SolidWorks Simulation Tutorial
SolidWorks Simulation Tutorial
e
F
ut
di RA
SolidWorks 2012
or D
st
E
op AS
SolidWorks Simulation
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
rib T
scope of the request and DS SolidWorks will have five (5)
business days to, in its sole discretion, accept or reject such
The information and the software discussed in this document request. Contractor/Manufacturer: Dassault Systmes
e
are subject to change without notice and are not SolidWorks Corporation, 175 Wyman Street, Waltham,
F
commitments by Dassault Systmes SolidWorks Corporation Massachusetts 02451 US.
(DS SolidWorks).
ut
No material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or Copyright Notices for SolidWorks Standard,
by any means, electronically or manually, for any purpose Premium, Professional, and Education Products
di RA
without the express written permission of DS SolidWorks. Portions of this software 1986-2011 Siemens Product
The software discussed in this document is furnished under a Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All rights reserved.
license and may be used or copied only in accordance with Portions of this software 1986-2011 Siemens Industry
the terms of the license. All warranties given by DS Software Limited. All rights reserved.
SolidWorks as to the software and documentation are set Portions of this software 1998-2011 Geometric Ltd.
forth in the license agreement, and nothing stated in, or
implied by, this document or its contents shall be considered Portions of this software 1996-2011 Microsoft
or deemed a modification or amendment of any terms, Corporation. All rights reserved.
or D
including warranties, in the license agreement. Portions of this software incorporate PhysX by NVIDIA
2006-2010.
Patent Notices
st
Portions of this software 2001-2011 Luxology, Inc. All
SolidWorks 3D mechanical CAD software is protected by rights reserved, patents pending.
U.S. Patents 5,815,154; 6,219,049; 6,219,055; 6,611,725; Portions of this software 2007-2011 DriveWorks Ltd.
6,844,877; 6,898,560; 6,906,712; 7,079,990; 7,477,262;
E
7,558,705; 7,571,079; 7,590,497; 7,643,027; 7,672,822;
7,688,318; 7,694,238; 7,853,940 and foreign patents, (e.g.,
EP 1,116,190 and JP 3,517,643).
Copyright 1984-2010 Adobe Systems Inc. and its licensors.
All rights reserved. Protected by U.S. Patents 5,929,866;
5,943,063; 6,289,364; 6,563,502; 6,639,593; 6,754,382;
patents pending.
op AS
eDrawings software is protected by U.S. Patent 7,184,044; Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, the Adobe PDF logo,
U.S. Patent 7,502,027; and Canadian Patent 2,318,706. Distiller and Reader are registered trademarks or trademarks
U.S. and foreign patents pending. of Adobe Systems Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
Trademarks and Product Names for SolidWorks For more SolidWorks copyright information, see Help >
Products and Services About SolidWorks.
SolidWorks, 3D PartStream.NET, 3D ContentCentral, Copyright Notices for SolidWorks Simulation
eDrawings, and the eDrawings logo are registered Products
t c LE
trademarks and FeatureManager is a jointly owned registered Portions of this software 2008 Solversoft Corporation.
trademarkof DS SolidWorks.
PCGLSS 1992-2010 Computational Applications and
CircuitWorks, FloXpress, TolAnalyst, and XchangeWorks System Integration, Inc. All rights reserved.
are trademarks of DS SolidWorks.
y
FeatureWorks is a registered trademark of Geometric Ltd. Copyright Notices for Enterprise PDM Product
SolidWorks 2012, SolidWorks Enterprise PDM, SolidWorks Outside In Viewer Technology, 1992-2010 Oracle
no RE
Workgroup PDM, SolidWorks Simulation, SolidWorks Flow Portions of this software 1996-2011 Microsoft
Simulation, eDrawings Professional, and SolidWorks Corporation. All rights reserved.
Sustainability are product names of DS SolidWorks.
Other brand or product names are trademarks or registered Copyright Notices for eDrawings Products
trademarks of their respective holders. Portions of this software 2000-2011 Tech Soft 3D.
COMMERCIAL COMPUTER SOFTWARE Portions of this software 1995-1998 Jean-Loup Gailly and
PROPRIETARY Mark Adler.
Portions of this software 1998-2001 3Dconnexion.
-
or D
st
E
op AS
Introduction:
About This Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Course Design Philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
t c LE
Laboratory Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
About the Training Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
y
Conventions Used in this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Use of Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
no RE
Clean-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Do E
Errors in FEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Finite Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Element Types Available in SolidWorks Simulation . . . . . . . . . . 10
First Order Solid Tetrahedral Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Second Order Solid Tetrahedral Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
First Order Triangular Shell Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Second Order Triangular Shell Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Beam Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
i
Contents SolidWorks 2012
rib T
Degrees of Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Calculations in FEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
e
Interpretation of FEA Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
F
Principal Stresses: P1, P2, and P3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ut
Units of Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
di RA
Limitations of SolidWorks Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Linear Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Small Structural Deformations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Static Loads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lesson 1:
or D
The Analysis Process
st
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Analysis Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
E
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Case Study: Stress in a Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
op AS
SolidWorks Simulation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
SolidWorks Simulation Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Plot Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Preprocessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
New Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
t c LE
Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Mesh Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
PR
Postprocessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Result Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Editing Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Nodal vs. Element Stresses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Show as Tensor Plot Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Modifying Result Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Other Plot Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Other Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
ii
SolidWorks 2012 Contents
Multiple Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Creating New Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
rib T
Copy Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Check Convergence and Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
e
Results Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
F
Comparison With Analytical Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
ut
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
di RA
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Exercise 1: Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Exercise 2: Compressive Spring Stiffness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Exercise 3: Container Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
or D
Lesson 2:
st
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
E
Mesh Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Case Study: The L Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
op AS
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Run All Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Analysis with Local Mesh Refinement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Mesh Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
t c LE
Results Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Stress Singularities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Case Study: Analysis of Bracket with a Fillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
y
Case Study: Analysis of a Welded Bracket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Understanding the Effect of Boundary Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
no RE
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Exercise 4: C-bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Exercise 5: Bone Wrench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Exercise 6: Foundation Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
-
Lesson 3:
Do E
iii
Contents SolidWorks 2012
rib T
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Handle Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
e
Required Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
F
Pliers with Local Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
ut
Local Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
di RA
Local Contact Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
No Penetration Local Contact Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
No Penetration Local Contact: Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
No Penetration Local Contact: Remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Contact Stresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
or D
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
st
Exercise 7: Two Ring Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Lesson 4:
E
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Shrink Fit Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
op AS
Case Study: Shrink Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Defeaturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
t c LE
Lesson 5:
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
PR
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Connecting Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Connector Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Case Study: Vise Grip Pliers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Spring Connector Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
iv
SolidWorks 2012 Contents
rib T
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Exercise 10: Lift Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
e
Exercise 11: Analysis with Base (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
F
Exercise 12: Shock Absorber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
ut
Exercise 13: Spot Welds-Solid Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
di RA
Lesson 6:
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Compatible / Incompatible Meshing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Case Study: Rotor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
or D
Compatible Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
st
Incompatible Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Automatic Switch to Incompatible Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
E
Incompatible Bonding Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
op AS
Lesson 7:
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Mesh Control in an Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Case Study: Cardan Joint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
t c LE
Jacobian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
PR
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Exercise 14: Bolt Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Exercise 15: Awning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Lesson 8:
Analysis of Thin Components
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Thin Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Case Study: Pulley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
v
Contents SolidWorks 2012
rib T
Symmetry Fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Part 2: Refined Solid Mesh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
e
Solid vs. Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
F
Creating Shell Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
ut
Part 3: Shell Elements - Mid-plane Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
di RA
Thin vs. Thick Shells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Shell Mesh Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Changing Mesh Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Shell Element Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Automatic Shell Surface Re-alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Applying Symmetry Restraints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
or D
Deformed Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
st
Results Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Computational Effort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
E
Case Study: Joist Hanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
op AS
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Exercise 16: Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Exercise 17: Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Exercise 18: Spot Welds - Shell mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Exercise 19: Edge Weld Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
t c LE
Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Do E
vi
SolidWorks 2012 Contents
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
rib T
Exercise 21: Mixed Mesh Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Lesson 10:
e
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
F
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
ut
Mixed Meshing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
di RA
Case Study: Particle Separator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Element Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Beam elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Beam Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
or D
Beam Joints: Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
st
Beam Joint Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Section Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
E
Connected and Disconnected Joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Sphere Diameter Defining Beam Joint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Render Beam Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
op AS
Beam imprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Cross-section 1st and 2nd Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Bending Moment and Shear Force Diagrams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Exercise 22: Beam Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
t c LE
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Design Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Case Study: Suspension Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Part 1: Multiple Load Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
-
Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Design Study Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
PR
vii
Contents SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 12:
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Thermal Stress Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
e
Case Study: Bimetallic Strip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
F
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
ut
Material Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
di RA
Importing Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Averaging Stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
Question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Examining Results in Local Coordinate Systems (Optional) . . . . . . 440
Saving Model in its Deformed Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
or D
Lesson 13:
st
Adaptive Meshing
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
E
Adaptive Meshing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Case Study: Support Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
op AS
Geometry Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
h-Adaptivity Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
h-Adaptivity Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
h-Adaptive Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Convergence Graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
t c LE
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Do E
viii
SolidWorks 2012 Contents
rib T
SolidWorks Simulation Premium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
e
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
F
Appendix A:
ut
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
di RA
Meshing Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
Geometry Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
Defeaturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Idealization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Clean-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Mesh Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
or D
Aspect Ratio Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
st
Jacobian Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480
Mesh Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
E
Automatic Trials for Solids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Meshing Stages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Failure Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
op AS
Tips for Meshing Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Tips for Meshing Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Tips for Using Shell Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Hardware Considerations in Meshing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Solvers in SolidWorks Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
t c LE
ix
x
Contents
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
SolidWorks 2012
rib T
ut
e
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
1
Introduction
rib T
ut
e
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
About This The goal of this course is to teach you how to use the SolidWorks
Course Simulation software to help you analyze static structural behavior of
rib T
your SolidWorks part and assembly models.
e
The focus of this course is on the fundamental skills and concepts
F
central to the successful use of SolidWorks Simulation 2011. You
ut
should view the training course manual as a supplement to, and not a
replacement for, the system documentation and on-line help. Once you
di RA
have developed a good foundation in basic skills, you can refer to the
on-line help for information on less frequently used command options.
Prerequisites Students attending this course are expected to have the following:
I Mechanical design experience.
or D
I Experience with the Windows operating system.
I Complete the course SolidWorks Essentials.
st
I Completed the on-line SolidWorks Simulation tutorials that are
available under Help. You can access the on-line tutorials by
Course Design
E clicking Help, SolidWorks Simulation, Tutorials.
This course is designed around a process- or task-based approach to
op AS
Philosophy training. Rather than focusing on individual features and functions, a
process-based training course emphasizes processes and procedures
you should follow to complete a particular task. By utilizing case
studies to illustrate these processes, you learn the necessary commands,
options, and menus in the context of completing a design task.
t c LE
Laboratory Laboratory exercises give you the opportunity to apply and practice the
Exercises material covered during the lecture/demonstration portion of the
Do E
course.
PR
2
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
About the Training A complete set of the various files used throughout this course can be
Files downloaded from the SolidWorks website, www.solidworks.com.
rib T
Click on the link for Support, then Training, then Training Files, then
SolidWorks Simulation Training Files. Select the link for the desired
e
file set. There may be more than one version of each file set available.
F
ut
Direct URL:
di RA
www.solidworks.com/trainingfilessimulation
The files are supplied in signed, self-extracting executable packages.
The files are organized by lesson number. The Case Study folder
within each lesson contains the files your instructor uses while
presenting the lessons. The Exercises folder contains any files that are
or D
required for doing the laboratory exercises.
Windows XP
st
The screen shots in this manual were made using SolidWorks 2011 and
SolidWorks Simulation 2011 running on Windows 7. If you are
menu.
Typewriter Feature names and file names appear in this
style. For example, Restraint-1.
Double lines precede and follow sections of
-
3
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
Use of Color The SolidWorks and SolidWorks Simulation user interface make
extensive use of color to highlight selected geometry and to provide
rib T
you with visual feedback. This greatly increases the intuitiveness and
ease of use of the SolidWorks Simulation software. To take maximum
e
advantage of this, the training manuals are printed in full color.
F
ut
Also, in many cases, we have Radius 50mm
used additional color in the
di RA
illustrations to communicate
concepts, identify features, and
otherwise convey important
information. For example, we
Radius 5mm
might show the fillet areas of a All Around Radius 6mm, 4 Places
or D
part in a different color, to
highlight areas for mesh control, even though by default, the
st
SolidWorks Simulation software would not display the results in that
way.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
4
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
rib T
Simulation? Simulation belongs to the family of engineering analysis software
products developed by SRAC, now part of SolidWorks Corporation.
e
Established in 1982, SRAC pioneered the implementation of FEA into
F
desktop computing. In 1995, SRAC entered the emerging mainstream
ut
FEA software market by partnering with SolidWorks Corporation and
di RA
creating COSMOSWorks software, one of the first SolidWorks Gold
Products. COSMOSWorks soon became the top-selling, add-in analysis
software for SolidWorks Corporation. The commercial success of
COSMOSWorks integrated with SolidWorks CAD software resulted in
the acquisition of SRAC in 2001 by Dassault Systemes, the parent
company of SolidWorks Corporation. In 2003, SRAC merged with
or D
SolidWorks Corporation. COSMOSWorks was renamed for 2009 to
st
SolidWorks Simulation.
SolidWorks is a parametric, solid, feature-based CAD system. As
I SolidWorks SimulationXpress
The static analysis of parts with simple types of loads and supports.
I SolidWorks Simulation
The static analysis of parts and assemblies.
I SolidWorks Simulation Professional
-
5
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
rib T
builds on the skills and experience gained from the previous lessons.
e
Before we proceed with the lessons, let us construct a foundation for
F
our skills in SolidWorks Simulation by taking a closer look at what
ut
Finite Element Analysis is and how it works.
di RA
What Is Finite In mathematical terms, FEA, also known as the Finite Element Method,
Element is a numerical technique of solving field problems described by a set of
Analysis? partial differential equations. Those types of problems are commonly
found in many engineering disciplines, such as machine design,
acoustics, electromagnetism, soil mechanics, fluid dynamics, and
others. In mechanical engineering, FEA is widely used for solving
or D
structural, vibration, and thermal problems.
st
FEA is not the only tool available for numerical analysis. Other
numerical methods used in engineering include the Finite Difference
6
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
rib T
example a structural, thermal, or acoustic analysis. The starting point
for any analysis is the geometric model. In our case, this is a
e
SolidWorks model of a part or an assembly. To this model, we assign
F
material properties, and define loads and restraints. Next, as always the
ut
case when using a tool based on the method of numerical
di RA
approximations, we discretize the model intended for analysis.
The discretization process, better known as meshing, splits the
geometry into relatively small and simply-shaped entities, called finite
elements. The elements are called finite to emphasize the fact that
they are not infinitesimally small, but only reasonably small in
or D
comparison to the overall model size.
When working with finite elements, the FEA solver approximates the
st
wanted solution (for example, deformations or stresses) for the entire
model with the assembly of simple solutions for individual elements.
I Solution
Computing the desired results.
I Postprocessing
y
Analyzing the results.
no RE
7
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
rib T
Model geometry must be meshable into a correct and reasonably small, finite
element mesh. By small, we do not refer to the element size, but the
e
number of elements in the mesh. This requirement of meshability has
F
very important implications. We must ensure that the CAD geometry
ut
indeed meshes and that the produced mesh provides the correct
di RA
solution of the data of interest, such as displacements, stresses,
temperature distribution, and so on.
Often, but not always, this necessity of meshing requires modifications
to the CAD geometry. Such modifications can take the form of
defeaturing, idealization, and/or clean-up, described as follows:
or D
Defeaturing Defeaturing refers to the process of suppressing or removing geometry
st
features deemed insignificant for analysis, such as external fillets,
rounds, logos, and so on.
Idealization
difficult or impossible.
It is important to mention that we do not always simplify the CAD
y
model with the sole objective of making it meshable. Often, we
simplify a model that would mesh correctly as is, but the resulting
no RE
mesh would be too large and, consequently, the analysis would run too
slowly. Geometry modifications allow for a simpler mesh and shorter
computing time. Successful meshing depends as much on the quality of
the geometry submitted for meshing as on the sophistication of the
meshing tools implemented in the FEA software.
-
8
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
rib T
specific. FEA has not yet entered the picture.
e
F
Idealization of geometry
ut
(if necessary) Type of Material
Analysis Properties Supports Loads
di RA
MATHEMATICAL
MODEL
or D
st
CAD FEA Pre-processing
Build Finite
Element ModelE We now split the mathematical model into finite elements through a
process of discretization, better known as meshing. Discretization
op AS
visually manifests itself as the meshing of geometry. However, loads
and supports are also discretized and, after the model has been meshed,
the discretized loads and supports are applied to nodes of the finite
element mesh.
t c LE
Solve Finite After creating the finite element model, we use a solver provided in
Element Model SolidWorks Simulation to produce the desired data of interest.
PR
Analyze Results The analysis of results is often the most difficult step of all. The
analysis provides very detailed results data, which can be presented in
almost any format. Proper interpretation of results requires that we
appreciate the assumptions, simplifications, and errors introduced in
the first three steps: building the mathematical model, building the
finite element model, and solving the finite element model.
9
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
Errors in FEA The process of creating a mathematical model and discretizing it into a
finite element model introduces unavoidable errors. Formulation of a
rib T
mathematical model introduces modeling errors, also called
idealization errors. Discretization of the mathematical model
e
introduces discretization errors, and solution introduces numerical
F
errors.
ut
Of these three types of errors, only discretization errors are specific to
di RA
FEA. Therefore, only discretization errors can be controlled using FEA
methods. Modeling errors, affecting the mathematical model, are
introduced before FEA is utilized and can only be controlled by using
correct modeling techniques. Solution errors, which are round-off
errors accumulated by solver, are difficult to control, but fortunately are
or D
usually very low.
st
Finite Elements As we have already said, the discretization process, better known as
meshing, splits continuous models into finite elements. The type of
Element Types Five element types are available in SolidWorks Simulation: first order
Available in
Do E
in this order.
SolidWorks Simulation terminology refers to first order elements as
Draft Quality elements and second order elements as High Quality
elements.
10
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
First Order Solid First order (draft quality) tetrahedral elements model the first order
Tetrahedral (linear) displacements field in their volume, along faces and edges. The
rib T
Elements linear, or the first order, displacements field gives these elements their
name: first order elements. If you recall from The Mechanics of
e
Materials, strain is the first derivative of displacement. Therefore,
F
strain (obtained by derivating displacement) and, consequently, stress
ut
are both constant in first order tetrahedral elements.
di RA
Each first order tetrahedral element has After
total of four nodes, one in each corner. deformation
Each node has three degrees of freedom,
meaning that nodal displacements can
be fully described by three translation
or D
components. A more detailed
description of degrees of freedom
st
follows later in this chapter.
The edges of first order elements are Before
11
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
Second Order Second order (high quality) solid tetrahedral elements model the
Solid Tetrahedral second order (parabolic) displacements field and, consequently, first
rib T
Elements order (linear) stress field (note that the derivative of a parabolic
function is a linear function). The second order displacements field
e
gives these elements their name: second order elements.
F
ut
Each second order tetrahedral element has ten nodes (four corner nodes
and six mid-side nodes) and each node has three degrees of freedom.
di RA
The edges and faces of second order After
solid elements can assume curvilinear deformation
shapes if the elements need to map to
curvilinear geometry and/or during the
deformation process when the elements
or D
deform under a load.
st
Therefore, these elements map precisely
12
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
First Order Analogous to first order solid elements, first order triangular shell
Triangular Shell elements model the linear displacements field and constant strain and
rib T
Elements stress along their faces and edges. The edges of first order shell element
are straight and must remain straight while the elements deform.
e
F
Each first order shell element has
After
ut
three nodes (all in corners) and deformation
each node has six degrees of
di RA
freedom, meaning that its
displacements are fully described
by three translation components
and three rotation components. Before
deformation
If we represent the elbow with a
or D
mid-plane surface and mesh this
surface with first order shell elements, note the imprecise mapping to
st
curvilinear geometry.
13
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
Second Order Second order (high quality) triangular shell elements model the second
Triangular Shell order displacements field and the first order (linear) stress field.
rib T
Elements Each second order shell element
After
e
has six nodes: three corner nodes deformation
F
and three mid-side nodes. The
ut
edges and faces of second order
shell elements can assume
di RA
Before
curvilinear shapes in the meshing deformation
process when the elements need to
map to curvilinear geometry and/or
during the deformation process when the elements deform under a load.
This shell element mesh created with second order shell elements maps
or D
precisely to curvilinear geometry as illustrated again with the elbow
model.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Beam Elements Contrary to the first order solid and shell elements, two-node beam
elements model the two out-of-plane deflections as cubic functions and
the axial translations and torsional rotations as linear. The shape of a
two-node beam element is initially straight, but it can assume the shape
of a cubic function after the deformation takes place.
-
After
features six degrees of freedom at deformation
each end node: three translations
PR
14
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
Choosing Between Certain classes of shapes can be modeled using either solid or shell
Solid and Shell elements, such as the elbow discussed earlier. The selection of element
rib T
Elements type: tetrahedral solid or triangular shell, used for modeling may
depend on the objective of the analysis. More often, however, the
e
nature of geometry dictates what type of element to use for meshing.
F
For example, parts produced by casting lend themselves to be meshed
ut
with solid elements, while a sheet metal structure is best meshed with
di RA
shell elements.
or D
st
E A hollow plate, featured in the next chapter, can be meshed with either
solid elements created by meshing solid geometry or with shell
op AS
elements created by meshing mid-surface.
Draft vs. High First order elements, both solids and shells, should be used only for
Solid and Shell preliminary studies with specific objectives, such as verifying
Elements directions of loads or restraints, or calculating reaction forces.
t c LE
The studies ready for the final computations (where the correct setup
has been verified by using the Draft elements, for example) and the
studies where a stress distribution is of any interest (especially in the
y
through-thickness direction) should be modeled using High quality
elements.
no RE
degrees of freedom.
Do E
15
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
rib T
constraints applied to shell element require that all six degrees of
freedom be constrained. Failure to constrain rotational degrees of
e
freedom may result in unintentional hinge support in place of the
F
intended rigid support.
ut
Calculations in Each degree of freedom of each node in a finite element mesh
di RA
FEA constitutes an unknown. In structural analysis, degrees of freedom
assigned to nodes can be thought of as nodal displacements.
Displacements are primary unknowns and are always calculated first.
If solid elements are used, three displacement components, or three
degrees of freedom (three unknowns) per node must be calculated.
or D
Using shell elements, six displacement components, or six degrees of
st
freedom per node (six unknowns) must be calculated. All other aspects
of the analysis, such as strains and stresses, are calculated based on the
nodal displacements. In fact, some FEA programs offer solutions with
16
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
Interpretation of The results of FEA are provided either in the form of displacements,
FEA Results strains and stresses for a structural analysis or in the form of
rib T
temperatures, temperature gradients, and heat flux for thermal analysis.
We now focus on the more intuitive structural analysis. How do we
e
decide between a passed or a failed design?
F
ut
To answer these questions, we need to establish some criteria to
interpret FEA results, be they, for example, the maximum acceptable
di RA
deformation, maximum stress, or the lowest acceptable natural
frequency.
While displacement or frequency criteria are quite obvious and easy to
establish, stress criteria are not.
or D
Assume that we conduct a stress analysis in order to ensure that stresses
are within an acceptable range. To assess stress results, we need to
st
understand the mechanism of potential failure. If the part breaks, what
stress component is responsible for that failure?
xy = yx, yz = zy, xz = zx
Do E
2 2 2 2 2 2
eq = 0.5 ( x y ) + ( y z ) + ( z x ) + 3 xy + yz + zx
17
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
Principal Stresses: The state of stress can also be described by three principal stress
P1, P2, and P3 components: 1, 2, 3 whose directions are normal to faces of an
rib T
elementary stress cube.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
Von Mises stress is then expressed as:
st
2 2 2
eq = 0.5 ( 1 2 ) + ( 2 3 ) + ( 3 1 )
E Note that von Mises stress is a non-negative, scalar value. Von Mises
stress is a commonly used stress measure because the structural safety
op AS
of many engineering materials showing elastoplastic properties, such as
steel, is well described by von Mises stress magnitude.
For those materials, the yield factor of safety or the ultimate factor of
safety can be calculated by dividing the yield stress (also called yield
strength) or the ultimate stress (also called ultimate strength) of the
t c LE
18
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
rib T
confusion and trouble with systems of units. Data may be entered in
three different systems of units: SI, Metric, and English. Similarly,
e
results can be displayed in any of those three systems of units. The
F
available systems of units are summarized in the following table:
ut
di RA
International
Metric English
System of Units
(MKS) (IPS)
(SI)
Mass kg kg lbm
Length m cm in
or D
Time s s s
st
Force N kgf lbf
E Pressure/Stress
Mass density
N/m^2
kg/m3
Kgf/cm^2
kg/cm3
lbf/in^2
lb./in3
op AS
Temperature o o o
K C F
Limitations of With any FEA software, we need to take advantage of its strengths as
SolidWorks well as work within its limitations. Analysis with SolidWorks
Simulation Simulation is conducted under the following assumptions:
t c LE
I material is linear
I structural deformations are small
y
I loads are static
These assumptions are typical of the FEA software used in the design
no RE
19
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
Linear Material In all materials used with SolidWorks Simulation, stress is linearly
proportional to strain.
rib T
e
F
ut
Linear
Material
STRESS
di RA
Nonlinear
Material
STRAIN
or D
st
Using a linear material model, the maximum stress magnitude is not
limited to yield or to ultimate stress as it is in real life.
E For example, in a linear model, if stress reaches 100 MPa under a load
of 1,000 N., then stress will reach 1,000 MPa under a load of 10,000 N.
op AS
Material yielding is not modeled. Whether or not yield takes place can
only be interpreted based on the stress magnitudes reported in results.
Most analyzed structures experience stresses below yield stress, and the
factor of safety is most often related to the yield stress.
t c LE
Deformations Simulation, we assume that those deformations are small. What exactly
is a small structural deformation? Often it is explained as a deformation
no RE
20
SolidWorks 2012 Introduction
rib T
large displacement analysis capabilities, which we will discuss towards
the end of this course.
e
F
Other analysis tools, such as SolidWorks Simulation Premium must be
ut
used to analyze this structure.
di RA
Note that the magnitude of deformation is not the deciding factor when
classifying deformation as small or large. What really matters is
whether or not the deformation changes the structural stiffness in a
significant way.
Small deformation analysis assumes that the structural stiffness
or D
remains the same throughout the deformation process. Large
deformation analysis accounts for changes of stiffness caused by
st
deformations.
While the distinction between
bending stresses.
During the deformation
process, the membrane
y
This limitation implies that loads are applied slowly enough to ignore
Do E
21
Introduction SolidWorks 2012
rib T
lessons. As we progress through the case studies presented in the
following lessons, we will occasionally digress from software-specific
e
issues in order to discuss relevant FEA fundamentals.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
22
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 1
or D
The Analysis Process
st
E
op AS
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Navigate the SolidWorks Simulation interface.
t c LE
23
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
The Analysis The process of analyzing models consists of the same basic steps
Process regardless of the type of analysis or model. We must understand these
rib T
steps fully to have a meaningful analysis.
e
Stages in the Some key stages in the analysis of a model are shown in the following
F
Process list:
ut
I Create a study
di RA
Each analysis performed on a model is a study. We can have
multiple studies in each model.
I Apply material
We apply a material which contains the physical information, such
as yield strength, to the model.
or D
I Apply fixtures
Fixtures are added to represent the way the physical model is held.
st
I Apply loads
Loads represent the forces on the model.
model to familiarize ourselves with all the steps and the majority of the
software functionality typically used in a static analysis of solid
no RE
models.
In spite of its simplicity, this is probably the most important lesson in
this course. This lesson goes through all the required steps; however,
after the lesson is complete, you should continue to explore other
software functionality and other modeling assumptions, such as
-
24
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
Using FEA terminology, the objective is to investigate the effect of
different discretization choices on the data of interest, in our case, on
e
deformation and stress.
F
ut
Therefore, we perform the analyses using meshes with different
element sizes. Note that repetitive analysis with different meshes does
di RA
not represent standard practice in FEA. We repeat the analysis using
different meshes as a learning tool to gain more insight into how FEA
works.
or D
Open rectangular hollow plate from the Lesson01\Case Studies
folder. Review the dimensions of the model and note down the length,
st
width, and thickness of the part in millimeters.
25
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
SolidWorks SolidWorks Simulation functions are accessed in the same way as core
Simulation SolidWorks. To create an FEA model, solve the model, and analyze the
rib T
Interface results, we use a graphical interface in the form of icons and folders
located in the SolidWorks Simulation Study tree window.
e
F
Analysis Library
ut
di RA
CommandManager tab
Toolbar
or D
st
E Simulation
op AS
Simulation Study Advisor
Simulation tabs
Study tree
26
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Toolbars E The Simulation toolbar contains all the
op AS
commands that have toolbar buttons. It
can be customized to show only those
commands you use frequently.
t c LE
27
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
SolidWorks Located on the Simulation menu, the Options dialog box enables you to
Simulation customize the Simulation software to reflect the standards your
rib T
Options company uses for analysis. There are two categories of options, system
and default.
e
F
I System Options
ut
System options apply to all studies. Included are the settings for the
way the errors are displayed and the location of the default libraries.
di RA
I Default Options
Default options apply to new studies. As we do not use templates
for simulation studies, this is where the options are set for units,
default plots, etc.
or D
Where to Find It I Menu: Click Options from the Simulation menu
st
3 Open Options window.
E 4
Click Options on the Simulation menu.
Set default units for SolidWorks Simulation.
Under Default Options, select Units. Make sure that the Units system
op AS
is set to SI (MKS) and Length/Displacement and Stress are in mm
and N/mm^2(MPa), respectively.
t c LE
y
no RE
28
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
In the Under sub folder box, enter results. This will automatically
create a sub folder results to store SolidWorks Simulation results.
rib T
Under Default Solver, select Automatic.
e
F
Note Solvers will be discussed later in the course.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
I Stress1
I Displacement1
I Strain1
The plot settings determine which plots
will be automatically created and their
-
defined folder.
29
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
Expand the Default plots subfolder located in the Plot folder. This
section allows you to select default result plots to be generated after
e
solving the analysis.
F
ut
We will use the default settings in the Default plots folder for this
lesson.
di RA
or D
st
E 7 Specify color chart options.
op AS
Under the Plot folder, select Color chart.
Set Number format to scientific (e) and No. of decimal places to 6.
Explore all the chart options in this dialog.
Click OK to close the Options window.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
30
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
Preprocessing In the following steps, we will prepare the model for analysis. The
rib T
preprocessing steps include:
e
I Create a study
F
I Apply material
ut
I Apply fixtures
I Apply external forces
di RA
I Mesh the model
New Study Creation of an FEA model always starts with the
definition of a study.
The study definition is where we enter
information about the kind of analysis we wish
or D
to perform.
st
Each analysis we do is a separate
study. When a study is defined,
E SolidWorks Simulation
automatically creates a study
folder (named in this case,
op AS
default analysis) and places
several icons in it.
Some of the icons are folders that
contain other icons.
t c LE
Renaming Studies The name of the study can be changed at any point by click-pause-
Do E
31
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Assigning Material We can assign material to the model in either the SolidWorks or the
Properties SolidWorks Simulation window.
rib T
If a material was assigned in the SolidWorks window, the material
e
definition will be transferred automatically to SolidWorks Simulation.
F
In this lesson, we assign material to the part in the SolidWorks
ut
Simulation window, not because this is the preferred way, but to
di RA
demonstrate this option.
To assign a material:
I Select Material on the Simulation menu, then click Apply material
to all.
I Select the component, then click Apply Material in the
or D
Simulation Main toolbar.
I Right-click the body/part/
st
assembly icon in the
Simulation Study tree and
Because we are not working with an assembly but with a single part
which contains only one body (i.e. this is not a multi body part) any of
the above three ways of material assignment can be used.
y
8 Create a study.
no RE
32
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
Expand Solidworks Materials and assign AISI 304 from the Steel
e
folder.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
The required material constants are in red. The constants shown in blue
may be required if specific load types are used (for example, the
no RE
Click Close.
The rectangular hollow plate icon in the Parts folder now displays
PR
a green check mark and the name of the selected material to indicate
that a material has successfully been assigned.
33
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
be used to restraint the model. Generally, fixtures can be applied to
faces, edges and vertices using various methods.
e
F
Fixture Types The fixtures and restraints are grouped as Standard and Advanced.
ut
Their properties are summarized below:
di RA
Standard Fixtures
Fixture Type Definition
Fixed Geometry Also called a rigid support, all translational
and all rotational degrees of freedom are
or D
constrained.
Fixed Geometry does not require any
st
information on the direction along which
restraints are applied.
Advanced Fixtures
Fixture Type Definition
Symmetry This option is available for use on flat face;
in-plane displacements are allowed and
-
34
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
Advanced Fixtures
Fixture Type Definition
rib T
Use Reference This option restrains a face, edge, or vertex
e
Geometry only in desired direction(s), while leaving the
F
other directions free to move. You can specify
ut
the desired direction(s) of restraint in relation
di RA
to the selected reference plane, axis, edge, or
face. The SolidWorks Flyout FeatureManager
is useful for selecting reference geometry
(plane and axis).
On Flat Faces This option provides restraints in selected
or D
directions, which are defined by the three
principal directions of the flat face where
st
restraints are being applied.
On Cylindrical This option is similar to On flat face except
35
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
In the Simulation Study tree, right-click
Fixtures and select Fixed Geometry.
e
F
Rotate the model and select the face to apply
ut
restraints. The Flyout FeatureManager is
available in the upper left corner of the
di RA
graphics area to make selection easier for
parts, bodies or features.
In the Type box, select Fixed Geometry, and
then click OK to close the Fixture
PropertyManager.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
36
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
In this case study, we select Fixed Geometry
e
as the fixture type, meaning that all six
F
degrees of freedom (three translations and
ut
three rotations) have been restrained.
di RA
The fixture symbols are arrows to indicate
translational restraints and discs to indicate rotational restraints in
respective directions. In this lesson, the fixtures are defined by the
directions of the global coordinate system visible in the lower-left
corner of the model window.
or D
If, instead of selecting Fixed Geometry as the
type of fixture, we selected Roller/Slider, then
st
the rotational degrees of freedom would not be
constrained and the corresponding fixture
37
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
External Loads Once the model is restrained, we must apply external loads, or forces,
to the model. SolidWorks Simulation provides various external forces
rib T
that can be used to load the model. Generally, forces can be applied to
faces, edges, and vertices using various methods. These external forces
e
and their properties are summarized below:
F
ut
Standard External Forces
di RA
Force Type Definition
Force This option applies a force or moment to a
face, edge, or vertex in the direction defined
by selected reference geometry (plane, edge,
face, or axis).
or D
Note that a moment can only be applied if
st
shell elements are used. Shell elements have
six degrees of freedom per node (translations
loads.
Torque This option applies torque about a reference
y
axis using the Right-hand Rule. This option
requires that the axis be defined in
no RE
SolidWorks.
-
Do E
PR
38
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
Pressure Applies a pressure to a face. Can be
e
directional and variable, such as hydrostatic
F
pressure.
ut
Gravity Applies linear accelerations to parts or
di RA
assemblies.
Centrifugal Force Applies an angular velocity and acceleration
to a part or assembly.
Bearing Load Bearing loads are defined between contacting
cylindrical faces.
or D
Remote Load/ Remote loads apply loads that would
st
Mass normally be transferred by connecting
structure.
13 Define Force.
Rotate the model to reveal the face where
-
39
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
PropertyManager.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
In the Type area, select Normal, in the Units dialog make sure that SI is
selected, and in the Force Value box, type 110,000.
Select Reverse direction. This is required to define a tensile force.
t c LE
Click OK .
14 Rename the force.
Rename this force definition to Tensile force.
-
Do E
PR
40
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
controlled both locally and
globally.
e
F
The local settings of the
ut
symbols are controlled from the
Symbol settings dialog in the
di RA
Fixtures and External Loads
PropertyManagers.
or D
st
E
op AS
The global definitions for the symbols can be controlled by the
SolidWorks Simulation Options in the Load/Fixture folder.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
Display/Hide The model now shows both loads and restraints symbols. To hide or
Symbols show the symbols:
I Right-click a particular restraint or load icon in the Fixtures or
External Loads folder and choose Show or Hide.
I Right-click the Fixtures or External Loads folder to globally
display or hide loads and restraints and choose Show All or Hide All.
41
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Preprocessing Now that we have assigned the material properties, fixtures, and
Summary external loads, we have fully defined the mathematical model, which
rib T
we intend to solve with FEA.
e
The mathematical model must be discretized into a finite element
F
model. Before creating the finite element model, let us make a few
ut
observations about the following terms:
di RA
I Geometry preparation
I Material properties
I External loads definition
I Fixtures definition
Geometry Geometry preparation is a well-defined step with few uncertainties.
or D
Preparation Geometry that is simplified for analysis can be checked visually by
comparing it with the original CAD model.
st
Material Properties Material properties are most often selected from the material library
and do not account for local defects, surface conditions, and so on.
