FEM ANSYS Classic Basics

Course in FEM – ANSYS Classic ANSYS Basics

FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

Basics • • • • • • • • • • • •

Launching of ANSYS Graphical User Interface (GUI) Menus, dialogs and toolbars Working area Preferences Files used by ANSYS ANSYS Menus ANSYS File menu ANSYS PlotCtrls menu Units Undo Hints


ANSYS Basics

2

Launching of ANSYS .. ANSYS Commands reference ANSYS Element reference .. Basic Analysis Procedures Advanced Analysis Techniques .. Structural Analysis Guide .. ANSYS Tutorials

Click on the Start menu at the bottom left corner of the screen. Start ->Programs -> ANSYS Release 7.1 -> ANSYS Classic


ANSYS Basics

3

Launching of ANSYS • A note on Interactive vs. Batch mode: – Interactive mode allows you to interact “live” with ANSYS, reviewing each operation as you go. – Batch mode works on an input file of commands and allows you to run ANSYS in the background. • No live interaction, therefore any errors in input will cause the batch run to stop. • Best suited for operations that don’t need user interaction, such as a solve.

• Interactive mode is used in this course. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

4

Launching of ANSYS Jobname – specifies the name of all files in a session. The default is “file” or “FILE”. Set memory to 64 for total and 32 for database. Set the default directory to be a directory on your disk where you want to save your ANSYS database file. Click on Run.


ANSYS Basics

5

Launching of ANSYS You can include commands to be executed when the program starts up in the start71.ans file.


ANSYS Basics

6

Graphical User Interface (GUI) Input Displays program prompt messages and a text field for typing commands. All previously typed commands appear for easy reference and access. Main Menu Contains the primary ANSYS functions, organized by processors (preprocessor, solution, general postprocessor, etc.) Output Displays text output from the program. It is usually positioned behind the other windows and can be raised to the front when necessary.


ANSYS Basics

7

Graphical User Interface (GUI) Utility Menu Contains functions which are available throughout the ANSYS session, such as file controls, selecting, graphics controls, parameters, and exiting. Toolbar Contains push buttons for executing commonly used ANSYS commands and functions. Customized buttons can be created. Graphics Displays graphics created in ANSYS or imported into ANSYS.


ANSYS Basics

8

Graphical User Interface (GUI) Main Menu • Contains the main functions required for an analysis. Utility Menu • Contains utilities that are generally available throughout the ANSYS session: graphics, on-line help, select logic, file controls, etc. Input Window • Allows you to enter commands. (Most GUI functions actually “send” commands to ANSYS. If you know these commands, you can type them in the Input Window.) • Also used for prompts during graphical picking.

Toolbar • Contains abbreviations -- short-cuts to commonly used commands and functions. • A few predefined abbreviations are available, but you can add your own. Requires knowledge of ANSYS commands. • A powerful feature which you can use to create your own “button menu” system!


ANSYS Basics

9

Graphical User Interface (GUI) • The default view for a model is the front view: looking down the +Z axis of the model. • To change it, use dynamic mode — a way to orient the plot dynamically using the Control key and mouse buttons. – Ctrl + Left mouse button pans the model. – Ctrl + Middle mouse button: zooms the model ⌦spins the model (about screen Z)

– Ctrl + Right mouse button rotates the model: about screen X ⌦about screen Y

P Z R

Ctrl


ANSYS Basics

10

Graphical User Interface (GUI) Mouse button assignments for picking: •

Left mouse button picks (or unpicks) the entity or location closest to the mouse pointer. Pressing and dragging allows you to “preview” the item being picked (or unpicked).

•

Middle mouse button does an Apply. Saves the time required to move the mouse over to the Picker and press the Apply button. Use Shift-Right button on a two-button mouse.

•

Right mouse button toggles between pick and unpick mode.


ANSYS Basics

Apply Pick

Toggle Pick / Unpick

11

Menus, dialogs and toolbars


ANSYS Basics

12



ANSYS Basics

13



ANSYS Basics

14



ANSYS Basics

15



ANSYS Basics

16



ANSYS Basics

17

Menus, dialogs and toolbars Some dialog boxes have both Apply and OK buttons. – Apply applies the dialog settings, but retains (does not close) the dialog box for repeated use. – OK applies the dialog settings and closes the dialog box.

