision highlight the efficiency of the presented method.