Idealizations and Geometry is the easiest to define while fixtures are the most difficult,
Assumptions but the level of difficulty has no relation to the time required for each
PR
42
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
defined in the model represents an acceptable idealization of real
conditions. However, we need to emphasize that it is the responsibility
e
of the user of the FEA software to determine if all those idealized
F
assumptions made during the creation of the mathematical model are
ut
indeed acceptable. The best automesher and the fastest solver do not
di RA
help if the mathematical model submitted for analysis with FEA is
based on erroneous assumptions.
Meshing The last step before processing the FEA model is to mesh the geometry.
In this step, the geometry will be divided into finite elements by an
automesher. While the automesher will take care of the tedious part of
or D
the problem, we have input into the process to control the size and
quality of the mesh.
st
Curvature Based SolidWorks Simulation uses advanced technology to mesh the
Mesh geometry into finite elements. The curvature based mesh algorithm
E generates a mesh with a variable element size that allows the accurate
resolution of small features in the geometry.
op AS
Mesh Density SolidWorks Simulation will suggest medium mesh
density as the default that SolidWorks Simulation
will use for meshing our model. Mesh density
directly affects the accuracy of results. The smaller
the elements, the lower the discretization errors, but the longer the
t c LE
h
PR
43
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
element size define how big and smallare the elements. These
parameters are established automatically, based on the geometric
e
features of the SolidWorks model. SolidWorks Simulation uses the
F
units of length specified in the SolidWorks model for the element size.
ut
Remember, however, that we can enter analysis data and analyze
di RA
results in any one of three unit systems: SI, Metric and English.
Minimum Number The Min number of elements in a circle
of Elements in a defines how the small features in the
Circle geometry will be resolved. For example, if
the model had a hole, the number of elements
or D
in a circle will define how many elements
will surround that circle. In the image to the
st
right, we have defined a minimum of 10
elements to surround the hole.
Ratio
E The ratio is used to define the transition of the mesh from the Minimum
element size to the Maximum element size.
op AS
The Ratio parameter specifies the ratio between element sizes in
consecutive transitional element layers. In our case, the default Ratio is
used.
The following shows the use of this option.
t c LE
a) Minimum element
Maximum element size = 0.1 mm
y
size = 1mm
no RE
Ratio = 2.0
-
b)
Minimum element
Do E
Ratio = 1.1
44
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
errors while keeping solution times reasonably short.
e
F
15 Generate the mesh.
ut
Right-click Mesh and select Create Mesh.
di RA
Expand Mesh Parameters and select
Curvature based mesh.
The model will be meshed using High
quality elements.
Expand all the sections of the
or D
PropertyManager to see all the available
choices.
st
E
op AS
16 Set the mesh density.
The default mesh density will have the slider at
mid-scale. Under Mesh Parameters, the
Maximum element size and Minimum element
t c LE
45
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Mesh Quality The mesh can be created with either a High or Draft mesh quality. The
default is to use a High quality mesh. To use a draft quality mesh, you
rib T
must select it in the PropertyManager under Advanced options.
e
The difference between High and Draft quality is that:
F
I Draft quality mesh uses first order elements.
ut
I High quality mesh uses second order elements.
di RA
The differences between first and second order elements are discussed
in Element Types Available in SolidWorks Simulation in the
Introduction to FEA chapter.
or D
In the Advanced section, clear Draft Quality
Mesh.
st
We will review the other mesh options as we proceed with the class.
successfully completed.
y
no RE
Note We named this study default analysis with the intention of using the
default mesh size. Later on in this lesson the problem will be solved
again with coarse and fine meshes.
Display/Hide Mesh Mesh visibility can be controlled by right-clicking Mesh, and then
-
46
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
Right-click the study icon, default
analysis, and select Run.
e
F
ut
di RA
You can monitor or pause the
or D
solution in the solver window while
the analysis is running.
st
E
op AS
Postprocessing After the analysis is complete, SolidWorks Simulation automatically
creates the Results folder with the default results plots that we
specified at the beginning of the lesson: Stress1 (-vonMises-),
t c LE
click the plot icon again to examine the plot control options.
Do E
47
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Notice that the stress plot is in Mega-pascals (N/mm^2) units and the
legend features scientific numbers with six digits, just as we requested
rib T
in the Options at the beginning of the lesson.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
We observe that the maximum value of Von Mises stress is 408 MPa,
which significantly exceeds the yield stress of the material, 206 MPa,
indicated by the red marker in following the chart.
Editing Plots To edit a plot, right-click on the plot and select Edit
t c LE
definition.
The Display dialog lets you specify a stress
y
component, units, and the type of plot.
The Advanced Options dialog lets you choose to
no RE
48
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
Nodal vs. Element The following figures show the nodal and elemental values of the Von
Stresses Mises stress for our model.
rib T
Node Values
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Element Values
t c LE
y
no RE
The stress plot that displays Nodal values appears smooth, while the
stress plot that displays Element values appears rough.
-
Do E
49
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
often, one node is shared by several
elements, and each element reports
e
different stresses at the shared node.
F
Reported values from all adjacent
ut
elements are then averaged to obtain a
di RA
single value. This method of stress
averaging produces averaged (or nodal)
stress results.
Element Values Alternately, the stress values from all Gauss points within each element
can be averaged to report a single elemental stress. Although these
or D
stresses are averaged between Gauss points, they are called non-
averaged stresses (or element stresses) because the averaging is done
st
internally within the same element only.
Element stresses and nodal stresses are always different, but too large a
Modifying Result The Results plots can be modified in several ways to suit your needs.
PR
Plots There are three primary functions to control the content, units, display
and annotations of the plots.
I Edit Definition
Edit Definition controls the component (von Mises, 1st principal
stress, X normal stress) and units to be displayed.
50
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
I Chart Options
Chart Options control the annotations. Options include which
rib T
annotations are shown as well as the color, type of units (scientific,
floating, general) and the number of decimal places shown in the
e
legend. The position of the legend and titles can also be adjusted.
F
I Settings
ut
Settings are used to control the display of the model.
di RA
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click a plot and select either Edit Definition,
Chart Options or Settings
or D
Right-click Stress1 (-vonMises-) and select Chart Options.
st
Check Show min annotation and Show max annotation boxes to
show the markers in the plot.
E Note that you can also modify the limiting values in the legend, format
of the numbers, and the color options.
op AS
If you select the legend, it will be framed. You can then drag the legend
to any location on the plot.
Click OK to save new settings.
51
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
Settings.
e
Explore the Fringe, Boundary, and Deformed
F
Plot Options in this dialog.
ut
di RA
or D
Other Plot There are several other plot types available to display specific results of
st
Controls the analysis.
E
Introducing: Section
Plot
Sections plots allow a cutting plane to be positioned at any point in the
model and the plotted results shown at the plane location.
op AS
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Result Tools, Section Clipping
I Shortcut Menu: Right-click an existing plot and select Section
Clipping
Introducing: Iso Iso plots show that part of a model where the plotted parameter is a
Plots certain value or between certain values.
t c LE
Introducing: Probe A probe allows you to select a point or points on the model and display
the plot parameter in both tabular and plotted form.
no RE
52
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
In many applications it is useful to cut the
model and look at the distribution of the
e
result quantity in the through-thickness
F
direction.
ut
Right-click Stress1 (-vonMises-) and
di RA
select Section Clipping.
From the SolidWorks fly-out menu, select
Right plane as a Reference entity.
Students are encouraged to explore all the
or D
options and parameters in the Section
dialog. Note that the user can also drag the
st
triad to easily move the cut plane through the model.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
53
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
model where the von Mises stress is between 170
MPa and 275 MPa.
e
F
Right-click on Stress1 (-vonMises-) and select
ut
Iso Clipping. This opens the Iso Clipping
PropertyManager.
di RA
In the Iso value box, under the Iso1 dialog, enter
275 N/mm^2 [MPa] [39,886 psi].
Check Iso 2 and in the Iso value box, enter 170 N/
mm^2 [MPa] [24,657 psi].
or D
Click OK.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
The black arrows on the stress legend indicate the values defined for
no RE
54
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
Using the pointer, click the desired locations on the plot. It helps to
zoom in on the area.
e
F
The stress results are listed in the Results dialog table and in the plot at
ut
the selected locations.
di RA
or D
st
E Select points
in this direction
op AS
t c LE
Under Report Option, you can save the results in a file, plot the path-
y
graph, or save the locations as sensors. (Sensors are discussed in detail
later on in the class.)
no RE
-
Do E
PR
55
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E The figure above shows a Von Mises stress path plot for the selected
op AS
locations.
25 Define P1: 1st Principal Stress
plot.
Define a new stress plot. Right-click
the Results folder and select Define
t c LE
Stress Plot.
y
no RE
-
56
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
We observe that the maximum value of the 1st principle stress, 416 MPa
[60,304 psi], is very close to the maximum value of the Von Mises
stress, 408 MPa [59,218 psi]. This is because the specified Tensile
op AS
load is the only dominant load component resulting in predominantly
tensile stress along the longitudinal direction of the plate.
26 Define displacement plot.
Double-click the Displacement1 (-Res disp-) plot icon.
The post processing features that we practiced in the case of Stress1
t c LE
57
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Note We record the displacement result with 6 digits only to practice the plot
options and to compare results from studies with different meshes. The
rib T
uncertainties and simplifying assumptions used to create the model do
not justify this accuracy.
e
F
27 Superimpose undeformed shape.
ut
Right-click on Displacement1(-Res disp-) and
select Settings.
di RA
Select Superimpose model on the deformed
shape. You can also adjust the transparency of the
undeformed image.
Click OK.
or D
28 Animate displacement plot.
To animate the displacement plot, right-
st
click on Displacement1 (-Res disp-)
and select Animate.
E
op AS
t c LE
*.avi file.
Try the options of the animation feature.
-
Do E
PR
58
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E Note that strain results are dimensionless.
Strain results are shown as non-averaged (element values) by default as
op AS
opposed to stress results, which are shown as averaged (node values)
by default.
Examine the strain plot showing Element Values.
To review the averaged strain plot, right-click on Strain1
t c LE
Other Plots There are several other postprocessing quantities available to view at
the end of the analysis.
-
Introducing: Factor Factor of Safety Plot show the safety of the design based on the
Do E
of Safety Plot design strength of the material (typically the yield strength). This plot is
fully introduced in Lesson 7.
PR
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Define
Factor of Safety Plot
I CommandManager: Simulation > Results Advisor > New Plot >
Factor of Safety
Introducing: Fatigue Fatigue Check Plot serves as a quick indicator if the fatigue may be of
Check Plot any concern in the design of the component.
59
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Define
Fatigue Check Plot
rib T
Important! The fatigue check plot is only available if you have Simulation
e
Professional.
F
ut
30 Plot Fatigue Check Plot.
di RA
Right-click on the Results folder and select Define
Fatigue Check Plot.
Set the Loading type to On/Off Loading to indicate
that the Tensile force may oscillate between 0 and
110,000 N.
or D
Set the Surface Finish Factor to Machined. Keep
st
the Loading Factor and Size Factor at their default
values of Axial and 0.75.
The areas in red indicate potential fatigue problems. Note that accurate
calculations using the SolidWorks Simulation Professional fatigue
-
Multiple Studies We have completed the analysis of rectangular hollow plate with the
PR
default mesh and now wish to see how a change in mesh density affects
the results. For this reason, we will repeat the analysis two more times
using both coarser and finer density meshes.
To repeat the analysis with coarsened mesh, we can create a new mesh
while still in the default analysis study, but this action would
overwrite the old results.
60
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
To preserve the results of the study, we will create a new study, coarse
analysis. Creating a new study can be done in several ways.
rib T
Creating New New studies can be created in one of two ways:
e
Studies I Create a new study from scratch.
F
I Duplicate an existing study. Right-click the tab for the study you
ut
want to duplicate and click Duplicate. This is essentially the same
di RA
as copying a study and pasting it into a blank study.
When we duplicate a study, SolidWorks
Simulation displays the Define Study
Name window. This will allow us to
name the duplicated study and choose the
or D
model configuration to use.
st
E
Copy Parameters When we create a new study, we can copy material, fixtures and
external forces from existing studies rather than recreating them in the
op AS
new study. To copy parameters, drag the parameter from the Simulation
Study tree to the tab of the new study.
61
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
element size should read 11.4491 mm
[0.4508 in].
e
F
Click OK.
ut
di RA
or D
st
The generated mesh is
Note The mesh is rather coarse. Later, we will discuss why this sort of mesh
no RE
62
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
maximum von Mises stress (403 Mpa / 58,393 psi).
e
Note All plot settings remain the same as the default analysis study
F
because the plot definitions are copied from that study.
ut
36 Re-run the analysis with fine mesh.
di RA
Repeat steps 31 - 34 to generate a new study with fine mesh named
fine analysis.
When re-generating the mesh, move the slider all the way to the right.
The Maximum element size and Minimum element size should read
2.86227 mm [0.1127 in].
or D
The fine mesh generated
st
using the above settings is
shown to the right.
63
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Check Now we must collect information from all of the studies (default,
Convergence and coarse and fine analysis) to compare the displacement and
rib T
Accuracy maximum von Mises stress results for the various mesh refinements.
We can determine the maximum displacement and the maximum von
e
Mises stress results in plots.
F
ut
We must also determine the number of elements and the number of
nodes in each mesh. These can be found in the Mesh Details window
di RA
of each respective mesh.
Finally, we must determine the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) in
each model. To calculate this number, we could count the number of
unconstrained nodes by subtracting the number of nodes on the
constrained face from the number nodes reported in mesh details. Then
or D
we could multiply this number by three because each node in a solid
element mesh has 3 DOF. An easier method, however, is to right-click
st
the Results folder in each study and select Solver Messages (see
below).
64
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
Results Summary The summary of the results produced by the three studies is shown in
the following table:
rib T
e
Max.
Max. von Number
Mesh displace- Number Number
F
Mises stress of
density ment of DOF of nodes
ut
[MPa] elements
[mm]
di RA
coarse
.1432014 402.608 7,128 1,173 2,427
analysis
default
.1434608 408.292 44,037 8,677 14,844
analysis
fine
or D
.1435097 415.427 310,977 68,511 104,248
analysis
st
Note that all of the results of this table pertain to the same problem. The
only difference is in the mesh density. You may find small differences
E between your own results and those presented in this table. This is due
to service pack upgrades, etc. Having noted that the maximum
op AS
displacement increases with mesh refinement, we can conclude that the
model becomes less stiff (or softer) when the number of degrees of
freedom increases. In our case, by selecting second order elements, we
impose the assumption that the displacement field in each element is
described by second order polynomial functions.
t c LE
the solution of the FEA model and the solution of the mathematical
model are due to discretization error. Discretization error diminishes
with mesh refinement.
PR
65
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
Comparison With An infinitely long rectangular hollow plate under a tensile load
Analytical Results possesses an analytical solution [1]. We compare FEA results with
rib T
analytical results.
e
W, D and T denote plate width (100 mm), hole diameter (40 mm) and
F
plate thickness (10 mm). P is the tensile load 110,000 N or 24,729 lb.
ut
For comparison with analytical results, it is more convenient to use the
SI system because the SolidWorks model have been defined in mm.
di RA
n is the normal stress in the cross section where the hole is located, Kn
is the stress concentration factor, and max is the maximum principal
stress.
P 110000
n = ---------------------------- = ----------------------------------- = 183.33MPa
( W D )xT ( 100 40 )x10
or D
2 3
K n = 3 3.13 ----- + 3.66 ----- 1.53 ----- = 2.23568
D D D
st
W W W
Review the P1: 1st principal stress plot for study default analysis.
op AS
The maximum value reached 415.78 MPa, which corresponds to
approximately 60.3 ksi.
Therefore, the difference is:
NumericalSolutions THEORY 415.78 409.87
difference = -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- = --------------------------------------- = 1.42
t c LE
NumericalSolutions 415.78
We must be very careful in how we compare these results. Note that the
analytical solution is valid only for a very thin plate where a plane
stress condition is assumed. SolidWorks Simulation calculates a
solution for a 3D model with substantial thickness (10 mm) and
accounts for realistic stress distribution across the plate thickness.
SolidWorks Simulation also takes into consideration the fact that the
-
plate has a finite length (200 mm) rather that an infinite one, as the
Do E
gradient across the plate thickness, which is not accounted for in the
analytical model. Thus, we can conclude that SolidWorks Simulation
provides more detailed stress information than the analytical solution.
66
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
Reports Results may need to be recorded in report form for review, presentation
or archive purposes.
rib T
Reports can be published in Microsoft Word format. Different sections
e
can be added to the report from a list of predefined commonly used
F
topics. The default settings for the Reports can be found in the
ut
Simulation, Options menu.
di RA
Predefined sections include:
I Description I Assumptions
I Model Information I Study Properties
I Units I Material Properties
I Loads and Fixtures I Connector Definitions
or D
I Contact Information I Mesh Information
I Sensor Details I Resultant Forces
st
I Beams I Study Results
I Conclusion I Appendix
67
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
40 Add sections.
Under Report sections, select the required report parts. (For example,
rib T
you could deselect the option Contact Information, as we do not have
any in this analysis.)
e
F
Enter your Header information and click Publish.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
68
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 1
The Analysis Process
rib T
all major steps in the FEA process.
e
We created multiple studies to execute a linear static analysis with three
F
different meshes.
ut
While preparing models for analysis and examining results obtained
di RA
with different meshes, we introduced the concept of modeling error and
discretization error.
This first lesson was intended to provide an understanding of FEA
methodology and the software skills necessary to complete the lessons
that follow.
or D
References 1. Young and Budynas, Roarks Formulas for Stress and Strain, 7th
st
Edition.
E
op AS
Questions I The pre-processing stage of the FEA includes the following steps:
1._________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________
3._________________________________________________
t c LE
4._________________________________________________
5._________________________________________________
y
I The density of finite element mesh (does / does not) have
considerable impact on the analysis results.
no RE
69
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2012
The Analysis Process
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
70
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 1
Bracket
Exercise 1: In this first exercise, you will analyze a simple part with a single
Bracket restraint and one external force.
rib T
This lab uses the following skills:
e
I Fixtures on page 34.
F
I External Loads on page 38.
ut
I Meshing on page 43.
di RA
I Multiple Studies on page 60.
or D
bolted to the rest of the
st
assembly through the two bolt
holes, as indicated in the figure.
The part is then subjected to a
E 1
normal force of 500 N, applied to the counter bored face.
Open a part file.
op AS
Open part from the Lesson01\Exercises folder.
2 Specify SolidWorks Simulation options.
Select Options in the Simulation menu.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Select the Default Options tab, specify SI (MKS) as a default Units for
this analysis. In the Units dialog, set the Length/Displacement and
Do E
71
Exercise 1 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
The following default results plots are generated after each static study
is completed: nodal von Mises stress and resultant displacement.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
Right-click on the Static Study Results folder and select Add New
st
Plot. Add an additional result plot for the nodal P1: 1st principal
stress be generated as a default result plot.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
72
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 1
Bracket
rib T
FeatureManager and select Apply/Edit
Material.
e
F
Specify Aluminum 1060 Alloy from the
solidworks materials library.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
73
Exercise 1 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
6 Apply Fixtures.
Apply Fixed Geometry to the two bolt holes, as shown in the figure
rib T
below.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E This restraint simulates the way this part is attached to the rest of the
assembly.
op AS
Fixed Geometry fixtures are used in this exercise to model the bolted
connections mounting the bracket to the other parts of the larger
assembly. Also, the presence of the other parts to which this bracket is
attached is ignored in this exercise.
t c LE
You will learn in the later lessons that more accurate and elegant
methods and features, such as bolt connectors and virtual wall, exist to
simulate these conditions.
y
74
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 1
Bracket
8 Mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
rib T
Mesh the model using High quality elements with the default element
e
sizes.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E 9 Run the study.
op AS
10 Plot stress results.
We observe that the maximum von Mises stress in the model is
approximately 35.1 MPa, which is above the yield strength of the 1060
Aluminum Alloy (27.5 MPa).
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
75
Exercise 1 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
rib T
maximum tensile stress in the part (maximum compressive stress
where the value is negative).
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
11 Probe stress on the fillet.
op AS
Later in the course you will learn that the
fixtures may result in stress
intensifications which are not real. For
this reason, we will focus our attention to
the filleted region between the horizontal
and vertical bosses on the part.
t c LE
Click Update.
-
Do E
PR
76
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 1
Bracket
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Probing the results on selected faces we see that the maximum stress at
this stress concentration region is 30.6 MPa [4,547 psi], which is
slightly above the yield strength of 27.5 MPa [3,989 psi].
t c LE
77
Exercise 1 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
Coarse Mesh and Are our current results accurate enough? Visual inspection of our finite
Element Stress element mesh suggests that it may be rather coarse, especially in the
rib T
regions where the fillets are present. Furthermore, inspection of the
distribution of the elemental values of the von Mises stress indicates
e
considerable stress jumps from element-to-element in the higher stress
F
concentration areas.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
We will repeat the analysis with finer mesh.
78
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 1
Bracket
rib T
15 Run the study.
e
F
16 Plot stress results.
ut
We now observe that the maximum von Mises stress increased from
di RA
35.1 MPa to 39.1 MPa, which is above the material yield strength of the
27.5 MPa. This translates to a difference of nearly 11%. However, if we
examine the plot, we will see that the maximum stress is at the sharp
corner of the bolt holes. We will discuss this further in the next lesson.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
79
Exercise 1 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
rib T
from 0.0678 mm to 0.0683 mm; a difference of less than 1 %.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
19 Save and Close the file.
op AS
Summary In this exercise, we practiced the basic setup of the linear static study as
well as the post processing features available in SolidWorks
t c LE
80
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 2
Compressive Spring Stiffness
rib T
Spring Stiffness This exercise reinforces the following skills:
e
I New Study on page 31.
F
I Fixtures on page 34.
ut
I External Loads on page 38.
di RA
I Meshing on page 43.
I Result Plots on page 47.
Procedure The stiffness of the helical spring can be determined as follows:
1 Open a part file.
Open spring from Lesson01\Exercises folder.
or D
Note For convenient application of fixtures and external loads, disks have
st
been added to both ends of the spring. The distance between the disks
corresponds to the active length of the un-compressed spring.
81
Exercise 2 SolidWorks 2012
Compressive Spring Stiffness
rib T
the radial direction to the cylindrical face of the
other disk (item 2).
e
F
This restraint only allows the spring to be
compressed (or expanded) in its axial direction
ut
and to rotate about the longitudinal axis.
di RA
2
or D
1
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Use High quality elements with the default Maximum element size
and Minimum element size of 2.787 mm and 0.557 mm, respectively.
-
Do E
PR
82
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 2
Compressive Spring Stiffness
9 Plot z displacements.
Displacement results indicate an axial displacement of 0.426 mm. The
rib T
axial displacement is in the z direction.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Coil Spring Axial The axial stiffness of the spring can be calculated as 234.7 N/m.
Stiffness (k = f/x).
We use this result to define the spring connector in later lessons using
t c LE
3
8nD
where:
I G is the material shear modulus
I d is the diameter of the wire
-
approximately 230 N/m. This result is very close to our actual result of
234.7 N/m.
83
Exercise 3 SolidWorks 2012
Container Handle
rib T
Handle container handle.
e
This exercise reinforces the
F
following skills:
ut
I New Study on page 31.
di RA
I Fixtures on page 34.
I External Loads on
Base plates
page 38.
I Meshing on page 43.
I Result Plots on page 47. Handle
or D
st
Problem The handle is used to attach the hook of the winch when loading the
Description container on the rails of the transporting truck. The entire container is
Goal Decide whether the design of this handle is safe. Pay attention to the
most appropriate representation of the fixture.
The part for this exercise is located in the Lesson01\Exercises
folder.
84
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 2
or D
Mesh Controls, Stress
st
Concentrations and
E Boundary Conditions
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
y
85
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
Mesh Control Meshes are rarely uniform in practical problems. It would be very
inefficient to uniformly reduce the mesh size in a large model because
rib T
of a local stress concentration. We would create large number of
elements in areas of uniform or slowly changing stress resulting in an
e
increase of computational time that in the end tells us little about the
F
model.
ut
Using different methods to control the mesh, we can use a small mesh
di RA
in areas of rapid changing stress and a large mesh in areas with little
change.
Case Study: In this case study, we will determine the stress in an L bracket, under
The L Bracket load. The L bracket presents the problem of stress at sharp corners and
the effects of fillets and local mesh refinement.
or D
The corner of the bracket is rounded by a small fillet. Since the radius
st
of the fillet is small compared to the overall size of the model, it may be
suppressed. We will solve the model with and without fillet, discuss the
Stages in the Some key stages in the analysis of this part are shown in the following
Process list:
I No fillet
PR
86
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
I Mesh refinement
As the fillet is small compared to the rest of the model, we will use
rib T
different techniques to reduce the mesh size only in the area of the
fillet.
e
F
ut
Procedure In the first part of this case study, we will examine the stress on this part
di RA
without the fillet.
1 Open a part file.
Open L bracket.from Lesson02\Case
Studies folder.
In the SolidWorks ConfigurationManager,
or D
examine the two configurations: fillet and no fillet.
st
Make the no fillet configuration active.
2 Set the simulation options.
The L bracket icon already has a check mark next to the name of the
assigned material because the material definition (AISI 304 steel) has
Do E
87
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
5 Apply a fixture.
Now apply a Fixed Geometry fixture to the
rib T
top face of the L bracket.
e
Right-click Fixtures and select Fixed
F
Geometry.
ut
In the Standard list select Fixed Geometry.
di RA
Click OK.
or D
Select Force.
We want to apply a shearing force and not a normal force, so we must
st
define the direction of the force. Select Selected direction.
E Select the indicated face to apply the force and the Top plane to specify
the direction.
op AS
Type 900 N [202.33 lbf] for the force.
Select Reverse direction to make sure the force is pointing as shown.
Click OK.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
88
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
rib T
Mesh Parameters.
e
Verify that the meshing option is set to
F
High quality (Draft Quality Mesh is
cleared), meaning that second order
ut
elements are created.
di RA
Mesh the model using the default
Maximum element size and Minimum
element size of 4.812 mm [0.1894 in].
or D
st
Run All Studies Multiple studies can be run at the same time. This allows you to setup
multiple studies and then run them after hours.
E
Where to Find It I CommandManager: Simulation > Run > Run All
Studies
op AS
8 Create a duplicate study.
t c LE
89
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
Refinement in the model on the results. In Lesson 1, we
refined the mesh uniformly throughout the Stress
e
concentration
entire model by controlling the global element
F
size.
ut
In this part of the case study, we will use a
di RA
different technique. Note that a stress
concentration is located near the sharp re-
entrant corner.
Knowing the location of high stress, we can
refine the mesh locally in that area by applying local mesh controls.
or D
Mesh Control Mesh controls allow you to control the Maximum element size and
st
Ratio locally on selected entities independent of the global Maximum
element size and Ratio. As compared to global mesh refinement, this
Mesh Controls Mesh controls can also be applied to vertices, faces, or entire
components of assemblies. Once mesh controls have been defined, the
Mesh icon becomes a folder.
y
Mesh controls can be edited using a shortcut
menu displayed by right-clicking Control-1 and
no RE
90
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
rib T
I Right-click Mesh and select Show All Control Symbols
e
The visibility of mesh control symbols can also be controlled
F
individually for each mesh control.
ut
di RA
9 Apply local mesh control
for study mesh2.
Select the edge shown.
Right-click Mesh and select
Apply Mesh Control.
or D
Use the suggested local
st
Element size of 2.406 mm
and the Ratio of 1.5.
91
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
In the Element size box, enter 0.508 mm to locally refine the mesh
e
along the sharp re-entrant edge. Keep the Ratio at its default value of
F
1.5.
ut
With this mesh control, we will create very small elements along the
di RA
sharp re-entrant edge.
Click OK.
14 Mesh study mesh3.
Mesh study mesh3 with High quality elements and the default mesh
parameter. Use the curvature based mesh.
or D
We now have three studies: mesh1, mesh2 and mesh3. The only
st
difference is mesh refinement along the sharp re-entrant edge.
E
op AS
Study: mesh1 Study: mesh2 Study: mesh3
t c LE
92
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
Click OK.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Study: mesh1
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Study: mesh2
-
Do E
PR
Study: mesh3
93
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Study: mesh1
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Study: mesh2
-
Do E
PR
Study: mesh3
94
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
rib T
as uncertainties in loads, restraints, and material properties definition
e
do not normally justify this level of accuracy.
F
We used six digits of accuracy so that we can compare the minute
ut
differences in the displacement results calculated in the three studies
di RA
we undertook in this lesson.
Results Results for the maximum resultant displacement and maximum von
Comparison Mises stress from mesh1, mesh2 and mesh3 studies are summarized
in the following table:
or D
Max. Von Increase in
Increase in
Max. displ. Mises Von Mises
st
Study max. displ.
[mm] stress stress
[mm][%]
[MPa] [MPa][%]
successive runs. From this, we can say that the displacement results
converge.
no RE
finite value like the displacement results, the stress results diverge.
95
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
mesh1
mesh3
mesh2
or D
With enough time and patience, we can produce results that show any
st
stress magnitude. All that is necessary is to make the element size small
enough!
E The reason for divergent stress results is not that the finite element
model is incorrect, but that the finite element model is based on the
op AS
wrong mathematical model.
According to the theory of elasticity, stress in the sharp re-entrant
corner is infinite; a mathematician would say that stress there is
singular. The finite element model does not produce infinite stress
results due to discretization errors, and these discretization errors mask
t c LE
Suppressed When the active configuration is different from the configuration used
Configuration to create the study, the study is suppressed and all items in the study are
shown in grey. To unsuppress the study, the configuration must be
PR
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click the study in the Simulation Study tree
and click Activate SW Configuration.
96
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
Case Study: Now that we understand the problem caused by the sharp re-entrant
rib T
Analysis of corner, we must repeat this analysis using a model with the fillet.
e
Bracket with a Obtaining the correct model requires unsuppressing the fillet.
F
Fillet
ut
1 Change SolidWorks configuration.
di RA
In the SolidWorks ConfigurationManager, make
the configuration fillet active.
2 Examine the Simulation Study tree.
With the fillet configuration active, the mesh1, mesh2 and mesh3
studies are greyed-out. You can access them again only after activating
or D
the SolidWorks configuration corresponding to these studies.
st
3 Create new study.
Create a study mesh4 by duplicating the mesh1 study.
E We copied the mesh1 study and not the mesh2 or mesh3 studies for
convenience because mesh1 does not have mesh controls defined and
op AS
mesh4 does not require mesh controls.
If we use mesh2 or mesh3, we have to edit or delete the mesh
controls in the mesh4 study because the geometry of the model has
changed.
4 Mesh the model.
t c LE
97
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
6 Plot Displacement results.
e
The maximum resultant displacement result (0.2845 mm) reported for
F
the fillet study differs only insignificantly from the earlier
ut
displacement results. This small difference can be attributed to the
change in the model geometry.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
7 Plot von Mises stresses.
The stress results obtained by the model with the fillet indicate that the
t c LE
maximum von Mises stress is at the fillet location and its magnitude is
88.76 MPa.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
98
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
rib T
rather spotty behavior and no symmetry. This is another sign of
insufficient mesh resolution for stresses. The displacement results are
e
accurate in all studies solved in this lesson.
F
We will therefore apply a new local mesh control on fillet and rerun the
ut
study again.
di RA
9 Apply mesh control on fillet.
To get more accurate results, we will apply a local mesh control on the
fillet face.
Apply mesh controls to the fillet face using 0.762 mm [0.030 in] for
or D
the local Element size, 1.2 for the Ratio.
10 Re-mesh model.
st
Select Curvature based mesh
under Mesh Parameters.
99
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
of the stress distribution are uniform and symmetrical. We could
conclude that this stress value is accurate.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
13 Extract reaction force.
Right-click on the Results folder and select List Result Force.
Select the face where the bracket is supported and click Update. Make
sure the units are set to SI.
t c LE
The Reaction force (N) dialog will list the resultant of the reaction on
the selected face (or faces, if more supported faces exist and are
selected) as well as on the entire model.
y
We can see that the equilibrium is satisfied; the reaction force is equal
no RE
100
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Note Moment reactions are not reported since solid elements feature three
translational degrees of freedom only. Nodes of the solid elements do
not carry any moment.
t c LE
Case Study: Now that we understand the stress concentration in the fillet, lets
Analysis of a repeat the analysis using a more realistic model where the edges of the
Welded Bracket faces are fixed rather than the entire face. This would more closely
y
represent the face being welded to a plate.
1 Create a new study.
no RE
101
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
geometry was used. Again, a singularity of stress is formed due to the
fixed geometry at the sharp end. Although perhaps a more realistic
e
finite element model, the stress concentration is an artifact of the
F
mathematical model.
ut
These types of effects must be understood to properly analyze model
di RA
results.
or D
st
E
op AS
5 Save and Close the file.
t c LE
y
Understanding Boundary conditions are necessary in order to fix the model in space
no RE
the Effect of and solve the mathematical problem. In real life every part is connected
Boundary to another and finally attached to the primary structure or the ground.
Conditions We can, however, view the
boundary conditions as a means to
significantly simplify our
-
simulation. As an illustration,
consider the bracket assembly
Do E
structure.
102
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 2
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary
Conditions
rib T
the boundary conditions applied as shown in the figure above, or the
full bracket only, or a part of the bracket (a model identical to what we
e
had in Lesson 2). See the images below.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
The decision is based on what is the objective of the analysis, i.e. what
results do we truly need. The larger the model we chose, the more
realistic it becomes. At the same time the size of the finite element
model increases, resulting in significantly longer solution times.
Boundary conditions therefore serve to express the fact how a specific
part or sub-assembly is grounded or attached to another primary
t c LE
Conclusion The question may arise: which one study is the correct one?
Do E
The second to last study with the fillet and fixed face included in the
model and the mesh control applied produce the most accurate results
PR
and is favored provided one can afford the increased size of the model
due to the additional regions that must be meshed. Then what about the
other studies where stress concentrations are seen?
103
Lesson 2 SolidWorks 2012
Mesh Controls, Stress Concentrations and Boundary Conditions
rib T
produces the most accurate results and, therefore, which one was the
best among the three. All models with sharp re-entrant edges or edges
e
that are fixed are equally poor if we examine the stress on those edges.
F
ut
Thus, if we are interested in stress at or near a sharp edge (or a sharp
corner for shell models), this edge must be modeled with a fillet, even
di RA
if the fillet is very small. In addition, if the edge of the model is fixed,
we must realize that the appearance of the stress concentration is
artificial. In general, if stresses at these singularities are of no interest,
these studies still produce good results for the overall model.
Summary In this lesson, we illustrated what can go wrong when FEA is based on
or D
an incorrectly prepared model.
st
Using local mesh controls rather than the global mesh controls, we
obtained solutions for different meshes and revealed stress singularities
imply that the stress results are inaccurate for the whole model?
I Are displacements affected by the suppression of small features
(fillets, rounds) as much as stresses? Why?
-
Do E
PR
104
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 4
C-bracket
Exercise 4: In this exercise, you will analyze a bracket with two different
C-bracket configurations to determine the effects of the internal fillets.
rib T
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
e
I Mesh Controls on page 90.
F
I Results Comparison on page 95.
ut
I Stress Singularities on page 95.
di RA
I Suppressed Configuration on page 96.
or D
900 N [202 lb.] force will be exerted on the
st
bracket due to the weight of the sign and
ribbon. We will evaluate the displacements
and stresses for the bracket due to this loading.
Part 1: Analysis of
Bracket with no
t c LE
Fillet
1 Open a part file.
Open bracket from Lesson02\Exercises folder.
y
2 Specify active configuration.
Make the configuration No Fillet active.
no RE
105
Exercise 4 SolidWorks 2012
C-bracket
5 Apply a fixture.
Apply a Fixed Geometry fixture to the top
rib T
face as indicated.
e
We will assume that the compressive force of
F
the screw is large enough to prevent any
ut
sliding or rotation about the screw.
di RA
6 Apply force.
Apply a 900 N [202 lb] normal force to the top
face of the bottom flange. This force is due to
or D
the weight of the sign.
7 Mesh the model.
st
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh
Parameters.
106
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 4
C-bracket
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E 11 Create a new study.
Duplicate the existing study and name it no fillet 2.
op AS
12 Apply mesh control.
Apply mesh control to each of the three edges on the inner faces of the
bracket. Use the default mesh control size.
t c LE
y
no RE
mesh at the inside edges of the bracket, while the mesh sizes are coarser
at all other locations in the bracket.
Do E
107
Exercise 4 SolidWorks 2012
C-bracket
rib T
higher than the von Mises stress value obtained in the previous study
with no mesh control. This shows the diverging stress results and
e
verifies that the stress in the corners are indeed concentrations. Further
F
refinement will continue this trend.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
16 Create a new study.
Duplicate the no fillet 1 study and name it no fillet 3.
t c LE
mesh at the inside edges of the bracket, while the mesh sizes are coarser
at all other locations in the bracket.
-
Do E
PR
108
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 4
C-bracket
rib T
20 Plot stress results.
e
We find that the maximum von Mises stress is significantly higher than
F
the value obtained in the previous study with a coarser mesh control.
We see that, although we are refining the mesh, the stress results are not
ut
converging. This is due to the sharp re-entrant corners.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Part 2: Analysis of We will now look at a model with fillets and analyze its solution.
t c LE
size.
