Chapter One

1
Introduction

• Chapter One

2
Welcome!

• Welcome to the ANSYS Workbench Simulation
  introductory training course!
• This training course covers the basics of using
  Simulation in performing structural and thermal
  analyses.
• It is intended for all new or occasional
  Simulation users, regardless of the CAD software
  used.
• Although some aspects of interfacing with ANSYS
  will be covered, this course is not intended for
  users wishing to work primarily in the
  traditional ANSYS environment. Those users
  should consider taking Introduction to ANSYS
  Parts 1 and 2 Training courses.
• This course covers the Simulation module of ANSYS
  Workbench. DesignModeler, DesignXplorer, FE
  Modeler, and CFX-Mesh modules of ANSYS Workbench
  are covered in separate classes.

3
Course Objectives

• To teach the basics of using Simulation in the
  following areas
• General understanding of the user interface, as
  related to geometry import, meshing, application
  of loads and supports, and postprocessing
• Procedure for performing FEA simulations,
  including linear static, modal, and harmonic
  structural analyses and nonlinear steady-state
  thermal analyses
• Utilizing parameters for what-if scenarios
• Interfacing with the ANSYS solver for more
  advanced functionality

4
Course Materials

• The Training Manual you have is an exact copy of
  the slides.
• Workshop descriptions and instructions are
  included in the Workshop Supplement.
• Copies of the workshop files are available (upon
  request) from the instructor.
• Several advanced training courses are available
  on specific topics. See the training course
  schedule on the ANSYS homepage http//www.ansys.co
  m/ under Training Services.
• DesignModeler and DesignXplorer Training Courses
  are also available, which cover usage of these
  other Workbench modules.

5
A. About ANSYS, Inc.

• ANSYS, Inc.
• Developer of ANSYS family of products
• Global Headquarters in Canonsburg, PA - USA
  (south of Pittsburgh)
• Development and sales offices in U.S. and around
  the world
• Publicly traded on NASDAQ stock exchange under
  ANSS

6
ANSYS Family of Products

• ANSYS, Inc. Family of Products include the
  following
• ANSYS Advanced nonlinear mechanical and
  multiphysics FEA solution capabilities
• ANSYS Workbench Complete environmentfor
  geometry modeling, mesh manipulation,structural/t
  hermal analysis, and optimization,which is
  tightly integrated with CAD packages
• CFX State-of-the-art CFD solvers, including
  the coupled, parallel CFX-5 solver
• ICEM CFD Powerful meshing tools with general
  pre- and post-processing features,including ICEM
  CFD for generating complexCFD grids and
  AIEnvironment for creatingwith sophisticated
  structural FEA meshes

7
ANSYS Support Distributors

• ANSYS Support Distributors (ASDs)
• Sales and support network for ANSYS
• Over 75 offices worldwide
• Local expertise for ANSYS consulting and training

8
ANSYS Support Coordinators

• ANSYS Support Coordinator (ASC)
• Contact for ANSYS at your company site
• Focal point for ANSYS correspondence software
  updates, error notices, newsletter and other
  mailings, etc.
• For more information about ANSYS and the company
• www.ansys.com
• Where youll find the Customer Portal, providing
  Service Pack updates, New Features training
  material, etc.
• On-line documentation
• Training manuals from other ANSYS courses

9
Technical Support

• ANSYS, Inc. and ASDs provide a wide range of
  technical support, training, and consulting
  services.
• Technical support, software updates, and access
  to the Customer Portal webpage are provided to
  companies who are under TECS (Technical
  Enhancements and Customer Support) maintenance
• Your Support Provider (ASD) _____________________
  ___
• Technical Support Phone _________________________
  _____
• Technical Support Email ________________________
  ______

