Abaqus/CAE can apply the swept meshing technique only to surface regions that can be replicated by sweeping a source side along a sweep path to a target side. The sweep path is always an edge; however, for a surface region the source and target sides are also edges. The surface region can be extruded, revolved, swept, or planar. In addition, an extruded surface region can include twist, and a revolved surface region can include translation. You can apply the swept meshing technique to surface regions using either the Quad or Quad-dominated element shape options.

If you are creating a revolved swept mesh, Abaqus/CAE meshes the source side and revolves that mesh around the axis of revolution to the source side. The sweep path can be revolved a full 360°. You must use the Quad-dominated element shape option when the source side touches the axis of revolution at a point, because a layer of triangular elements is generated at that point. Abaqus/CAE cannot generate a revolved surface mesh when a single surface touches the axis of revolution at two points, unless the revolved surface is a sphere.

For example, the source side touches the axis of revolution at the top of the model shown in Figure 17–67 and a layer of triangular elements is generated at that point.