• The Output Window is independent of the ANSYS menus. Caution: Caution Closing the output window closes the entire ANSYS session! • Remember that you are not restricted to using the menus. If you know the command, feel free to enter it in the Input Window! FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

18

Working area


ANSYS Basics

19

Preferences


ANSYS Basics

20

Preferences Preferences • The Preferences dialog (Main Menu > Preferences) allows you to filter out menu choices that are not applicable to the current analysis. • For example, if you are doing a thermal analysis, you can choose to filter out other disciplines, thereby reducing the number of menu items available in the GUI: – Only thermal element types will be shown in the element type selection dialog. – Only thermal loads will be shown. – Etc.


ANSYS Basics

21

Files used by ANSYS • • • • • • • • • • • • •

*.db and *.dbb *.log *.rst *.esav *.emat *.mode *.full *.mntr *.osav *.rdb *.ldhi *.err *.avi

The jobname is a name that identifies the ANSYS job. When you define a jobname for an analysis, the jobname becomes the first part of the name of all files the analysis creates. (The extension or suffix for these files' names is a file identifier such as .DB.) By using a jobname for each analysis, you insure that no files are overwritten. The element matrix file For a static or transient structural analysis, the file Jobname.RDB (a copy of the database) will be automatically saved at the first substep of the first load step.


ANSYS Basics

22

Files used by ANSYS • • • • • • • • • • • • •

*.db and *.dbb *.log *.rst *.esav *.emat *.mode *.full *.mntr *.osav *.rdb *.ldhi *.err *.avi

The Jobname.LOG file (also called the session log) is especially important, because it provides a complete log of your ANSYS session. File>Write DB log file LGWRITE, Fname, Ext, --, Kedit


ANSYS Basics

23

Files used by ANSYS File Type

File Name

File Format

Log file

Jobname.LOG

ASCII

Error file

Jobname.ERR

ASCII

Output file

Jobname.OUT

ASCII

Database file

Jobname.DB

Binary

Results file:

Jobname.xxx

Binary

structural or coupled

Jobname.RST

thermal

Jobname.RTH

magnetic

Jobname.RMG

FLOTRAN

Jobname.RFL

Load step file

Jobname.Sn

ASCII

Graphics file

Jobname.GRPH

ASCII (special format)

Element matrices

Jobname.EMAT

Binary


ANSYS Basics

24

ANSYS Menus - File Menu

ANSYS Utility Menu


ANSYS Basics

25

ANSYS Menus - Select Menu


ANSYS Basics

26

ANSYS Menus - List Menu


ANSYS Basics

27

ANSYS Menus - Plot Menu


ANSYS Basics

28

ANSYS Menus - PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

29

ANSYS Menus - WorkPlane Menu


ANSYS Basics

30

ANSYS Menus - Parameters Menu


ANSYS Basics

31

ANSYS Menus - Macro Menu


ANSYS Basics

32

ANSYS Menus - MenuCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

33

ANSYS Menus - Help Menu


ANSYS Basics

34

File menu You can include commands to be executed when the program starts up in the start81.ans file.

Clears (zeros out) the database stored in memory. Clearing the database has the same effect as leaving and reentering the ANSYS program, but does not require you to exit. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

35

File menu You can change the default jobname using /FILNAME or

Files opened before this command will only change name if set to “Yes”


ANSYS Basics

36

File menu


ANSYS Basics

37

File menu Defines a title for the analysis. ANSYS includes the title on all graphics displays and on the solution output.


ANSYS Basics

38

File menu

Reads the file Jobname.DB

You can save or resume the database from anywhere in the ANSYS program Using the save and resume operations together is useful when you want to "test" a function or command.


ANSYS Basics

39

File menu Allows you to restore a *.db or *.dbb with an other file name than Jobname.db


ANSYS Basics

40

File menu The ANSYS program stores all input data (model dimensions, material properties, load data, etc.) and results data (displacements, stresses, temperatures, etc.) in one large database.