Do E
PR
109
Exercise 4 SolidWorks 2012
C-bracket
rib T
5 Plot stress results.
e
The stress results obtained from the model with the fillet indicate that
F
the maximum von Mises stress is approximately 127 MPa [18.4 ksi].
Because no sharp edges are present in the model, this value is close to
ut
the real stress magnitudes. Further mesh refinement would improve the
di RA
results and eliminate the spotty stress distribution.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Part 3: Analysis of In this last study, we will change the way the part is restrained by
Bracket with Fillet editing the one fixture and holding the part by the cylindrical hole
and Fixed Hole instead of the entire top face.
y
110
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 4
C-bracket
rib T
size of 0.508 mm to the inner cylindrical
surface of the hole.
e
F
ut
di RA
4 Mesh control on the fillets.
or D
Apply a mesh control with the default
Element size of 1.9 mm to the three
st
fillets.
5 Run the analysis.
111
Exercise 4 SolidWorks 2012
C-bracket
rib T
geometry on the hole produce a stress concentration around the edges
of the hole. This is because a singularity of stress appears in this region
e
due to the perfectly rigid support at those edges. This is similar to the
F
singularity seen in the fixed edges of the L-Bracket in Lesson 2 and
ut
can be ignored. Change the scale of the legend to obtain a more realistic
di RA
plot.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
We can see that the stresses on the filleted faces increased from 127
MPa (see previous study) to nearly 145 MPa.
y
7 Modify the mesh controls.
Change the Element Size for both mesh controls to 0.1mm for the hole
no RE
112
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 4
C-bracket
rib T
represents the maximum stress in the model. From Lesson 2 we know
that this stress is unreal and will increase as we reduce the size of the
e
elements.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
faces as 150 MPa, a slight increase from the 145 MPa obtained from
the previous run. This stress is real and approaching a finite value (we
no RE
say it converges).
10 Save and Close the file.
-
Do E
PR
113
Exercise 5 SolidWorks 2012
Bone Wrench
Exercise 5: In this exercise a bone wrench will be analyzed for its stresses and
Bone Wrench deformations when subjected to loads resulting from regular working
rib T
conditions.
e
The analysis will include a report generated automatically.
F
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
ut
I Plot Settings on page 29.
di RA
I Results Summary on page 65.
or D
a horizontal 150 N force exerted
by an operator when tightening
st
(loosening) the nut.
E
op AS
1 Open a part file.
Open bonewrench from the Lesson02\Exercises folder.
2 Set SolidWorks Simulation options.
Set the Units to SI(MKS), and the units of Length and Stress to mm
and N/mm^2, respectively.
t c LE
library.
5 Apply fixtures.
The tight contact between the wrench and the nut will be simulated by
the application of Fixed Geometry fixture on the faces (a total of eight
faces), as shown in the figure.
-
Do E
PR
114
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 5
Bone Wrench
6 Apply force.
Apply a force of 150 N [33.7 lbf] exerted by an operator, as shown in
rib T
the figure below.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
7 Mesh the model.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
Mesh the model using High quality elements. Use the default settings.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
115
Exercise 5 SolidWorks 2012
Bone Wrench
rib T
[35.4 Ksi], which is well below the material yield strength of the 620
MPa [89.9 Ksi].
e
F
10 Plot resultant displacements.
The absolute values of the displacements are very small, with a
ut
maximum value of 0.3 mm.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Note The next task, extraction of the reaction torque requires a specification
of the local cylindrical coordinates system. This is explained in Lesson
t c LE
4.
11 Check the reaction moment.
y
Right-click on Results folder and select
List Result Force.
no RE
Note This force could be negative or positive depending on which side of the
wrench the force was applied.
116
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 5
Bone Wrench
This is the total value of the reaction force in the second cylindrical
(circumferential) direction. To obtain a reaction moment, we have to
rib T
multiply this value by a radius.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
12 Compute the moment.
t c LE
diameter.
The average diameter is
17.321 + 15
---------------------------- = 16.16mm .
2
16.16
------------- x 1391.7 = 11244.94 Nmm .
Do E
117
Exercise 5 SolidWorks 2012
Bone Wrench
rib T
Note The slight difference in the two values is not caused by the inaccuracy
e
of SolidWorks Simulation computations. It is merely a consequence of
F
the approximate calculation of the average diameter of 16.16 mm.
ut
13 Generate report.
di RA
14 Save and Close the file.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
118
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 6
Foundation Bracket
rib T
Bracket In this exercise the foundation bracket will be
e
analyzed for its stresses and deformations
F
when subjected to loads resulting from regular
ut
working conditions.
di RA
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
I Mesh Controls on page 90.
I Stress Singularities on page 95. Model courtesy of
Bosch Rexroth
I Results Comparison on page 95.
or D
Problem One side of the foundation bracket is bolted to
Statement the floor by a single bolt. The vertical face is
st
bolted to a table leg with two bolts.
+X
Analyze the stress in the foundation bracket
Note Both of these displacements are rather large and would not occur under
y
normal conditions.
We will first analyze the stress when the table leg moves in the plus X
no RE
direction.
1 Open a part file.
Open bracket from the Lesson02\Exercises folder.
2 Set options.
-
Select Units, then set the Unit system to use SI units, mm for length
Do E
Select Specify color for values above yield for vonMises plot.
Leave the color as the default gray.
Select Results, then select Automatic as the Default solver.
3 Create a study.
Create a new static study and name it stress analysis x+.
119
Exercise 6 SolidWorks 2012
Foundation Bracket
4 Apply material.
Apply the material Chrome Stainless Steel from the SolidWorks
rib T
material library.
e
5 Add fixtures.
F
We are going to ignore friction along the direction of the slot and only
constrain the surface that the bolt head and shank contact to zero
ut
displacement.
di RA
Add an On Flat Faces fixture to the four faces shown. Set the
Translations to zero for the direction Normal to Face.
Rename the Fixture to Bottom bolt.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
120
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 6
Foundation Bracket
6 Apply fixtures.
Apply an On Flat Faces fixture to the four faces where the bolt heads
rib T
contact the vertical plate. Rename this fixture to Top bolts-1.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
121
Exercise 6 SolidWorks 2012
Foundation Bracket
7 Apply a displacement.
Apply a 0.5 mm normal displacement to the two faces indicated using
rib T
the On Flat Faces fixture. Select the face shown in blue as the
direction.
e
F
Rename this fixture to Top bolts-2.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
122
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 6
Foundation Bracket
rib T
which was our input.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
11 Examine the stress plot.
The stress plot shows high stress at the lower bolt and at the sharp edge.
We can see that there is significant yielding as indicated by the gray
color and the position of the yield arrow in the color band.
t c LE
We see that the part will yield around the areas of the bolts, and at the
sharp corner between the back vertical face and the angled face.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
123
Exercise 6 SolidWorks 2012
Foundation Bracket
12 Re-mesh.
Re-mesh the model with a finer mesh. Move
rib T
the mesh size slider all the way to the right
and mesh.
e
F
We now have two elements in the thickness
direction.
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note You will learn later in the course that at least two solid elements
through the thickness are required in the bent regions to obtain
124
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 6
Foundation Bracket
rib T
displacement applied to the two faces on the other side of the slot as we
want to push, not pull, the material in the negative x direction.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
17 Run.
Run the study with the fine mesh.
no RE
125
Exercise 6 SolidWorks 2012
Foundation Bracket
rib T
movement was in the +X direction, however we can now see additional
yielding on the back face.
e
F
From these results, we can see that we would need to possibly increase
the thickness of the material to avoid yielding. However, we need to
ut
remember that we purposely subjected the bracket to a very large
di RA
displacement, which is not likely to occur frequently.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
126
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 6
Foundation Bracket
rib T
indicated face.
e
Click Update.
F
By selecting the face, we now have Summary information that show
ut
the maximum stress is 351 MPa.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
21 Conclusion.
Based on the analysis, we might conclude that the bracket is not strong
enough in this configuration. We might consider a change to the design
to avoid yielding, probably by increasing the material thickness to
sustain the applied displacements.
-
127
Exercise 6 SolidWorks 2012
Foundation Bracket
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
128
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 3
or D
Assembly Analysis
st
with Contacts
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Perform structural analyses of simple assemblies.
y
I Apply and define contact conditions.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
129
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
correctly computes the stress and deformation.
e
Different conditions must be considered where the parts can pull apart
F
or penetrate each other and whether or not the surfaces can slide over
ut
each other.
di RA
Case Study: In this lesson, we analyze a simple hand tool. It consists of four
Pliers with components: two identical arms, a hinge pin, and a piece of flat
Global Contact stock squeezed by pliers.
or D
st
E
op AS
We are not interested in
the contact stresses that
develop between the
arms and the piece of
t c LE
flat stock.
Therefore, we can
y
simplify the model by
suppressing the flat
no RE
130
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
in contact or close proximity interact in the absence of local
overrides.
e
F
I Apply local contact conditions
Local contact conditions override the component contact.
ut
di RA
I Apply mesh control
The mesh can be refined in areas of stress concentrations or rapidly
changing geometry.
I Mesh the model
or D
I Run the analysis
st
I Analyze the results
Determine if the results are accurate enough or further refinement
Applying Materials You can apply the same material to all components of an assembly or to
to Assemblies each component individually.
PR
131
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
Apply Plain Carbon Steel material
properties to all components including the
e
pin.
F
ut
di RA
6 Apply fixed restraints.
Define Fixed Geometry fixture on both
jaws.
The applied restraints simulate the
or D
suppressed piece of squeezed flat stock.
This condition assumes that the flat is not
st
sliding when held by the jaws.
select Normal.
y
no RE
We have defined the fixtures and external loads, but we are not yet
Do E
132
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
Component The available options for the component contact are: Bonded, Allow
Contact: Options penetration and No penetration. These options are explained in the
rib T
following figure and table.
e
F
Part A Part A Part A
ut
di RA
Part B Part B Part B
or D
Component Contact.
I Select Contact/Gap in the Simulation menu and then click Define
st
Contact for Components.
I Select the Simulation tab in the CommandManager, then select
other.
Do E
133
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
setting level assembly.
e
F
Editing default component contact,
ut
Global Contact, shows that it is applied
to the top level assembly.
di RA
or D
st
Component
E
Contact: Hierarchy
It is possible to delete and re-define the top level assembly contact
condition. However, multiple top level component contact conditions
op AS
and Conflicts would result in a conflict and are not permitted.
Any additional component contact between parts and subassemblies
must not be in conflict and will override the top assembly level
component contact. If the conflict is detected a warning message will
be displayed.
t c LE
134
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
Note In the parts of this assembly, the manufacturing clearance between the
pin and the arms is ignored. That is why the coincident contact of
rib T
cylindrical shape between the pin and the arms was detected.
e
9 Change top level component contact option.
F
In order to allow the relative movement of the arms while the model
deforms under the load, change the default component contact (Global
ut
Contact) condition to No Penetration.
di RA
Expand the Connections folder, edit the Global
Contact item and change it to No Penetration.
Click OK.
or D
st
E 10 Mesh the model.
Select Curvature based
mesh under Mesh
op AS
Parameters.
Mesh the assembly with
Draft quality elements and
the slider all the way to the
right. This should produce the Maximum element size of 4.912mm,
t c LE
135
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
plot icon.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E We want to see if the von Mises stresses in any portion of the model
exceed 138 MPa [20,016 psi], which is our design stress. To determine
op AS
whether the von Mises stresses exceed the maximum we can change
the plot options.
14 Change the plot.
While the plot is displayed, right-click Stress1
and select Chart options.
t c LE
136
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
Discrete.
e
Click OK.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Viewing Assembly Areas with stresses higher than 138 MPa would appear in red.
Results Note that an exploded view offers a very convenient way of examining
the analysis results of an assembly, whereas, in normal viewing,
t c LE
Click OK.
Do E
Note You can also use the existing plot Stress1 after hiding an assembly
component arm.
PR
137
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
18 Max/Min annotations.
In Chart Options, select Show max. annotation and Show min.
rib T
annotation.
e
The maximum stress locations and their magnitudes are indicated for
F
the displayed arm.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Conclusion The maximum von Mises stress of approximately 93.0 MPa is
produced by normal operation of the pliers when a 225 N force is
applied to the handles. This load can be (perhaps with some difficulty)
t c LE
applied by hand and 93.0 MPa can easily be tolerated by the pliers
material (which has a yield stress of almost 220 MPa).
y
Before concluding that our design is safe, re-meshing the model and
looking for stress convergence would be required.
no RE
Handle Contact We wish to determine the maximum stress that the pliers undergo when
squeezing a 5 mm stock plate. The maximum stress corresponds to the
situation where the handles are blocked.
138
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
Under Deformed shape, select True scale. This option plots the
deformation in 1:1 scale.
e
F
Click OK.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Required Force We see that under the 225 N force, the end of each handle travels
0.393 mm. Consequently, the distance between the two ends decreases
by twice that amount, 0.786 mm.
t c LE
Since the original distance is 15.24 mm, the force magnitude must be
increased by a factor of:
y
15.24 mm / 0.786 mm = 19.39
Therefore, the force required to bring both arms in contact is equal to
no RE
Pliers with We will now load the pliers with a force that significantly exceeds
-
Local Contact 4265 N to ensure that both arms come in contact. The appropriate
Do E
definition of the contact will ensure that the handles can come together,
but cannot penetrate each other.
PR
139
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
Local Contact The top level component contact condition remains the same (No
rib T
Penetration) as in the previous study. However, now that the force is
e
considerably larger in order to bring the two arms together, we need to
F
specify a local contact condition that prevents their penetration (No
ut
penetration top level assembly component contact applies to initially
touching faces only).
di RA
This local contact High precedence
condition has in contact hierarchy
LOCAL
precedence over the
component contact. In OTHER
COMPONENT
general, the hierarchy of
or D
CONTACTS
the contact conditions
can be explained by the
st
TOP LEVEL
Low precedence COMPONENT CONTACT
pyramid shown in the in contact hierarchy
following figure.
140
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
two more contact types: Virtual wall and
Shrink fit.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
141
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
Local Contact Types
e
The features (both initially touching and separated
F
by a gap) may move away from each other but
ut
No preserve the physical requirement that they may not
di RA
penetration penetrate each other. Friction coefficient and initial
geometrical offset can be specified in the contact
options.
The selected features will become bonded, similarly
to the component level contact types. While
or D
Bonded component bonded contact only applies to touching
faces, local condition is capable of bonding features
st
separated by a gap.
The program creates a shrink fit condition between
E Shrink fit
the selected faces. The faces may or may not be
cylindrical. This condition requires that the two
op AS
parts exhibit a finite volume interference.
The selected pair of features is free to move in any
direction. Free features can penetrate into each
Allow other, a physical impossibility. You should use this
penetration option only when you are absolutely sure that the
t c LE
Note Each local contact type features various options described at various
locations throughout the manual.
-
142
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
Click one face to define it as the Set 1, and then
e
click the other face to define it as Set 2.
F
Click OK.
ut
di RA
Note The selection of the faces for Set 1 and Set 2
is arbitrary.
or D
st
E
op AS
No Penetration The above image shows two properties of the two local condition,
Local Contact Friction and Gap (clearance).
Options I Friction: Any value of the friction coefficient is permitted.
t c LE
143
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
No Penetration The default algorithm for the local contact is fast and suitable to most
Local Contact: contact solutions. However, if contact stresses are of primary
rib T
Accuracy importance, or if the areas in contact are large and/or the default
solution for contact stresses is spotty or discontinuous, Improve
e
accuracy for contacting surfaces feature should be activated.
F
ut
di RA
Improve accuracy for contacting surfaces feature employs advanced
or D
Introducing:
Improve Accuracy solution algorithm resulting in improved results. While such contact
st
for contacting solution is more accurate it may take significantly more time.
surfaces
E
Where to Find It Shortcut Menu: Right-click <study name>, Properties and under the
Options tab, click the Improve accuracy for contacting surfaces
op AS
check box.
No Penetration Edges and vertices in local No Penetration contact condition can
Local Contact: onlybe selected in the first field (Set 1), while the second field (Set 2)
Remarks accepts faces only.
t c LE
Note Because the friction forces are small and no initial geometrical offset
exists in this case, neither the Friction nor the Gap (clearance)
y
properties will be used. Since the contact stresses are of no interest in
this simulation Improve accuracy for contacting surfaces option
no RE
144
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
6 Large/Small displacement.
While the study is running, the following message will appear:
rib T
Excessive displacements were calculated in this model. If
e
your system is properly restrained, consider using the Large
Displacement option to improve the accuracy of the
F
calculations. Otherwise, continue with the current settings
ut
and review the causes of these displacements.
di RA
Click No to complete the analysis as linear.
Note The large displacement dialog box warns us that the large
displacements of some parts in the assembly were detected. The large
displacement computations are the subject of Lesson 14. At this point,
or D
we will ignore this fact.
7 Plot von Mises stresses.
st
After the analysis is complete, create a von Mises stress plot, with
discrete fringes, the mesh showing, and the stresses scaled from 0 to
The region in red indicates the yielding material. We can observe that
the maximum reported von Mises stress is approximately 1,806 MPa.
-
145
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
Contact Stresses After the handles are blocked, any further increase in force magnitude
has little effect except for increasing the contact stresses where the
rib T
handles touch.
e
Question: Can we analyze the contact stresses in the current study?
F
Answer: No, the element size in the
ut
contact area is much too large
di RA
in comparison to the size of
the contact area. This
comparison is best seen in a side view.
The two handles touch only along the edge. For accurate modeling of
contact stresses, we need several elements along the length and width of
or D
the contact zone.
st
8 Save and Close the file.
Summary E In this lesson we analyzed the simple assembly model of pliers with
op AS
various contact conditions. To simplify the geometry, the flat was
suppressed and its presence was simulated with the help of the fixed
geometry fixtures on the jaws. When the analysis was run, we saw a
maximum von Mises stress of 93 MPa. This stress is below our
specified design strength of 138 MPa. To be sure of our stress results, a
t c LE
more refined mesh should be run to insure that the stress is converging.
Additionally, we saw that the maximum displacement produced was
y
0.402mm. We used this result to change our loading application to
investigate what happens if the load was so large that the handles touch.
no RE
as the global contact condition for the entire assembly). While the
component contacts apply to initially touching faces of parts or
assemblies, the local conditions may feature gaps and initial separation.
PR
146
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 3
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
pliers.
e
Finally, the limitations of analysis with linear materials were examined
F
and contact stresses were introduced.
ut
Questions I As a review, the available component condition types are:
di RA
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
The available local contact condition types are:
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
or D
I The (component / local) No Penetration condition applies to the
st
initially touching faces only, while the (component / local) contact
may feature gaps and initial separation.
E I To simplify the analysis in this lesson, the flat was suppressed and a
Fixed Geometry fixture was applied on the jaws. Thus, we made
an assumption that the stiffness of the flat is
op AS
_____________________.
This assumption can only be made if the stiffness of the plate is
significant, relative to the stiffness of the rest of the assembly.
Can you propose a more accurate solution? (Hint: Browse through
t c LE
147
Lesson 3 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Contacts
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
148
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 7
Two Ring Assembly
Exercise 7: Analyze a simple two ring assembly, in which the outer faces of the
Two Ring rings exert contact pressure on each other if tensile loading is applied.
rib T
Assembly This exercise will show how models with surface contact conditions
can be set up and analyzed.
e
F
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
ut
I Component Contact: Options on page 133.
di RA
I Viewing Assembly Results on page 137.
I No Penetration Local Contact Options on page 143.
I Contact Stresses on page 146.
Project A 3.5 MPa pressure load is applied to face of the plate with the U-
Description bracket. The plate holding the large ring is held fixed. The outer faces
or D
of the rings exert contact pressure on each other.
st
Partial Restraint
E Fixed Restraint
op AS
t c LE
Pressure Loading
y
no RE
149
Exercise 7 SolidWorks 2012
Two Ring Assembly
rib T
face of TwoRingsPart1.
e
F
ut
di RA
6 Constrain TwoRingsPart2 to move in the
direction of the load.
Right-click Fixtures and select Advanced
Fixtures.
or D
Select Use Reference Geometry.
st
Select Plane2 to specify the direction of the
restraint.
7 Apply pressure.
Apply a 3.5 MPa pressure normal to the surface of
Do E
the TwoRingsPart2.
PR
150
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 7
Two Ring Assembly
rib T
Contact Set.
e
In the Contact Set PropertyManager,
F
select No Penetration as the desired
type of contact.
ut
di RA
Click one face to define it as a Set 1,
and then click the other face to define
it as Set 2.
Note It does not matter which face is selected as Set 1 and Set 2.
Click OK.
or D
9 Apply mesh control.
st
Apply mesh control to the indicated surface on
TwoRingsPart2.
elements.
11 Run the analysis.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
151
Exercise 7 SolidWorks 2012
Two Ring Assembly
rib T
above the yield strength of 351 MPa. If these truly were the in service
loading conditions, the design needs to be re-evaluated and a new
e
material or design should be selected.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
13 Plot Displacement Results.
The maximum displacement in this model is 0.44mm.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
152
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 4
or D
Symmetrical and Free Self-
st
Equilibrated Assemblies
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Understand symmetry.
y
I Displaying results using a cylindrical coordinate system.
I Locate problems with the help of the Whats Wrong feature.
no RE
I Use soft springs and inertial relief options to eliminate rigid body
modes.
I Presenting analysis results using eDrawings.
-
Do E
PR
153
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Shrink Fit Parts When parts are assembled with a shrink fit, internal forces are
developed in the absence of external forces.
rib T
Case Study: We will analyze a wheel assembly where the rim is shrunk fit onto the
e
Shrink Fit hub to determine the stresses caused by the shrink fit.
F
A shrink fit causes stress within the parts without external forces being
ut
applied to the model. The parts initially have an interference fit.
di RA
The directions of stress, strain and deformation are not plotted in
Cartesian coordinates, but rather cylindrical coordinates so that we can
determine radial, axial and circumferential (hoop) stress and
deformation.
Project A rim with an inside radius of 121 mm [2.382 in.] is pressed on a hub
or D
Description with an outside radius of 121.45 mm [2.391 in.].
st
Find the following stress results in both components:
E I
I
I
von Mises stress
Hoop stress
Contact stress
op AS
Symmetry We can take advantage of the
multiple symmetry of this
assembly model and analyze 1/2,
1/4, or even 1/8 of the model.
t c LE
I Symmetry
Do E
Determine if the model has symmetry that will allow only a portion
of the model to be analyzed.
PR
I Defeature
Suppress features that will not have an effect on the analysis.
I Stabilize the model
Eliminate rigid body motion.
154
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
I Define contact
Because the parts have an interference fit, we must define the
rib T
contact as a shrink fit.
e
I Plot results
F
With shrink fit analysis, we display the results using cylindrical
coordinates rather than cartesian coordinates.
ut
di RA
1 Open an assembly file.
Open wheel assembly from the Lesson04\Case Studies folder.
2 Activate the configuration.
Activate the configuration called FEA. It
or D
unsuppresses the feature named cut 1/8
which is used for symmetry in the model.
st
In addition, to defeature the model, the
round features have been suppressed in
E both parts.
I rim
rounds
op AS
I hub
round1
round2
t c LE
Defeaturing With this modification to the CAD assembly model, we have departed
from the original CAD geometry and are now analyzing geometry
specifically created for the purpose of analysis.
y
155
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
assembly, but want valid results for the
complete model. Therefore, we need to
e
simulate the remaining 7/8 of the
F
assembly model. Applying symmetry
ut
boundary conditions to the radial faces
di RA
created by the cut make the 1/8 section
behave as if the wheel was still complete.
or D
Apply Symmetry boundary conditions to all the
st
faces that were created by the radial cut.
Symmetry boundary conditions on both sides of
Click OK.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
156
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Rigid Body Mode With the symmetry restraints applied, the model can still move in the
axial direction. Thus, one rigid body mode remains unconstrained.
rib T
To eliminate this rigid body motion, it is enough to restrain just one
e
vertex on each of the components (the total of two vertices) in the axial
F
direction. Note that each part must be constrained individually because
ut
parts can slide in the axial direction, the shrink fit contact is
frictionless.
di RA
This is actually an artificial restraint simply for the purpose of
removing rigid body motion, which is not allowed in structural FEA
and causes the solver to terminate.
Alternatively, we can use the soft spring feature which is specified in
or D
the study properties. We will demonstrate this option in the second part
of this lesson.
st
7 Eliminate rigid body mode in the model.
157
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Shrink Fit Contact Because the rim diameter is smaller than the wheel diameter, there is an
Condition interference in the SolidWorks assembly. SolidWorks Simulation
rib T
eliminates this interference by stretching the rim and squeezing the
wheel if we define the contact conditions between the interfering faces
e
as Shrink Fit. Shrink Fit is one of the several types of local Contact/
F
Gap conditions available in SolidWorks Simulation.
ut
di RA
8 Explode the assembly.
The faces that are in contact are hard to select. It is easier to select them
in the exploded view.
9 Define shrink fit condition.
Define a Shrink Fit, right-click
or D
Connections and select Contact Set.
st
Select Shrink Fit, from the available Selected
Faces
types of contact conditions.
Note Under the Friction dialog, we could specify the coefficient of friction.
In this analysis we will assume no friction.
y
10 Mesh the model.
Select Curvature based mesh under
no RE
Mesh Parameters.
Create a High quality mesh with the
default settings.
Note that along the axial direction of the
two faces in contact, eight elements have
-
particular analysis.
If we expected high gradients in the
PR
158
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
Under Settings, change the Fringe type to Discrete.
e
Make sure that the deformed shape is in the True scale.
F
Right-click the Stress-1 icon in the Results folder and select Chart
ut
Options (alternatively, you can double-click directly on the legend).
di RA
Under Display Options select Defined and set the maximum stress
legend to 620,400,000 Pa, which is the yield stress of the rim material.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
The von Mises stress results indicate that a portion of the rim
experiences stresses above the material yield stress.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
159
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Plot Results in Now we will prepare a stress plot showing hoop (circumferential)
Local Coordinate stresses. For this we must present stress results in a cylindrical
rib T
System coordinate system with the z axis aligned with the axis of the wheel
assembly.
e
F
Cylindrical Any axis defines a cylindrical coordinate system whose first direction
ut
Coordinate is radial, second is circumferential, and third is axial.
Systems
di RA
Therefore, Axis1 defines radial, circumferential, and axial directions
associated with the axis position.
Using an axis as a reference redefines the meaning of the stress
components SX, SY, and SZ, which are normally associated with the
directions of the global coordinate system.
or D
If an axis is used as a reference, definitions of SX, SY, and SZ undergo
the following changes:
st
I SX becomes the stress
Axis1 now defines a local cylindrical system used to plot the required
stress plot (the definition of this plot is continued in the next step).
160
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
stress plot showing hoop
stresses, select the SY
e
stress component.
F
ut
The SY stress component
points in the
di RA
circumferential direction,
which is the hoop stress.
Make sure that Average
results across
boundaries for parts is
or D
cleared.
st
Set the Deformed shape
scale to the True scale.
E 15 Settings.
Under Settings, select Discrete as the Fringe Option.
op AS
16 Chart Options.
Under Chart Options, select Defined and set the maximum value of
the stress legend to 620,400,000 Pa [90,000 psi].
Cylindrical System When a local cylindrical system is specified in the definition of the
t c LE
Icon result plots, the familiar triad icon is replaced with a new symbol
denoting a cylindrical system.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
161
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
Use exploded view and display a plot showing the contact stress on
contacting surfaces:
e
F
Right-click the Results folder and select Define Stress Plot.
ut
Display an exploded view and select Axis1 as a reference. Set the
di RA
Deformed shape scale to True scale.
Plot the SX component of stress with respect to Axis1.
The SX stress component, which corresponds to the direction normal to
the two faces in contact, is the radial direction and, hence, SX is the
contact stress.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
162
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
19 Probe stress results.
To probe the stress plot for detailed stress results, right-click the plot
icon and select Probe. An undeformed plot is required if we want to
probe for detailed stress results.
Stresses on both surfaces are, of course, equal. The negative sign
t c LE
163
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Saving All Plots Each plot created in a study can be saved individually in any of several
formats available. To view the list of available formats, right-click any
rib T
plot icon, select Save as to open the Save as window, and examine the
options in the Save as type menu.
e
F
Most likely you will find the eDrawings
ut
format the most useful when
communicating the SolidWorks Simulation
di RA
analysis results.
Rather than saving result plots
individually, it is also possible to save them
in one step either in JPEG or eDrawings
format. Right-click the study or the
or D
Results folder to invoke the pop-up menu
and select either Save all plots as JPEG
st
files or Save all plots as eDrawings.
Soft Springs
the rim and the hub must be restrained in the axial direction. Without
Do E
these restraints the assembly would have zero stiffness along the axial
direction.
PR
164
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Soft Springs Theoretically, we do not expect the model to sway in the axial direction
due to the action of some external loading (none that would cause such
rib T
action exists in our model). All of the loads, which are applied in the
form of the shrink fit contact condition, are inherently balanced. Finite
e
element method, however, does not recognize this fact and a small
F
inaccuracy, a numerical error, or mesh asymmetry may cause the model
ut
to displace uncontrollably in axial direction. All such cases can be
di RA
stabilized by the Soft Spring option.
When this option is activated, the model is surrounded by springs with
stiffness values that are negligible relative to the stiffness of the model
(see the following figure). The finite element model is then stabilized
and restrained against all rigid body motions.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
net magnitude of the external load is so small that the soft springs are
able to compensate for it.
Inertial Relief Another method to prevent rigid body movements is Inertial Relief.
Rather than adding artificial stiffness to counteract the load imbalance,
as is done using soft springs, this option adds an artificial balancing
-
In our case, both the Use soft springs to stabilize model and the Use
inertial relief solver options can be used.
165
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
Duplicate the existing study shrink fit into a new study called soft
springs.
e
F
21 Suppress axial restraint.
Under the soft springs study, right-click Fixture-2 and select
ut
Suppress to release the axial constraint.
di RA
22 Select soft spring option to stabilize
model.
Right-click the soft springs study and
select Properties.
or D
st
E
op AS
Under the Options tab, activate
the Use soft springs to
stabilize model option.
t c LE
166
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 4
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
rib T
Set the Units to N/m2.
e
Under Settings, select Discrete as the Fringe Option.
F
ut
Set the maximum value of the stress legend to 620,400,000 Pa.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
167
Lesson 4 SolidWorks 2012
Symmetrical and Free Self-Equilibrated Assemblies
Summary In this lesson, we calculated the von Mises stress, hoop stress (using
cylindrical coordinates), and contact pressure. The stress magnitude
rib T
was above the yield strength of the material for the rim, therefore we
may want to select a different material so that yielding is avoided.
e
F
Interference between assembly
ut
components is allowed only if a
Shrink fit condition is present in the
di RA
assembly.
The results of a study with a Shrink
fit condition are best viewed using a
1:1 scale of deformation.
or D
To see results on contacting faces,
use exploded view.
st
The results for axi-symmetric parts
are best viewed in cylindrical
E coordinate systems.
This observation particularly applies to stress components other than
op AS
von Mises stress. Von Mises stress, as a scalar value, is insensitive to
the choice of reference coordinate system.
To prevent the rigid body motions the model must be stabilized in the
axial direction. The most straight forward method is to restrain one
vertex (point) on each model in the axial direction. Alternatively, we
t c LE
used the Use soft springs to stabilize the model option which
surrounds the model with a layer of soft springs to provide a minimum
stiffness in unrestrained directions.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
168
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
rib T
load. With chains, the
relationship between load and
e
elongation is important.
F
ut
We will analyze the link several
di RA
times. We will start with an entire
link and see what problems
develop. Based on the results, we
will explore different solutions to get more accurate result without the
need for long solution times.
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
or D
I Symmetry on page 154.
st
I Rigid Body Mode on page 157.
I Soft Springs on page 165.
Project
Description E Our goal is to develop the force to elongation relationship for this
chain. We are not interested in the actual stress in the components as we
op AS
are not designing them.
All of the chain parts are made of AISI 304 steel.
Procedure Follow the steps below:
t c LE
Link-full-soft springs.
4 Apply material.
PR
Apply the material AISI 304 steel to all the parts in the assembly.
169
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
5 Determine contacts.
There are two types of contacts in this link, No Penetration and
rib T
Bonded. All contacts between parts of the same link are Bonded. Parts
that are in contact between an inside and outside link are No
e
Penetration.
F
ut
Link Plate
Link Plate
Roller
di RA
Pin
Bushing
or D
st
Inside Link Outside Link
E
6
contact and then add the No Penetration contacts.
Explode the assembly.
op AS
Exploding the assembly will make it easier to see the contact sets.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
170
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
7 Add contacts.
Right-click Connections in the Simulation
rib T
Study tree and select Contact Set.
e
In the Contact dialog select Automatically
F
find contact sets.
ut
Under Options select Touching faces.
di RA
For Components, select the assembly, then
click Find faces.
Twenty four contact sets will be found.
In Results, select all 24 contact sets. Select
No Penetration and click the Create
or D
contact sets button.
st
Make sure all 24 contact sets are selected
and added.
E Click OK.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
8 Delete contacts.
We must now remove the No Penetration contact sets for contacts that
are supposed to be bonded.
Select each contact set in turn and determine if it should be Bonded
(contact between parts in the same link assembly) or No Penetration
-
When done, there will be 16 contact sets that are No Penetration. The
eight contact sets that you delete will be Bonded by the Global
Contact condition.
171
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
Example In image 1, the contact is between the Pin and Link Plate of the same
Inside Link assembly. The No Penetration contact must be deleted as
rib T
these two parts are Bonded.
e
In image 2, the contact is between the Pin on an Inside Link and the
F
Bushing from an Outside Link, so this contact does not get deleted as
ut
it should be No Penetration.
di RA
1 2
or D
st
E
9 Collapse the assembly.
op AS
10 Apply a force.
Because we are interested in the
force to elongation of the chain
and we are doing a linear analysis,
t c LE
Subject the link to the total axial force of 400 N (apply 200 N to all four
faces indicated in the figure).
11 Boundary conditions.
This is a self equilibrated problem so theoretically no fixtures are
-
Select Use soft spring to stabilize model and Direct sparse for the
solver.
Note Since multiple contatcs are defined in the study and the area of contact
is found through several contact iterations, the Direct Sparse solver is
preferred.
172
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
12 Mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh
rib T
under Mesh Parameters.
e
Mesh the model using high
F
quality elements and the default
mesh size.
ut
di RA
13 Mesh size.
Examine the mesh details. There
or D
are about 19,400 nodes which is
over 58,200 degrees of freedom.
st
14 Run the study.
E
op AS
15 Plot the displacements.
t c LE
Make sure that the plot uses Automatic for the Deformed Shape.
The assembly translates in the x-direction. The animation will reveal
y
the effect of the soft springs on the unconstrained self-equilibrated
model.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
173
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
This translation is caused by several factors:
I The mesh is not completely symmetric.
or D
I The model is not fixed in space.
st
These are rigid body translations and are very small. While they do not
have any impact on the stress results, they significantly effect the
E displacements.
17 Plot the stress.
op AS
The stress plot should be symmetrical. If it is not, the reason is that the
mesh is too coarse. Stress magnitudes may vary due to mesh size and
stress concentrations.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
Second Approach Lets solve the problem again, but this time we will use symmetry to
PR
174
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
rib T
applied to one set of faces (400 N
total force pulling the link in a
e
single direction).
F
ut
di RA
3 Apply a fixture.
Apply a Roller/Slider fixture to the
two faces where the forces were
or D
removed.
This fixture now restraints any
st
movement of the faces in the X
direction. They can still move in
175
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
rib T
Automatic.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note E Additional rigid body translations could occur in the vertical direction
op AS
where the model is stabilized with the help of the soft springs. Animate
the solution to see whether this phenomenon occurred in your solution.
8 Axial displacement.
Additional rigid body rotation may have occurred at the unconstrained
edge. The effect of the rigid body rotation can be easily seen in the plot
t c LE
176
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
Note To see how a correct axial extension of the chain link is determined,
complete this exercise.
rib T
9 Plot the stress.
e
Create a plot of von Mises stress.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
While displacements from the previous two approaches were affected
by the rigid body displacements and remain undetermined, stress
solution is not affected by this phenomenon (verify that the stress
solution in both solutions is the same). Stress accuracy, however,
depends on highly the mesh quality and can be much improved.
t c LE
Stresses Accuracy The mesh used in the previous two solutions was rather coarse to
y
determine accurate stress distribution. To improve the stress results, we
need to create a finer mesh.
no RE
Fine.
Do E
PR
177
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
rib T
results, but the number of nodes and degrees of freedom are high. With
over 119,000 nodes, we will have to solve over 359,000 degrees of
e
freedom. This will result in a much longer solution time.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
4 Do not solve.
While we could run this study, the solution time is too long. Instead we
will examine a different approach to get the small mesh size and
accurate results.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
178
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
Using Symmetry By taking advantage of the symmetry, we do not have to analyze the
entire model, but instead only the smallest symmetrical element of the
rib T
model. We must however remember that it is not just the geometry that
must be symmetrical, but also the loads.
e
F
If we look for symmetry, we can see that there are three planes of
ut
symmetry in this model.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
If we cut the model through all three planes of symmetry, we get the
following result which is one-eighth of the original model.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
179
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
1 Change configuration.
rib T
Make the configuration Link-symmetry active.
e
This configuration has three assembly cuts to reduce the model to one-
F
eighth of its original size.
ut
2 Create a new study.
di RA
Name the new study Link-symmetry.
