You can display either parts containing a combination of orphan and native mesh components or the assembly in the Mesh module. You can use all of the tools in the Edit Mesh toolset to edit an orphan mesh; however, you can use only the following tools to edit a meshed part instance in the assembly:

• Edit, drag, project, merge, and smooth nodes

• Delete elements

• Collapse element edges

• Split an edge of a quadrilateral or triangular element

• Swap the diagonal of a pair of adjacent triangular elements

• Split a quadrilateral element into two triangular elements

• Combine two triangular elements into one quadrilateral element

If you select a part instead of a part instance in the assembly, you can use the mesh editing tools listed above plus the following additional tools:

• Create nodes and elements

• Offset mesh layers to create solid or shell layers

• Associate the mesh with geometry

• Delete mesh associativity

• Copy mesh pattern

In general, you cannot use the Edit Mesh toolset to modify the mesh of a dependent part instance. However, you can edit, drag, and project the nodes of a dependent part instance; Abaqus/CAE modifies the original meshed part, and your modifications appear on all dependent instances of the part.

You can create an orphan mesh in the Mesh module, or you can import an orphan mesh from an output database or an Abaqus input file. You can add geometric features to an orphan mesh in the Part module. An instance of an orphan mesh is always a dependent instance and; therefore, you cannot use the Edit Mesh toolset to edit an instance of an orphan mesh in the assembly. However, you can display the original orphan mesh that was used to create the instance and edit the part. For more information, see “What is the difference between a dependent and an independent part instance?,” Section 13.3.2.

The Mesh Edit Undo feature can roll back any change you make to the mesh. For more information, see “Undoing or redoing a change in the Edit Mesh toolset,” Section 64.9.