Chapter 1

ANSYS Workbench

ANSYS Meshing
Application Introduction

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ANSYS Workbench
Overview Training Manual

• ANSYS Workbench Environment

• Toolbox
• Workbench Project Schematic
• Linking Items in the Project Schematic
• Workbench File Management
• Archiving your Workbench 12.0 project
• Importing Models
• Exporting Project Components

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ANSYS Workbench
The Workbench Environment Training Manual

• For most situations the Workbench GUI is divided into 2 primary sections
(there are other optional sections we’ll see in a moment):

The Toolbox The Project Schematic

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ANSYS Workbench
The Toolbox Training Manual

• The toolbox contains 4 subgroups:

• Analysis systems: predefined
templates that can be placed in the
schematic.
• Component systems: various
applications that can be accessed
to build, or expand, analysis
systems.
• Custom Systems: predefined
analysis systems for coupled
applications (FSI, thermal-stress,
etc.). Users can also create their
own predefined systems.
• Design Exploration: Parametric
management and optimization
tools.

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ANSYS Workbench
The Toolbox Training Manual

• The systems and components

displayed in the toolbox will
depend on the installed
products.
• Using the check boxes in the
“View All / Customize” window,
the items displayed in the
toolbox can be toggled on or off.
• The toolbox customization
window is normally left closed
when not in use.

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ANSYS Workbench
The Project Schematic Training Manual

• The Workbench project schematic is a graphical representation of the

workflow defining a system or group of systems.
• The workflow in the project schematic is always left to right.
• There are currently several applications which are native to Workbench,
meaning they run entirely in the Workbench window:
– Project Schematic, Engineering Data and Design Exploration
• Non-native applications (called data-integrated) run in their own window:
– Mechanical (formerly Simulation), Mechanical APDL (formerly ANSYS), ANSYS
Fluent, ANSYS CFX, Etc . . .
• Blocks of cells can be deleted by RMB menu selection.

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ANSYS Workbench
The Project Schematic Training Manual

• In this example a Fluid Flow

(FLUENT) analysis type is
selected for the project
schematic.
• From the toolbox the selection
can be dragged and dropped
onto the schematic or simply
double clicked.
• Note that a Mesh item
appears in the Fluid Flow
block

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ANSYS Workbench
Meshing as a Component System Training Manual

• Note that you can also create

an entry on the Project
Schematic that is a standalone
instance of the ANSYS Meshing
Application

• In the example shown, the

Meshing entry in the Component
Systems toolbox is dragged onto
the Project Schematic

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ANSYS Workbench
The Project Schematic Training Manual

• Linkages between different entries in the schematic can be established in

a number of ways
• The RMB will reveal various choices to you

Linkage

RMB

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

• Workbench creates a project file and a series of subdirectories to manage

all associated files.
• Users should allow Workbench to manage the content of these directories.
Please do NOT manually modify the content or structure of the project
directories.
• When a project is saved a project file is created (.wbpj), using the user
specified file name (e.g. MyFile.wbpj).
• A project directory will be created using the project name. In the above
example the directory would be MyFile_files.
• A number of subdirectories will be created in the project directory
(explained next).

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

• Directory Structure:
– dpn: this is the design point directory. This essentially is
the state of all parameters for a particular analysis. In
the case of a single analysis there will be only one “dp0”
directory.
– global: contains subdirectories for each application in the
analysis. In the example at right the “Mech” directory
will contain the database, and other associated files from
the Mechanical application.
– SYS: the “SYS” directory will contain subdirectories for
each system type in the project (e.g. Mechanical, Fluent,
CFX, etc.). Each system subdirectory contains solver
specific files. For example the MECH subdirectory
would contain the results file, the ds.dat file, solve.out
file and so on.
– user_files: contains input files, user macro files etc. that
may be associated with a project.

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

• From the Workbench “View” menu activate the “Files”

option to display a window containing file details and
locations.

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

• Archive: quickly generates a single compressed

file containing all pertinent files.

– File is zip format and can be opened using the

“Restore Archive . . . ” utility in WB2 or any unzip
program.

– Several options are available when archiving

systems as shown here.

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ANSYS Workbench
Importing Models Training Manual

• Models developed before Release 12.0 of Workbench can be imported

using the Import icon. They will be converted to a WB 12.0 version

(V 11.0)

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ANSYS Workbench
Exporting Project Components Training Manual

• Project components can be exported from within the particular application.

This is similar to saving from within an 11.0 Workbench App:
File/Export

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