3 Apply material.
Copy the material from the previous study.
4 Define contacts.
Using the same procedure as in step 7 and step 8 on page 171, create
or D
the contacts sets.
st
You should have five No Penetration contact sets.
5 Add symmetry fixture.
the face in the negative X-direction only. The face on the opposite side
is used to apply the force in the next step.
6 Apply force.
Apply a force of 100 N to the
face indicated.
-
Do E
PR
Question Why do we apply 100 N? We have one-eigth of the model, why not
400/8=50 N?
180
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
7 Mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
rib T
Mesh the model using high quality elements and the default settings.
e
8 Examine the mesh.
F
We now have a mesh with elements smaller than in the fine mesh we
ut
tried to use earlier, but the total number of nodes is now only 16,783 or
di RA
about 50,349 degrees of freedom. This is much less than the 359,000
degrees of freedom we had earlier.
or D
st
E
op AS
9 Run the study.
t c LE
Note that to obtain the chain axial extension, this displacement value
would have to be multiplied by a factor of two (0.00246 x 2 = 4.9e-3
mm). While this result may, under some circumstances, be close to the
real chain extension, it will be soon shown that it is still incorrect.
181
Exercise 8 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link
rib T
Plate join. To get a better look at this area we need to explode the
assembly.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
12 Explode the assembly.
If we show the mesh, we can see
that the mesh is very coarse in the
area of the highest stresses and
that we have a stress singularity.
t c LE
182
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 8
Chain Link
rib T
symmetry and have obtained results.
e
Look at the displacement plot in the Top view. Make sure the setting is
F
Automatic so that we see an exaggerated view of the displacement.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Important! What is wrong with this analysis? There is something that is
fundamentally wrong with this analysis, when you think you
understand the reason that this analysis is wrong, discuss it with your
instructor.
t c LE
183
Exercise 9 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link 2
rib T
symmetry conditions were violated.
e
When we look closely at the displacement plot, faces 1 and 2 are
F
perpendicular because of the symmetry fixture. Face 3 is were we
ut
applied the force and while it is required to be parallel to the face 1, it is
di RA
not.
3 1
or D
st
E
op AS
2
force, which allows the face to tilt, we will apply displacement to the
face and then determine the force from the solution.
y
1 Open an assembly file.
Open the Roller chain assembly from the last exercise.
no RE
184
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 9
Chain Link 2
4 Add a displacement.
Right-click Fixtures in the Simulation Study tree and click Advanced
rib T
Fixtures.
e
Select On Flat Faces.
F
Select the same face that used to have the force applied.
ut
Enter a distance of 2.45e-3 mm for the displacement in the Normal to
di RA
Face direction.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
The face will now stay parallel with its original orientation; the
symmetry of the model will therefore be satisfied.
-
185
Exercise 9 SolidWorks 2012
Chain Link 2
rib T
now orthogonal.
e
F
1
3
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
2
186
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 9
Chain Link 2
Results for full link Having used the symmetry, the results now need to be converted for the
chain full link chain model. To obtain the axial force corresponding to the full
rib T
link, the above resultant force must be multiplied by a factor of four,
i.e. 4 x 119.24 N = 476.96 N. To obtain the axial extension for the full
e
link, the above prescribed displacement must be multiplied by a factor
F
of two, i.e. 2 x 2.45e-3 mm = 4.9e-3 mm.
ut
We now have the two points (these results [4.9e-3 mm, 476.96 N]
di RA
along with 0 mm, 0 N) with which we can establish the force to
elongation plot.
What is the To conclude this exercise, it remains to answer what is the correct
extension for 400 N extension of the full chain link when subjected to a load of 400 N.
force? Using the principle of linear dependence the answer is:
or D
u(F=400 N)= 4.9e-3 x 400/476.96 = 4.109e-3 mm.
st
A point with coordinates of [4.109e-3 mm, 400 N] also lies on the same
Note
E force to elongation plot.
187
188
Exercise 9
Chain Link 2
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
SolidWorks 2012
rib T
ut
e
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 5
or D
Assembly Analysis
st
with Connectors
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Use spring connectors.
y
I Use pin connectors.
I Use spot weld connectors.
no RE
189
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
of view of SolidWorks Simulation, the components of the assemblies
are un-attached until we define the proper contact conditions or
e
connectors describing interactions between the assembly components.
F
ut
We use mathematical connectors instead of actual models of the
connectors to speed the analysis process as the mesh and contacts are
di RA
reduced and solution can be found more quickly.
The main purpose of this lesson is to examine various other connectors
available in SolidWorks Simulation.
Connectors When analyzing assemblies with connectors, we frequently do not need
or D
to analyze the connectors itself, only the parts around the connectors.
Replacing the connector model with SolidWorks Simulation connector
st
speeds the analysis process as there is nothing to mesh and solve.
SolidWorks Simulation provides the following types of connectors:
E I
I
Rigid
Spring
I
I
Bolt
Link
op AS
I Pin I Spot Welds
I Elastic support I Bearing
Connector Types The following table lists the available connector options:
t c LE
Compression only
Extension only
190
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
Pin Connects cylindrical faces of two components. The following two
e
options are available in the pin definition:
F
1. With retainer ring (No Translation). Specifies a pin that prevents
ut
relative axial translation between the two cylindrical faces.
di RA
2. With key (No Rotation). Specifies a pin that prevents relative
rotation between the two cylindrical faces.
The stiffness values corresponding to the axial and rotational
directions may be specified as well. The pin material and strength
data can be specified to perform a pass/no pass pin check.
or D
Elastic support Defines an elastic foundation between the selected faces of a part or
assembly and the ground. The faces do not have to be planar.
st
A distributed stiffness at a point on the face represents the stiffness
density associated with an infinitely small area around the point.
directly from the material libraries and various preload options are
available.
y
To see the definitions of the bolt connectors see Lesson 7 and Exercise
14: Bolt Connectors on page 271
no RE
Spot weld Defines a connector simulating spot weld between two solid faces or two
shell faces.
Edge weld Defines a connector simulating edge weld bead between two shell
features, or one shell and one solid feature.
-
Fillet and Groove welds, both single and double sided are available.
Do E
Link Ties any two locations on the model by a rigid bar that is hinged at both
ends.
PR
191
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
various contact sets to be
analyzed.
e
F
Pins and springs will be used
ut
to simulate the physical parts
and contact sets will be
di RA
defined between the various
parts.
or D
Project The vise grip pliers are
Description clamping a piece of bar
st
stock. The pliers are set so
that they are not in the
Not all the parts need to be analyzed. Suppress the parts and detail
that are not necessary.
I Apply materials.
Either apply the materials in SolidWorks or through SolidWorks
Simulation.
-
I Apply fixtures.
Do E
192
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
I Mesh.
e
There are multiple parts and each must mesh with the correct
F
contact conditions to satisfy the contact with adjacent parts.
ut
I Run the analysis.
di RA
Run the analysis and analyze the results to determine further action.
Procedure Follow the steps below to analyze the vise grip pliers:
1 Open an assembly file.
Open wrench from the Lesson05\Case Studies folder.
or D
2 Change configuration.
st
Make the For analysis configuration active. In this configuration, the
release lever and pincap parts have been suppressed. A simplified
Select Color Chart. For Number format, select Scientific (e) and 2
decimal places.
y
4 Create a study.
Create a static study named vise grip analysis.
no RE
5 Apply material.
Apply the material Cast Carbon Steel from the SolidWorks
Materials database to all the parts.
6 Simulate bar stock.
We are not interested in the stress in the piece
-
7 Check interference.
To determine where the different components
are in contact, we can use the SolidWorks
interference detection. Click Tools,
Interference Detection in the menu.
Select the assembly file and Treat coincidence as interference.
Three contacts are detected.
193
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
I Interference1 is a line contact between the screw and the end of
e
the center link. We will add a contact set for bonded contact
F
between these two components because as long as the force is
applied, these two components remain in contact.
ut
I Interference2 is between the screw and the barrel of Arm1 where
di RA
the threads engage. This contact will be handled with a help of the
top level assembly component contact (Global Contact).
I Interference3 is between two different components of Arm1 that
do not move relative to one another. This contact will also be
handled with a help of the top level assembly component contact
or D
(Global Contact).
st
E
op AS
Interference1
Interference3
t c LE
Interference2
y
Close Interference Detection.
9 Set the top level assembly contact.
no RE
Confirm that the top level assembly contact (Global Contact) under
the Component Contacts folder is set to Bonded.
-
Do E
PR
194
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
10 Explode.
Explode the assembly to make it easier to select the faces and edges.
rib T
11 Add Contact.
e
Add a Bonded contact set between the edge of the center link and the
F
end face of the screw.
ut
di RA
Bonded
or D
st
E
op AS
Introducing: Pin Pin connectors ensure that two cylindrical faces remain coaxial during
Connectors the deformation process. The two faces are not allowed to deform and
will remain cylindrical during deformation.
t c LE
each other.
no RE
195
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
If the geometrical and material parameters of the pin are known, it can
be conveniently tested at the end of the analysis. The following
rib T
parameters are needed:
e
I Tensile stress area: cross chord area of the pin.
F
I Pin strength: Design strength for the material of the pin (typically
ut
the yield strength).
di RA
I Safety Factor: Pin Design Safety Factor.
Alternatively, pin strength can be populated automatically by
specifying the material in the material dialog window.
Note Depending on the type of connector used, certain contact conditions
have to be defined between connected components (such as
or D
No penetration contact between two bolted parts).
st
We will need three pins to connect the components.
E
Pin 2
Pin 1
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Pin 3
-
Do E
PR
196
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
12 Add pins.
rib T
In the Simulation Study tree, right-click Connections and select Pin.
e
Select the inside face of the hole in the CenterLink part and the face of
F
the shaft in the secondGrip part.
ut
Select With retaining ring and clear With key.
di RA
Check the box for Strength Data, input 1.2 mm^2 for Tensile Stress
Area, 3.516e8 N/m^2 for the Pin Strength and 2 for the Safety
Factor.
Click Select material and select AISI 1020 steel.
or D
Clicks OK.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
197
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
springs.
e
F
ut
di RA
Spring Connector Under Type, we can specify whether the spring is active
Types in both compression and tension, compression only, or
tension only.
or D
The options Flat parallel faces, Concentric
cylindrical faces, and Two locations specify the
st
characteristics of the spring end entities.
Options
E
Spring Connector Under Options we can specify the Normal and
Tangential spring stiffness values. Both quantities
can be expressed as Total (N/m or lb/in), or
op AS
Distributed in the units of (N/m)/m2 or (lb/in)/
in2, for example.
Both the Compression preload and Tension
preload can be input.
t c LE
Use in Instructions Select Springs from the Type list in the PropertyManager.
-
Do E
PR
198
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
While we do not have a spring modeled into the
assembly, we will add a connector spring to apply
e
the appropriate force.
F
ut
Right-click Connections and select Spring.
di RA
Select Two locations. We have split faces on the
appropriate features of each part to create vertices
on which to connect the spring.
Type 250 N/m for the Axial Stiffness. Select
Tension preload force and type 5 N.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
199
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
other to Arm2. As modeled, each of these components has an
appropriate face on which to apply the loads.
e
F
Apply a 225 N force, normal to the Top plane to each of the surfaces
shown.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Note Make sure that the force applied to the top handle is 225N as a Total
force.
16 Mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
t c LE
Mesh the model using High quality elements and the default settings.
y
no RE
-
Do E
17 Run.
PR
200
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
stress regions more in depth stress post processing analysis is required.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E 19 Chart Options.
op AS
We would like to see if any components yield. We can change the chart
options to make the top of the scale equal to the yield stress of the Cast
Carbon Steel material. Anything that yields will then be shown in red.
Right-click the plot Stress1 and click Chart Option.
Select Defined and type the yield stress for Cast Carbon Steel
t c LE
201
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
plot. Right-click on the center link part and select Isolate.
e
Create a new stress plot to visualize the stresses in the center link.
F
We can see that the problem is the area where we have defined line
ut
contact between the center link and the screw. This concentration
di RA
(stress singularity), i.e. unreal distribution of stresses, was subject of
Lesson 2. While it is not possible to eliminate it with the current
geometry, we could minimize its impact on the rest of the stress
distribution by refining the mesh.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
202
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
Pin/Bolt Force The pins and bolts can be quickly designed, knowing the basic loads:
shear and axial forces, bending moment, and torque. The figure below
rib T
shows the directions of these loads.
e
F
ut
di RA
Shear force
or D
Bending moment
st
E
Torque
op AS
Axial force
List Pin/Bolt/Bearing The pin, bolt and bearing forces are calculated and displayed in tabular
Force form.
y
The dialog lets you save data as a *.csv or *.txt file, which can be
opened and edited in Excel or Notepad. Exported information can be
no RE
used very effectively for the pin/bolt design. Provided the strength data
was entered for each pin, the software will analyze each pin
automatically.
Bolt/Bearing Force
Do E
203
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
Now that we have simplified the
analysis by suppressing the pins, we
e
have to extract the pin forces.
F
ut
Right-click on the Results folder
and select List Pin/Bolt/Bearing
di RA
Force.
or D
The Pin/Bolt Force dialog lists all important force loads on pin
connectors.
st
We can examine the forces on each pin or the maximum values and
E which connector they are on. The red background indicates that the pin
is failing with the safety factor of 2.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
204
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 5
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
Summary The focus of this lesson was to provide a summary of the available
connector types and demonstrate the use of some of them.
rib T
In the vise grip model we analyzed an assembly and used spring and
e
pin connectors to simplify the model by eliminating the spring and pin.
F
Of course, this approach is acceptable only if the spring and pins
ut
themselves are of no interest in the analysis.
di RA
We saw that due to the geometry of the center link, a stress
concentration caused unrealistic stress results along the sharp edge. To
better investigate this region, we would want to refine the mesh
significantly. We could then attempt to compare the stress results to the
yield strenght of the material.
or D
We also successfully evaluated the pin connectors and showed that the
pins were failing with respect to our input factor of safety. To remedy
st
this, we would need to either select a new pin material or make the pins
larger.
205
Lesson 5 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis with Connectors
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
206
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 10
Lift Assembly
Exercise 10: Analyze a lift assembly, in which a weight is supported by four arms.
Lift Assembly This exercise will introduce another fixture called a hinge.
rib T
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
e
I Component Contact on page 132.
F
I Local Contact on page 140.
ut
I Rotational and Axial Stiffness on page 256.
di RA
Problem A scissor lift used to lift a 1,800 N.
Statement weight is operated by an external
hydraulic cylinder connected to a 1800
N
slider traveling on a base.
or D
The load is assumed to be evenly
distributed between the two rollers
st
which, in turn, evenly split the load
between the arms. This way each
are not modeled, and the SolidWorks assembly lift depicts the scissor
lift in a somewhat idealized way.
-
Do E
PR
Base
Slider
207
Exercise 10 SolidWorks 2012
Lift Assembly
4 Create study.
Create a Static study named collapsed-without base.
rib T
5 Assign material properties.
e
Specify Plain Carbon Steel for all of the components.
F
6 Check for assembly interferences.
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note E There are only two parts in the assembly with touching faces.
Since we are not interested in the deformations and stresses in the base,
op AS
we will suppress this part to simplify our mesh. At the same time,
however, we must correctly represent the contact condition with the
corresponding friction forces. This can be achieved by using a Virtual
wall contact condition type, introduced in Lesson 7.
7 Exclude the base part from the analysis.
t c LE
Note Alternatively, you can use Exclude from Analysis command which
does not require suppression of the part in SolidWorks.
Do E
PR
208
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 10
Lift Assembly
rib T
a Set 2.
e
Specify the Friction Coefficient of 0.1. Under Wall Type, select
F
Flexible.
ut
Specify the values of 1.6537E+013 (N/m)/m2 [60.92e6 lb/in/in2] and
di RA
6.2216E+012 (N/m)/m2 [22.92e6 lb/in/in] as Axial stiffness and
Tangential stiffness, respectively.
Click OK to save the virtual wall settings.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
209
Exercise 10 SolidWorks 2012
Lift Assembly
Hinge Restraint The connection between the lift arms and the base has to be simulated
as hinges.
rib T
The Hinge type of restraint suppresses radial and axial translations,
e
which are defined in the local cylindrical coordinate system associated
F
with the cylindrical surface.
ut
Exactly the same restraint can be defined using the On Cylindrical
di RA
Face type of restraint where we restrain the radial and axial
displacement components.
or D
and then select Fixed Hinge.
Select the two cylindrical faces
st
initially connected to the base.
E Click OK.
op AS
Note Using the Fixed Hinge restraint, we assume that the base is rather stiff
and does not deform. If the elastic behavior of the base must be
accounted for, it would have to be included in the analysis.
t c LE
210
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 10
Lift Assembly
rib T
cylindrical face on the slider in the global x- direction (in the direction
of the piston).
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Hint Utilize Use reference geometry restraint type to define this boundary
or condition.
y
Note By applying restraints to the entire cylindrical face we ignore the
realistic distribution of stresses between the cylinder pin and the lug.
no RE
211
Exercise 10 SolidWorks 2012
Lift Assembly
rib T
openings at the free ends of the four link components. The total weight
distributed equally between all four locations is thus 1,800 N.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Bearing Load Applying the load to the entire cylindrical hole is an acceptable
simplification because we do not intend to analyze contact stresses
developing between the arms and roller pins.
t c LE
cylindrical face (this requires splitting the face), and its variation is
described by a cosine function to simulate the contact pressure
distribution.
-
14 Create mesh.
Mesh the model with
Do E
212
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 10
Lift Assembly
rib T
displacements are rather small (the deformed shape is shown in the
magnified scale).
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
213
Exercise 10 SolidWorks 2012
Lift Assembly
rib T
The reaction force in
the x-direction, which
e
is the direction of the
F
hydraulic cylinder, is
ut
approximately
di RA
6,350 N.
or D
st
E
op AS
18 List contact and friction
forces.
List contact and friction
forces on the bottom face
of the slider.
t c LE
Is the friction force Can you verify whether the result for the friction force, 45 N, is
correct? correct? Why?
214
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 10
Lift Assembly
rib T
(You may hide all of the remaining components in SolidWorks to view
the deformed shape more clearly).
e
F
In the Deformed Shape dialog, un check the Show colors option.
ut
We can see that the
di RA
middle part of the slider
detaches from the base;
the contact is provided
only by very small areas
on both sides.
or D
Also note that, to
accurately model the
st
contact stresses, a highly
refined mesh would be
E required.
20 Save and Close the file.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
215
Exercise 11 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis with Base (optional)
Exercise 11: The results from the previous study can be verified by running the same
Analysis with analysis with the base included in the finite element model.
rib T
Base (optional) Run the simulation again with the base included in the model and
e
compare the solutions to verify that the virtual wall contact condition
F
accurately models the real situation.
ut
di RA
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
I Connectors on page 190.
I Pin Connectors on page 195.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
216
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 12
Shock Absorber
rib T
Exercise 2: Compressive Spring
Stiffness on page 81will be used in
e
the application of a spring
F
connection.
ut
This exercise reinforces the
di RA
following skills:
I Spring Connector on page 198.
or D
Problem The miniature shock absorber consists of a tube, a plunger, clamp, and
Statement a helical spring. We will investigate the stresses that develop in the
st
plunger collar when the assembly is compressed with a 3 N force. We
have already calculated the stiffness of the spring to be 255.7 N/m in
4 Assign material.
Assign Alloy Steel to all the components.
PR
217
Exercise 12 SolidWorks 2012
Shock Absorber
5 Apply fixtures.
Apply a Fixed Geometry fixture to the
rib T
cylindrical face of the eye belonging to the
Shock Tube (item 1).
e
F
This fixture fully restrains the Shock Tube 2
ut
component.
di RA
6 Restrain Shock Plunger.
Apply an Advanced Fixture in the radial and
1
circumferential directions to the cylindrical
face of the eye (item 2) belonging to the part
Shock Plunger.
or D
Use On cylindrical face as the type of fixture.
Note With these three constraints, the assembly model is left with one degree
st
of rigid body motion. The Shock Plunger can slide in and out of the
tube because the Shock Plunger and Shock Tube are disconnected.
E 7
We connect these two parts with a spring connector.
Define spring connector.
op AS
Right-click Connections and select Spring.
Under Type, select Compression Extension with Flat parallel faces.
As shown, specify the selected face on the Shock Tube as the Planar
Face of Component1 and the face on the Shock Plunger as the
Parallel Face of Component2.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
218
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 12
Shock Absorber
rib T
Tube and Shock Plunger are now connected.
e
Click OK.
F
ut
di RA
8 Apply force to shock plunger.
Apply a 3 N load to the split face on the
cylindrical face of the Shock Plunger ear in
or D
the direction of the rod.
st
The load is applied normal to Plane1.
E
op AS
9 Apply mesh control.
Apply mesh control to the fillet face on
the Shock Plunger where a higher
stress concentration can be expected.
t c LE
219
Exercise 12 SolidWorks 2012
Shock Absorber
Large In this case, we ignore the warning because the large displacements
Displacement caused by the spring connector are translations only. The rotations of
rib T
Warning the assembly components are restricted and the deformations are very
small.
e
F
You may run the solution with and without the Large Displacement
ut
Contact/Connector flag activated to verify that both runs produce the
same results.
di RA
Large displacement analysis is a subject of Lesson 14.
or D
stresses of 2.44MPa are well
below the yield strength of the
st
Alloy Steel (620 MPa).
13 Plot displacements.
Plot the distribution of the UZ: Z
y
220
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 13
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
rib T
Solid Mesh are joined by spot welds on
each side.
e
F
We will use FEA to
ut
investigate torsional stiffness
di RA
of the assembly by finding the
torque required to twist the
tube.
or D
not attempting to duplicate
Spot Welds
any real life test conditions.
st
We intend to use the results of this numerical test to compare different
spot welds configurations. The two-piece design is the first
E configuration we test.
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
op AS
I Spot weld on page 191.
I Cylindrical Coordinate Systems on page 160.
I Soft Springs on page 165
t c LE
221
Exercise 13 SolidWorks 2012
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
rib T
Stress to N/m^2.
e
4 Create study.
F
Create a study named tube solid.
ut
5 Review Material properties.
di RA
Verify that the material definition, Galvanized Steel, has been
transferred from SolidWorks to SolidWorks Simulation.
6 Treat tubes as solids.
Expand the Parts folder. Right-click the tube features and select Treat
as Solid.
or D
Introducing: Spot Spot welds are defined by the two faces which are connected by the
st
Welds weld. Additionally the weld location needs to be specified on either one
of these two faces.
E To specify the spot weld location you can use an assembly reference
point (not a part reference point) or a vertex.
op AS
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Connections folder and select Spot
Welds.
I CommandManager: Simulation > Connections Advisor > Spot
Welds.
t c LE
Then select the connected face on the other part (see the figure) as the
spot weld second face. Then select Spot Weld Locations and select
the ten vertices shown.
In the Spot weld diameter, enter 3.175 mm [0.125 in].
This way, all spot weld locations on one side are defined in a single
-
restraint.
Do E
PR
222
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 13
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
Click OK.
rib T
Select 10
vertices
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
8 Repeat the process for the other
side.
Similarly, apply spot welds at all the
other 10 locations on the other side
of the tube.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
223
Exercise 13 SolidWorks 2012
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
Apply Torque We are going to apply torque to this assembly using two fixtures. On
one end the geometry will be prevented from moving in the axial and
rib T
circumferential directions. On the other end, we will apply a fixed
movement of 1 degree.
e
F
ut
9 Apply fixtures.
Select the Use reference geometry fixture under advanced and select
di RA
the assembly axis as reference geometry. This way, the directions of
restraints are aligned with the cylindrical coordinate system defined by
this axis. The first component is radial translation, the second is
circumferential rotation (expressed in radians), and the third is axial
translation.
or D
Select the two faces on one side of the tube and restrain the
Circumferential displacement component (enter 0 rad).
st
Click OK.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
224
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 13
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
rib T
Circumferential displacement to the two faces on the opposite end.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
11 Use soft springs to stabilize the model.
The prescribed displacements defined on both ends of the tube do not
t c LE
restrain the assembly in the axial direction. The model can move in the
axial direction as a rigid body without experiencing any deformation.
y
To stabilize the model, activate the Use soft spring to stabilize
model option.
no RE
Contact Between Before meshing the model we have to make an important modeling
Parts decision, that is, how do the two parts interact. We are going to assume
that the two halves of the tube interact with each other only through
-
considering that thin spot welded sheets often come apart in-between
spot welds.
As a result of this decision, we model the contact condition between
touching faces of the two halves as Allow Penetration.
225
Exercise 13 SolidWorks 2012
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
12 Define Contact.
rib T
Define a new component contact of type Allow Penetration.
e
13 Apply mesh control.
F
To avoid excessive
ut
element turn angle, apply
a mesh control with the
di RA
Element size of 3.0 mm
[0.118 in] and the Ratio
equal to 1.5, to all four
rounds and flanges.
or D
Turn angle 45o means that one element face wraps over a 45o arc.
st
Element Turn
Angle Generally an element turn angle of 45o or less is preferred.
E The figures below show the mesh with and without the mesh control
definitions.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Spot Welds - Note that the mesh has only one element across the wall thickness.
Do E
Stress Generally two layers of second order elements are recommended. One
Concentrations layer is acceptable for the analysis of deformations but may produce
high stress error in detailed stress results.
PR
226
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 13
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
Models with Spot welds are suitable for analysis of deformations and
global stresses, which is our intention in this model.
rib T
Also, the model geometry would be better meshed with shell elements
e
than with solid elements. We use solid elements to practice Spot welds
F
connectors with solid geometries. Later in the course we will solve the
ut
same model using shells.
di RA
14 Mesh the model.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
Create a High quality mesh with the Mesh Density slider set to Fine.
15 Run the analysis.
or D
st
16 Plot von Mises stresses.
Von Mises stress results indicate high stress near spot welds. As we
E said before, any stress results near spot welds are unreliable.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
227
Exercise 13 SolidWorks 2012
Spot Welds-Solid Mesh
Resulting Torque To calculate the resulting torque, we first list the y-component of the
Extraction reaction force in the cylindrical coordinate system and multiply it by
rib T
the radius (see Exercise 3 for an additional example).
e
17 List reaction force in cylindrical system.
F
List the y-component of the reaction force in the cylindrical coordinate
system defined by Axis1 (see the following figure).
ut
di RA
The circumferential component of the reaction force is 8314.8 N.
Calculate resulting torque.
The average radius is 0.1265 m [4.98 in]. Therefore the resulting torque
T is:
T = 8314.8 N x 0.1265 m = 1051.82 N-m
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Note Exercise 18: Spot Welds - Shell mesh on page 319 shows how this
problem can be solved using shell elements, a distinct modeling
PR
228
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 6
or D
Compatible/Incompatible
st
Meshes
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Understand mesh compatibility in solid element meshes with
various contact conditions.
y
bonding) algorithm.
-
Do E
PR
229
Lesson 6 SolidWorks 2012
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
rib T
Meshing where the nodes of meshes of adjacent parts or bodies are merged to
insure bonding. An incompatible mesh results if this condition cannot
e
be met.
F
ut
We will use solid mesh part with unmerged bodies for this purpose.
di RA
Case Study: In this case study, we will analyze a simplified four bladed rotor part.
Rotor The blades and rotor disk are separate, unmerged, bodies. The rotor
disk is a thick part and the blades are relatively thin which presents a
problem in the way the mesh must be created in the area where the two
type bodies join.
or D
Project The rotor will be subjected to a rotation of 1 rad/sec, causing stress in
Description the blades. Both the rotor disk and blades are made from Alloy Steel.
st
Determine the maximum stress and deflection in the four-bladed rotor.
Procedure
E To begin this analysis:
op AS
1 Open a part file.
Open rotor2a from the Lesson06\Case Studies folder.
2 Define a new study.
Create a new static study named rotor2a-compatible.
t c LE
230
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 6
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
Compatible Mesh When a compatible mesh is created, the parts or bodies in the assembly
are meshed so that a smooth mesh transition between any two parts is
rib T
achieved. The nodes along the interface are then imprinted one upon
another. If bonded contact is requested, the nodes are then merged to
e
ensure the bonding. If compatible meshing fails at some interface, the
F
software will attempt to generate incompatible mesh for the two parts
ut
involved.
di RA
4 Set global compatible bonding.
Edit the top assembly level component contact
(Global Contact).
Make sure that Bonded is selected under the
or D
Contact Type dialog.
st
Under Options, select Compatible mesh.
5 Mesh part.
Note that the mesh in the blade is rather dense and the nodes are nicely
aligned along the blade/solid interface. In fact, the nodes along this
PR
231
Lesson 6 SolidWorks 2012
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
rib T
correspondence is also forced
along the entire blade/solid
e
interface. The nodes are
F
subsequently merged to ensure
ut
the required bonding.
di RA
While merging the nodes is the
most accurate way to ensure
the bonding between two
touching bodies in a part, or
two parts in an assembly, it
or D
poses additional constraints on
the mesher. All bodies and
st
parts must be meshed together,
causing the operation to become more complex and take longer.
11 External Load.
Apply 1 rad/s Centrifugal load. Use Axis1 for
y
the reference.
12 Run the analysis.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
232
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 6
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
13 Displacement results.
The displacement plot shows a symmetrical pattern of the deformation
rib T
with a maximum resultant displacement of 4.2 e-7 m.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E 14 Von Mises stress results.
op AS
Stress distribution shows singularities in the vicinity of the blades.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
233
Lesson 6 SolidWorks 2012
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
Incompatible Mesh When the nodes of adjacent meshes cannot be merged, we have an
incompatible mesh. We can select an incompatible mesh which tells the
rib T
mesher to mesh every body/part independently and ensure the bonding
via the constraint equations (additional mathematical expressions).
e
F
ut
15 Define a new study.
Duplicate study rotor2a-compatible as a new study rotor2a-
di RA
incompatible.
16 Set global incompatible bonding.
Edit the setting of the top level assembly component
contact (Global Contact) and change the Options to
Incompatible.
or D
17 Mesh part.
st
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh
Parameters.
Automatic Switch automatically re-meshes parts where compatible meshing was not
to Incompatible successful.
Mesh
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Mesh, Create Mesh and under
Advanced select Remesh failed parts with incompatible mesh.
234
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 6
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
rib T
The solid bodies of the rotor and the blades are meshed independently
and the nodes along the interface are not aligned. The bonding is
e
ensured by means of the additional constraint equations.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
19 Run the study.
20 Displacement results.
The results are the same when compared to those obtained in the study
t c LE
235
Lesson 6 SolidWorks 2012
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
rib T
options can be accessed in the study properties. In this section, we will
discuss these options and their advantages and disadvantages.
e
F
Simplified Bonding When Simplified is selected, the traditional (node base) bonding
ut
algorithm is used. The source body is represented using its nodes, while
the target is represented through the element faces (target must always
di RA
be a face). However, depending on the density of the source mesh, not
all target element faces may participate. This may lead to a generation
of patched contact.
or D
st
E In the figure above we try to demonstrate a traditional, node based
incompatible bond between an edge (source) and a face (target). Only
op AS
the elements where a node uniquely lies on their faces will participate
in the contact. This leads to a patched description of the contact which
may lead to less accurate results.
More Accurate When the More accurate (slower) option is used, source entities use
(Mortar) Bonding full description of the geometry including edges (faces) between the
t c LE
In the figure above the entire edge (continuos description) of the source
-
as well as the faces of the touching target elements form the contact set;
Do E
defining the source and the target should be compatible and the More
accurate (slower) option should be used.
Automatic When the Automatic option is selected, the software will decide which
is the most appropriate bonding type with respect to the model and
solution times. It is suggested to leave this option as the default
bonding type.
236
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 6
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
21 Simplified bonding.
In the study Properties activate the Simplified bonding option.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
22 Run the study.
t c LE
23 Displacement results.
The results are significantly different to those obtained in the study
y
with the compatible mesh, automatic bonding.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
237
Lesson 6 SolidWorks 2012
Compatible/Incompatible Meshes
Discussion The interface on two of the blades is not properly bonded due to the
simplified bonding algorithm. There are two reasons for this. First of
rib T
all, the mesh sizes are very different between the two bodies.
Additionally, the simplified bonding algorithm failed to accurately
e
bond the two bodies. To obtain the correct solution, More accurate
F
(Mortar) bonding must be used. By default Automatic bonding treats
ut
this contact correctly.
di RA
Summary In this lesson we showed the difference between the compatible and
incompatible meshing approach for solid element meshes.
Compatible mesh is somewhat more accurate along the interface
because a node to node correspondence between the meshes is forced
or the two corresponding nodes are directly merged. However it puts
or D
additional strain on the mesher and the meshing process may take
st
longer to complete.
Incompatible meshing procedure generates mesh for each part
238
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 7
or D
Assembly Analysis
st
Mesh Refinement
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Analyze more complex solid mesh assemblies with various contact
conditions and connectors.
y
conditions.
I Auto-generate the local contact definitions.
I Define bolt connectors.
I Analyze and judge the quality of solid finite element mesh.
-
239
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
Mesh Control in In Lesson 2 we learned how to apply mesh control when analyzing a
an Assembly part. In this lesson, we will apply mesh control when analyzing an
rib T
assembly.
e
Once we have run the analysis, we will create a Design Check Plot to
F
display the Factor of Safety of the model.
ut
Case Study: In this case study we will analyze an assembly of a cardan joint. We
di RA
Cardan Joint will determine the various contacts in the assembly and apply different
mesh controls to different contact conditions.
We will apply external forces to the assembly that bypass existing
components using remote loads. This allows us to analyze the assembly
faster as several components will not have to be meshed and solved.
or D
We will use a draft (first order) mesh to get an initial solution and then
st
compare this with the results obtained with a high quality (second
order) mesh.
240
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
of 3.469 mm (see the figure above).
e
The goal of the analysis is to obtain the distribution of stresses and
F
strains in the components of the Cardan joint and the internal forces in
ut
the bolts required for their subsequent design. The deformations and
stresses in the shaft, Rev Bracket, and the full-crank-assy are of no
di RA
interest at this time.
Part 1: Draft In the first part of the lesson we will define all of the appropriate
Quality Coarse contact conditions with the help of SolidWorks Simulation Find
or D
Mesh Analysis Contact Sets feature.
st
Procedure Follow the steps below:
1 Open an assembly file.
E 2
Open Cardan joint from the Lesson07\Case Studies folder.
Set SolidWorks Simulation options.
op AS
Set the global system of units to SI (MKS), units of Length to mm and
Stress to N/mm2 (MPa).
Store the results in the SolidWorks document folder in the results
subfolder.
3 Activate configuration Without_crank.
t c LE
5 Assign material.
Right-click on the Parts folder and select Apply material to All.
Assign Alloy Steel material from the Solidworks Materials library to
all parts in this assembly.
-
241
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
Remote Load The Remote Load option allows the user to simplify certain
assemblies prior to meshing, often helping reduce the size of the mesh.
rib T
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Loads/Fixtures, Remote Load/Mass
e
F
I Shortcut Menu: Right-click External Loads and select Remote
Load/Mass
ut
di RA
I CommandManager: Simulation > External Loads > Remote
Load/Mass
Remote Load Examine a pot supported by
Example three outriggers. A load is
applied to the tip of each
outrigger.When analyzing an
or D
assembly, such as this pot
st
with outrigger, we may not
be interested in the
E
deformations and stresses of
the outriggers and we wish to
concentrate solely on the
op AS
analysis of the pot.
Taking advantage of the
Remote Load option, we avoid modeling the outriggers and still are
able to apply loads to the pot as if the outriggers were present.
Instead of analyzing the assembly, we analyze the pot as a part. Using
t c LE
the Remote Load menu, we apply a load to the split faces marking the
area where the outriggers are attached to the pot.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
242
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
outrigger) can be assumed to be much more flexible than the
e
analyzed part (the pot). The load that would have been applied to
F
the outrigger is applied to the split faces of the pot and is expressed
ut
by means of equivalent loads and moments.
di RA
I Load/Mass (Rigid connection) is applicable if the omitted
component is very rigid and can be assumed to displace as a rigid
body. In this case the faces where the loads are applied are
connected by invisible rigid bars to the point of load application.
This option also allows you to specify a remotely located, isolated
or D
mass. This feature is useful when the gravity (or another constant
acceleration load) is included or when performing a frequency
st
analysis.
I Displacement (Rigid connection), the third option in the Remote
menu. The remote location of the force will be specified in this local
Do E
coordinate system.
PR
243
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
mm.
e
For the Force, specify -2.5 N in Z-Direction. The components of the
F
force are also specified in the local coordinate system Coordinate
ut
System 1.
di RA
Click OK.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
shaft, arm and knob are manufactured from material that is softer
than Alloy Steel.
PR
244
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
series feature in
SolidWorks, the
e
specification of the M6 bolt
F
is automatically transferred
ut
in SolidWorks Simulation.
di RA
Notice that Bolt Shank
Diameter and Nut
Diameter parameters read
6.6 mm and 9.9 mm,
respectively. If different,
these values can be
or D
modified to your real
st
design values.
