ANSYS – Sample Beam Problem Rev. 11/20/07PreparationMake a sketch of the structureChoose your global reference frameNumber the nodesCalculate the nodal coordinatesCalculate the section properties of each element: E, I, J, A, w and beam height h

Accessing ANSYS from Windows computersLogin / Password (CAEDM Login)Create a subdirectory for ANSYSStart / Programs/CAD Programs/ ANSYS /ANSYS

ANSYS Setup[PlotCtrls] >Zoom/Pan/Rotate (drag this menu to the right of your workspace)

Open ANSYS Model File [ ] = Top menu bar; > = Side menu bar [File] >Change Directory (change default directory) [File] >Change Jobname (enter name for new problem. Default: “file”)

Note! this will keep you from overwriting previous day's work) [File] >Change Title (enter title for new problem) [File] >Switch Output to> jobname.out Note! Checkmark [√] Append box [File] >Resume db jobname.db (restore unfinished problem)>Preferences

Select: Structural & h-method (turns off thermal, electromag, fluid, Flotran menus)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Create ModelCreate Beam Model>Preprocessor (Click on menu item to expand menu)

>Element Type>Add/Edit/Delete <Add>

Select: Beam 2D elastic (create a group for each element type, cross section)<Options…> K9 (5) (outputs 5 intermediate points between nodes)

K6 (Include Output) <close>>Real Constant (define Iz, h for each size beam

>Add/Edit/Delete <Add> A, Shrz, w are optional)A=100, Iz = 10, h=10, Shrz=1 (Large A => stiff axially, Shrz=0 to negl shear defl)

>Material Properties (enter or select from library)>Material Library (Don’t forget to select units!!!)Select units <OK> (English=BFT or BIN, feet or inches)Select material from list (N/A - the material library is not installed)

or>Material Model >Structural >Linear >Elastic >Isotropic (double click)

Ex is Young's Modulus 30e6PRxy is Poisson's Ratio 0.3 <Close window>

>Modeling>Create (Create nodes)>Nodes > In Active CS (enter x, y, z coordinates from keyboard)<Apply> to enter data and continue or <OK> to end

or >Nodes > On Work Plane (enter x, y, z coordinates using mouse)

>Modeling >Create (create beam elements)>Elements (define each type of beam)

>Element Attributes (select Type #, Material #, Real Constant # or Shape for each change in beam properties)

Auto Numbered>Thru Nodes (choose 2 nodes for each beam, using mouse)Pick 1-2 Apply, 2-3 Apply, 3-4 Apply <OK>

Model Check Use the [List] and [Plot] options to check model geometry and coordinates

[List] >Nodes or [Plot] >NodesCoord. Only, by Node No. <OK>[File] Copy to Output file [File> Close]

[List] >Elements (Nodes+Attrib+Const) or [Plot] >Elements[File] Copy to Output file [File> Close]

Use [PlotCtrls] to change display[PlotCtrls] >Numbering > Nodes ON

Elements Colors and Numbers[Plot] >Elements (re-plot with colors)

Collapse the Preprocessor menu[Save db] (on ANSYS Toolbar) (Back up your model before you execute solution!!)

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Loads, BC, and Solution>Solution

>Analysis Type >New Analysis (default is Static)>Define Loads

>Apply >Structural>Displacements - On nodes (define constraints)

Pick node <Apply>1 All DOF - as Constant <Apply>4 X,Y dir - as Constant <OK>

>Apply >Structural>Force/Moments - On nodes (define applied loads)

Pick node <Apply>2 FX -10000 <Apply> (Check: Nodes All DOF3 MZ -20000 <OK> Forces on all nodes)

NOTE: to apply a distributed load (called pressure load in ANSYS):>Define Loads >Apply >Structural >Pressure >On Beams

Select: Beams<Apply> Enter: Load number, I node pressure, leave J node blank[Save db] (Back up your model before you execute solution!!)

>Solve - Current LS (Load Step) (submits completed problem to FEM solver)Status window lists solution options executed. Banner appears: "Solution is done!"Collapse the Solution menu. [Save db]

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View Results>General Postprocessor

>Plot Results>Deformed ShapeSelect: Deformed and Undeformed Shape <OK>[PlotCtrls] Hard Copy (see below)

>List input data: Nodal coordinates, elements, properties, real constants, loads, constraints.

>List Results: Nodal Solution, Dispt Vector SumReaction Solution All ItemsElement Solution All Available Force ItemsElement Solution >Line Element Results >Element Results <OK>

( Stress in local beam coordinates: X=beam axis, Y =max dist from neutral axis SDIR=stress-axial, SBYT =stress-bending(Top), SBYB =stress-bending(Bottom) at I & J nodes SMAX & SMIN are the sum of axial and bending stresses at each node)

(copy each list to the Output file)>Print Results[File] >Print "lpr" (default printer or –dctb 450 psa, -cb 230 ps2)or...[File] >Copy to Output File (send to file: jobname.out)>Plot Element Solution

Graphic Screen Capture - Print or save to a file[PlotCtrls] >Hard Copy

Select: Graphics Window, Gray Scale, Jpeg, Reverse Video, file nameSend to default printer: lp-d CB230ps (substitute printer for your lab)Or, Print to a File (choose a file name)NOTE! Reverse video is important! Black background uses too much toner.

Print Table or Output File[File] >Print (Use File option in the table window)

Send to default printer: lp-d CB230ps (Substitute printer for your lab)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other ANSYS FeaturesDependent Contraints>Preprocessor

>Couple / ceqn0 = -1*4Y + 0.2*4X Angled constraint: at node 4, displ in Y dir. equals

0.2* displ in X dir. (i.e. positive slope)0 = -1*4X + 1*3X Pin joint: coincident nodes 3 and 4 move together in the 0 = -1*4Y + 1*3Y X and Y dir, but rotate independently

HelpTo print a Help file, use the [File] menu on the Help window.

Help - Table of Contents - Workbook Sample Problems

Help - Table of Contents - Procedures ManualSec. 2.4 Typical ANSYS AnalysisSec. 11.2 General PostprocessorSec. 12.5 Creating GraphsApp. A File Management

Help - Beam3 (description of beam elements)

Files Created by ANSYS

Look in your ANSYS directory.jobname.db Database file - your ANSYS input datajobname.dbb Backup of database file - created when you do a Save-dbjobname.emat Element matricesjobname.err Error/warning logjobname.esav Saved element datajobname.log Command history - complete record of commands used in a sessionjobname.out ANSYS Output filejobname.rst ANSYS Results file

Accessing ANSYS from States UNIX commandsLogin / Password (Use the Xwindows interface if you prefer)Create a subdirectory for ANSYS [ ] mkdir ansysLook at the directory [ ] lsMove to the subdirectory [ ] cd ansysRename files from previous runs [ ] mv fold.ext fnew.extExecute ANSYS [ ] xansys