Explore a mesh metadata

LSDYNA Fluent CFX

Note

This tutorial requires DPF 9.1 or above (2025 R1).

This tutorial explains how to read mesh metadata (data about the elements, nodes, faces, regions, zones, …) before extracting the mesh from a result file.

The mesh metadata information is stored in a PropertyField or in a StringField. It describes the mesh composition and is mapped to the entity it is defined at. Available metadata includes:

• Properties, parts, faces, bodies, zones

• Number of nodes and elements

• Element types

Import the necessary modules

from ansys.dpf import core as dpf
from ansys.dpf.core import examples

LS-DYNA — explore mesh metadata

Import the result file and create the Model.

result_file_path_2 = examples.download_d3plot_beam()
ds_2 = dpf.DataSources()
ds_2.set_result_file_path(filepath=result_file_path_2[0], key="d3plot")
ds_2.add_file_path(filepath=result_file_path_2[3], key="actunits")
model_2 = dpf.Model(data_sources=ds_2)

Access the MeshInfo object to explore available metadata before extracting the mesh.

mesh_info_2 = model_2.metadata.mesh_info
print(mesh_info_2)

DPF MeshInfo
------------------------------
with properties:
  part_names            StringField
  part_scoping          Scoping

Extract specific metadata — here the part names.

cell_zones_2 = mesh_info_2.get_property("part_names")
print(cell_zones_2)

DPF String Field
  2 part entities
  Data:2 elementary data

  part
  IDs                   data
  ------------          ----------
  1

  2                     ball

Fluent — explore mesh metadata

result_file_path_3 = examples.download_fluent_axial_comp()["flprj"]
model_3 = dpf.Model(data_sources=result_file_path_3)

mesh_info_3 = model_3.metadata.mesh_info
print(mesh_info_3)

DPF MeshInfo
------------------------------
with properties:
  num_cells             int
  num_nodes             int
  num_faces             int
  body_names            StringField
  body_cell_topology    PropertyField
  body_face_topology    PropertyField
  body_scoping          Scoping
  cell_zone_names       StringField
  cell_zone_elements    PropertyField
  cell_zone_scoping     Scoping
  face_zone_names       StringField
  face_zone_elements    PropertyField
  face_zone_scoping     Scoping
  zone_names            StringField
  num_elem_zone         PropertyField
  zone_scoping          Scoping
  splittable_by         StringField

Extract the cell zone names.

cell_zones_3 = mesh_info_3.get_property("cell_zone_names")
print(cell_zones_3)

DPF String Field
  2 zone entities
  Data:2 elementary data

  zone
  IDs                   data
  ------------          ----------
  13                    fluid-rotor

  28                    fluid-stator

CFX — explore mesh metadata

result_file_path_4 = examples.download_cfx_mixing_elbow()
model_4 = dpf.Model(data_sources=result_file_path_4)

mesh_info_4 = model_4.metadata.mesh_info
print(mesh_info_4)

DPF MeshInfo
------------------------------
with properties:
  num_nodes             int
  num_cells             int
  body_names            StringField
  body_cell_topology    PropertyField
  num_faces             int
  body_face_topology    PropertyField
  body_scoping          Scoping
  cell_zone_names       StringField
  cell_zone_elements    PropertyField
  face_zone_names       StringField
  cell_zone_scoping     Scoping
  face_zone_elements    PropertyField
  face_zone_scoping     Scoping
  zone_names            StringField
  num_elem_zone         PropertyField
  zone_scoping          Scoping
  splittable_by         StringField

Extract the cell zone names.

cell_zones_4 = mesh_info_4.get_property("cell_zone_names")
print(cell_zones_4)

DPF String Field
  3 zone entities
  Data:3 elementary data

  zone
  IDs                   data
  ------------          ----------
  2                     ZN1/ES1

  3                     ZN1/ES2

  4                     ZN1/ES3