E
op AS
Bolt Tight fit and The Tight fit option controls not only whether the bolt shank is in direct
Diameter contact with the hole, but also whether the walls of the bolt hole may
deform or not.
I If the stiffness of the bolt material is significantly smaller than the
stiffness of the material of the bolted components, the presence of a
t c LE
rather soft bolt shank will not have a substantial effect on the
deformation of the hole walls. In such a case, the Tight fit option
y
should be cleared.
I If the stiffness of the materials are comparable, or the stiffness of
no RE
the bolt material is greater than the stiffness of the material of the
bolted parts, the Tight fit option should be activated.
I If the diameter of the bolt is smaller than the diameter of the bolt
hole, the Tight fit option should always be cleared. In this case, the
stiffness characteristics of the materials are not important.
-
Do E
PR
245
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
Bolt Pre-load Bolt pre-load can be defined directly by entering an axial force or
indirectly as torque. When the torque value (T) is entered, SolidWorks
rib T
Simulation calculates the axial bolt force, which is the corresponding
bolt pre-load, using the following formula:
e
F
T
F = ------------
ut
KxD
di RA
where D is the diameter of the bolt, and K is the friction factor (also
commonly known as the torque coefficient).
The exact formula for the friction factor K is rather complicated and
can be found in Mechanical Engineering Design by J.E. Shigley
(1986). However, the value of K=0.2 is a very good approximation for
or D
most practical cases.
st
10 Add material and fit.
Check the Tight Fit
12 Add preload.
Under Preload select Torque.
In the Torque box, enter 30 N-m. Specify the
Friction factor (K) of 0.2.
-
connector.
PR
246
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
13 Hole Series.
Because the bolted connections
rib T
were defined using SolidWorks
Hole series feature,
e
SolidWorks Simulation will
F
display the following message:
ut
Do you want to add bolt
di RA
connectors to all holes in
the Hole Series? Click Yes
to propagate bolts to all
holes. Click No to add a
bolt to only the selected
hole.
or D
Click Yes in the above dialog
st
box window to automatically
generate the remaining three
Under Circular Edge of the Bolt Nut Hole select the edge of the hole
Do E
247
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
The Nut Diameter as well as the Bolt Shank Diameters will be pre-
populated based on the specifications of the bolted connection in
SolidWorks and can be modified if desired. In our case we will use the
values of 13.5 mm and 9 mm, respectively.
t c LE
Select Tight Fit and select the only cylindrical face as Shank Contact
Faces.
y
Specify Alloy Steel for the Material and a Torque preload of 30 N-m
with the Friction factor (K) of 0.2.
no RE
15 Hole series.
Again, you will be asked if you would like to copy the bolt to the other
holes in the series. Click Yes to add the other bolt.
Note Again, you will have to apply the Tight Fit option manually.
-
Do E
PR
248
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Options dialog, activate the Treat coincidence as interference field.
e
Click Calculate.
F
Browse through and analyze the identified contact interfaces.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Due to the significant number of the contacts the contact sets will be
generated automatically.
17 Explode the view.
Explode the view for easier definition of the contact conditions.
-
Do E
249
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
Local Contact Sets We have deleted Global Contact to ensure that no two faces remain
accidentally bonded. In most assemblies, one type of contact (in our
rib T
case Allow Penetration) condition does not satisfy all interfaces, so we
must adjust the contact condition at each contact set that does not meet
e
the global condition.
F
ut
Automatically Find Automatically Find Contact Sets helps to automate the process of
Contact Sets defining contacts within an assembly.
di RA
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Contact/Gaps, Contact Sets
I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Connections and select Contact Sets
I CommandManager: Simulation > Connections Advisor
or D
>Contact Set
Use in Instructions Under Contact select Automatically find contact sets
st
Local Contact
Options E
No Penetration No penetration contact was introduced in Lesson 3 where all basic
options were described. In this section advanced options will be
discussed.
op AS
No Penetration The advanced options of the No Penetration contact are accessible
Local Contact: through the simulation study options. To activate them, Show
Advanced Options advanced options for contact set definitions option must be
activated in the simulation Default Options, under Mesh.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
250
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Set definition offers the following
types of options:
e
F
I Node to node: Entities must be initially touching and no significant
ut
sliding or change in the contact region shape may occur. This
option may not be used when the Large displacements option (see
di RA
Lesson 14 ) is active.
I Node to surface: No restriction on the initial configuration is
imposed, i.e. the entities participating in contact do not need to be
touching at the beginning of the analysis and sliding is permitted.
Because the directions of the friction and normal forces are updated
or D
during the analysis, this option is valid for the Large displacements
calculations.
st
This type of contact is able to
describe complex contact
251
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
options below, Show advanced options for contact set definitions
option must be activated in the simulation Default Options.
e
F
If these advanced options are not used, the default no penetration
ut
contact type will be Surface to Surface.
di RA
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Contact/Gaps, Contact Sets
I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Connections and select Contact Sets
I CommandManager: Simulation > Connections Advisor
>Contact Set
or D
Use in Instructions Under Advanced choose from Node to node, Node to surface or
Surface to Surface.
st
19 Activate Advanced options of the No Penetration contact.
E Edit the simulation Default Options. Under Mesh folder activate the
Show advanced options for contact set definitions option.
op AS
Right-click on the Connections folder and select Contact Sets.
20 Define local contact sets.
We will take advantage of the automatic contact generation feature in
SolidWorks Simulation.
t c LE
252
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Under the Options dialog, select Touching
e
faces.
F
In Components, select the top level assembly.
ut
Click Find contact sets.
di RA
All detected contact sets are listed in the
Results dialog. You can browse through and
view each by clicking on it.
Select all found contact sets under the Results
or D
dialog.
Under Type and Options, select No
st
penetration.
Select
E
Under Properties activate Friction and All
specify the Friction Coefficient of 0.05.
Under Advanced select Surface to surface.
op AS
Click OK twice. All the contact sets will be
generated and listed under the Connections
folder.
t c LE
y
no RE
253
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
No Penetration As specified in the statement of the problem, the geometry of the Shaft
Local Contact ensures that the Yoke_female and the RevBracket do not come any
rib T
Options closer than the initial manufacturing distance of 3.469 mm. We will
simulate this constraint with the help of the No penetration contact
e
condition with Gap (clearance) settings.
F
ut
Gap (clearance) This feature enforces the contact offset equal
only to the initial geometrical distance between
di RA
the participating entities. The options of this
feature enables the user to select whether the
initial geometrical offset should be applied to
all of the selected entities within a specific
contact set or only to those with the initial
or D
separation distance smaller than the user
defined value.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
254
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Define a No penetration, Node to surface contact set with the edge of
the contact face between the shaft and the Yoke_Female as the first
e
component and the face on the RevBracket as the second component.
F
ut
Select Gap (clearance) and select Always ignore clearance.
di RA
Under Advanced select Node to surface.
Click OK.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
case.
Also, edge is used to simplify the solution. Full contact face between
PR
255
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
The last restraint must ensure that the cylindrical openings on the
Yoke_female and RevBracket remain aligned and that these two
rib T
openings remain connected for the transmission of the torque (they are
physically connected by a shaft). Without this condition, the
e
differential is free to rotate and our solution may fail or be inaccurate.
F
Instead of using a model of the shaft, we will use a pin connector.
ut
In addition to providing the alignment between the holes, the pin
di RA
connector must be able to account for both rotational and axial
stiffness.
Rotational and Assuming a cylindrical shape with a constant cross-section, the
Axial Stiffness rotational stiffness can be calculated using the formula:
or D
JG
KROT = -------
L
st
4
r
--------
where J = 2 is the polar moment of inertia for the circle with radius r,
KAXIA = EA
--------
t c LE
L
2
where E is the Youngs modulus and A = r is the cross-sectional area
y
of the circle with radius r. Substituting our values into the above
equation we obtain KA = 4.3135e9 N/m.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
256
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Specify a Pin connector between the cylindrical openings of the
Yoke_female and that of a RevBracket (see the figure below).
e
F
For Connection Type, make sure that both With retainer ring (No
ut
translation) and With key (No rotation) are cleared.
di RA
In the Advanced Option dialog, enter 4.3135e9 N/m for the Axial
Stiffness and 18,403 N-m/rad for the Rotational Stiffness.
Click OK.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Axial Stiffness
y
Rotational Stiffness
no RE
The base-plate bolted to the ground using the foundation bolts is free
to lift up at certain locations such as between the bolts and along the
edges. To correctly simulate this behavior without the inclusion of the
additional component to model the ground, a Virtual wall, local No
Penetration feature can be conveniently used.
-
Virtual Wall, Axial Two wall types are available: Rigid and Flexible
Do E
257
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
wall, it is convenient to use the Knowledge
Base, which is an excellent compilation of
e
numerous articles with images.
F
ut
Expand the Analysis Research tab and
enter virtual wall stiffness in the Search
di RA
Knowledge Base field. The article, which is
the result of the search, gives full
explanation and a simple formula which can
be used for both single layered as well as composite foundation walls.
or D
Where to Find It Menu: Simulation, Research
st
Note Internet connection and subscription are required to access the
Knowledge Base database.
E 23 Virtual Wall.
op AS
Right-click on the Connections folder and select Contact Set.
For Type, select Virtual Wall.
Select the bottom face on the base-plate as the Set 1 and PLANE2 as
Set 2.
t c LE
Under Wall Type select Rigid. This option is required for the
Foundation bolt connector.
Enter 0 for the Friction Coefficient. (With Foundation bolts defined,
y
friction has little effect on the results of the analysis.)
no RE
Click OK.
-
Do E
PR
Friction Coefficient
258
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Yoke_male, Yoke_female, Spider, and the Pins. We will use a finer
e
mesh for these parts. To speed up the calculation in this lesson coarse
F
mesh will be used instead.
ut
24 Mesh the assembly.
di RA
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
Mesh the assembly with Draft quality elements. Move the Mesh
density slider to the left for a coarse mesh with Maximum element
size of 23.630mm, Minimum element size of 4.726mm, Number of
elements in a circle as 8, and Ratio of 1.6.
or D
The resulting mesh is shown in the figure below.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
and would be our choice instead. For more information on solvers, see
Appendix A.
PR
259
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
model.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E We observe that the stresses in RevBracket are rather high, above the
op AS
yield strength of Aluminum 1060 Alloy (27 MPa). The stress peak is
located at the bolt location where the stiff bolt connection condition is
applied.
28 Isolate components.
Isolate Yoke_male, Yoke_female, spider and the three PIN
t c LE
components.
29 Analyze stress results on isolated components.
y
Under the Chart Options make sure that Show Min/Max range on
shown parts only option box is checked.
no RE
260
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
material (620 MPa). It is apparent than the stress magnitudes in the
components of our interest will be rather small.
e
F
However, note that our mesh is rather coarse and that Draft quality
ut
elements were used. For reliable stress results, we would have to refine
the mesh and use High quality elements.
di RA
30 List Bolt forces.
Right-click on the Results folder and select List Pin/Bolt/Bearing
Force.
Select All bolts from the list.
or D
Examine the results.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Click Close.
Part 2: High In the second part of this lesson, we analyze the quality of the current
y
Quality Mesh mesh, generate a new High quality mesh, and post-process the results
Analysis of the refined study.
no RE
261
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
elements with Aspect Ratio < 3
of 86.9 are acceptable.
e
F
The overall judgement about our
ut
mesh can be achieved by simple
visual inspection. Two Draft
di RA
quality elements per thickness of
the Yokes walls, as well as in
through-thickness direction in the
pins, are not enough for reliable
stress and strain results.
or D
st
Required Number In general, we would require at least four Draft (two to three High)
of Solid Elements quality elements in the through-thickness directions when stresses or
E
in Thin Features strains are of any concern and substantial bending or high curvature in
the geometry is present. A fairly coarse mesh of the RevBracket and
the base-plate is not a major concern. We would, however, still
op AS
require a minimum of one (High quality) or two (Draft quality)
elements through the thickness. The contact interfaces do not
necessarily need to be refined any further, especially if in High quality
elements, unless contact stresses are of any importance.
t c LE
graphically. This plot allows for the detection of the location of the
sliver elements with high Aspect Ratio values.
The value of the Aspect Ratio should be kept below 50 in the regions
where stresses are of crucial importance. In all other instances the value
should be limited by approximately 1000.
-
Do E
262
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Right-click on the Mesh icon and select Create Mesh Plot. Select
Aspect ratio and click OK.
e
F
Edit the legend and select Show max annotation feature.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E Note that the maximum value indicated in the plot is indeed 22.44.
op AS
Annotation for the maximum Aspect ratio value shows the location
where the elements are rather sliver - bent in the sliver part of the yoke.
If the stress and strain values were of importance to us we could use
local mesh control to refine the mesh at this location.
t c LE
Mesh the assembly with High quality elements. Move the Mesh
density slider to the right for a fine mesh with Maximum element size
of 5.908mm, Minimum element size of 1.182mm, Number of
elements in a circle as 8, and Ratio of 1.6.
-
Note A message appears warning you that the results will be deleted. Click
Do E
OK to proceed.
PR
263
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
numbers of elements in through-
thickness directions for all components.
e
F
The resulting mesh can be seen in the
ut
figure.
di RA
36 Display the mesh details.
We note that the Maximum
or D
Aspect Ratio decreased to an
acceptable value of 10.6 and
st
that the Percentage of elements
with Aspect Ratio < 3 increased
E to 96.6.
Meshes with these parameters
op AS
can be regarded as very good.
Notice that the number of Total
nodes has increased 17 times
to 50,152.
t c LE
Jacobian We have already discussed the Aspect Ratio as a measure of the mesh
quality. Aspect Ratio plot was also demonstrated in step 32 on
y
page 263.
Another mesh quality measure, which identifies highly curved and
no RE
264
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
The maximum Jacobian value for our mesh is 8.21 which is very
acceptable.
E Due to the time required, this study has been calculated and its results
can be found in the completed - High Elements subfolder of the
op AS
Lesson 7 directory.
38 Save and Close the file.
265
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
41 Isolate components.
Isolate Yoke_male, Yoke_female, spider and the three PIN
rib T
components.
e
42 Display von Mises stress results.
F
Under the Chart Options make sure that Show Min/Max range on
shown parts only option box is checked.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
We can observe a raise in the maximum von Mises stress magnitude
from 0.58 MPa to approximately 1.44 MPa. This raise, while
insignificant for the design of the components in this assembly (both
t c LE
values are well below the yield strength of the material 620 MPa),
represents a significant relative increase of nearly 60%. Also, the
location of the maximum stress has changed.
y
Factor of safety plot A Factor of Safety Plot can be used to conveniently plot the
Do E
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Results folder and select Define
Factor of Safety Plot.
266
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
Define Factor of Safety Plot.
e
As nearly all standards (except the ASME
F
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, for
ut
example) require the use of von Mises stress
for the calculation of the factor of safety,
di RA
choose Max von Mises stress in the first
window.
or D
definition of the factor of safety and the user should not be confused by
this expression. It is a definition of the von Mises yield criterion used
st
by the software to identify material points that experience yielding
(with factor of safety < 1). Users should ignore this expression at this
E time. It will become clearer as the user becomes more proficient with
the software and theory.
op AS
Click Next.
44 Specify material constant.
The second step is to specify the material
constant that will be used as a comparison
against the von Mises stress selected in the
t c LE
previous step.
Select Set stress limit to Yield strength as
y
most of the standards specify the material yield
stress and the Material involved as 1060 Alloy.
no RE
Click Next.
267
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
quantity to plot. Select Factor of safety
distribution.
e
F
Click OK to generate the plot.
ut
46 Analyze the plot.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Change the maximum value of the legend to 100.
t c LE
We can see that the lowest value of the factor of safety, 0.05, is very
small due to the stress concentration. It is a good habit to set the lowest
value to the design value of the factor of safety, 3.5 for example.
y
268
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 7
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
We can see that the image did not change significantly. The red regions
indicate the parts in the model which do not pass the design factor of
rib T
safety criterion.
e
48 Iso Clipping.
F
Define an iso clipping of this plot that shows the regions where the
factor of safety is below 3.5.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
This plot indicates the regions that we should be concerned about
failure. Turn off the iso clipping when you are finished.
49 Isolate components.
t c LE
269
Lesson 7 SolidWorks 2012
Assembly Analysis Mesh Refinement
rib T
contact sets was shown and practiced.
e
The pin connector with specified rotational stiffness was used to
F
simulate a real shaft. The remote load feature was used to remotely
ut
apply the load without a need to model the linking parts.
di RA
We analyzed the quality of the finite element mesh and discussed the
optimum size of elements with respect to the characteristic dimensions
of the model.
Finally, a new postprocessing feature, Design Factor of Safety, was
introduced. In this lesson, we used this feature to plot the distribution of
or D
the factor of safety and discussed various options available in the
definition of this plot type. We saw that the yoke and spider parts were
st
safe from failure, while the mounting bracket show a factor of safety
less than 3.5. Before making conclusions, we should investigate a finer
E mesh on the bracket to see our stress results converging. We could then
make a determination on whether or not we need to change materials or
design to satisfy the 3.5 factor of safety.
op AS
t c LE
270
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 14
Bolt Connectors
Exercise 14: In this exercise, we will use bolt connectors to replace the physical
Bolt bolts and eye bolt. With the absence of the eye bolt, the external load is
rib T
Connectors applied as a remote load.
e
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
F
I Pin Connectors on page 195.
ut
I List Pin/Bolt/Bearing Force on page 203.
di RA
Problem A bar is attached to a base plate with two loose fitting bolts: bolt
Statement diameter is 12 mm, hole diameter is 12.2 mm.
Eye bolt
or D
Base Plate Bolts
st
E Bar
op AS
The base plate is supported along both sides. The eye bolt is loaded in
vertical and horizontal directions with 1,100 N [247 lb] forces, as
indicated in the figure below. It is assumed that the eye is rather stiff
and provides a nearly rigid connection between the forces and the strip.
t c LE
Both the bar and the base plate are manufactured from steel AISI
1020.
y
Vertical Load
Fixed Support 1,100 N.
no RE
-
Fixed Support
Horizontal Load
Do E
1,100 N
271
Exercise 14 SolidWorks 2012
Bolt Connectors
rib T
Lesson07\Exercises
folder.
e
F
The bolts, nuts and washers
have been suppressed. This is
ut
because in this exercise we
di RA
will use bolt connectors. To
account for the missing eyebolt, we will apply the horizontal load as a
remote load on the cantilever beam.
2 Set SolidWorks Simulation options.
Set the global system of units to SI (MKS) and the units of Length and
or D
Stress to mm and N/m^2, respectively.
st
3 Create Study.
Create a static study named two bolts - torque preload.
E 4 Apply material.
Apply AISI 1020 steel as the material for both parts.
op AS
5 Create Bolt Connectors. Edges defining
Create two Standard bolt bolt heads
connections with nut.
Use 24 mm for the diameter
of the head and nut, and
t c LE
Note You can verify with hand calculations that the corresponding axial bolt
Do E
272
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 14
Bolt Connectors
rib T
we need to define a contact condition
between the two assembly components.
e
F
Because we expect a horizontal slide along
the interface, a local No penetration, Node
ut
to surface or Surface to surface contact
di RA
condition is required.
Define a No penetration, Node to surface contact set between the
two components, as indicated in the figure.
8 Apply remote load.
or D
As mentioned in the beginning of this problem, we assume that the eye
bolt is rather rigid. Thus, use the Load/Mass Rigid connection option.
st
Select both the bottom and the top contact
faces as Faces, Edges or Vertices for
9 Apply fixture.
Apply a Fixed Geometry fixture to
-
10 Mesh assembly.
Select Curvature based mesh under
Mesh Parameters.
PR
273
Exercise 14 SolidWorks 2012
Bolt Connectors
12 Review Results.
Review the area where the highest stresses are located and notice that
rib T
the size of the hot spot is smaller than that of the element size.
Therefore, stresses in this area are reported with a large error. Mesh
e
refinement would be required to obtain more accurate maximum stress
F
results.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
13 Plot details of deformation.
Analyze the details of the
deformation in magnified scale.
It can be seen that the bar and
the base plate separate from
t c LE
each other.
14 Review bolt forces.
The axial bolt forces in Bolt Connector-1 and Bolt Connector-2 are
y
274
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 15
Awning
rib T
This exercise reinforces the
e
following skills:
F
I Pin Connectors on page 195.
ut
I Remote Load on page 242.
di RA
Problem The retractable awning in the photograph is
Description used to shield a vegetable stand from
weather. The total area that the awning covers
or D
is 2m^2.
st
Six springs are attached to the awning and
keep it in the extended position. Each spring
Goal Calculate the maximum stresses and displacement in one side of the
awning assembly when it is loaded with 152mm of snow (with density
y
of 80 kg/m^3). With the snow on top, a 186 N horizontal load from the
fabric roll and snow weight is generated.
no RE
275
276
Awning
Exercise 15
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
SolidWorks 2012
rib T
ut
e
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 8
or D
Analysis of Thin Components
st
E
op AS
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Create a mid-plane shell element mesh.
t c LE
277
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
Thin To this point, we have used solid tetrahedral elements to mesh our
Components models. These work fine when the model does not have a thin cross
rib T
section, but when one dimension is much smaller than the other two,
such as in sheet metal parts, solid meshes can take a long time to solve.
e
F
To mesh a model properly with solid elements, we would need to place
ut
at least two layers of tetrahedral elements across the thickness. Such a
mesh calls for a very small element size to fit across the thin section of
di RA
the model. These small elements are unnecessary in the other
directions, so the mesher creates a lot more elements than are necessary
for an accurate solution in those direction. Consequently, the large
number of elements requires far more time to be created by the mesher
and also requires a lot more time to evaluate the solution.
or D
Case Study: Shell mesh can be generated on faces of solid bodies or on surfaces. In
st
Pulley such situations, all of the model boundary conditions and loads must be
applied on the edges of the solid bodies or directly on the surfaces.
smaller that the other dimensions, meshing this geometry with solid
elements will create a very fine mesh. We will first use solid elements
to see the problem, then we will use shell elements and compare the
results.
-
Do E
PR
278
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Project A belt exerts a vertical resultant force of 500 N on the pulley. From this
Description we can calculate that the belt force is equal to 353.55 N based on
rib T
equilibrium.
e
Determine the deformations and stresses that develop in the pulley.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Part 1: Mesh We will first analyze the pulley using solid elements, just as we have in
with Solid previous lessons.
Elements We can take advantage of the symmetry of the geometry, loads, and
restraints by analyzing one half of the pulley while simulating the
missing half with symmetry boundary conditions.
t c LE
Procedure Follow the steps below to analyze the pulley with a solid mesh:
1 Open a part file.
Open pulley located in the Lesson08\Case Studies folder.
Split lines define a face extending over a 90 section of the pulley. This
-
279
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
3 Create new study.
e
Create a new static study named
F
pulley solids.
ut
4 Set SolidWorks Simulation options.
di RA
Set the global system of units to
SI (MKS) and the units of Length and
Stress to mm and N/mm2 (MPa),
respectively.
Store the results files in the results folder in the SolidWorks document
or D
folder.
5 Apply fixed restraint.
st
Select the face on the outside semi-cylindrical face
and apply a Fixed Geometry restraint.
E
op AS
t c LE
Symmetry Fixtures Symmetry fixtures simulate the half of the pulley that is missing from
the model. The fixture will prevent any displacement across the plane
of symmetry but can allow displacements on the plane of symmetry.
y
apply the same condition manually to either one of the two edges of
this face. The restraint will still be transferred to the edge of the surface
that is meshed with shell elements. See the discussion in the second
part of this lesson for more information on symmetry restraints.
-
280
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
Loads and select Pressure,
and then select Normal to
e
selected face.
F
ut
Select the face upon which
the pressure load needs to be
di RA
applied, and define a
pressure load equal to 0.2
MPa (200,000 Pa).
Click OK to save the
definition.
or D
Notice that we do not load the model by the forces in the belt. Rather,
st
Note
we apply a pressure value simulating the presence of the belt.
E Also, you may ask how we know that this 200,000 Pa pressure results
in the desired 500 N reaction force in the vertical direction. A linear
static analysis with an arbitrary magnitude of the pressure was run
op AS
ahead of time. Based on the reaction force magnitude obtained in this
study, we were able to scale the pressure to 200,000 Pa to obtain the
500 N vertical reaction. We already used a similar proportionality in
Lesson 3.
8 Create mesh.
t c LE
Note You can merge these two steps, mesh and run, if you select Run
(solve) the analysis in the Options dialog of the Mesh command.
281
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
pulley are approximately 65.7 MPa and 81.3 MPa.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
recommended as a minimum.
282
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Part 2: Refined Now we will refine the mesh so that we have two layers of elements
Solid Mesh across the thickness of the material and then compare the results with
rib T
the previous analysis.
e
1 Create new study.
F
Duplicate the pulley solids study and name the new study pulley
ut
solids dense.
di RA
2 Mesh the model.
Select Curvature based mesh
under Mesh Parameters.
Mesh the model with a Maximum
element size and a Minimum
or D
element size of 1.1 mm.
Additionally, use 8 as the
st
Minimum number of elements
in a circle and 1.5 as the Ratio.
FFEPlus solver.
Run the study.
Even using the iterative solver, this solution will take much longer to
run.
-
Do E
PR
283
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
The maximum von Mises stresses on the outside and inside faces are
-
62.7 MPa and 87.0 MPa. The dense solid element mesh reports a more
Do E
284
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Solid vs. Shell Using the solid mesh required a very long mesh and solution time to get
an answer that we could be confident with in this relatively simple
rib T
model. If the wall thickness had been even thinner, the solution could
take several hours, which would be unacceptable for a part of this
e
simplicity.
F
ut
Now that we have done a solid mesh, we will construct a shell mesh
using two distinct modeling techniques:
di RA
I Shell mesh using mid-surfaces
I Shell mesh using outside/inside faces of solid bodies
Creating Shell Shell elements can be created on surfaces, faces of solid bodies or for
Elements sheet metals parts. In the following study, we will create mid-plane
or D
surface to act as our shell sheets.
st
Part 3: Shell The pulley does not feature any mid-plane surface. We must therefore
E
Elements - Mid-
plane Surface
first create surfaces that will be used as our shell sheets.
op AS
1 Create mid-plane surface.
Click Insert, Surfaces, Mid-surface from the menu.
2 Select surfaces.
Select the face on the
outside as Face 1 and
t c LE
Click OK.
Do E
285
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
Note The mid-surface location for the shell mesh is the most desirable. In
some situations, however, extraction of the midplane is too difficult or
rib T
not convenient. In such cases the shell mesh can be placed on either the
outside or inside face of the solid geometry. Because shell elements are
e
suitable for thin structures, the difference in results due to the different
F
position of the shell is rather small. Students should complete Exercise
ut
17: Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces on page 315 to verify the
di RA
above in the case of the pulley model
3 Create study pulley shells -midplane.
For now, let us skip the definition of loads and fixtures and go directly
to the mesh creation.
or D
Introducing: In parts and assemblies, there may be more components than we are
Exclude from interested in analyzing or we may want to limit the scope of the
st
Analysis analysis to only certain components. Exclude from analysis essentially
suppresses the component from the analysis.
E
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click a part, body or surface in the
op AS
Simulation Study tree and click Exclude from Analysis.
to be analyzed.
In the Simulation Study tree, expand the pulley folder and right-click
the solid body, then click Exclude from Analysis.
y
Note Notice that when we exclude the solid body, it is also hidden in the
no RE
graphics window. Since we are using shell elements that are defined by
surface geometry, we only want to select the surface geometry to apply
our loads and restraints.
-
Do E
PR
286
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Thin vs. Thick I Thin shell element technology assumes that the cross-section
Shells perpendicular to the midplane remains straight and also
rib T
perpendicular to the midplane at the end of the deformation
(Kirchhoff theory). As a consequence, this shell element ignores the
e
shear deformation and stress in the through-thickness direction.
F
Thin, membrane-like structures with the span to thickness ratio
ut
larger than 20 can be accurately modeled using this element.
di RA
I Thick shell element technology assumes that the cross-section
perpendicular to the midplane remains straight after the
deformation takes place, but it is no longer perpendicular to the
deformed midplane (Mindlin theory). As a consequence, this
element assumes constant distribution of the shear deformation in
or D
the through-thickness direction. Thicker shells where shear effects
become noticeable can be accurately modeled using this element.
st
THIN THICK
E BEFORE
DEFORMATION
op AS
MIDPLANE
AFTER
DEFORMATION
t c LE
Click OK.
287
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
6 Mesh control.
Apply a mesh control on the rounded face
rib T
(see the figure) with the Element size of 1.5
mm. Keep the Ratio at its default value of
e
1.5.
F
ut
di RA
7 Create mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
Create a High quality mesh with the default settings.
The resulting mesh can be seen in the following figures.
or D
st
E
op AS
8 Examine the mesh.
t c LE
The Mesh colors section indicates that the shell bottom faces are
marked with an orange color. The shell top faces assume the part color,
gray in this case. This fact is very important in the postprocessing
y
phase.
Furthermore, we see that the inside and outside are colored uniformly
no RE
(i.e. gray and orange colors do not alternate on any side). Such aligned
shell mesh is required for correct postprocessing.
-
Do E
PR
288
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Shell Mesh Colors Shell elements have a top and bottom side. To indicate the side, the
mesh is color coded with the top and bottom being shown in different
rib T
colors.
e
To obtain proper results, all the mesh elements must be aligned
F
properly with the tops on one side and bottoms on the other.
ut
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Options, System Options, General.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Changing Mesh In some cases, however, we may wish to change the mesh orientation
Orientation or the shell mesh may not to be aligned at the end of the meshing phase.
In such cases, the mesh need to be aligned manually. We can practice
flipping the top and bottom of the shell mesh with our current mesh.
-
Do E
PR
289
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
Left-click on the face indicated in the
figure.
e
F
ut
di RA
Right-click on Mesh and select Flip shell
elements.
or D
st
E
op AS
The result of this operation can be seen below.
t c LE
y
no RE
We can see that the colors are not uniform and the shell mesh is
misaligned. While the finite element computations would be correct
with such misaligned mesh, the postprocessing would show
meaningless results along the lines of misalignment.
-
Do E
PR
290
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Shell Element Before proceeding further, we need to explain why shell element
Alignment alignment is important. Shell elements can model bending; therefore,
rib T
most often, different stress results are reported at the top and bottom of
shell elements.
e
F
Using the postprocessing options
ut
for shell elements, we can choose
to display the stresses on the top
di RA
or bottom. Additionally, stress
distribution in the through-
thickness direction can be
divided into two components:
bending and membrane. All
or D
four options are demonstrated in
the figure to the right.
st
Let us depart for a moment from the
pulley and examine a rectangular
291
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
Automatic Shell This option automatically aligns the surface of the generated shell
Surface Re- mesh.
rib T
alignment
e
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Options, Default Options
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
10 Align mesh.
Flip the mesh so that the bottom of the shell mesh faces the inside of
the pulley model. Make sure that the mesh remains aligned, i.e. colors
t c LE
Note Provided that the mesh is aligned, there is no need to flip the mesh. In
our case, we flipped the entire mesh so that the bottom of the shell
mesh coincides with the inside of the pulley. The postprocessing then
PR
292
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
the surface of the pulley where the belt would
make contact.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
12 Add fixtures.
Add a Fixed Geometry fixture to the
Note Fixed Geometry is used because shell elements have both translational
and rotational degrees of freedom. Immovable would only constrain the
translations.
-
Do E
PR
293
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
condition must be specified manually.
e
Apply Fixtures, Advanced Fixtures, Use reference geometry type.
F
Select all the edges located on the symmetry plane.
ut
di RA
Tip Right-click on a particular edge and click Select tangency.
Select Right plane as your reference entity.
Enter 0 mm in the Normal to Plane field under Translations.
Enter 0 rad in both Along Plane Dir 1 and Along Plane Dir2 fields
under Rotations.
or D
Click OK to save this fixture.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
294
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
Restraints moves the point out of this plane must be restricted. Furthermore, any
rotation that inclines the plane of the cut from the plane of symmetry
e
must be restricted as well.
F
ut
The following table summarizes symmetry boundary conditions in the
three principal planes.
di RA
Symmetry Boundary Conditions
Plane of Symmetry
xy yz xz
x translation
or D
free constrained free
y translation free free constrained
st
z translation constrained free free
E x rotation
y rotation
constrained
constrained
free
constrained
constrained
free
op AS
z rotation free constrained constrained
14 Define material.
Make sure the material AISI 1020 is applied to the mid-surfaces.
t c LE
295
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
Edit the definition of the plot to make sure that the
results correspond to the top face of the shell mesh.
e
F
Analogously, define a new plot for the distribution
ut
of the von Mises stresses on the bottom of the shell
mesh.
di RA
Top
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Bottom
y
no RE
-
Do E
We observe that the maximum von Mises stresses on the top and
PR
bottom of the shell mesh are 64.5 MPa and 80.6 MPa, respectively. The
comparison of all of the results is shown at the end of the next section.
296
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
Select the supported face.
e
Set the Units to SI and hit the Update button.
F
The Reaction force (N) and Reaction moment (N-m) dialogs show
ut
the reaction resultants for the selected face in the global cartesian
di RA
coordinate system.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
297
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
reaction force resultant are approximately 250 N and 116 N,
respectively.
e
F
The reaction moments resultants about the x axis is -0.73 N-m.
Note that 250 N vertical resultant force for half of the pulley
ut
corresponds to the 500 N vertical reaction for the entire model.
di RA
The moment reactions reflect the fact that the pulley or the load is
asymmetrical with respect to the xy and xz planes. As expected, the
resultant reaction moment about the global z and y axes are nearly zero,
i.e. the pulley as well as the load are symmetrical with respect to the yz
plane.
or D
st
Deformed Results Deformed Plot displays toggles between the deformed and undeformed
geometry of the SolidWorks model.
E
Where to Find It I CommandManager: Simulation >Deformed Results to toggle
op AS
between deformed and undeformed plots.
CommandManager.
no RE
298
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
applied remains in its original plane (remains flat) while the pulley is
deforming.
e
F
The best way to report such results is to save the animation file in AVI
format.
ut
di RA
21 Save and Close the file.
Shell Mesh Using In Exercise 17: Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces on page 315 you
Outside Face will solve the shell problem using the outside faces of the pulley and
or D
compare the results with the three pulley studies in this lesson. It is
recommended that you complete this exercise to fully understand shell
st
modeling in SolidWorks Simulation.
Results
Comparison
E The following table compares the displacement and stress results from
the four studies that we solved in this lesson.
op AS
Displacement von Mises
Study D.O.F.
[mm] Stress [MPa]
pulley shells -
midplane 0.306 80.6 (bottom) 31,236
t c LE
pulley shells -
outer faces * * *
pulley solids
no RE
Note The values for the pulley shells - outer faces study will be
computed in Exercise 17: Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces on
page 315. Once you complete the exercise, fill in the remaining values
-
in the table.
Do E
Computational The summary table also lists the number of degrees of freedom in each
Effort model. While the model is open, locate the file with the OUT extension
in the SolidWorks Simulation database to view this information. The
PR
299
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
Compare the number of DOF for the pulley solids and pulley solids
dense studies to see that the dense model is 18 times larger. The stress
rib T
results of both solid models are within 5%, demonstrating that the
model with two layers of elements is not really necessary in this case.
e
F
The reason for the 8% maximum difference in the stress results
ut
between shell and solid models is that shell elements can not account
for the shift of the neutral bending layer towards the inside of the pulley
di RA
curvature.
We must then conclude that solid elements provide more accurate
results when analyzing models with highly curved walls in bending.
Case Study: Working with shell elements simplifies significantly for the sheet metal
or D
Joist Hanger features.
In this case study, we will analyze a sheet metal part used to support
st
floor joists in buildings. Each floor joist is supported at each end by a
joist hanger, so we can use symmetry to analyze one hanger with only
300
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
header. Each joist is
supported by a joist hanger at
e
each end and nailed in
F
position.
ut
Calculate the maximum
di RA
stress and displacement on
the joist hanger and joist.
or D
st
E 1 Open an assembly file.
op AS
Open Floor Joist for Analysis located in the Lesson08\Case
Studies folder.
This assembly has one joist hanger with only half of the beam.
2 Create a study.
Create a new static study named floor joist.
t c LE
folder.
4 Add material.
Add the material Galvanized Steel to the joist hanger.
5 Add material.
-
Add new custom material for the wooden beam. Wood is not isotropic
Do E
301
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
Select Linear Elastic Orthotropic for the Model Type. We can now
define the material constants in three perpendicular directions oriented
rib T
with respect to the selected reference geometry.
e
Select the Front plane as reference geometry. In this case, this
F
selection makes the global coordinate x, y, z axes coincide with the x, y,
ut
z axes in the Material dialog window. Global x coincides with the
width, y with the height and z with the length of the beam.
di RA
Enter the following values for Elastic Modulus, Poisons ratio, Shear
modulus, and Mass density. Enter 50 N/mm^2 for the Yield
strength.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Click OK.
Note Make sure that correct material data is entered in correct units of N/
mm^2 (MPa).
-
change it to No Penetration.
PR
Note The component contact handles this situation because the faces of the
solid components are touching. In general, contacts in meshes with
gaps must be specified with the help of the local contact conditions.
