explicit dynamics chapter 2 intro to wb

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February 27, 2009Inventory #002665

Chapter 2

Introduction to Workbench

ANSYS Explicit Dynamics




Training ManualB. ANSYS Workbench Overview

• What is ANSYS Workbench?– ANSYS Workbench provides powerful methods for interacting with the

ANSYS family of solvers. This environment provides a unique integration with CAD systems, and your design process.

• ANSYS Workbench is comprised of various applications (some examples):– Mechanical for performing structural and thermal analyses using the ANSYS solver– Explicit Dynamics for performing non-linear dynamic analyses using the AUTODYN

solver.– Geometry (DesignModeler) for creating and modifying CAD geometry to prepare the

solid model for use in Mechanical.– Meshing for generating Structural and CFD meshes– Advanced Meshing for generating Structural and CFD meshes using ICEM CFD– Design Exploration for optimization– Finite Element Modeler (FE Modeler) for translating a NASTRAN and ABAQUS mesh

for use in ANSYS– AUTODYN for explicit dynamics simulations featuring modeling of nonlinear

dynamics




Training Manual … ANSYS Workbench Overview

• The Workbench environment supports two types of applications:– Native applications (workspaces): Current native applications are Project

Schematic, Engineering Data and Design Exploration.• Native applications are launched and run entirely in the Workbench window.

– Data Integrated Applications: current applications include Mechanical, Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical), Fluent, CFX, AUTODYN and others.

Native Application

Data Integrated Application




Training ManualStarting Workbench

• There are two methods of launching Workbench:– From the Windows start menu:

– From the CAD system




Training ManualThe Workbench Environment

• 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




Training ManualThe Toolbox

• 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.




Training ManualThe Toolbox• 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.




Training ManualThe Project Schematic

• 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:

– DesignModeler, Mechanical (formerly Simulation), Mechanical APDL (formerly ANSYS), ANSYS AUTODYN, ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX, Etc . . .

• Blocks of cells can be deleted by RMB menu selection.





• In this example an Explicit Dynamics 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.





• By dropping applications and/or analyses into various locations in the schematic, an overall analysis project is defined.

• “Connectors” indicate the level of collaboration between systems.• In the example below a structural system is dragged and dropped

onto a thermal system at the Model cell (A4).• Before completing the operation notice there are a number of

optional “drop” locations that will provide various types of linkage between systems (continued next page).





• By completing the operation from the previous page, notice the linkage here is only at the Model level and above.

• In this case there would be no thermal/structural coupling.

• Notice each system block is given an alphabetic designation (A, B, C, etc)




Training ManualThe Project Schematic• By dropping the structural system at the “Solution” level we obtain a

structural system that is coupled to the thermal solution.

Notice, the candidate “drop” location

indicates data will be shared from fields A2

to A4, and transferred from A6.





• A schematic can also be constructed by RMB and choosing to “Transfer Data To New” or “Transfer Data From New”.

• In using the RMB transfer feature all transfer possibilities (upstream and downstream) are displayed.

• These selections will vary depending on which cell in a particular system you highlight.




Training Manual

• Identifying cell states:

• Unfulfilled: missing upstream data.

• Attention required: may need to correct this or upstream cells.

• Refresh required: upstream data has changed. Need to refresh cell. An update will also refresh the cell and regenerate any output data (e.g. mesh, results).

• Update required: the data has changed and the output of the cell must be regenerated.

• Up to date.

• Input changes pending: cell is locally up to date but may change when the next update is performed due to upstream changes.

• Interrupted: solver was manually stopped before it finished. Can use Resume or Update to continue to solving.

• Pending: a batch process is in progress

The Project Schematic




Training ManualOptional Workbench Windows

• The “View” menu (and RMB) allows additional information to be displayed in the Workbench environment.– Below, the geometry is highlighted and the properties are displayed.




Training ManualWorkbench File Management

• 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).





• 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.





• From the Workbench “View” menu activate the “Files” option to display a window containing file details and locations.





• 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.




Training ManualWorking With Units

• The Units menu in Workbench:– Allows access to predefined unit systems.– Allows the creation of custom unit systems.– Controls unit display for Engineering Data,

Parameters and Charts.– Activate the Units System dialog to control.

Act

ive

Proj

ect

Def

ault

Uni

t Sys

tem

Supp

ress

Uni

t Dis

play

Units can be displayed in the active Project system or as they were defined in their source (e.g. CAD system).




Training Manual. . . Working With Units

• Create custom unit systems by duplicating existing systems then modifying.

• Custom unit systems can be exported and imported.




Training ManualLicense Preferences

• Workbench license control is handled through the user interface shown below, activated from the Workbench project page (“Tools > License Preferences . . . “).




Training ManualLicense Preferences• With the available licenses displayed, the activation and “use order”

can be specified using the up/down arrows.– 0 = off, 1 = on– License order represents the preference order for license use.

• The license control allows Workbench users to specify whether a single license is used when multiple applications are open, or if all open applications access their own license.




Training ManualLicense Preferences

• In the example shown, a user could have 3 Mechanical models open simultaneously. Using the license control they may choose to open 3 licenses or use only 1 that is shared. In the shared scenario, only the active Mechanical session uses the license (the remaining will be read only).




Training ManualProcessing an Explicit Dynamics analysis• From the Toolbox, select “Explicit Dynamics

(ANSYS)” and drag and drop it onto the Project Schematic (or simply double click).

• Follow the steps in the Project Schematic to setup, solve and post-process the analysis.

– Engineering Data (Native)• Define material data

– Geometry (DesignModeler)• Create, import, modify geometry

– Model (Mechanical – Explicit Dynamics)• Mesh the geometry

– Setup (Mechanical – Explicit Dynamics)• Set control parameters, initial conditions

and boundary conditions

– Solution (Mechanical – Explicit Dynamics)

• Solve the Analysis

– Results (Mechanical – Explicit Dynamics)• Look at results




Training ManualImporting CAD Geometry from files

• RMB Geometry in the Project Schematic• Select “Import Geometry”• Select “Browse…” and search for the geometry file to import

File types that can be imported

DesignModeler (.agdb) files will be imported and used for all hand-on examples used for this course




Training Manual

DesignModeler

Using DesignModeler to Create, Import, Modify Geometry

• Double click “Geometry” in the Project Schematic to open Design Modeler– If a geometry has already been imported from a file, the geometry will

automatically be opened in DesignModeler




Training Manual

• DesignModeler (DM) is a component system of ANSYS Workbench.

• A CAD-like modeler with analysis modeling goals:

– Performs unique geometry modification capabilities for simulation:

• Feature Simplification

• Enclosure Operation

• Fill Operation

• Spot Welds

• Split Surfaces

• Surface Model Extraction

• Planar Body Extraction

• Beam Modeling

DesignModeler

DesignModeler




Training ManualDesignModeler

– Contains parametric modeling

capability:

• 2D Sketcher with

Dimensions and Constraints

– Integrates directly with Ansys

Workbench modules

• Mechanical (Explicit

Dynamics)

• Meshing

• Advanced Meshing (ICEM)

• DesignXplorer

DesignModeler

This course does not cover DesignModeler.

ANSYS provides an independent 2 day training course for DesignModeler. If you intend to use DM, you should

consider taking this course

explicit dynamics chapter 2 intro to wb

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