ANSYS Basics

41

File menu • The term ANSYS database refers to the data ANSYS maintains in memory as you build, solve, and postprocess your model. • The database stores both your input data and ANSYS results data: – Input data - information you must enter, such as model dimensions, material properties, and load data. – Results data - quantities that ANSYS calculates, such as displacements, stresses, strains, and reaction forces. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

42

File menu Save and Resume • Since the database is stored in the computer’s memory (RAM), it is good practice to save it to disk frequently so that you can restore the information in the event of a computer crash or power failure. • The SAVE operation copies the database from memory to a file called the database file (or db file for short). FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

43

File menu To specify a different file name

Any save operation first writes a backup of the current database file (if the database already exists) to Jobname.DBB. If a Jobname.DBB file already exists, the new backup file overwrites it.


ANSYS Basics

44

File menu • Notes on SAVE and RESUME: – Choosing the Save as or Resume from function does NOT change the current jobname. – If you save to the default file name and a jobname.db already exists, ANSYS will first copy the “old” file to jobname.dbb as a backup. – The db file is simply a “snapshot” of what is in memory at the time the save is done. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

45

File menu


ANSYS Basics

46

File menu


ANSYS Basics

47

File menu


ANSYS Basics

48

File menu


ANSYS Basics

49

File menu


ANSYS Basics

50

File menu


ANSYS Basics

51

File menu


ANSYS Basics

52

File menu


ANSYS Basics

53

File menu


ANSYS Basics

54

File menu

By default, the program saves the model and loads portions of the database automatically and writes them to the database file, Jobname.DB. If a backup of the current database file already exists, ANSYS writes it to Jobname.DBB. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

55

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

56

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

57

PlotCtrls Menu – View Settings


ANSYS Basics

58

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

59

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

60

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

61

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

62

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

63

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

64

PlotCtrls Menu


ANSYS Basics

65

Units • The ANSYS program does not assume a system of units for your analysis. Except in magnetic field analyses, you can use any system of units so long as you make sure that you use that system for all the data you enter. (Units must be consistent for all input data.) • Using the /UNITS command, you can set a marker in the ANSYS database indicating the system of units that you are using. This command does not convert data from one system of units to another; it simply serves as a record for subsequent reviews of the analysis. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

66

Undo Main Menu>Preprocessor>Session Editor

• The UNDO command brings up the session editor, a text window that displays all of the program operations since the last SAVE or RESUME command. You can modify command parameters, delete whole sections of text and even save a portion of the command string to a separate file. The file is named jobname000.cmds, with each subsequent save operation incrementing the filename by one digit. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

67

Hints • Get familiar with File>Write DB log file

or command key

LGWRITE, Fname, Ext, --, Kedit

• This file can be easily edited in for example “Notepad” • For every “create/add” facility there is a “delete” function in ANSYS • It may save time to build the model in ANSYS (and yield better results) rather than importing from a CAD system • Use the “Alt-Tab” key to activate hidden dialog boxes or activate the ANSYS output window if ANSYS stalls!!


ANSYS Basics

68

Hints • Tips on SAVE and RESUME: – Periodically save the database as you progress through an analysis. ANSYS does NOT do automatic saves. – You should definitely SAVE the database before attempting an unfamiliar operation (such as a Boolean or meshing) or an operation that may cause major changes (such as a delete). • RESUME can then be used as an “undo” if you don’t like the results of that operation.

– SAVE is also recommended before doing a solve. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

69

Hints File Management Tips • Run each analysis project in a separate working directory. • Use different jobnames to differentiate various analysis runs. • You should keep the following files after any ANSYS analysis: – log file ( .log), database file ( .db), results files, load step files, if any (.s01, .s02, ...), physics files (.ph1, .ph2, ...).

• Use /DELETE or Utility Menu > File > ANSYS File Options to automatically delete files no longer needed by ANSYS during that session. FEM – ANSYS Classic Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg

ANSYS Basics

70

FEM ANSYS Classic Basics

Recommend Documents