302
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
7 Add fixtures.
The hanger is nailed to the header beam. Add
rib T
Fixed Geometry restraints to the eight
cylindrical holes on the back face of the hangers.
e
F
Because we have a sheet metal part, be sure to
select the faces and not the edges of the holes.
ut
The fixture will automatically map to the shell
di RA
edge.
or D
st
E
op AS
8 Add symmetry boundary condition.
Add a Symmetry fixture on the end of the beam.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Effect of the nails At this point a decision on the stiffness of the joint must be made. The
Do E
side nails between the beam in the joist certainly add some stiffness to
the joint. However, because the beam is placed in the joist before the
nails are applied, nearly all of the load in the vertical direction is
PR
transferred into the joist through the bottom load bearing face. Nails
then add some stiffness reducing the actual deflection of the wooden
beam: this is, however, not the subject of this lesson. Our objective is to
assess the performance of the joist; transferring all the load then
provides more realistic and also conservative solution.
303
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
Add a 500 N force to the top face of the beam. Because we are
analyzing only half of the beam, the total load on the beam then
e
represents 1,000 N.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
10 Mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh
Parameters.
Mesh with the element size created with the
t c LE
Note Notice that the surface generation in SolidWorks is not necessary; sheet
metal parts are shell meshed automatically.
304
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
11 Run.
Run the study. Specify Direct Sparse solver.
rib T
Note Since component contatcs are defined in the study and the area of
e
contact is found through several contact iterations, the Direct Sparse
F
solver is preferred.
ut
di RA
12 Plot results.
We can observe that the maximum stress of 222 MPa is above the yield
strength of the joist material (204 MPa). To understand the stress
distribution correctly we will analyze the joist alone.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
305
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
13 Stress plot.
We can observe that four support openings are exhibiting the stress
rib T
peaks. As was shown in Lesson 2, these values are somewhat unreal
and potential yielding with finer mesh can be ignored. More detailed
e
analysis may be required.
F
The high stress on the flat load bearing face is of some concern; its
ut
value (92.61 MPa) is however, still below the yield. Also, applications
di RA
of the nails (which were excluded from this analysis) would help
somewhat to redistribute the load more evenly, thus reducing the stress
a little.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Note Either side of the shell can be selected since a sheet metal has been
selected.
-
306
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 8
Analysis of Thin Components
Summary The pulley case study introduces us to shell elements and familiarizes
us with concepts such as shell element thickness and orientation.
rib T
The shell mesh using mid-surfaces modeling technique was introduced
e
and used to build the finite element model.
F
In modeling thin objects, shell mesh can also be placed on the outside
ut
or inside faces of the solid bodies. The difference between the mid-
di RA
surfaces and either the outside or inside faces of the thin solid bodies is
in general small. If the difference reaches significant levels, shell
modeling then becomes inadequate and solid elements should be used
(i.e. the parts are too chunky for shell elements). Students should
complete Exercise 17: Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces on
page 315 to verify that both approaches yield comparable results for
or D
structures with small thickness.
st
Symmetry boundary conditions were used in both modeling
techniques. Manual application of this restraint was introduced and
E practiced as well.
The concept of mesh adequacy was also addressed, and the results and
op AS
modeling differences between shell and solid element models were
discussed. It was concluded that solid elements may produce results
that are slightly more accurate than those produced by shell elements,
provided the solid mesh is sufficiently fine. This can, however, lead to a
substantial increase in the problem size which may become intractable.
t c LE
It was also shown that shell mesh may be generated on the faces of the
solid bodies or surfaces. Sheet metal parts are mesh with shell elements
automatically.
y
Tip To model a sheet metal part as solid, i.e. to mesh it with solid elements
no RE
307
Lesson 8 SolidWorks 2012
Analysis of Thin Components
rib T
midplane/ inside face) of the sheet metal. The thickness of the shell
features (must/may not) be specified manually.
e
F
I When creating shell mesh manually, ideally it should be defined on
ut
the (outside face/ midplane /inside face). Placing them on the
(outside face/ midplane /inside face), results in acceptable
di RA
difference of (0.0001%/a couple of percent/ tens of percent). If the
error is significantly larger, shell elements are not suitable for such
structure and solid elements should be used instead.
I Shell elements can be used to mesh thin sheet like components. The
characteristic span length vs. thickness ratios indicating when to
or D
use solid, thin, or thick shells are.
st
L
solid elements: --- <
t
E thick shells:
L
---
t
op AS
L
thin shells: ---
t
I The figure below shows a flat plate with a thickness t=5mm, and
planar dimensions of a=200mm and b=75. The bold and dashed
lines indicate simply supported (hinged) and free edges,
t c LE
respectively. The best element type fit for this structure is solids/
thick shells/ thin shells.
Simply supported edge
y
no RE
b=75mm
Free edge
-
Do E
a=200mm
PR
I To accurately model the stress and strain gradients when using solid
mesh, a minimum of_____Draft quality or _____ High quality
solid elements should be required in the through the thickness
direction.
I If a sufficient number of elements is generated, (solid / thick shell /
thin shell) elements will always provide the most accurate solution.
We sacrifice a little accuracy by using shell elements to mesh thin
features because______.
308
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 16
Bracket
Exercise 16: Analyze a sheet metal bracket. The analysis will use shell elements.
Bracket This exercise reinforces the following skills:
rib T
I Creating Shell Elements on page 285.
e
I Shell Element Alignment on page 291.
F
ut
Project A sheet metal bracket has been designed to support a side load of 450 N
di RA
Description [101 lb] applied in the x-direction of the global coordinate system.
We consider two design configurations:
I One without any welds
I One with welds connecting the miter flanges
or D
Compute and compare the maximum displacements and maximum von
Mises stresses for these two configurations.
st
1 Open a part file.
Open horseshoe located in the Lesson08\Exercises folder.
Part 1: Analysis of The first analysis will be without the welds that would stiffen the part.
-
Bracket With No
Do E
Welds
2 Activate the no welds configuration.
PR
3 Create study.
Create a static study named no welds analysis.
4 Define material properties.
Assign Galvanized Steel to the part.
309
Exercise 16 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
5 Create mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh
rib T
under Mesh Parameters.
e
Specify High quality elements and
F
the default settings.
ut
di RA
Note Shell mesh should be consistently aligned to ensure correct stress
or D
averaging along the boundaries separating faces.
st
6 Fix the edges.
Select the end faces on both sides of the bracket
Moment Load The Force definition window also allows you to apply a load in the
Do E
form of moment.
This option is possible because shell elements have six degrees of
PR
310
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 16
Bracket
rib T
entrant edges of the sheet metal bracket. As you recall however from
Lesson 2, the numerical values of these stress results are meaningless,
e
as they are singular at these locations.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Outside Face
E
op AS
t c LE
Inside Face
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
311
Exercise 16 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
rib T
distance from the source of
the singularity. See Lesson
e
2 on page 85 for the detailed
F
discussion of this
ut
phenomenon.
di RA
or D
st
10 Plot displacement results.
We observe the maximum resultant displacement of approximately
E 1 mm [0.04 in].
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Part 2: Analysis We will run the analysis again to see how much stiffer the part is when
-
312
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 16
Bracket
rib T
Use High quality elements with the default settings.
e
5 Run the analysis.
F
ut
6 Plot von Mises stresses.
di RA
The maximum von Mises stress results are not easily comparable
because of stress singularity in the model without welds.
or D
st
E
op AS
Outside Face
t c LE
y
Inside Face
no RE
-
Do E
PR
313
Exercise 16 SolidWorks 2012
Bracket
rib T
welds and the model with welds shows a reduction of the maximum
displacement from 1 mm [0.04 in.] to 0.04 mm [0.0017 in].
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
8 Save and Close the file.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
314
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 17
Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces
Exercise 17: The mid-surface location for the shell mesh is the most desirable. In
Shell Mesh some situation however, extraction of the midplane is too difficult or
rib T
Using Outer/ not convenient. In such cases the shell mesh can be placed on either the
outside or inside face of the solid geometry. Because shell elements are
e
Inner Faces
suitable for these structures, the difference in results due to different
F
position of the shell is rather small.
ut
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
di RA
I Creating Shell Elements on page 285.
We will set up a new study with the shell mesh created on the outside
faces of the solid model and compare the results with those obtained in
the previous lesson. We must apply the external loads, fixtures and
or D
materials again because we are using different position for the shell
mesh. The setup steps are only outlined below as they are the same as
st
in the previous example.
1 Open the part file.
E 2
Open Pulley used in the Lesson 8 case study.
Define new study.
op AS
Define a new Static study named pulley shells - outside face.
3 Hide and exclude mid-surface.
Hide and Exclude from Analysis the surface feature used in the lesson
case study.
t c LE
5 Apply material.
Apply the material AISI 1020 steel to the offset surfaces.
315
Exercise 17 SolidWorks 2012
Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces
rib T
fixture to the outside semi-
cylindrical face, as indicated
e
in the figure.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Important! All boundary conditions and loads must be applied on the face where
the shell mesh feature was defined; in our case the outside face.
E 7 Apply symmetry
restraint.
op AS
Manually create a
symmetry fixture on the
outside top edges of the
pulley, as indicated in the
figure.
t c LE
y
no RE
Hint Review the case study used in the lesson for the specification of the
symmetry boundary condition on surface feature.
-
8 Apply pressure.
Apply a pressure of 0.2 MPa
Do E
(200,000Pa).
Note that the pressure must be
PR
316
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 17
Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces
rib T
Element size of 1.5 mm to the
rounded face, as indicated in the
e
figure. Keep the Ratio at the
F
default value of 1.5.
ut
di RA
or D
10 Mesh the model.
st
Select Standard mesh and mesh
the model with High quality
317
Exercise 17 SolidWorks 2012
Shell Mesh Using Outer/Inner Faces
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E 13 Examine the plots.
We can see that the maximum von Mises stresses on the top and
op AS
bottom are 83.7 MPa and 67.46 MPa, respectively. These values are
very close to the results obtained in the lesson, where the mesh was
located exactly at the midplane.
In many applications, the midplane extraction is not a trivial process.
Given the fact that shell mesh is applicable to thin sheet-like structures,
t c LE
318
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 18
Spot Welds - Shell mesh
Exercise 18: We will now return to Exercise 13: on page 221 where we practiced
Spot Welds - the use of the spot welds. We will now compare the results of that
rib T
Shell mesh exercise with the results of a study using shell elements. This study will
also show the use of spot welds for shell sheets that are not in direct
e
contact.
F
ut
1 Open an assembly file.
Open tube solid located in the Lesson08\Exercises folder.
di RA
For the result comparison purposes this assembly contains the results of
Exercise 13: on page 221, where this problem was solved using the
solid elements.
2 Create new study.
or D
Duplicate the study tube solid and name it tube shells.
3 Treat tubes as sheet metal.
st
Right-click on both bodies in the Parts folder and select Treat as
Sheet Metal.This will define them as shells and their thickness will
E 4
automatically transfer from SolidWorks.
Assign materials.
op AS
Make sure that Galvanized steel is assigned to both sheets.
5 Re-Mesh the assembly.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.
Create High quality mesh with the default settings.
t c LE
page 221.
Do E
319
Exercise 19 SolidWorks 2012
Edge Weld Connector
rib T
Connector to be tested on the extreme Single sided
groove weld
loads: 3.5 mm vertical and 1o
e
F
degree torsional
displacements applied at the
ut
end of the segment.
di RA
We will use FEA and the edge
weld connector to simulate
this problem. The size of the
edge weld beads will also be Double sided
designed. 3.5mm vertical and
or D
fillet weld
1 degree rotational
prescribed displacements
st
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
E I
I
Edge weld on page 191.
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems on page 160.
op AS
Project A segment of the piping system manufactured from 5mm thick AISI
Description 1020 steel sheets is anchored to a solid steel wall. The other side of this
segment, modeled as free, is loaded with a 3.5 mm vertical and 1o
rotational displacements applied at the free edge. These loads are
known as the most extreme conditions to which the system can be
t c LE
exposed at this location. The components are connected using fillet and
groove welds, as indicated in the above figure.
y
Determine the optimum size of the weld beads at all three locations.
1 Open an assembly file.
no RE
3 Create study.
Do E
320
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 19
Edge Weld Connector
Introducing: Edge Edge welds can be defined between two shell bodies, or one shell and
Weld one solid body. The terminated part must always be represented by
rib T
shell body. The edge weld beads are defined by the two faces which are
connected and the edge on the terminated part representing the location
e
of the bead. Electrode type, weld strength and the estimated weld size
F
must be specified manually or taken from the library.
ut
di RA
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Connections, Edge Weld.
I CommandManager: Simulation > Connections Advisor > Edge
Weld.
5 Define shells.
or D
Define Thin shells for the pipe and the supporting sheet. Specify
Thickness of 5 mm.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
For Intersecting Edges, select the weld bead location on the first
Do E
terminated component.
Specify the weld to be on side 1 under Weld Orientation. This will
PR
321
Exercise 19 SolidWorks 2012
Edge Weld Connector
rib T
size. Enter the Safety Factor as 1.
e
The Weld strength field is populated automatically based on the
F
selected electrode.
ut
Click OK.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Note For the custom electrode properties select Custom Steel or Custom
Aluminum under Electrode.
Do E
322
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 19
Edge Weld Connector
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Fillet, Double-Sided Groove, Single-Sided
edge weld
or D
8 Apply fixtures.
st
Apply Fixed Geometry fixtures to the four
faces of the rigid steel wall and to the
9 Prescribe displacements.
Using Use Reference Geometry fixture type
y
prescribe 3.5 mm vertical displacement to the end
edge, as indicated in the figure.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
323
Exercise 19 SolidWorks 2012
Edge Weld Connector
rib T
rotational displacement to
e
the edge of the pipe. Use the
F
cylindrical face as a
ut
reference and make sure
di RA
that the direction of the
rotation is the same as
shown in the figure.
or D
st
E
op AS
10 Mesh.
Mesh the assembly with the High quality mesh of the default size.
11 Check shell orientation.
We specified the welds on side one (top of the shell). We need to make
sure the shell is aligned properly. If necessary, flip the shells to be
t c LE
12 Run.
Run the simulation.
Do E
PR
324
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 19
Edge Weld Connector
13 Resulting displacements.
Create the plot of the resultant displacements.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note
E The following post processing options for the edge weld are only
available for Simulation Professional.
op AS
14 Post process the edge welds.
Right-click the Results folder and select List Weld Results.
Under Selection dialog select SI for the Unit and All edge welds for
the Type.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
The table above shows all of the resulting weld forces for all welds in
the model along with the computed minimum weld sizes.
PR
Notice that the edge weld between the pipe and the supporting sheet is
plotted green, while the remaining two are red. This result indicates
that the estimated weld size (4 mm) entered in step 6 on page 321 is
sufficient for the middle weld, while the other two need attention.
325
Exercise 19 SolidWorks 2012
Edge Weld Connector
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note that the maximum of the Weld size (mm.) row indicates the
required weld size of 9.76 mm, which is significantly larger than the
326
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 19
Edge Weld Connector
rib T
Click OK.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
The dialog window provides easy overview of the welds while the
transparent plot indicates all welds in the assembly. Again, welds beads
E in red color need attention because their estimated size was not
sufficient.
op AS
Tip The European Standard for evaluating welds is also available. It is
recommended to investigate the results available when using this
standard. Additional information about weld sizing is also located in
the Help menu.
17 Save and Close the file.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
327
Exercise 20 SolidWorks 2012
Container Handle Weld
rib T
Handle Weld of the waste container handle.
In this exercise you will size the
e
double-sided fillet welds
F
connecting the container handle
ut
to the two square base plates.
di RA
All necessary information Base plates
required for this task can be
obtained from the text of the assignment in Exercise 3: on page 84.
The base plates, welded to the container webs, can be assumed as
rigidly fixed.
or D
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
st
I Create mid-plane surface. on page 285.
I Exclude from Analysis on page 286.
E I
I
Thin vs. Thick Shells on page 287.
Define the shell. on page 287.
op AS
I Edge weld on page 191.
Procedure The assembly for this study is located in the Exercises folder. Choose
the most suitable location of the shell feature.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
328
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 9
or D
Mixed Meshing
st
Shells & Solids
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Construct good quality mesh with the appropriate mesh controls.
y
I Set up various shell to shell and shell to solid contacts in mixed
mesh assembly.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
329
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
Mixed Meshing There are many cases where a model has both thick and thin sections.
Solids and In these cases, the mesh needs to be a combination of both solid and
rib T
Shells shell elements.
e
In this lesson we will use the mixed mesh capabilities of SolidWorks
F
Simulation to construct a mesh where solid elements coexist with
ut
shell elements in the same study. However, we will see that it takes
extra efforts to ensure mixed mesh connectivity.
di RA
You will recall from the first lesson that nodes of a solid element have
three degrees of freedom, meaning that node displacement is fully
described by three translational components. You will further recall that
nodes of a shell element have six degrees of freedom. Displacement of
a shell element node is described by three translational components and
or D
three rotational components.
st
y Y
E ROT Y
op AS
ROT X
ROT Z
X
z x Z
t c LE
330
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
nodes have nothing to hold
on to at the interface with
e
Shell Elements
Hinge
solid element nodes.
F
Therefore, these rotations
ut
remain unconstrained,
di RA
forming a hinge along the
connecting edge.
With a hinge joint present,
we have a discontinuous
Solid Elements
displacement field
or D
(discontinuity of rotations)
and possible rigid body nodes in the model.
st
The incompatibility between shell and solid elements that lead to
unintentional hinges is not specific to SolidWorks Simulation. It occurs
local bonded contact sets along all connecting edges and faces.
Mixed Mesh: Mixed meshing is available for static, frequency, buckling, thermal,
Supported
y
nonlinear and linear dynamic studies.
Analysis Types
no RE
Case Study: This case study will involve the analysis of a pressure vessel. It consists
Pressure Vessel of some thin wall elements such as the vessels shell. It also has thick
walled elements such as the flanges.
In this case study, we will prepare the shown pressure vessel for the
analysis (mesh, loads, contacts and supports) and solve a simplified
-
331
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
515, grade 60 shown in the figure Manhole nozzle
is to be analyzed. The vessel is
e
orientated vertically and
F
supported on four lugs (see the
ut
figure) with slotted holes
di RA
allowing the vessel to expand Vessel
freely in the radial direction Section 1
(detailed lug subassemblies are
not needed for this analysis and Small Steam inlet
are not included in the model). nozzle
or D
pressure load for the vessel is
st
165 psi at a temperature of 700 Vessel
F. Besides pressure no other Section 2
E
loads are considered in this
analysis.
Lug
op AS
Bottom head
Analyze the Before proceeding, we need to analyze each subassembly and decide
Assembly upon the appropriate mesh type.
t c LE
332
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
wall thickness and the outside diameter of 24 in. The Manhole
nozzle is manufactured from typical piping with wall thickness of
e
0.1875 in and a 20 in diameter. The lug support reinforcements as
F
well as pipings have a thickness of 0.25 inches which is very small
ut
relative to the diameter of the lug pipings. Shell elements will
di RA
therefore be used for the modeling of all nozzles and their
reinforcements.
I Nozzle flanges and the Manhole cover: Nozzle flanges are not
very thin and may be exposed to significant bending moments
(especially the manhole nozzle flanges). The Manhole cover is
also relatively thick and is bolted to the flange. Solid elements will
or D
therefore be used to study the accurate stress results at these
st
locations.
Procedure
E Due to the time required to set up the study some of the study
components as well as contacts have already been defined in study
op AS
partially completed. We will make use of them during the study
setup procedure.
1 Open an assembly file.
Open Pressure Vessel located in the Lesson09\Case Studies
folder.
t c LE
333
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
Preparing the Before beginning the analysis, we decided which features we wanted to
Model be meshed as shell elements and which would be solid elements.
rib T
SolidWorks Simulation can generate shell mesh on either surfaces or
faces of the solid bodies. To place the shell mesh on the mid-surface, a
e
preferred location for the shell mesh, additional surface features must
F
be generated in each part file; this procedure can be time consuming.
ut
Alternatively, we can place the shell mesh on the outside/inside faces of
di RA
the solid bodies. We can then offset the shell so that it is recognized on
the mid-surface of the body. This approach will be favored in the
present case because it eliminates the need to generate additional mid-
surfaces.
In the following steps, we will define the thickness for the shell
or D
elements.
Introducing: Shell If it is inconvenient to create the mid-surface within
st
Offset the solid body for the definition of the shells, you
can choose to create the shell on the surface of the
Important! You must be careful when specifying top, bottom, or offset because the
mesh will ultimately define the shell location based on what is the shell
top or bottom.
-
Do E
PR
334
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
Right-click on the
corresponding solid
e
bodies in the Simulation
F
study tree and select
ut
Define Shells By
di RA
Selected Faces.
Then, select the outside
faces and specify Thin
shell formulation with a
Thickness of 0.5 in.
or D
Select the Bottom
surface as the Offset.
st
When we mesh the model,
we must insure that this
335
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
Material The data for SA 515, grade 60 carbon steel material can be obtained
directly from the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section II,
rib T
Part D- Properties and is summarized in the table below.
e
Ultimate Tensile strength 60,000 psi
F
(room temperature)
ut
Yield tensile strength 32,000 psi
di RA
(room temperature)
Mean coefficient of thermal 7.6e-6 /F
expansion (70 F - 700 F)
Thermal conductivity (700 F) 5.56e-4 Btu/(s-in-F)
or D
Youngs modulus (700 F) 25.3e6 psi
st
Poissons ratio 0.33
Alternatively the material data can also be found from other sources
op AS
(see the discussion below).
Steel Identification Some steel types may be identified using different systems (or
Systems standards), each with different nomenclature. We use SA 515, grade 60
specification typical in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.
Section II, Part D- Properties lists basic material constants as functions
t c LE
UNS Index The Unified Numbering System (UNS) was created by a joint effort of
no RE
many others. Ask your instructor about the standards common in your
Do E
geographical region.
Introducing: We can also use SolidWorks Simulation Research to find the
Analysis Research corresponding material data. Analysis Research can search both the
PR
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Research . Select the Analysis Research tab
.
336
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
In the Simulation menu, click Research. In
the Analysis Research dialog, enter
e
K02401 in the Search Matweb field and
F
click OK.
ut
The search results return the information for
di RA
ASTM A284 Steel, grade C which is an
alternative identification for UNS # K02401
carbon steel.
The following are the material data obtained from the Matweb
database:
or D
st
Ultimate tensile strength 60,200 psi
Yield tensile strength 29,700 psi
Note We will use the data from the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
for our simulation. (The yield strength listed above is slightly smaller
t c LE
than the value listed in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.)
However, each engineer is responsible for collecting their own reliable
y
material data.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
337
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
Bulk and Shear We are familiar with the elastic modulus E (Youngs modulus) and the
Moduli Poissons ratio as constants required to characterize linear elastic
rib T
material. Bulk (K) and shear (G) moduli are alternative material
constants and are related to E and as follows:
e
F
9KG 3K 2G
E = ------------------ = ---------------------
ut
3K + G 6K + 2G
di RA
Note These relations hold for the traditional 3-dimensional isotropic analysis
only. If other special analysis dimensions are used, modified equations
have to be used.
Out of all four linear elastic material constants (E, , G and K) a
or D
combination of any two is unique. The remaining two constants can be
evaluated using the above relations.
st
Substituting the data for the bulk and shear moduli for our material we
obtain 29,232 ksi and 0.26 for the Youngs modulus and Poissons
E ratio, respectively. Again, for our simulation we will use the material
data provided by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.
op AS
6 Create custom material.
Right-click the Parts folder and select Apply Material to All.
In the Material window create a new category Lesson 9 materials,
and add a new material SA 515, grade 60. Enter the material properties
t c LE
provided my the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code shown in the
figure below.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
338
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
Bonding Entities Entities with clearance between them must be always bonded using
rib T
with Clearance local Bonded contact set.
e
Shell Face to Shell Face to face bonded contact between two shells is always incompatible
F
Face Bonding and will be automatically enforced if the faces are planar and touching.
ut
The user needs to manually define bonding for touching non-planar
di RA
faces that are meshed with shell elements. Compatible meshing with
global bonding will be effective for two shells that directly share an
area created using split lines.
or D
vs. Vessel section 1 contact.
Create a local Bonded contact
st
between the two outer top edges on
the Manhole nozzle
Note Use the large face of the vessel as Set 2. Also, since a clearance exists
between these shell features, incompatible meshing is default for this
y
interface.
no RE
Shell Edge to Shell Whenever the shell edge coincides with the split line on the shell face,
Face Bonding no local bonding is required. The top level assembly component
(Global Contact) compatible bonding condition ensures that the
interfacial nodes are merged. Additionally, auto-bonding will be
enforced if the shell edge and solid face/shell face are part of a local
-
339
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
nozzle contact.
Define a local Bonded contact
e
between the outer edge on the
F
vessel opening and the Manhole
ut
nozzle shell.
di RA
or D
9 Manhole nozzle
st
reinforcement to Manhole
nozzle contact.
Shell to Solid The majority of the interfaces featured in our model represent shell to
no RE
Bonded Contact solid contact type. If there is a clearence between the shell and solid, it
is best practice that local bonded contact is created. Also, a shell entity
(face or edge) must be Set 1, while faces on the solid components must
be Set 2.
-
Do E
PR
340
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
Manhole nozzle contact.
Specify local Bonded contact.
e
Use the nozzle shell face as
F
Set 1 and the solid face of the
ut
flange as Set 2.
di RA
Note The remainder of the bonded
contacts in this study was
already defined beforehand.
or D
11 Manhole cover to Manhole nozzle flange connection.
st
Since we practiced the definition of the bolted connections in the
previous lessons, all of the bolted connections have already been
an empty space.
PR
341
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
13 Lug supports.
Lugs are connected to the
rib T
pressure vessel using
slotted bolt connections
e
(not modeled) allowing for
F
the radial displacements of
ut
the pressure vessel wall.
di RA
This way no unnecessary
stresses due to the supports
are generated in the vessel.
or D
st
E
op AS
Use Right assembly plane as reference and restrain the two in plane
translations on the two lug supports parallel to the Right plane (Lug
t c LE
15 Create mesh.
To begin the meshing phase let us mesh the model with Draft quality
elements. Use the Standard mesh with the Global size of 2.711 in.
The creation of the mesh fails and a message is shown:
-
Manhole cover-1
You can start Failure Diagnostics by right clicking the mesh
icon in the Feature Manager and selecting Failure Diagnostics
PR
342
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Mesh folder and click Failure
e
Diagnostics
F
Meshing Small In most cases when a difficult meshing problem occurs a small feature
ut
Features (or proximity of small features) exists in the assembly (or part). To
di RA
successfully mesh such regions, correct local mesh controls must be
applied.
or D
mesh has failed on one of the faces of the
Manhole cover part.
st
Select the face to see where the mesh has failed.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
343
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
Diagnostics, select Mesh Control.
e
Enter an Element Size of 1.5 in and click OK in
F
the Mesh Control PropertyManager.
ut
The model should immediately mesh.
di RA
or D
st
Important!
E When using the Failure Diagnostics, only the failed parts are re-
meshed. This can save a significant amount of time since the computer
op AS
does not have to re-mesh all of the geometry.
18 Apply mesh controls to the remaining components.
Mesh controls would have to be applied on other remaining
components of interest (nozzles, flanges, and nozzle to vessel
junctions).
t c LE
344
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
appropriate contact conditions. Notice that the resulting mesh is
incompatible even though, under the global bonding menu, compatible
e
mesh was requested.
F
As no two faces or edges touch, mesh compatibility is not possible.
ut
Lesson 6 explains that the compatibility settings applies to initially
di RA
touching faces only. Further more, solid to shell interfaces are always
meshed incompatibly.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
345
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
23 Internal pressure in vessel and the
e
nozzles.
Apply a 165 psi Pressure load on all
F
vessel and nozzle shells.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Note Make sure the pressure arrows point outwards to simulate internal
pressure.
24 Internal pressure on
Manhole cover.
t c LE
25 Study properties.
Select the Direct Sparse solver.
PR
Note Since multiple contatcs are defined in the study and the area of contact
is found through several contact iterations, the Direct Sparse solver is
preferred.
346
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
27 Resulting displacements.
We can observe the maximum displacements of approximately 0.19 in
rib T
[4.95 mm], a fairly small amount given the vessel diameter of 56 in.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
28 Von Mises stresses.
The maximum stress of approximately 62.4 ksi [430.4 MPa] occurs in
the support lug location.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
347
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
The stresses are localized along
e
the bonded interface. Due to the
F
incompatible bonding interface,
ut
large size and draft quality of the
mesh, the stresses reach
di RA
unrealistically large values along
these bonded edges. The ASME
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
treats these localized stress
concentrations in a special way.
or D
This area is the subject of Lesson
11 of SolidWorks Simulation Professional training manual.
st
In this study we are interested in the resultant contact force that would
be used for the design of the weld rather than stress values, which are
348
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 9
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
Summary In this lesson we practiced a design of the mixed finite element mesh
with a combination of the solid and shell elements.
rib T
The pressure vessel assembly featured multiple shell to shell and shell
e
to solid bonded interfaces. Due to the nature of the shell modeling
F
clearances (gaps) were created between various components. This is
ut
overcome by generating incompatible meshes where nodes along
bonded interfaces are not merged, but rather constrained by the
di RA
additional equations. It was shown that local bonded contact is
necessary to properly bond mixed interfaces and interfaces with
clearances.
An example of the procedure for the mesh design and a failure
diagnostics was shown. Very small features, or rather small proximity
or D
of the features in the model may cause meshing problems. Proper mesh
st
controls applied on such features are necessary.
No conclusions were made on the design of the pressure vessel. To
349
Lesson 9 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Shells & Solids
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
350
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 21
Mixed Mesh Analysis
Exercise 21: In this exercise, we will analyze a pump impeller that requires a mixed
Mixed Mesh mesh due to the differences in thickness between the blades and the
rib T
Analysis hub.
e
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
F
I Mixed Meshing Solids and Shells on page 330.
ut
I Bonding Shells and Solids on page 331.
di RA
I Define the shell. on page 287.
I Shell to Solid Bonded Contact on page 340.
or D
deformation of the blades and the
st
stress magnitudes.
The centrifugal force in this case
3 Apply Fixtures.
no RE
351
Exercise 21 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Mesh Analysis
rib T
on each of the blades. Make
sure the force load points in
e
the correct direction (see the
F
figure).
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note The pressure resultant force was computed using SolidWorks Flow
Simulation software for this problem.
E 5 Shell surfaces.
Define 16 shell features
representing the blades of the
op AS
impeller. Specify Thin shell
formulation with a Thickness of
1 mm.
6 Apply Material.
Assign Chrome Stainless Steel
t c LE
352
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 21
Mixed Mesh Analysis
Lesson 9, shell edge and solid parts bonding require local contact
conditions.
rib T
9 Create Mesh.
e
You may now create a Draft quality
F
Curvature based mesh with the
default settings.
ut
di RA
10 Study properties.
Select the Direct Sparse solver.
11 Run analysis.
12 Radial displacement.
or D
To view radial displacement results, construct a plot showing UX
component displacement. Use the Axis1 of the model as a reference
st
so UX becomes the radial component of displacement.
We can observe a radial displacement of -9.34e-4 mm at the tips of the
E blades.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
353
Exercise 21 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Mesh Analysis
rib T
because von Mises stress is a scalar stress measure.
e
To better picture stress results around the support, use a section view.
F
We can observe a very small von Mises stress value of 4.01 MPa
ut
depicted in the figure below. The stresses along the blade bonded to the
di RA
impeller are localized; the actual stress magnitude along the bonded
edges would be different due to the presence of the weld.
While stresses are rather small, displacements results are important due
to the pump manufacturing clearances and effectiveness.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
To obtain accurate results, finer mesh and high quality elements need to
y
be used. Such detailed analysis on the entire model may take a
significant amount of time, circular periodicity of the model can be
no RE
354
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 21
Mixed Mesh Analysis
Circular Symmetry Any model which can be generated by revolving its part about an axis
is said to be rotationaly periodic. All such components can be
rib T
conveniently analyzed with the help of the cyclic symmetry boundary
condition.
e
F
ut
14 Activate configuration periodicity.
di RA
15 Study.
Define a new Static study named periodicity.
16 Exclude surface bodies
Exclude all surface bodies except SurfaceBody 4.
or D
17 Simulate shaft.
Apply Fixed Geometry restraint on the remainder of the cylindrical
st
face.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
355
Exercise 21 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Mesh Analysis
18 Simulate circular
periodicity.
Apply Circular Symmetry
rib T
fixture on the pair of faces
e
exposed by the cut. Use
F
Axis1 as a reference Axis.
ut
di RA
Note You must select a pair of two
faces where one can be
created by the rotation of the
first face about the reference
axis (in this case Axis1, for
or D
example).
st
E
op AS
Specify the same Circular Symmetry conditions for the remaining two
pairs of impeller faces exposed by the cut.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
19 Shell feature.
Do E
Define one shell feature in contact with the solid part isolated by a cut.
Specify Thin shell formulation with a Thickness of 1 mm.
PR
356
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 21
Mixed Mesh Analysis
22 Mesh control.
Apply a local mesh control along the lower
rib T
blade edge in contact with the impeller face.
Use 2 mm for the Element size and 1.2 for
e
the Ratio.
F
ut
di RA
or D
23 Blade to impeller bonding.
Similarly, create Bonded contact between the
st
lower edge on the blade and the top face of the
impeller.
E
op AS
t c LE
24 Create mesh.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh
y
Parameters.
Mesh the model with the High quality
no RE
357
Exercise 21 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Mesh Analysis
27 Radial displacement.
We can observe that the radial displacement, at the indicated tip of the
rib T
blade, changed to -9.20e-4 mm, which indicates a slight decrease
compared to the radial displacements obtained from the full model. The
e
difference is due to the high quality elements and finer mesh settings.
F
You may try to generate a draft quality coarser mesh with the same
ut
parameters that were used in the analysis of the entire model to verify
di RA
that results agree well.
or D
st
E
op AS
28 Von Mises stress.
t c LE
We also observe that the location as well as the maximum of the von
Mises stress changed.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
358
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 21
Mixed Mesh Analysis
rib T
dynamically). To continue this analysis, one would want to solve for
the natural frequencies of the systems to verify that any locaing
e
frequencies will not affect the dynamic response. This could be done
F
using SolidWorks Simulation Professional. Additionally, a dynamic
ut
study could be utilized to solve the full dynamic solution. This could be
di RA
done with SolidWorks Simulation Premium.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
359
Exercise 21 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Mesh Analysis
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
360
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 10
or D
Mixed Meshing
st
Solids, Beams & Shells
E
op AS
t c LE
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Construct a mesh with beam, shell and solid elements.
y
I Edit beam joints to add/remove beams from a joint (Exercise 23)
I Set up various shell to beam and shell to solid contacts in mixed
no RE
mesh assembly.
I Display the results obtained with beam elements.
-
Do E
PR
361
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
most thick bodies we used solid
elements. When the structure became
e
thin in one direction, such as a sheet
F
metal part, we used shell elements to
ut
avoid creating a very large number of
di RA
elements. When the part becomes thin
in two directions we use beam
elements.
In some structures, we may have a
combination of geometry that is best
or D
analyzed with beams for weldments,
solid elements for thick components
st
and shell elements for thin
components.
analysis with beam elements, while the cross gussets are thin sections
that are best analyzed with shell elements.
Project The loads on the support frame consist of the weight of the particle
y
Description separator structure itself that will be applied using gravity. An
additional load of 150 N will be applied to the front of the structure in
no RE
Element Choices The frame can be analyzed using both solid and shell elements, but
Do E
362
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
Beam elements Beams are another class of structural elements where all of the cross-
sectional characteristics are accounted for during the derivation of the
rib T
element stiffness matrix. As a beneficial consequence, these cross-
sectional characteristics do not need to be reflected in the finite element
e
mesh, thus, greatly simplifying the model preparation and analysis.
F
ut
In general, the beam element has two nodes with six degrees of
freedom in each node. For more information, consult the Introduction
di RA
chapter of this manual.
Stages in the I Create beam elements
Process When weldments are analyzed, beam elements will be created
automatically.
or D
I Calculate joints
The existing joints between elements are created.
st
I Merge joints that are too close
The joints are reviewed to determine if joints are too close to each
E I
other. Joints can then be merged to get a better mesh.
Specify joint types
op AS
The number of degrees of freedom at each joint is specified.
I Apply fixtures and loads
The exterior constraints and forces are applied.
I Mesh the model
A beam mesh is created.
t c LE
363
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
3 Naming convention.
For clarity, we will identify some of the
rib T
parts by the names we will use in the Separator body
following steps.
e
F
4 Static study.
Continue working in the static stress
ut
Mounting bracket
study. Some features in this study have
di RA
been completed beforehand to save time.
Cross Gusset
or D
st
E Feet
op AS
5 Examine the parts folder.
There are four types of parts/bodies in
the folder.
Shell
t c LE
with shells.
Four mounting brackets are modeled as Solid
solid components.
364
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
plates. Use the outside faces of the solid
bodies, and specify Thin shells with the
e
Shells
Thickness of 5 mm.
F
7 Shell definitions and bonding for the separator body.
ut
All shells and bonding conditions for the separator body have been
di RA
defined beforehand.
