You can use the Mesh module to generate two-dimensional elements on a skin reinforcement on a face of a three-dimensional part instance. Similarly, you can generate one-dimensional elements on a stringer reinforcement on an edge of an axisymmetric part instance. Abaqus/CAE generates the skin or stringer elements when the underlying geometry is meshed; you cannot mesh a skin or stringer reinforcement independently.

Figure 36–3 shows a three-dimensional part instance with a skin reinforcement on the top surface.

When the part instance is meshed, the skin or stringer elements and the three-dimensional elements share the same nodes and mesh topology. If you assign a different geometric order to the skin elements, you should also change the order of the underlying elements. For more information, see “Assigning element types to skin or stringer reinforcements,” Section 36.5.

If you create a skin or stringer on an orphan mesh, the skin or stringer elements and the underlying orphan mesh elements share the same nodes and mesh topology. If you delete an orphan mesh element, Abaqus/CAE automatically regenerates any skins or stringers associated with the deleted element. After regeneration, these skins or stringers have new element ID numbers, so this regeneration renders invalid any sets that include the skins or stringers. Therefore, if you delete elements from an orphan mesh, you should update any set definitions that include skins or stringers formerly associated with the deleted elements.