Yeah, that's a great point. In the example I had in mind, finite elements, the actual model is typically autogenerated by the software package. The CAD model is

Yeah, that's a great point. In the example I had in mind, finite elements, the actual model is typically autogenerated by the software package. The CAD model is not meshed by hand. This issue was alluded to in the OP as well. But you are correct that this issue is not really with understanding the numerical method, it's with the model setup.