8 Solid parts.
The eight parts named Feet are thick solids. We will not do anything
with them in the tree and they will mesh as solids.
The four Mounting Brackets are solid bodies. The bonding with the
or D
separator body has already been defined.
st
9 Exclude unused surfaces.
The three surfaces in the Cyclone
10 Weldment parts.
All the remaining parts are part of the weldment that we will mesh
using beam elements.
Select all the remaining parts, then right-click and select Treat
selected bodies as beams.
365
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
e
F
Solid bodies
ut
di RA
Solid bodies of the separator
body modeled as shells
or D
st
Beams
E
op AS
Solid bodies of the cross gussets
modeled as shells
Solid bodies
t c LE
12 Apply material.
Apply the material AISI 1020 Steel to all the parts and bodies.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
366
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
parameters during the derivation of the
beam element stiffness matrix. The
e
resulting mesh is, therefore, made out
F
of lines connected by joints. The
ut
example of such lines representing the
di RA
beams in our model is shown in the
figure.
The joints define the straight or curved
segments that will be meshed with
beam elements. While the detection of
or D
the joints is automated in SolidWorks
Simulation, the relative position of
st
some joints may be too close and we
may wish to merge them, i.e. merge two
I Hinge - Only three degrees of freedom are tied to the joint. The
connection is not able to transmit the moments from the beam to the
Do E
the joint.
I Manual - A custom designed connection type can be generated.
367
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
beam section properties calculated by the
program can be overwritten with user-
e
defined values in the Section Properties
F
dialog.
ut
I Torsional Constant, K- Torsional
di RA
stiffness constant is calculated by the
program. The values for commonly used
beam cross-sections are available in
literature (see Formulas for Stress and
Strain, Roark and Young, Chapter 9,
or D
Table 20, for example).
Distance for Maximum Shear, CTOR- Distance from the center
st
I
of the section to the point of maximum torsional shear .
E I
I
Shear Factor in direction 1- Shear factor to account for non-
uniform shear stress in direction 1 of the beam coordinate system
Shear Factor in direction 2- Shear factor to account for non-
op AS
uniform shear stress in direction 2of the beam coordinate system
13 Edit joints.
y
Once we designated a body to be treated as
a beam, a new item appeared in the
no RE
Click Calculate.
The joints computed with the default
PR
368
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
Disconnected spheres.
e
Joints
F
I joints are connected to two or more beam
ut
members.
di RA
I joints are connected to a single member
only and are therefore disconnected from the
other beams. Such nodes may need to be
manually connected to the adjacent beams
elements or bonded to other parts.
or D
st
Sphere Diameter By default, the software creates a joint between two beams touching
E
Defining Beam end-toend (clearence is zero). It is, however, possible to modify the
Joint diameter of a hypothetical sphere defining the joint. All beam ends
within such hypothetical sphere will form a new joint.
op AS
Treat as Joint for I equal to zero: Creates a joint when beam ends are touching.
Clearance I less than:Beams ends within such clearance will be included in
one joint definition. Keep modified joint on update must be
checked to retain the newly computed joints.
t c LE
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Joint Group in the Simulation Study
tree and select Edit. Under Selected Beams select Treat as joint
for clearance option.
y
no RE
Note Make sure that you select the outside face of the cross gusset solid body
used for the shell definition (step 6).
15 Explode the assembly view.
The exploded view will make it easier to create the contact sets
between the sheet metal corner gussets and the frame elements.
369
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
beams of the frame, as shown in the figure below.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
17 Collapse the assembly.
E 18 Add fixtures.
Add Fixed Geometry Fixtures to bottoms
op AS
of four feet.
t c LE
Applying Loads The beams button allows us to apply the loads directly on the
structural members. It is also possible to apply loads directly onto the
y
joints or on faces, edges, or vertices of extruded bodies.
no RE
370
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
These loads can be generated during
e
the assembly phase.
F
ut
45 N
di RA
or D
Note The forces must be applied on the faces used to define the shell
features, as shown in the figure.
st
20 Gravity load.
Specify gravity load in the global positive Z direction.
371
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
22 Mesh.
Mesh the assembly using High quality
rib T
elements. Use the Standard mesh with the
element Global Size of 25 mm.
e
F
23 Examine the mesh.
You can see the three different mesh
ut
element types.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Where to Find It I Menu: Simulation, Options, Default Options, select Mesh and
activate Render beam profile.
PR
372
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Note The default shell mesh alignment shown on the left image may vary.
or D
Align the mesh as shown in the right image.
st
Beam imprint
E
When the beam joint is bonded to a solid or shell face, the mesher
creates an imprint of the actual beam cross-section on the touching
face. This generates a more realistic representation of the joint leading
op AS
to better results at the beam-solid/shell interface. Additional elements
are created in the area of the imprint and the beam joint is connected to
all the elements inside the imprinted area. In case the beam's cross-
section is not entirely on the touching face, the imprint is created based
on the partial touching cross-section.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
25 Run.
Run the study.
373
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
26 Displacement Plot.
Examine the displacement plot. The
rib T
maximum displacement of 0.149 mm
at the inlet location is rather small.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
27 Stress plot.
The initial stress plot will show the
Von Mises stresses in the solids and
shell.
The maximum reaches approximately
t c LE
Note This plot only shows the stress distribution on the solids and shells. We
PR
374
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
click Edit Definition.
e
Select Beams to show the stress
F
in the beam elements.
ut
From the list, select Axial.
di RA
The maximum tensile stress of
0.91 MPa is in one of the
diagonal braces whereas a
compressive stress of -1.53 MPa
is induced two of the legs.
or D
st
Note
E Again, this plot only shows the stress distribution in the beams.
op AS
Cross-section 1st To post-process the bending component of the normal stress, 1st and
and 2nd Directions 2nd directions must be specified.
1st direction is defined along the longest side of the cross-section, and
2nd direction is perpendicular to it.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
375
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
rib T
Define two new stress plots to show the bending in directions 1 and 2.
Render beam profile should be selected.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Maximum bending stresses are 4.97 MPa and 5.37 MPa at the indicated
t c LE
locations.
30 Highest axial and bending.
Edit any of the plots and
y
select Axial and bending.
This will show the combined
no RE
376
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 10
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
Bending Moment More experienced users may produce a plot of the bending moment and
and Shear Force shear force diagrams. They can be used to study how the internal
rib T
Diagrams bending moments and shear forces vary along the beam, or for the
subsequent design of more complex composite beam members.
e
F
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click Results folder and select Define
ut
Beam Diagrams.
di RA
31 Show Bending moment
diagram.
In the Beam Diagrams dialog,
under Display select Moment in
or D
Dir1. Specify the units of N-m.
Under Selected Beams click
st
Select and select the beam shown
in the figure.
377
Lesson 10 SolidWorks 2012
Mixed Meshing Solids, Beams & Shells
Summary In this lesson, we analyzed a support frame model. Since all the
structural members were thin and long, we used beam elements. Their
rib T
use can greatly simplify the analysis and make the computations
significantly faster.
e
F
The model preparation consists of beam element and joint definition
ut
steps, both of which are automated in SolidWorks Simulation.
Sometimes manual editing of the automatically generated joints may be
di RA
required . If any two joints are generated too close, relative to the
position of the remaining joints, they may be merged.
Because beam elements feature six degrees of freedom at each end,
various possibilities for the joint / beam element connection exist.
or D
We usually show these displacement components (or degrees of
freedom) as aligned with global coordinate system. However, degrees
st
of freedom may be presented in any coordinate system.
Because nodes of solid elements do not have rotational degrees of
378
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 22
Beam Elements
rib T
in the figure) is
manufactured from Plain
e
Carbon Steel with all the Moment
F
joints welded. Foundation
ut
During the inspection, it
di RA
was found that the weld at
the indicated joint
became defective and was
not capable of
transmitting the
or D
moments.
st
In this exercise you will analyze the frame when subjected to the
extreme operating loading conditions (combination of an isolated force
and a moment).
E All six legs of the frame are bolted to the ground but only the two
inclined legs can actually transmit the moments to the floor.
op AS
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
I Mixed Meshing on page 362.
I Beam elements on page 363.
I Beam Joint Types on page 367.
t c LE
379
Exercise 22 SolidWorks 2012
Beam Elements
4 Beam elements.
Expand the folder Conveyor Frame
rib T
and you can see that all the solid bodies
of the weldment have a beam icon .
e
F
Right-click the Cut List folder and
ut
select Delete. All the beams are now in
the Conveyor Frame folder.
di RA
The sixteen beam elements were
automatically generated because the part
file was a weldment.
There is also an additional folder called
or D
Joint group .
st
Slenderness ratio Beam elements are typically
5 Specify material.
Assign Plain Carbon Steel for all beam elements.
-
Do E
PR
380
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 22
Beam Elements
rib T
select Edit. The automatically calculated
joints will show on the screen.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E If needed, the joints may be modified and re-calculated. In this exercise
op AS
this step is not required.
7 Mesh the model.
Mesh the model with the default element size.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
381
Exercise 22 SolidWorks 2012
Beam Elements
rib T
transfer moments between the beam element and the joint. The moment
ties can be released by specifying the pin connection type.
e
F
Under the Conveyor Frame folder, right-click on the beam element
corresponding to the inclined member with the faulty weld and select
ut
Edit definition.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
9 Create a hinge.
The two end points are graphically shown as red and blue circles.
Select Hinge for the upper connection between the joint and the beam.
Click OK to confirm the settings.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
382
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 22
Beam Elements
rib T
legs.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
11 Restrain the inclined
E legs.
Apply a Fixed Geometry
restraint to the bottom
op AS
joints on the two inclined
legs.
t c LE
383
Exercise 22 SolidWorks 2012
Beam Elements
rib T
To apply a force or
moment directly into the
e
joint click the Selection
F
(Joints) button in the
ut
Force menu (see the
di RA
figure).
Apply a 45,000 N
[10,116 lb] force and a
2,260 N-m [20,000 lb-in]
moment to the corner
or D
joint. The force and the
moment are oriented in
st
the Normal to Plane and
Along Plane Dir1
Zoom closer to the section where both inclined members connect to the
top of the frame. Notice that the member with the faulty weld rotated at
the joint location, while the other member remains perpendicular
y
irrespective of the structural deformations. This indicates that the faulty
weld connection does not transmit moments, indeed.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
384
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 22
Beam Elements
rib T
The Axial stress plot indicates a component of normal stress evenly
e
distributed across the cross-section of the beam element caused by
F
normal (axial) force. We observe a maximum tensile value of
approximately 13.4 MPa (1.94 ksi).
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
17 Plot normal stress due to bending.
Define Bending in local direction1 and Bending in local direction2
stress plots.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
Direction 1
PR
385
Exercise 22 SolidWorks 2012
Beam Elements
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Direction 2
or D
st
These plots indicate the maximum and minimum values of the normal
stress (extreme fibers location) caused by the bending moments. We
E can observe a significantly greater value (than in the Axial stress plot)
of -569 MPa [-82.5 ksi] (negative sign indicates compression).
op AS
A total normal stress experienced by a cross-section is equal to the sum
of the axial and bending components: the hightest axial and bending
stress plot.
18 Plot the extremes of the total normal stress.
Define an Axial and bending stress plot.
t c LE
This plot adds the Axial and the Bending in local direction1 normal
stresses. It is the plot of the most extreme normal stress experienced by
y
the beam cross-sections.
We can see that the maximum tensile stress of 446 MPa [64.7 ksi]
no RE
386
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 22
Beam Elements
rib T
Define Beam Diagrams.
e
Under Display select Moment in Dir 1 and the
F
units of N-m.
ut
Under Selected Beams,
di RA
click Select and pick the
inclined beam with the
faulty weld.
or D
st
E Click OK to plot the diagram.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
387
Exercise 22 SolidWorks 2012
Beam Elements
rib T
Under List select Stresses, set the units to SI and click OK.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E The List Forces dialog window shows a complete list of maximum
(minimum) normal and shear stresses for all beam elements.
op AS
21 Save and Close the file.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
388
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 23
Cabinet
rib T
I Beam elements on page 363.
e
I Beam Joints: Locations on page 367.
F
I Connected and Disconnected Joints on
ut
page 369.
di RA
I Applying Loads on page 370.
or D
st
Project E A cabinet manufactured from
op AS
Description Aluminum 5052 H32 is loaded by an
isolated 4,450 N [1000 lb] force and
two 4,450 N [1,000 lb] loads distributed
along the two corner beams of the
cabinet, as shown in the figure. All
t c LE
389
Exercise 23 SolidWorks 2012
Cabinet
rib T
and select Edit.
e
At each of the eight corners, there
F
should be either one or two joints,
connecting all of the beams that
ut
converge on that corner. See the
di RA
figure.
or D
st
E
op AS
Note Joints identified as yellow spheres are attached to a single member.
Violet color identifies the joints which connect at least two beam
members.
t c LE
390
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 23
Cabinet
rib T
form the joint.
e
In the Select Joint Members window, click the components in the
F
graphics window to add or remove them from the joint.
ut
To save the new joint definition, close the Select Joint Members
di RA
window. Make sure Keep modified joint on update is selected and
click Calculate.
Repeat the procedure for all the joints that need to be merged.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
5 Assign materials.
Specify Aluminum 5052-H32 for all Solids, Shells and Beams.
-
Do E
PR
391
Exercise 23 SolidWorks 2012
Cabinet
rib T
skin shell on the left hand side, as shown in the figure.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Note E Click OK.
To select Beams for the Set 1, click the Beams under Type.
op AS
Repeat the definitions of the bonded contacts between the beams and
the skin shells for the right, back, and top sides of the cabinet.
7 Bond frame bottom beams to the frame bottom plates.
The two solid frame bottom plates must be bonded to the two frame
t c LE
beams.
y
Frame Plates
no RE
-
Do E
Copy all the contacts from the Completed contacts study into our
current study, stress analysis.
392
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 23
Cabinet
rib T
simplicity we will model this contact as bonded. Bond the circular
edges of the bolt holes on the frame side to the top face of the base.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
9 Fix the Base.
Note We use the Node to Surface formulation here because the parts are
Do E
393
Exercise 23 SolidWorks 2012
Cabinet
rib T
concentrated vertical force
to the top corner beam
e
joint, as shown in the
F
figure.
ut
Make sure to select
di RA
Selected direction to
define the force on the
joints.
or D
st
E
op AS
Note In mixed mesh analysis the Force can be applied to the faces, edges or
vertices of the solid components or shells, beam joints and along the
length of the beam components.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
394
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 23
Cabinet
rib T
distributed vertical load
on the two beams
e
indicated in the figure.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
13 Create mesh.
Create a High quality Curvature based mesh
t c LE
14 Mesh details.
Show the mesh details.
Do E
395
Exercise 23 SolidWorks 2012
Cabinet
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E It can be seen that the maximum von Mises stress in solid and shell
op AS
feature, 142.68 MPa, is at a sharp corner. This is an area of singular
stress and can be ignored. There is also some high stress in the vicinity
of the holes that are bonded to the bottom plate(you can verify that both
the Top and the Bottom indicate identical maximum value).
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
396
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 23
Cabinet
rib T
and Bending as the Beam Stress. Select the Render beam profile
option.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
The highest axial and bending stress plot in beam elements indicate a
maximum stress of 43 MPa. We can therefore conclude that the factor
of safety in strength is approximately 195 MPa/43 MPa = 4.5 (195 MPa
is the yield strength of the Aluminum 5052 H32). This result indicates
t c LE
397
Exercise 24 SolidWorks 2012
Frame Rigidity
rib T
torque divided by radial
displacement) of a car frame.
e
F
This exercise reinforces the
ut
following skills:
di RA
I Cylindrical Coordinate
Systems on page 160.
I Beam elements on page 363. courtesy of:
I Beam Joints: Locations on Stephen Maxfield, University of Wisconsin
page 367.
or D
Problem There are many ways to measure the torsional rigidity of a frame. In
st
Description one experiment, the front and rear wheels are mounted on beams. The
suspension components are assumed to be fixed so that all of the load
applied is transferred to the frame itself. The rear of the vehicle is held
E stationary (fixed) while a load is applied to the beam with the front
wheels to simulate the torque as shown in the figure below.
op AS
t c LE
Force Force
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
398
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 24
Frame Rigidity
Loading Remember, all of the components aside from the frame are assumed to
Conditions be rigid. This means that the full loading must be transferred to the
rib T
frame itself. Since we will assume the response of the frame is linear,
any loading magnitude will be sufficient to calculate the torsional
e
rigidity.
F
ut
Goal With the proper boundary and loading conditions, calculate the
di RA
torsional rigidity:
TorqueLoad
TorsionalRigidity = --------------------------------------------------
AngularDeflection
or D
The part for this exercise is located in the Lesson01\Exercises
st
folder.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
399
400
Exercise 24
Frame Rigidity
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
SolidWorks 2012
rib T
ut
e
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 11
or D
Design Study
st
E
op AS
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Understand and use the Design Study to analyze trends when
t c LE
401
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
design variables. Results, such as displacements or stresses, can then be
graphed as functions of the design variables. Design studies are used to
e
run multiple studies with the intent of determining trends that can be
F
used to make important design decisions, or to fully optimize the
ut
design.
di RA
Note that the automatic optimization feature of the Design Study is
available in the SolidWorks Simulation Professional module.
Case Study: The vehicle suspension
Suspension assembly can be subjected to
a multitude of loading
or D
Design
variations during its operating
st
conditions. We will use a
design scenario to test the
Project Analyze the suspension assembly when subjected to the following four
Description conditions:
1. stationary vehicle
t c LE
a banked road
All of the suspension components are manufactured from Alloy Steel.
no RE
The goal of the analysis is also to adjust the thickness of the lower arm
to a value that will result in a Factor of Safety of 1.3 or better.
Stages in the The basic steps of a design scenario are:
Process
I Specify the parameters.
-
I Create a table defining the values of the variables for the design
studies.
PR
402
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
Part 1: Multiple For the first design study, four sets of loads will be applied to the axle
rib T
Load Cases of the suspension. There will be both a vertical and lateral load.
e
1 Open an assembly file.
F
Open suspension located in the Lesson11\Case Studies folder.
ut
2 Set SolidWorks Simulation options.
di RA
Set the global system of units to SI (MKS) and the units of Length and
Stress to mm and N/mm^2(MPa), respectively.
3 Create new study.
Create a new Static study named Multiple loads.
or D
Note The spring is missing from the assembly. We will simulate the spring
using connectors.
st
4 Assign the material.
403
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
Front Shock Clamp and the Shock Plunger, as shown in the figure
below.
e
F
Specify the Total, Normal stiffness of 105,000 N/m [600 lb/in].
ut
di RA
or D
st
7 Pin connectors.
All of the pin definitions have been defined beforehand. Copy all pin
404
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
Apply force on the cylindrical face, as indicated in the figure. Use the
assembly Front plane as a reference.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
9 Add a parameter..
In the Normal to Plane field,
no RE
405
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
the Force/Torque is being defined in SI units.
e
Define the second parameter named Lateral with 0 N as the Value.
F
Click OK to close the Parameters dialog window.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Note Two Force parameters have been defined in this step: Vertical and
y
Lateral.
no RE
11 Link values.
From the Select Parameters
window, select Vertical to
link this parameter to the
-
corresponding component of
the force.
Do E
406
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
the parameter Lateral.
e
Both load components are now linked to the
F
parameters controlling their magnitudes.
ut
Click OK to exit the Force/Torque definition.
di RA
13 Refine mesh at higher curvature regions.
Apply mesh controls at the two fillets on the Shock Plunger. and the
eight fillets of the lower arm, as shown in the images below. Use an
Element size of 0.76 mm and a Ratio of 1.5.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
407
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
The Design Study interface opens up on the bottom of the screen. It
e
offers two view styles:
F
I Variable View, where parameters can be entered in other than table
ut
form.
di RA
I Table View, where a discrete set of values for each variable is
shown.
17 Select Variables and enter their values.
In the Variable View, under Variables, select the parameter Lateral.
From the pull down list specify Discrete Values and enter the values 0
or D
N, 60 N, 72 N and 115 N, separated by commas, as shown in the figure
below.
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Switch to the Table View and include the second parameter named
Vertical. Enter the values of -225 N, 185 N, 385 N and 900 N in the
y
table.
Make sure that all four scenarios are checked. Unchecking a specific
no RE
408
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
I Scenario 1 corresponds to the loading when a vehicle is stationary
e
[-225 N Vertical, 0 N Lateral].
F
I Scenario 2 to a vehicle moving at constant acceleration on a smooth
ut
road [185 N Vertical, 60 N Lateral].
di RA
I Scenario 3 to a vehicle moving on a bumpy road [385 N Vertical,
72 N Lateral].
I Scenario 4 to a vehicle moving at constant speed on a smooth
curving and banking road [900 N Vertical, 115 N Lateral].
or D
Design Study The Design Study automatically generates and runs multiple studies
Results corresponding to each Scenario (parameter combination). Full results
st
from all scenarios are saved. As the amount of data can become
excessive, attention should be paid to the size of the model and the
409
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
Under Properties select N/mm^2 (MPa)
and Max over Selected Entities. Delete
e
suspension.SLDASM and select the
F
vertex indicated in the figure.
ut
Similarly, add a Max over Selected
di RA
Entities sensor for the URES: Resultant
Displacement. Select mm for the Units.
or D
20 Result quantities.
Selected sensors defining the
st
global and local results must be
included in the design study.
E
op AS
Under Constraints, select all specified sensors. For all select Monitor
Only and specify study Multiple Loads.
Note Study selected in the above pull down menu associates our design
study Multiple Loads - Design Study with the static study Multiple
Loads.
t c LE
Design Study The design study can be run using two different options, Fast results
y
Where to Find It I In the Design Study click the Design Study Options button .
410
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
Click on the Design Study
Options button .
e
F
Make sure that High quality option
ut
is selected.
di RA
22 Run Design Study.
or D
Click the Run button.
st
Note Make sure that the Optimization check box is unchecked.
We can see that the last study (Scenario 4) reports the largest
no RE
magnitude for the von Mises stresses 654.35 MPa. The resulting
displacements reaching the value of 25.7 mm is also the largest in
Scenario 4. Thus, we can conclude that the last study, Scenario 4
(corresponding to the loading when the vehicle travels at a constant
speed on a smooth, curved and banked road), represents the most
-
extreme case and the shock assembly will be designed to withstand this
Do E
loading.
PR
411
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
accessed through the results sliders or by selecting the desired column,
as shown in the above figure.
e
F
Expand the Results and Graphs folder of the Multiple Loads -
Design Study study and Show the VON: von Mises Stress plot.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
We see that the von Mises stress in the Scenario 4 exceeds the yield
strength of Alloy Steel 620 MPa.
t c LE
Part 2: Because Scenario 4 was identified as the worst load combination, the
Geometry assembly geometry will now be modified with the help of design
Modification scenarios. A safety factor of 2 on von Mises stresses and the maximum
resultant displacement of the hub component equal to 23 mm will be
required.
-
412
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
study.
e
Go to the View pull-down menu and select All Annotations.
F
Right-click on the Parameters folder and select Edit/Define.
ut
In the Parameters dialog window, enter Arm_thickness as Name and
di RA
select Model dimensions as Category.
or D
st
E
op AS
Click on the 3 mm dimension (in Extrude2) identifying the thickness
t c LE
Click OK.
413
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Use identical sensors for both the global and local results.
29 Design Study options.
Set the design study quality to Fast Results.
or D
Note The Fast results option calculates only algorithmically selected active
st
scenarios. In our case, only three out of the seven activated scenarios
will be solved.
We observe that the maximum value of the von Mises stresses was
reduced to 453.7 MPa. This is still not within our factor of safety. We
would want to investigate the design to see what is causing the high
stresses.
-
Note Notice that only three activated scenarios, with results in black font,
were calculated. The remaining activated sets with the numbers in gray
PR
font show results obtained using the interpolation. If precise results for
the interpolated scenario are required, calculation need to be requested.
32 Calculated interpolated scenario.
In the Results View tab right-click on the Scenario 2 column and select
Run. The scenarios will then be computed.
414
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
The result numbers for this scenario will then change font color from
gray to black, indicating the fact that the scenario is now calculated.
Because in this study we want to see all scenarios calculated, the study
will be recalculated with High Quality settings.
or D
33 Change properties and re-calculate.
Change the study quality to High Quality.
st
Click the Run button to compute all 14 activated scenarios.
We can see that the maximum von Mises stress has decreased to
-
472.8 MPa. Notice, also, that the location of the maximum stress
Do E
Design Study Design Scenario results can be shown in a graph form to identify the
Graph trends more easily. Multiple results can be shown in the same graph by
selecting the different locations established when setting up the
scenarios.
415
Lesson 11 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results and Graphs folder and
select Define Design History Graph
rib T
I Simulation toolbar: Click Define Graph
e
F
35 Graph the global extreme for von Mises
ut
stresses.
Right-click on the Results and Graphs folder
di RA
and select Define Design History Graph.
Under the Y-Axis select Constraint, and the
sensor monitoring the model maximum for stresses
(in our case this sensor was named Stress1).
or D
Under Extra Location leave the field blank. This
way the global results will be graphed.
st
Click OK to show the graph.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
The above graph shows the variation of the global extreme value of the
von Mises stress with the thickness of the lower arm.
-
We observe that any increase in the thickness of the lower arm above 4
mm does not deliver any substantial decrease in the global von Mises
Do E
stress magnitude (the maximum value location shifted from the lower
arm to the Plunger). We can, therefore, conclude that the thickness of
PR
4 mm is optimal.
At Arm_thickness = 4 mm, the global extreme of von Mises stress
reached approximately 487 MPa, which is 78.5% of the Alloy Steel
yield strength (620 MPa [90 ksi]). Any further increase in the arm
thickness does not significantly reduce the maximum stress. If we need
to achieve a larger factor of safety, other design modifications must be
investigated.
416
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 11
Design Study
rib T
Note Alternatively, we could analyze the variety of material combinations
e
used for different parts in this assembly. Using the identical procedure
F
that was practiced in this lesson, we would first define the parameters
ut
for the material properties (such as Youngs modulus or Yield
di RA
strength). Then, we would define a design study in which the
combinations as well as the numerical values of the material
parameters would be specified.
Summary This lesson introduced and practiced the design study that allows the
or D
user to study various trends in the design when specific design
parameters are defined. This feature has many practical applications,
st
some of which were practiced in this lesson. Namely, it was used to
study load cases simulating various travel conditions of a small vehicle
417
418
Lesson 11
Design Study
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
SolidWorks 2012
rib T
ut
e
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 25
Design Study
Exercise 25: In this exercise, a design scenario will be created to determine the
Design Study distance between two supports that minimizes the deflection in the
rib T
plate.
e
This exercise reinforces the following skills:
F
I Design Study on page 402.
ut
I Design Studies on page 404.
di RA
I Design Study Results on page 409.
I Design Study Graph on page 416.
or D
protruding through the platform
st
width.
The rods are suspended by short
subjected to an acceleration of
100 G. Pin
Find the distance between the two steel pins that minimizes the
platform deflection.
419
Exercise 25 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
2 Show feature dimensions.
e
In the FeatureManager design tree, right-click Annotations and select
F
Show Feature Dimensions.
ut
Note In this exercise, we take advantage of platform double symmetry to
di RA
analyze one quarter of the model.
3 Make symmetry cut.
Unsuppress the feature called double symmetry.
4 Create a study.
Create a static study named 100G.
or D
5 Define parameters.
st
In the Insert menu, select Design Study, Parameters. (Alternatively,
you can click Parameters on the Evaluate tab).
6 Material.
Do E
420
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 25
Design Study
7 Fixtures.
Apply symmetry boundary conditions to the two faces created by the
rib T
cut.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
8 Define restraint to
simulate rod support.
Enter 981 m/s^2 (this value is one hundred times the gravitational
acceleration) in the direction normal to the Front plane in negative Z
direction.
Click OK.
-
Do E
PR
421
Exercise 25 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
rib T
Curvature based mesh.
e
11 Define design study.
F
Define a design study with 10 scenarios for the following values for the
parameter distance: 475, 425, 375, 325, 275, 225, 175, 125, 75, and
ut
25 mm.
di RA
12 Results specification.
Monitor the global maximums for the stress and the resultant
displacement, and the local results for the same quantities at the two
vertices indicated in the figure below.
or D
st
E
op AS
13 Run design study.
Use High Quality.
t c LE
14 Results.
Examine the global maximums for the von Mises stress and the
resultant displacement, and review the local stresses and resultant
y
displacements for the Vertex1 and Vertex2.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
422
SolidWorks 2012 Exercise 25
Design Study
rib T
and the resultant displacement.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
We observe that both the von Mises stresses and the resultant
Do E
423
Exercise 25 SolidWorks 2012
Design Study
Limitations of At the beginning of this exercise, we stated that the platform was
Linear Analysis suspended by floating links. The links themselves are pin-supported
rib T
and rotate about supporting pins. For this reason, the distance between
the rods may change when the platform experiences deformations
e
under the prescribed load.
F
ut
Consequently, in the assumption of small displacements, a platform
suspended by floating links does not develop any tensile stresses. It
di RA
resists the load only with bending stresses.
Link can rotate about this pin
or D
st
If the links are rigidly supported and the rods are unable to move closer
together, tensile stresses develop in addition to bending stresses.
E
op AS
These tensile stresses, also called membrane stresses, are the result of
deformation and significantly increase the platform stiffness.
t c LE
pertained to floating hinges and the platform stiffness would have been
Do E
underestimated.
To differentiate between floating and rigid hinges we use nonlinear
geometry analysis, which is available in SolidWorks Simulation
PR
Premium.
424
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 12
or D
Thermal Stress Analysis
st
E
op AS
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Perform a static analysis with a temperature load.
t c LE
425
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
Thermal Stress The heating or cooling of bimetallic parts create internal stresses due to
Analysis the difference in expansion coefficients in different materials. In this
rib T
lesson we will determine the stress and deformation that results from
heating a bimetallic part.
e
F
Case Study: Due to the difference in the coefficients of the thermal expansion of
ut
Bimetallic Strip aluminum (200 W/m K) and nickel (43 W/m K), the bimetal will
di RA
deform with temperature changes. In this case study, the stress will be
zero at room temperature.
Project An aluminum strip, glued with a
Description nickel strip into a bimetal
assembly, is at room temperature
25C (77F). Without any Aluminum
or D
constraints on its deformation, the
st
bimetal strip is then heated to
280C (536F).
Nickel
2 Create study.
Create a static study named bonded.
PR
426
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
Material Properties Because the model is exposed to an elevated temperature, the material
constants have to be modified accordingly. The following two tables
rib T
show the dependence of the material constants on the temperature.
e
Variation of SIGYLD [Pa] on temperature
F
ut
Room 100C 204C 260C 316C
di RA
Inconel 702
406.9e6 - 356e6 - 326e6
Nickel Alloy
2014 - T6
378.6e6 330.5e6 210e6 119.8e6 44.4e6
Aluminum Alloy
or D
Variation of EX [Pa] on temperature
st
Room 100C 204C 260C 316C
Inconel 702
E Nickel Alloy
2014 - T6
229.9e9 - 223.4e9 - 205e9
op AS
71.9e9 70.6e9 64.1e9 50.8e9 50.5e9
Aluminum Alloy
Edit Material.
The material dialog window displays default Ni material constants at
y
room temperature. Because the materials in the default library can not
be edited, we will copy the Ni material into a new custom library
no RE
427
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
created category Lesson 12 materials.
e
Edit Nickel, select the Tables & Curves tab
F
and Elastic Modulus in X vs Temperature
ut
under Type.
di RA
Select oC and N/m^2 under the Table data
section.
or D
st
E 4 Enter data.
Enter the available data points from the table above defining the
dependence of the Youngs modulus on temperature for Inconel 702
op AS
Nickel Alloy.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
To add a new line in the Table data definition, double-click on the last
row.
428
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
points can be excessive. In
SolidWorks Simulation, the data
e
can be conveniently copied from
F
other programs such as Excel.
ut
di RA
Continue editing Nickel and under Type, select Yield Strength vs
Temperature, set the Units to oC and N/m^2 (Pa).
Open the Excel file
materialdata.xls located
in the lesson directory, and
or D
navigate to the sheet with
the Inconel 702 Nickel
st
Alloy data. Right-click on
the corresponding data and
E select Copy.
Paste (CTRL-V) the data
op AS
into the Table data area of
the Material dialog window.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
429
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
corresponding cells for Elastic modulus and Yield strength, and
select Temperature dependent.
e
F
Notice that the cells for Elastic modulus and Yield strength under the
Value column show Temperature Dependent.
ut
di RA
Click Apply and Save to confirm the definition of the Inconel 702
Nickel Alloy properties and save the database.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
Note We will assume that the thermal expansion coefficient remains constant
in a given temperature range.
7 Assign material to Al strip.
Follow the procedure above and assign the temperature dependent
-
430
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
the Sensors folder and select Add Sensor.
e
For Sensor Type, select Simulation Data.
F
For Data Quantity, select Workflow
ut
Sensitive.
di RA
Select the three sketch points on top of the Al strip, then select OK.
Aluminum
Sensors
or D
st
E
op AS
Nickel
Sensors
t c LE
431
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
SolidWorks fly-out menu to select both components.
e
Enter a temperature of 280C. This definition states that the
F
temperature of both assembly components is uniformly elevated/
lowered to 280C from the reference temperature at zero strain.
ut
di RA
Click OK.
or D
st
E
op AS
12 Define zero strain
temperature.
Right-click the bonded
t c LE
432
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
Temperatures Simulation thermal study or directly from the CFD (Computational
e
Fluid Dynamics) simulation in SolidWorks Flow Simulation.
F
For the stress analysis it is also possible to import the distributions of
ut
the fluid pressures from SolidWorks Flow Simulation.
di RA
13 Stabilize the model.
Because the strips deformation should be unconstrained, we cannot
apply an external boundary condition. Since the model is in the state of
thermodynamic equilibrium and is not subjected to any external force
or D
loads, we can use the soft spring option to stabilize the model.
Select the Options tab.
st
Select Use soft spring to
E stabilize model.
Click OK.
op AS
14 Mesh the model.
Create a High quality mesh with
the default settings using the
Curvature based mesh.
This element size creates two
t c LE
433
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
16 Plot displacements.
Plot the resultant displacements (in 1:1 deformation scale).
rib T
The maximum displacement at the tip of the bimetallic strip is 0.59 mm
e
[0.023 in].
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
17 Plot von Mises stress results.
Examine the results. There appears to be very high stress at the junction
of the two materials.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
434
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
Averaging Stress This stress plot can be misleading. As we learned in Lesson 1, the von
Mises stresses are obtained by averaging the stress values extrapolated
rib T
to the nodes from all the adjacent elements. In this case, the stresses at
the interface are averaged between two distinct parts. To obtain the
e
correct distribution of the von Mises stresses, we have to disable the
F
averaging across the part boundaries.
ut
di RA
18 Edit the plot.
Right-click on the stress plot and select Edit
Definition.
In Advanced Options, clear Average results
across boundary for parts.
or D
The new von Mises plot above shows the correct distribution. We can
st
see that with the averaging across the boundaries option disabled, the
maximum value jumped to approximately 264 MPa [38.2 ksi] in some
E interface regions.
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
435
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
components in SolidWorks and plot the distribution of the von Mises
stress for the displayed part only.
e
F
Display the extreme values for the shown parts. In Chart Options,
select Show min annotations, Show max annotations, and Show
ut
Min/Max range on shown parts only options.
di RA
Aluminum part
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Nickel part
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
436
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
Nickel Alloy parts are 121 and 264 MPa respectively. The stress in the
Aluminum part is well above the corresponding yield strength at 280C
e
(93 MPa) whereas the Nickel part is below (335 MPa at 280C ). This
F
indicates that one of the parts is yielding.
ut
The accurate solution to the above problem can, therefore, be obtained
di RA
using a nonlinear modulus of SolidWorks Simulation Premium, where
full stress-strain curves for the given alloys would have to be specified.
We will ignore the fact that one of the parts is yielding and continue
with the lesson. In the next part, we would like to analyze the interface
layer and find the minimum required strength of the bonding material.
or D
21 Show strain results at the sensor locations.
st
Define a new strain plot for the ESPX: X Normal strain component.
Right-click on the newly defined strain plot and select List selected.
study report.
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
437
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
exploded view, analyze the through-thickness variation of the SX
normal stress.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Important Similarly to the von Mises stress plot, deactivate Average results
across boundary for parts option.
23 Graph stress through the thickness.
Use the Probe feature to path plot the variation of the SX stress through
the thickness.
t c LE
y
no RE
Ni (interface)
Al (top)
-
Do E
Ni (bottom)
Al (interface)
PR
438
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
Interpret the Results The results and the graph above indicate the following variation of SX.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
We observe that at the interface the normal stresses change abruptly
st
from -96 MPa (compression) in Aluminum to 147 MPa (tension) in
Nickel. Furthermore, we can observe three neutral axes (planes) where
E the normal stresses are at zero. Two of these axes (planes) are clearly
indicated in the figure. The third axis coincides with the interface
op AS
plane, where the normal stresses change abruptly from -96 MPa
(compression) in Aluminum to 147 MPa (tension) in Nickel. All three
locations are accompanied by the local extremes of shear stress that
may delaminate the glued strips (see the figure above).
