title: Generating a orphan mesh from scratch in abaqus with python
body: <p>I am trying to generate an orphan mesh with python in Abaqus 6.13. Meaning I want to specify the coordinate locations of each of the nodes, and then another function creating the elements using the previously created nodes.</p>
  
  <p>I have created a list of nodes, and elements already, but I don't know what methods I should use to add them into abaqus.</p>
  
  <p>This creates nodes</p>
  
  <pre><code>p = mdb.models[nameModel].parts[namePart]
  for z in range (0, z_max+1):
      for y in range (0, y_max+1):
          for x in range (0, x_max+1):
              listNode.append(p.Node(coordinates=(x*x_div, y*y_div, z*z_div)))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This creates the elements</p>
  
  <pre><code>p = mdb.models[nameModel].parts[namePart]
      #p.setElementType(ElemType(elemCode=C3D8R,elemLibrary=STANDARD))
      for z in range (0, z_max):
          for y in range (0, y_max):
              for x in range (0, x_max):
                  listNodeNum=[]
                  listNodeObj=[]
                  listNodeNum.append(x+y*(x_max+1)+z*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1))
                  listNodeNum.append(x+y*(x_max+1)+z*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1)+1)
                  listNodeNum.append(x+(y+1)*(x_max+1)+z*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1)+1)
                  listNodeNum.append(x+(y+1)*(x_max+1)+z*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1))
                  listNodeNum.append(x+y*(x_max+1)+(z+1)*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1))
                  listNodeNum.append(x+y*(x_max+1)+(z+1)*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1)+1)
                  listNodeNum.append(x+(y+1)*(x_max+1)+(z+1)*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1)+1)
                  listNodeNum.append(x+(y+1)*(x_max+1)+(z+1)*(x_max+1)*(y_max+1))
                  for num in listNodeNum:
                      listNodeObj.append(listNode[num])
                  listElem.append(p.Element(nodes=listNodeObj,elemShape=HEX8))
      return listElem
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>There is no error and the list lengths are correct, but I just can't see anything happening in abaqus.</p>
  
  <p>Any ideas? I am probably missing something real simple.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks, Tim</p>
  
  <p>-----EDIT------</p>
  
  <p>The previous problem is solved be creating a new part using PartFromMesh.</p>
  
  <p>Now the problem is that when I try to go into the load module, the mesh disappears again. When I try to click on load, the error message reass "The assembly does not contain any part instances ..., a part must be instanced ..."</p>
  
  <p>Ideas?</p>