10
B. ANSYS Workbench Overview

• What is ANSYS Workbench?
• ANSYS Workbench is a new-generation solution from
  ANSYS that provides powerful methods for
  interacting with the ANSYS solver functionality.
  This environment provides a unique integration
  with CAD systems, and your design process,
  enabling the best CAE results.
• ANSYS Workbench is comprised of five modules
• Simulation for performing structural and thermal
  analyses using the ANSYS solver
• CFX-Mesh for generating a CFX-Pre mesh for the
  CFX-5 solver
• DesignModeler for creating and modifying CAD
  geometry to prepare the solid model for use in
  Simulation or CFX-Mesh
• DesignXplorer and DesignXplorer VT for
  investigating the effect of variations input to
  the response of the system
• FE Modeler for translating a Nastran mesh for use
  in ANSYS

11
ANSYS Workbench Overview
12
Simulation Overview

• Analysis types available in Simulation
• Linear Stress
• Determines deflections, stresses, factors of
  safety, etc. based on standard strength of
  materials concepts under static loading
• Modal
• Determines natural frequencies of a system (free
  vibration), including the effects of loading on
  a pre-stressed structure.
• Heat Transfer
• Steady-state and transient
• thermal analyses to solve for
• temperature field and heatflux.
  Temperature-dependent conductivity and
  convection allowed. Thermal-stress
  analysissupported as well.

The list here reflects analysis capabilities
possible within the Simulation GUI. Note,
however, that the ANSYS license used dictates
what functionality is available to the user.
13
Simulation Overview

• Analysis types supported by Simulation (contd)
• Harmonic
• Determines structural response of system under
  sinusoidal excitation as a function of frequency.
• Linear Buckling
• Determines failure load or safety factor for
  buckling and its buckling mode shapes.
• Shape Optimization
• Indicates areas of possible volume reduction
  based on load paths through the part using
  Topological Optimization technology.
• Nonlinear Structural
• Calculates deflections and stresses of system
  under static loading, accounting for large
  deflection effects, plasticity, and contact
  nonlinearities.

The list here reflects analysis capabilities
possible within the Simulation GUI. Note,
however, that the ANSYS license used dictates
what functionality is available to the user.
14
Simulation Overview

• Although the Simulation GUI will be discussed in
  detail in Chapters 2 3, it is useful to note
  that it is Tree-Driven

Depending on what is highlighted on the Outline
Tree, the available options in the Context
Toolbar and Details View will change. The
Graphics Window will also update to reflect the
part of the branch selected. The Tree represents
the different aspects of the simulation. All
Workbench modules are Tree-Driven, so navigation
through the GUI is done through selecting
different branches of the Tree.
15
Simulation Overview

• The user can also access regular ANSYS
  functionality not otherwise directly accessible
  from within Simulation
• Command objects allow users to stay in the
  Simulation environment but access advanced
  features via ANSYS APDL. The information, stored
  in a branch, can be parameterized and is reused
  for each analysis.
• The mesh and loads can also be transferred to
  regular ANSYS easily for further modeling,
  useful for userscomfortable in the regular
  ANSYSenvironment
• Both of the above topics are addressed inthe
  Simulation Advanced Training Notes

16
Product Configuration

• Types of licenses available for Simulation
• ANSYS DesignSpace Entra
• All DesignSpace capabilities but for parts only.
• ANSYS DesignSpace
• Structural capabilities are linear static, modal,
  and buckling analyses of assemblies. Thermal and
  shape optimization included.
• ANSYS Professional
• Linear structural (including harmonic) and
  thermal analyses
• ANSYS Structural
• All structural capabilities, including linear and
  nonlinear
• ANSYS Mechanical (including ANSYS Multiphysics)
• All structural and thermal capabilities
• (Other ANSYS licenses are supported for meshing
  only)

17
Product Configuration

• Add-on licenses for Simulation
• Fatigue Module
• Advanced Structural Meshing Module
• Supported Operating Systems
• 32-bit MS Windows 2000, XP Home, XP Professional
• 64-bit SUN Solaris 8
• 64-bit HP HP-UX B.11.0
• FlexLM network licensing used for all ANSYS and
  ANSYS Workbench products

18
Product Configuration

• Because each product has different capabilities,
  when applicable, features discussed will have a
  table showing supported licenses in the
  lower-left corner of the page
• x means full support
• / means partial support
• blank means no support
• For ANSYS users, the details of underlying ANSYS
  commands used by Simulation are placed in an
  appendix. These pages are labeled with