Since our main goal is to obtain the required strength of the bonding
t c LE
439
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
Define a new plot of TXY: Shear stress in the Y dir on YZ plane
stress. Display the plot in the exploded view and, under Settings,
e
Fringe Options select Discrete.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
We can observe that the interface shear stress on the side of Aluminum
and Nickel are identical, i.e. the equilibrium is satisfied. The discrete
y
plot conveniently shows that the maximum value of shear stress
(ignoring the localized stress concentrations at the tip of the straight
section) equals approximately 13 MPa. This would be the minimum
no RE
Results in Local In the bent section, the global x, y and z axes are no longer aligned with
Coordinate the interface geometry. In other words, the xy distribution in the bent
section no longer represents the interface shear stress.
Systems
(Optional) For the correct representation of the interface shear stress in the bent
section, we have to switch to the appropriate coordinate system aligned
with the geometry.
440
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
Create a Discrete xy plot with Axis1 used as a reference. Axis1
defines a local cylindrical coordinate system aligned with the geometry
e
of the bent section.
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Since the bonding material will also have to resist the normal stress we
would have to verify the interface normal stress in the proper
PR
441
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
Saving Model in We end this lesson by saving the deformed shape as a new SolidWorks
rib T
its Deformed model so that it can be used as an assembly component to check for
e
Shape interference, and so on.
F
1 Create new body from deformed shape.
ut
Right-click on the Results folder and select Create Body from
di RA
Deformed Shape.
Click the Save as New Part button and enter
Deformed bimetal as the Part name.
Click OK.
or D
2 Open the new body in the SolidWorks
environment.
st
In the options area of the SolidWorks File, Open
window and select the saved Deformed bimetal.sldprt file.
E Click OK.
The deformed geometry model appears as an imported feature in the
op AS
SolidWorks FeatureManager. The deformed shape can now be
examined with the standard SolidWorks tools.
3 Save and Close the file.
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
442
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 12
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
supports, the Use soft springs to stabilize model option was used.
e
At elevated temperatures, the values of some of the material properties
F
may vary considerably. In this lesson, we practiced the definition of the
ut
temperature dependent yield strength and Youngs modulus.
di RA
The main goal of the lesson was to obtain the minimum required bond
strength of the interface glue. To obtain this value, a complex
distribution of the normal stress SX was studied, and the definition of
the neutral axes (planes) was introduced. Furthermore, the
corresponding component of the shear stress was plotted.
or D
In the bent section, the curved geometry required the introduction of
the local cylindrical coordinate system. The interface shear stress was
st
then plotted with respect to this local coordinate system.
Since the experimental verification of the numerical results was
443
Lesson 12 SolidWorks 2012
Thermal Stress Analysis
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
444
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 13
or D
Adaptive Meshing
st
E
op AS
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Use and understand the h-adaptive solution method.
t c LE
445
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
Adaptive Through the previous lessons, we have manually refined the mesh to
Meshing improve the accuracy of our results. In this process, we have examined
rib T
the model and then the results to determine the refinements necessary
to get accurate results. Two new solution methods called h-adaptive
e
and p-adaptive will be used in this lesson that will automate the
F
process.
ut
Case Study:
di RA
A cantilever bracket will be
Support analyzed using the different
Bracket meshing techniques.
Symmetry boundary conditions
will be used to reduce the
analysis to only half the model,
or D
resulting in a faster solution.
st
First we will create a mesh
using the same method used in
1. Standard solution
2. h-adaptive solution
3. p-adaptive solution
y
Project A cantilever bracket is
Description supported along the face at the
no RE
Load
back side.
A load of 22,000 N [4,946 lb] is
uniformly distributed to the
Support
split face that surrounds the
cylindrical hole.
-
446
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
Open support bracket located in the Lesson13\Case Studies
e
folder.
F
2 Activate symmetry configuration.
ut
Activate the configuration called symmetry.
di RA
Geometry The bracket geometry has been defeatured to make meshing easier; the
Preparation external cosmetic fillets have been suppressed. While these details do
not complicate this model to the point of preventing us from meshing
or solving it, we use the model with suppressed features to emphasize
or D
the fact that defeaturing is often necessary for more complex models.
st
Symmetry Due to the symmetry of the bracket geometry, loads, and supports, we
can simplify the finite element model by analyzing only one half of its
E
geometry.
op AS
t c LE
y
3 Define a study.
Define a static study named standard.
no RE
This study will provide results that will serve as reference when
comparing different solution methods. The study name standard
reflects the fact that we use a regular solution method where mesh
does not change during the solution process. This is how we have
solved all previous lessons in this training manual.
-
447
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
to the split face around the hole.
Note that only one half of the
e
force magnitude must be applied
F
because the model represents only
ut
one half of the geometry.
di RA
or D
5 Apply Fixed Geometry
st
fixture to the back face.
E
op AS
t c LE
y
Conditions.
Apply Symmetry boundary
conditions on the faces
exposed by the cut.
-
Do E
PR
448
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
default element size using the
Curvature based mesh.
e
F
Since no local mesh control was
ut
defined, the element size is uniform.
di RA
8 Run the analysis.
Run the solution for the standard
study.
To verify that the symmetry boundary
conditions work as expected, animate one of the results plots. While the
or D
model deforms, verify that the faces with symmetry boundary
conditions applied to them remain flat and there is no movement of
st
these faces in the direction normal to the plane of symmetry.
E
h-Adaptive Solution
Method
Before we explain the h-adaptive solution method, recall that any
solution obtained using the Finite Element Analysis depends on how
op AS
the analyzed model has been meshed.
We may re-phrase the above observation to say that the FEA data of
interest depends on the choice of discretization. Thus, changing the
mesh parameters (global or local mesh controls) will affect the FEA
results. This is because different meshes (different choices of
t c LE
449
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
different studies. In Lesson 2, we used mesh controls to refine the mesh
only in areas where we deemed it necessary.
e
F
The convergence process we conducted in Lesson 1 and Lesson 2
ut
required us to define several studies with different meshes, run the
analysis, and summarize the results. These were informative but rather
di RA
tedious exercises.
Using the h-adaptive solution method we will automate the
h convergence process.
or D
h-Adaptivity We will analyze the same bracket, with the same material fixtures and
loads using an h-adaptive solution.
st
Study
1 Create new study for h-adaptive solution.
Note The Adaptive solution tab is available only for static analysis and solid
t c LE
mesh elements.
Under the Adaptive
method option, select h-
y
adaptive.
no RE
Accuracy bias.
Do E
450
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
h-Adaptivity What is going to happen when we solve the study with the above
Options settings?
rib T
SolidWorks Simulation will solve the same model several times, each
e
time using more refined meshes. The mesh refinements will be
F
performed automatically, no user intervention is required.
ut
How many mesh refinements will be performed?
di RA
Considering that we have set the Maximum number of loops to 5,
SolidWorks Simulation will solve for the original mesh and then
perform several other mesh refinements. Looping will terminate when
Target accuracy is obtained or if the Maximum number of loops is
reached. Maximum number of loops of 5 means that the solution
or D
may consist of a maximum of six steps: the original mesh and five
refinements.
st
Target accuracy is the accuracy of strain energy norm (RMS strain
energy) in the model. We set it at 98% which means that looping stops
E if the difference in the strain energy norm between the two consecutive
loops drops below 2%.
op AS
Target Accuracy The Target accuracy is based on the total strain energy in the model.
This is a global measure of the discretization error. As such, it is largely
insensitive to localized errors, even if those errors are high.
Accuracy Bias To account for the local errors, looping is also controlled by an
Accuracy bias.You can move the Accuracy bias slider to the left
t c LE
lower strain energy errors. We do not have explicit control over the
magnitude of local strain energy error.
From Lesson 2 you will recall that stress singularity occur at the
locations of concentrated forces and sharp re-entrant corners. The
stresses at these locations diverge to infinity as smaller mesh elements
-
are used.
Do E
localized, strain energy errors will be ignored; the solver will not adjust
mesh refinement pattern to reduce these errors.
451
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
De-refined
e
F
ut
Refined
di RA
De-refined
or D
Original mesh Mesh after completion of
h-adaptive solution
st
When h-adaptive solution is used, you can start with a coarser original
The mesh is not refined uniformly but only where needed to keep strain
energy errors low. We may say that mesh adapts to the stress patterns.
This gives the adaptive name to h-adaptive solution method.
y
no RE
452
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
tab. Select Color Chart under Plot.
e
Select Specify color for values
F
above yield for von Mises plot
feature. The default color is gray.
ut
di RA
Click OK.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
The stress plot shows the maximum von Mises stress of 227 MPa
no RE
[33 ksi], which slightly exceed the yield strength of AISI 304 steel.
Note that the yielding regions are shown in a distinct color.
Displaying mesh superimposed on the plot confirms that the mesh has
indeed been refined where stress concentrations are located and de-
-
453
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
h-Adaptive Plots Any plot (stress, displacement, strain, and so on) in the results folders
of the h-adaptive study displays the final result, or the last performed
rib T
step of the h-adaptive solution process. In addition to displaying the
final plot results, we can also access the history of the iterative solution.
e
F
Convergence To visually see how well the solution is converging, we can use a
ut
Graph convergence graph.
di RA
Where to Find It I Shortcut Menu: Right-click on the Results folder and select Define
Adaptive Convergence Graph.
I Menu: Simulation, Results Tools, Convergence Graph.
or D
Right-click on the Results folder and select
st
Define Adaptive Convergence Graph.
Under Options, select Maximum von Misses
454
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
Review h-adaptive Let us review the graph and make a few observations about the h-
Solution adaptive solution.
rib T
I The h-adaptive iterations went through all five steps: the first using
e
the original mesh and the next four steps with automatically refined
F
meshes.
ut
I In each loop the mesh is refined further.
di RA
I The maximum number of loops (5) has been reached. Because no
convergence confirmation message was displayed at the end of the
process the required strain energy error of 2% was not achieved.
I The stress units in the graph are N/m^2, regardless of what units are
used in the model.
or D
We now wish to continue with the iterative procedure to reduce the
st
strain energy error below the requested 2%.
E
8 Continue running the analysis.
Run the study h-adaptive again.
Note The last results and mesh from the previous iterations are now the
op AS
initial configuration for new h-adaptive iterations.
At one point we get the following message:
Analysis has satisfied the current h-Adaptive accuracy of
98.0334 percent. You may increase target accuracy to re-run.
t c LE
The maximum stress increases from 227 to 229.3 MPa [33 ksi to 33.25
ksi]. The difference in stresses is therefore minimal in this case.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
455
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
iterations had to go through seven loops to achieve the desired accuracy
of 2%.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
Strain Energy The 2% strain energy error we specified in the properties of the h-
Error is NOT adaptive study is not the stress error.
Stress Error
t c LE
If we are interested in von Mises stress, why cant we specify the error
in terms of von Mises stress? In other words, why dont we use von
Mises stress rather than the total strain energy as a convergence
y
criterion?
The reason why the total strain energy is used as a convergence
no RE
criterion is because the total strain energy (total means in the entire
model) always shows monotonic convergence without local plateaus,
which might lead to premature termination of the convergence process.
Also, recall the local stress singularities phenomenon analyzed in
Lesson 2. In this case the stress diverges and convergence could not be
-
achieved.
Do E
456
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
P-adaptive solution requires the use of a different type of finite
e
element called p-element. Before we begin, we need to explain what p-
F
elements are and what they do.
ut
p-Adaptive In Lesson 1, we said that SolidWorks Simulation uses three types of
di RA
Solution Method elements: tetrahedral solids, triangular shells, and beams. Each can be
defined as either a:
I First order element (draft quality).
I Second order element (high quality).
First order elements model a linear (or first order) displacement and
or D
constant stress distribution, while second order elements model a
st
parabolic (second order) displacement and linear stress distribution.
We now have to amend the above paragraphs. Besides first and second
457
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
2 Define p-element method and its options.
e
To utilize p-elements in the analysis, right-click the p elements study
F
folder and select Properties.
ut
Select the Adaptive tab, then select the p-adaptive. This option is
di RA
available only for static analysis and only when using solid elements.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
Set Starting p-order to 2, which means that all elements are first
no RE
Click OK.
Looping continues until the change in Total Strain Energy between the
two consecutive iterations is less than 0.05%, as specified in the
p-adaptive options. If this requirement is not satisfied, then looping
stops when the elements reach the highest available order, which in our
case is the 5th order. Note that it takes four iterative loops to reach a 5th
order element. Investigate other choices in the p-adaptive options area.
458
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
Why are we specifying this high accuracy requirement (0.05%) for the
total strain energy error? Actually, we do not expect that the solution
rib T
will satisfy this requirement. We want to force the solver to complete
all four steps so we can analyze graphs consisting of four, rather than
e
two or three points.
F
ut
The p-adaptive solution process is conceptually similar to the already
performed h-adaptive iterative process of mesh refinement. Both add
di RA
degrees of freedom to the model, one by mesh refinement, the other by
element order upgrade.
The difference between h-adaptive and p-adaptive solution methods
is that, in h-adaptive, mesh changes while element order stays the
same, while in p-adaptive, mesh stays the same but element order
or D
changes.
st
h vs. p Elements Let us pause to explain some terminology:
Question:
E Why are upgradeable elements called p-elements?
op AS
Answer: The iterative process that we are currently discussing does not involve
mesh refinement. While the mesh remains unchanged, the element
order changes from the initial 2nd order all the way to 5th order (or less
if the convergence criterion is satisfied sooner).
The element order is defined by the order of polynomial functions that
t c LE
Answer: Adaptive means that not all p-elements are necessarily upgraded during
the solution process.
Indeed, as you see in the p-adaptive options area, Update elements
with relative Strain Energy error of _% or more means that only
-
those elements not satisfying the above criterion are upgraded. We say,
therefore, that element upgrading is adaptive, or driven by the results
Do E
of consecutive iterations.
This is in close analogy to h-adaptive solution (performed earlier in
PR
this lesson), where the mesh was refined during consecutive loops.
We are now sufficiently familiarized with p-elements to proceed with
p-adaptive solution.
459
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
3 Create mesh.
rib T
Right-click Mesh and select Create Mesh.
e
Under Advanced, select At nodes for Jacobian points.
F
4 Mesh the model and run the
ut
analysis.
di RA
Create a High quality mesh using the
Curvature based mesh intended for
p-elements with the mesh density
slider set to Coarse.
Considering that a p-adaptive
or D
solution is used, we can manage with
a coarser mesh.
st
Select Run (solve) the analysis to
combine the mesh and run steps into
Note E one.
This mesh would not be acceptable for use in the standard study
op AS
because there are not enough elements to capture the complex stress
field, especially near the rounds. Using higher order p-elements,
however, is equivalent to refining an h-element mesh, so that even this
coarse mesh delivers accurate results.
5 Run.
t c LE
460
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
To set the plot settings, right-click the stress plot and select Settings.
Select Discrete for the Fringe options and select Mesh for the
rib T
Boundary options.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E The resulting stress plot shows a maximum von Mises stress of
op AS
207 MPa [30.0ksi], which is just above the yield stress of AISI 304.
Note Any plot (stress, displacement, strain, and so on) in the results folders
of the p elements study displays the final result, or the last step of the
p-adaptive solution process. In addition to displaying the final plot
t c LE
461
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
Adaptive Convergence Graph.
e
Because we are primarily interested in the
F
maximum von Mises stress, select Maximum von
Mises stress in the Options.
ut
di RA
Click OK.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
I The p-adaptive iterations went through all four steps: the first
using the second order elements, and the next three with higher
order element up to the 5th order.
I The 0.05% strain energy error we specified in the properties of the
p-adaptive study is NOT stress error.
-
I The maximum strain energy error of 0.05% has not been achieved
Do E
I The stress units in the graph are N/m2. SI units are internally used
by SolidWorks Simulation for calculations, regardless of what units
are used in the model.
9 Save and Close the file.
462
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
Method Now, let us summarize the results of all three studies executed in this
Comparison lesson. Recall that information on the number of degrees of freedom is
rib T
taken from the OUT file corresponding to the given study in the
SolidWorks Simulation data base.
e
F
Max. von
ut
Max. resultant
Solution type Mises stress # D.O.F.
di RA
displacement
[psi]
Standard 0.427 mm 207.5 MPa 37479
[0.0168 in] [30,094 psi]
h-adaptive 0.428 mm 229.3 MPa 75225
or D
[0.0168 in] [33,254 psi]
st
p-Adaptive 0.428 mm 207.9 MPa 42801
[0.0168 in] [30,150 psi]
E Displacement results are practically the same. Stress results are within
9%. Considering that a highly concentrated stress is rather difficult to
op AS
model with any solution technique, this accuracy is satisfactory.
Standard solution appears to be the most economical; it had the shortest
solution time.
Having completed the exercise with three solution methods, we note
that h-adaptive and p-adaptive solution methods are very close,
t c LE
process.
no RE
This explains why we can use a coarse mesh for both h-adaptive and
p-adaptive solution. The degrees of freedom that are missing in the
initial mesh are added in the process of iterative solution either by mesh
refinement or by element order upgrade, and produce an analogous
effect to using a standard solution technique with properly refined
mesh.
-
Do E
PR
463
Lesson 13 SolidWorks 2012
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
Summary
e
F
Solution type
ut
h-adaptive p-adaptive
di RA
Element 2nd order, does not Changes during the
order change during the solution process from 2nd
solution. to max. 5th to satisfy the
accuracy requirements.
or D
Mesh Mesh is changed by Mesh does not change.
adaptivity refinement (both element
st
size and location of Element order adapts to
refinement) and adapts to the pattern of stress
control Displacement, or
RMS von Mises stress
Local Local strain energy Local strain energy
y
Unlimited: Four:
Maximum The study can re-run The first one with 2nd
number of repeatedly until the order elements, the last
loops desired accuracy level is one with 5th order
reached. elements but, mesh can
-
464
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 13
Adaptive Meshing
rib T
I The p-adaptive solution using p elements?
e
Generally, with the standard solution method using second order
F
elements, we obtain a reasonably accurate solution within a reasonably
ut
short time.
di RA
Experience indicates that the standard solution method utilizing second
order elements offers the best combination of accuracy and
computational efficiency.
For this reason, the automesher in SolidWorks Simulation is tuned to
meet the requirements of an h-element mesh intended for the standard
or D
solution method.
st
Both h-adaptive and p-adaptive methods involve iterative solutions
that stop either when the accuracy requirement has been satisfied or
solution,
then this means that the solution has stopped because your accuracy
requirements have been satisfied and not because the maximum
number of loops has been reached.
Summary Both h-adaptive and p-adaptive solution methods are significantly
-
for special cases where the solution must have narrowly specified
accuracy.
PR
The adaptive solution methods are also great learning tools, leading to a
better understanding of element order, the convergence process, and
discretization error. For this reason, you are encouraged to repeat some
of the lessons presented in this course using the adaptive solution
technique of your choice.
465
466
Lesson 13
PR Adaptive Meshing
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
SolidWorks 2012
rib T
ut
e
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Lesson 14
or D
Large Displacement Analysis
st
E
op AS
Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
I Understand the difference between geometrically nonlinear (large
t c LE
467
Lesson 14 SolidWorks 2012
Large Displacement Analysis
Small vs. Large As explained in the beginning of this course, SolidWorks Simulation
Displacement computations are limited to the small displacement class of problems
rib T
Analysis (geometrically linear analysis). In this lesson, we will show that this
limitation is actually not present and SolidWorks Simulation is capable
e
of solving large displacement, nonlinear problems as well.
F
ut
In small displacement analysis, it is assumed that the shape of the
model before and after the deformation took place is nearly identical.
di RA
Consider a cantilever beam loaded by a pressure, as shown in figure a
below. First, let us assume that our load is small in relation to the
stiffness of the beam, resulting in deformations that are barely
noticeable (figure b). The stiffness of the deformed beam, [ K 1 ] , which
or D
is a function of geometry and the material, will be nearly identical to
the original stiffness of the undeformed beam, [ K ] .
st
We can conclude that [ K ] [ K 1 ] , and that the linear elastic solution
[ K ] { u } = { F } is valid as long as the above assumption is acceptable.
E a.
op AS
b.
t c LE
c.
y
no RE
468
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 14
Large Displacement Analysis
Case Study: A u-shaped clamp will have a force applied to one side while the other
Clamp side remains fixed. For small applied forces, the clamp will still retain
rib T
its u-shape. If the force is larger, the ends of the clamp will get closer
together or touch which will require a large displacement analysis.
e
F
We will analyze the clamp using both small and large displacement
ut
methods and compare the results.
di RA
Project A clamp is bent with a
Description 14,000 N [3,147 lb.] force
applied to one arm while
the other arm rests on a
rigid support (such as a
steel block or concrete
or D
foundation).
st
It is known that this load
deforms the clamp
Part 1: Small First, we will attempt to solve this problem as linear, with the
Displacement assumption of small displacements.
t c LE
Linear Analysis
1 Open an assembly file.
y
2 Define study.
Define a Static study named small displacements.
3 Review material properties.
The material properties of Alloy Steel are automatically transferred
from SolidWorks.
-
4 Apply restraint.
Do E
469
Lesson 14 SolidWorks 2012
Large Displacement Analysis
5 Apply force.
Apply a 14,000 N force normal to the other
rib T
face.
e
F
ut
6 Define surface contact set.
di RA
Define a No penetration, Node to Surface
contact set between the two small faces at the end
of the clamp arms.
7 Mesh assembly.
Mesh the assembly with High quality elements
or D
and the default settings using the Curvature
based mesh.
st
8 Specify Direct Sparse solver.
E Direct sparse solver is considerably faster for this type and size of
problem.
op AS
9 Run the analysis.
SolidWorks Simulation solver detects the large displacements in the
model and issues a warning.
Excessive displacements were calculated in this model. If
your system is properly restrained, consider using the Large
t c LE
470
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 14
Large Displacement Analysis
rib T
the loaded arm has overextended the fixed arm.
Obviously, this result is incorrect.
e
F
ut
di RA
Results The ignored warning of the solver along with the incorrect
Discussion displacement results are sufficient reasons to invalidate the produced
results. Therefore, we do not have to analyze the stresses.
Contact Solution In small displacement analysis, the normals to the contact areas do not
in Small and Large change directions during the loading. This implies that the direction of
or D
Displacement the normal and friction forces remains fixed as well.
Analyses
st
Contrarily, in the large displacement analysis, the directions of the
normal and friction forces are updated during the deformation process.
Because of the potential significant displacements and sliding in the
Part 2: Large
t c LE
471
Lesson 14 SolidWorks 2012
Large Displacement Analysis
rib T
and select Properties. Select the Options
tab and then select Large displacement.
e
F
Click OK.
ut
di RA
or D
st
3 Run the analysis.
E Note that the solution takes significantly longer due to the extra time
required to increment the load in steps, as discussed earlier.
op AS
4 Plot resultant displacements.
Plot the distribution of URES: Resultant displacements.
t c LE
y
no RE
472
SolidWorks 2012 Lesson 14
Large Displacement Analysis
rib T
bending problem such as this.
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
E 7 Analyze the results.
There is no high stress shows in the contact region because the mesh
size is too large to capture these localized contact stresses.
op AS
Observing that contact area is very small (in fact, the solution presents
it as a line contact) we conclude that our choice Node to surface
option in No penetration contact set definition is correct.
While stress results obtained using the large-displacement contact
t c LE
This is as far as we can take this problem using a linear material model
(the large displacement analysis is geometrically nonlinear, but the
PR
473
Lesson 14 SolidWorks 2012
Large Displacement Analysis
rib T
Premium powerful feature to solve problems out of the scope of the
geometrically linear static study. However, the solution of these
e
problems in general requires the correct setup of various parameters
F
and solver options. Because a large displacement option of SolidWorks
ut
Simulation uses a predefined set of parameters, its solution success is
di RA
limited.
All of the features and options of the advanced nonlinear solver are
available in SolidWorks Simulation Nonlinear modulus which is part of
the SolidWorks Simulation Premium suite. Furthermore, multiple
advanced material models are available in SolidWorks Simulation
or D
Premium only. Users who wish to take their SolidWorks Simulation
expertise to the next level are encouraged to inquire about SolidWorks
st
Simulation Premium suite and to take a SolidWorks Simulation
Premium: Nonlinear training course.
Summary E In this lesson, we ventured into the next level of FEA analysis and
op AS
discussed and practiced the basic characteristics of the geometrically
nonlinear (large displacement) analysis. The limitations of the
geometrically linear (small displacement) analysis were discussed as
well.
t c LE
required.
Do E
474
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Appendix A
or D
Meshing, Solvers, and
st
Tips & Tricks
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
PR
475
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
As a finite element method, meshing accomplishes two tasks. First, it
e
replaces a continuous model with a discrete one. Meshing, therefore,
F
reduces the problem to one with a finite number of unknowns suitable
ut
for solution with an approximate numerical technique. Second, it
represents the desired solution (e.g., displacements or temperatures)
di RA
with an assembly of simple polynomial functions defined individually
for elements. See the Introduction to FEA section of the manual for a
description of this process.
For the user, meshing is a necessary step towards the problem solution.
Many new FEA users expect meshing to be a fully automated process
or D
requiring little, in any, input from the user. With experience comes the
st
realization that meshing is often a demanding task.
The history of development of commercial FEA software witnessed
E many attempts to make meshing invisible to FEA users, but this has not
been a successful approach.
op AS
While the meshing process has been simplified and automated, it is still
not a hands-off task that runs in the background. As FEA users, we
require a means to interact with the meshing process.
SolidWorks Simulation finds the fine balance by isolating us from
those issues that are purely meshing-specific, but providing us control
t c LE
This approach works well for simple models. More complex geometry
requires preparation before it can be meshed. In the process of
geometry preparation for FEA, we depart from manufacturing-specific,
CAD geometry and construct geometry intended specifically for
-
476
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
CAD Geometry FEA Geometry
e
Must contain all information Must be meshable
F
necessary for manufacturing
ut
Must allow for creation of a mesh
di RA
that will correctly model the data
of interest
Must allow for creation of a mesh
solvable within a reasonable time
or D
Often CAD geometry does not satisfy the requirements of FEA
geometry. CAD geometry serves as a starting point in the process of FE
st
model preparation, but is only seldom used for FEA without
modifications.
477
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
solid-CAD geometry into surface geometry suitable for subsequent
meshing with shell elements.
e
F
SolidWorks Simulation can automatically create shell elements if the
ut
geometry was modeled as sheet metal in SolidWorks. If the part was
modeled as a solid body, however, surfaces must be created in the
di RA
SolidWorks model so that shell elements can be created.
or D
st
E CAD geometry meshed
with solid elements
Idealized geometry meshed
with shell elements
op AS
Note that idealization creates an abstract geometry (zero thickness
surface) suitable exclusively for analysis.
Clean-up Clean-up refers to issues of
geometry quality that must be dealt
t c LE
478
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
To avoid creating elements with tangent edges (see Mesh Quality later
in this appendix), geometry faces may have to be merged.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Before merging After merging
or D
Mesh Quality Creating a solid-element mesh can be likened to a process of filling up
st
a volume with tetrahedral elements, while creating a shell-element
mesh can be likened to filling up a surface with triangles.
E Recall from the Introduction to FEA section of this manual, that in the
vast majority of problems, the second-order, tetrahedral elements and
op AS
second-order, triangular elements map to curvilinear geometry and are
much easier to work with when meshing and analyzing.
This observation exemplifies the fact that elements experience
distortion during meshing, which brings us to the issue of mesh quality.
t c LE
479
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
element is used as the
basis for calculating
e
aspect ratios of other
F
elements. The aspect
ut
ratio of an element is Correct element shape Excessively distorted
di RA
elements
defined as the ratio
between the longest edge and the shortest normal dropped from a
vertex to the opposite face normalized with respect to a perfect
tetrahedral. By definition, the aspect ratio of a perfect tetrahedral
element is 1.0. The aspect-ratio check is automatically used by the
program to check the quality of the mesh and assumes straight edges
or D
connecting the four corner nodes.
st
As part of the aspect-ratio check, SolidWorks Simulation performs an
edge-length check, a radius of inscribed and circumscribed radius
Jacobian Check Second-order elements map to curved geometry much more accurately
than linear elements of the same size. The mid-side nodes of the
-
480
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
edges. The Jacobian ratio increases as the curvatures of the edges
increase. The Jacobian ratio at a point inside the element provides a
e
measure of the degree of distortion of the element at that location.
F
SolidWorks Simulation calculates the Jacobian ratio at the selected
ut
number of Gaussian points for each tetrahedral element.
di RA
JACOBIAN CHECK
or D
st
E Correct element Self-intersecting element
481
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
leading to the creation of elements
with concave faces.
e
F
ut
di RA
Concave elements
or D
of a correct mesh.
st
E Correct mesh
op AS
Mesh Controls We have practiced the use of mesh controls in many lessons. For easy
reference, we review them now.
Generally, mesh controls can be applied to faces, edges, vertices, and
t c LE
assembly components.
Mesh control applied to:
y
no RE
Faces Vertices
-
Edges
Do E
PR
482
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
I Element size on the selected entity
e
I Ratio of element size between the layers
F
ut
di RA
or D
st
Element size ratio between layers = 1.5 Element size ratio between layers = 1.1
If the option Use the same element size is selected, then all selected
components are meshed with the same element size as specified in
Mesh Control window.
PR
483
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
element size, of course, results in longer
solution times.
e
F
To find the largest element size that still meshes, we can use Automatic
ut
trials for solids, specified in the advanced meshing options.
di RA
Automatic looping instructs the mesher to automatically mesh the
model again using a smaller, global element size. You control the
maximum number of trials allowed and the ratio by which the global
element size and tolerance are reduced each time.
Meshing Stages Meshing proceeds in three steps:
or D
I Evaluating the geometry
I Processing the boundary
st
I Creating the mesh
third phase, creating the mesh, starts as the volume is filled with
tetrahedral elements.
If meshing fails when evaluating the geometry, the most likely cause is
y
484
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
tool is provided to help you locate and resolve solid-meshing problems.
e
The Failure Diagnostics PropertyManager lists the components, faces,
F
and edges that fail. It also highlights the failed entities in the model
ut
window.
di RA
To review the entities that prevented successful meshing, right-click
Mesh and select Failure Diagnostics.
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
-
Do E
485
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
For meshing failures on faces, create a shell study and select only the
e
failed face. Then try various element sizes until that face meshes.
F
If the mesh failure diagnostics do not provide enough information to
ut
determine the exact location of the problem, successively cut portions
di RA
off the model to isolate the region of failure, or roll back the
SolidWorks models until the model meshes.
Tips for Meshing Select Tools, Interference Detection to determine where parts
Assemblies interfere and where faces touch (coincident). Remember that
interference is allowed only if the shrink fit contact condition is
or D
defined.
st
Do not model line contact (such as a cylinder tangent to a plate) or
point contact (such as the top of a cone touching a plate) between
Imprint
PR
486
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
Beware of imprints that cause sliver faces, thin annular faces, or faces
with multiple lobes connected by thin sections.
rib T
e
F
ut
di RA
Thin section Sliver face
or D
Tips for Using Shell meshing uses only the surface meshing phase; no volume filling
Shell Elements occurs.
st
Although the use of shell elements results in a simpler model that
487
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
compatibility. However, incompatible mesh with misaligned nodes is
also allowed!
e
F
ut
di RA
or D
No split lines Incompatible mesh
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Hardware Meshing is the most critical step on the way to obtaining a solution.
y
Considerations The maximum mesh size, meaning the smallest, element size that can
in Meshing be used, depends on the amount of random access memory.
no RE
While the simple rule the more the better applies, we recommend
2 GB for working with real-life, complex models.
-
Do E
PR
488
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix A
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
Solvers in Having successfully meshed the model we are only one step away from
SolidWorks obtaining a solution.
rib T
Simulation Generally, if a model can be meshed, it will solve; solving is a less
e
critical step than meshing.
F
However, several problems can arise. The solver may find problems
ut
with model definition, such as no definition of material or loads. The
di RA
kinds of issues that prevent solution depend, of course, on the type of
analysis (static, frequency, and so on).
The solver may also detect rigid body motions due to insufficient
restraints. Rigid body motions can be dealt with using solver options,
such as Use soft spring to stabilize model or Use inertial relief.
or D
Available solver options depend on the type of analysis.
st
Static analysis Frequency analysis Buckling analysis
E Soft springs
In-plane effects
Soft springs
In-plane effects
Soft springs
op AS
Inertial relief
Solver options are supported. While all solvers are efficient for small problems
Do E
489
Appendix A SolidWorks 2012
Meshing, Solvers, and Tips & Tricks
rib T
In general, FFEPlus is faster in solving problems with degrees of
e
freedom (DOF) over 100,000. This solver becomes more efficient
F
as the problem gets larger.
ut
I Computer resources
di RA
The Direct Sparse solver, in particular, becomes faster with more
memory available on your computer.
I Analysis options
I Element type
I Material properties
or D
When the moduli of elasticity of the materials used in a model are
st
very different (like Steel and Nylon), iterative solvers are less
accurate than direct methods. The Direct Sparse solver is
recommended in such cases.
implemented as well.
Use this option if you
are not sure which solver
y
is best suited for your
analysis.
no RE
-
Do E
PR
490
PR
Do E
-
no RE
t c LE
op AS
y E
or D
di RA
st F
491
Customer Help and
Assistance
Appendix B
rib T
ut
e
Appendix B SolidWorks 2012
Customer Help and Assistance
Customer Help SolidWorks Simulation features extensive apparatus to help you with
and Assistance various information needs.
rib T
SolidWorks Nearly every dialog window contains a help icon. Use this as your
e
Simulation Help initial help option. Here you will find answers to most of the common
F
questions relevant to the desired topic or SolidWorks Simulation
ut
function.
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
y
no RE
492
SolidWorks 2012 Appendix B
Customer Help and Assistance
rib T
Pane.
e
This area contains countless resource information
F
in organized and accessible form. The
ut
functionality of some of the links in the Analysis
Research dialog is described in the following
di RA
text.
or D
st
E
op AS
I Search Knowledge Base
This database contains numerous targeted, well-organized and
t c LE
I Search Matweb
A search query in this field will take you directly to the free online
material database matweb.com (free Premium membership is also
available). Internet connection is required to use this feature.
I Downloads
-
The latest upgrades and service packs (SP) can be downloaded from the
Do E
493
Appendix B SolidWorks 2012
Customer Help and Assistance
Customer Support Complete customer account information and customer service and
Portal maintenance links can be accessed via the Customer service portal
rib T
accessible from www.solidworks.com website. The portal allows you
to submit service and enhancement requests, search the knowledge
e
base, view the information on the online seminars and various
F
discussion forums and much more.
ut
di RA
or D
st
E
op AS
t c LE
Customer Phone Subscription customers have access to the dedicated phone and email
Support technical support. Please contact your local reseller for the local
y
494
rib T
e
Index
F
ut
di RA
A component options 140 fixtures 34
activate SW configuration 96 contact set 142, 151 definition 42
adaptive meshing 446 free 142 symmetry 280
or D
analysis process 24 large displacement contact 471 flow/thermal effects tab 432
analysis research 336 local contact sets 250 force type 38
local options 140
st
animate plot 58
annotating plots 138 no penetration 142143, 250 G
artificial restraints 157 shrink fit 142, 158 gap analysis 130
E
aspect ratio 479 surface contact 470 gap clearance 254
aspect ratio plot 262 virtual wall 142 geometry preparation 476
automatic looping 484 contact stress 146, 162 gravity load 421
averaging stress 435 convergence 64
op AS
axial stiffness 256 convergence graph 454 H
copy parameters 61 h-adaptive 449
B create study 32 accuracy bias 451
beam elements 363 Curvature Based Mesh 43 solution parameter 450
beam joint types 367 customer support portal 494 target accuracy 451
beam joints 367 cylindrical coordinate system 160 Hoop Stress 161
bearing load 212
D
t c LE
495
Index SolidWorks 2012
rib T
control 86, 90 Restraint Type 34
control in an assembly 240 restraint types 34 U
e
controls 482 result folder 28 units 19
F
details 62 results 95 UNS index 336
display/hide 46 rigid body mode 157
ut
incompatible 234 rotational stiffness 256 V
jacobian 264 run analysis 47 virtual wall 142
di RA
local mesh refinement 90 Run Analysis After Meshing 281 Von Mises Stress 17
quality 46, 479
ratio 44 S W-Z
required elements 262 saving all plots 164 zero strain temperature 432
shell elements 285 saving deformed model 442
thin vs. thick elements 287 section plot 52, 59, 144
mesh control 86 set mesh options 45
or D
mesh control symbols 91 shear force diagram 369, 377
Mesh Density 43 shear modulus 338
mesh details 62 shell elements 285, 487
st
meshing 43 shell meshing
adaptive 446 automatic surface alignment 292
automatic looping 484 shell mesh alignment 289, 291
E
beam elements 363
h vs. p elements 457, 459
h-adaptive 449
thin/thick shells 287
show plot 47
shrink fit 154
op AS
hardware considerations 488 shrink fit contact 142
mixed 330, 362 simulation interface 26
p-adaptive 457 simulation options 28
shell elements 487 simulation study tree 26
stages 484 simulation toolbar 27
strategies 476 singularities 95
Minimum element size 44 soft springs 164
Minimum Number of Elements in a SolidWorks 5
t c LE
496