# 2D/3D optimized mesh

**URL:** <https://www.simscale.com/forum/t/2d-3d-optimized-mesh/99180>\
**Category:** CAD & Meshing\
**Created:** [November 3, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.simscale.com/forum/t/2d-3d-optimized-mesh/99180 "2024-11-03T15:33:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sraggi](https://www.simscale.com/forum/letter_avatar/sraggi/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@sraggi](https://www.simscale.com/forum/u/sraggi)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.simscale.com/forum/t/2d-3d-optimized-mesh/99180/1 "2024-11-03T15:33:06Z")

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Good evening,  
I am working on creating a good mesh for a full factorial optimization of a Fowler flap for a university project (I have an academic account). My professor suggested creating a single-cell-width domain since SimScale and OpenFOAM don’t support a 2D mesh. Because I need to run numerous simulations, I’d like to generate a mesh with as few cells as possible and conduct a mesh independency validation.

Unfortunately, I can’t control the cell size, and when I reduce the width of the domain, the cells get smaller and smaller. How can I manage this? The project has already been shared with support.

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**Author:** ![igaviano](https://www.simscale.com/forum/user_avatar/www.simscale.com/igaviano/32/73967_2.png) [@igaviano](https://www.simscale.com/forum/u/igaviano)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://www.simscale.com/forum/t/2d-3d-optimized-mesh/99180/2 "2024-11-04T14:41:27Z")

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Hi @sraggi, thanks for posting on the forum and welcome to the SimScale Community 🤝

I guess the best workflow to run these sorts of analysis would be something like this:

1. Generate a mesh using SimScale with no concern with the number of elements along the thickness
2. Export this mesh to ParaView so that we can export the mesh elements from a single surface
3. With this surface mesh, extrude the mesh in OpenFoam for a single element thickness
4. Import the mesh in SimScale
5. Use an **[Empty2D](https://www.simscale.com/docs/simulation-setup/boundary-conditions/empty-2d/)** Boundary condition for the analysis.

My colleague Ricardo has a great tutorial on how to do this [**here**](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G6KGThjtWChS5IddSmMTwugE8Oq_eEbe/view?usp=drive_link).

The dictionary he mentions is **[here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-2FZvg7eNO0NKyNEovR2i86QJ-6LV4AL/view?usp=sharing)**.

Cheers  
Igor