19
CAD System Support

• Simulation Geometry Interface support is below
• The Geometry Interface license can be run in
  reader mode for all licenses. The Geometry
  Interface can be run in plug-in mode for the CAD
  software listed under Associative
• Detailed CAD support listing in Simulation online
  help

20
C. Starting Simulation

• There are two methods of launching Simulation
• Directly from CAD system
• Launch Simulation from supported CAD systems
  under ANSYS 9.0 gt Simulation
• From within ANSYS Workbench
• Launch Workbench in Windows via Start Menu gt
  Programs gt ANSYS 9.0 gt ANSYS Workbench

21
Option 1 Directly from CAD

• If Simulation is launched directly from a
  supported CAD system, the active part/assembly
  will be brought into Simulation automatically
  upon invoking Simulation from the ANSYS 9.0
  pull-down menu, as illustrated below

22
Option 2 From Workbench

• Otherwise, a user may launch Workbench first
• From the main Start page, select Simulation
  icon to bring up a blank Simulation session
• From the Context toolbar, select the active
  part/assembly under the Geometry branch to
  bring in the CAD geometry

23
Launching Simulation

• For supported CAD systems, either method shown on
  the previous slides may be used to start
  Simulation.
• For neutral files (e.g., CATIA, IGES, SAT (ACIS),
  or Parasolid), the user must implement Option 2
  and launch Workbench first. After a blank
  Simulation database is opened, the static file
  can be referenced via the Context Toolbar, under
  Geometry gt From File

24
D. Workbench Projects

• When ANSYS Workbench is launched, a Start page
  will be displayed, similar to the one shown below

25
Options Page

• Before entering Simulation, the current and
  default licenses may be chosen through the
  Options button
• This is useful for organizations with multiple
  types of ANSYS licenses (e.g., DesignSpace,
  Structural, Mechanical, etc.)
• Preferences for all Workbench modules can also be
  controlled through this dialog box

26
Workbench Databases

• There are various types of files used by
  Workbench, each differentiated by the file
  extension
• .wbdb Workbench Project database, which keeps
  track of all of the different types of Workbench
  databases in a Project
• .dsdb Simulation database, which has all the
  information necessary to perform a structural or
  thermal analysis in Simulation
• .agdb DesignModeler database, containing
  geometry data for use with Simulation or CFX-Mesh
• .dxdb DesignXplorer/DesignXplorer VT database,
  which investigate relationships between input and
  output parameters
• .cmdb CFX-Mesh database, containing a mesh
  prepared for import to CFX-Pre and to be solved
  with CFX-5
• .fedb FE Modeler database, which has mesh
  information from a Nastran or Simulation model,
  used to convert to ANSYS

27
Workbench and Simulation

• The Workbench database is simply a directory of
  a Project. A Project can be thought of as a
  collection of different CAD or Workbench files,
  which are associated together.
• Whenever a Simulation database (.dsdb) is
  created, there will be an associated Workbench
  database (.wbdb) generated as well.
• Saving the Workbench database is not required,
  but it is helpful in keeping track of various
  analyses, especially if multiple geometries are
  analyzed or if further analysis is performed with
  DesignXplorer.

28
Workbench and Simulation

• If the Workbench Project tab is selected, the
  various Workbench databases and CAD geometries
  will be listed

29
DesignModeler Overview

• DesignModeler (DM) is a component of ANSYS
  Workbench.
• A CAD-like parametric modeler with analysis
  modeling goals
• 2D, 3D ,line and surface modeling capability
• Performs unique geometry modification
  capabilities for simulation
• Feature Simplification
• Spot Welds
• Split Surfaces
• Surface Model Extraction
• Planar Body Extraction
• Beam Modeling
• Enclosure Operation

30
. . . DesignModeler Overview

• Much of the DM GUI is functionally the same as
  that of Simulation.
• A complete DesignModeler Training course is
  available.

31
Navigating Between Modules

• The topmost tabs allow users to navigate between
  opened Workbench modules

32
Exiting Workbench

• When exiting Workbench, the user will be prompted
  to save any files that have changed since the
  last save