Module 02: Preprocessing

Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Module 02 Topics
This module covers basic preprocessing topics that are common to all mechanical analysis disciplines:
1. Geometry 7. Workshop 02.1: 2D Gear and Rack
2. Contact Analysis
3. Coordinate Systems 8. Workshop 02.2: Named Selections
4. Named Selections 9. Workshop 02.3: Object Generator
5. Object Generator 10. Workshop 02.4: Object Generator with
Named Selections
6. Selection Information
11. Appendix 02.1: Named Selections
Worksheet
02.01 Geometry
The Geometry branch contains the part(s) that make up
the model.
In Mechanical, there are three types of bodies which can
be analyzed:
− Solid bodies are 3D or 2D volumes or areas
− Surface bodies are only areas
− Line bodies are only curves/lines
− Each is explained next . . .
02.01 Geometry
• Solid bodies are geometrically and spatially 3D or 2D:
− 3D solids are meshed by default with higher-order tetrahedral or hexahedral
solid elements with quadratic shape functions.
− Each node in a 3D element has three translational degrees of freedom (DOF)
for structural or one temperature DOF for thermal.
02.01 Geometry
− 2D solids are meshed by default with higher order triangular or quadrilateral solid elements
with quadratic shape functions.
• The “2D” switch must be set on the Project page prior to importing geometry.
• Source geometry must be located in the global XY plane.
− Each node in a 2D element has two translational degrees of freedom (UX and UY) for
structural or one temperature DOF for thermal.
− 2D solids are used to represent three types of 3D geometry, “Axisymmetric”, “Plane stress”
and “Plane strain”.
02.01 Geometry
• Surface bodies are geometrically 2D but spatially 3D:
− Surface bodies represent structures which are thin in one dimension (through the thickness).
Thickness is not modeled but supplied as an input value.
− Surface bodies are meshed with shell elements having six DOF (UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ).

• Line bodies are geometrically 1D but spatially 3D:

− Line bodies represent structures which are thin in two dimensions. The cross-section is not
modeled, it is mapped on to the line body.
− Line bodies are modeled with beam elements having six DOF (UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ).
02.01 Geometry
In general, bodies and parts are the same. In DesignModeler or SpaceClaim however, multiple
bodies may be grouped into multibody parts.
Multibody parts share common boundaries so nodes are shared at that interface.
• No contact is needed in these situations.
Example:
02.01 Geometry
To assign material properties to a part, highlight it
and select from the available properties in the
“Assignment” field:
− The only materials appearing in the list will be
materials added using the “Engineering Data”
application (see Module 01).
− The user can also access Engineering Data directly
for creating, editing or importing new materials.

For surface bodies, a thickness must be supplied as

well (thickness can also be imported).
02.01 Geometry
A summary of all parts along with assigned materials, mesh statistics, etc.
− Select “Geometry” branch and toggle the “Worksheet” icon.
− Toggle between graphics or worksheet via tabs at bottom
02.02 Contact
When multiple parts are present, contact elements define the relationship between parts.
− Are parts bonded together, sliding, transferring heat, etc.?
Without contact or spot welds, parts will not interact with each other.

Contact elements can be visualized as a “skin” covering the regions where contact will occur.
Contact is covered in more depth in Module 06: “Connections and Remote Boundary Conditions.”
02.03 Coordinate Systems
The Coordinate Systems branch initially contains only the global Cartesian system:
• User coordinate systems can be Cartesian or cylindrical and can be renamed.
• User coordinate systems can be added and used in the definition of material property
orientations, mesh controls, point masses, directional loads, results, etc.
• An icon in the Graphics Option toolbar allows all coordinate systems to be viewed
simultaneously.
02.03 Coordinate Systems
Coordinate Systems are defined by selecting “Coordinate System” icon from the
Context toolbar.

Associative coordinate systems can be defined by selecting geometry (surfaces,

edges, etc.). Associative CS update their origin to match geometry updates.
Non-associative coordinate systems are defined by entering its location in global
coordinates.
The location and orientation can then be further modified using the various
transforms from the context toolbar.

Transforms

Delete

Translate Rotate Flip Move Up/Down

02.04 Named Selections
Named Selections are groups of geometric or finite element entities:
• Named selections can be created by selecting the desired items and clicking the “Named Selection” icon
in the context toolbar OR RMB > Create Named Selection OR using the Named Selections worksheet
(shown later).

RMB
(for example)

• Named selections must be composed of “like” entities

(all surfaces, all edges, all nodes, etc.).
02.04 Named Selections
A new criteria selection can be based on an initial selection:
• Make an initial selection followed by a RMB > “Create Named Selection”.
• Note, initial selection must be a single entity.

Selection here will

create the first row of
the worksheet.

RMB > Convert to nodal named selection immediately.

02.04 Named Selections
In many detail window fields Named Selections can be referenced directly:
− In the Details view, change “Scoping Method” from “Geometry Selection” to “Named
Selection”
− Select the “Named Selection” from the pull-down menu

− A named selection toolbar provides quick access to basic controls “View > Toolbars > Named
Selections”:
02.04 Named Selections

If you’re interested, see

Appendix 02.1: Named Selections Worksheet
for additional background information
02.05 Object Generator
The Object Generator uses an existing object in the tree as a template for replication.
Almost any tree object that supports “RMB > Duplicate” can be used as a template.
An example:

In the model shown, we have set up a

mesh size control on one of the hole
faces. We would like to have this
same control applied to all other holes.
02.05 Object Generator
Highlight the tree object to be replicated (the Face Sizing in
this case) and activate the Object Generator using the icon.

The object generator opens and indicates objects will be

generated from the “Current Selection” (graphical selection)
or from a previously defined named selection that we’ve
called “Top Holes.”
02.05 Object Generator
We choose to graphically highlight the remaining hole faces and add a Name Prefix
(“FS_”) so the new objects can be easily identified in the tree.
02.05 Object Generator
After generating, the new objects can be displayed graphically and they appear in the tree.
The object names reflect that of the parent object along with the prefix chosen (if any).

In this example the object to be generated (the mesh size control) required only a single
geometry selection, a face, to define its scope. Some objects that can be duplicated require
multiple scoping selections (e.g. contacts, beam connections, etc.). We’ll look at this next.
02.05 Object Generator
When an object in the tree that requires multiple
scoping is selected, the object generator reflects this
(a contact selection is shown here).
• Fields for contact and target scoping are visible
however there is no longer a “current selection”
choice. Instead, named selections must now be
chosen from the drop down fields.
• A “Distance Between Centroids” range must
now be set to indicate which parts of the named
selections are to be paired to one another.
• In addition to an optional prefix, new items can
be tagged when generated.
02.05 Object Generator
Here a bolted connection has been defined between the plates and named selections created for the
holes in each plate. The range chosen is based on the distance between the plates (20 mm).
02.05 Object Generator
Scoping the new objects:
02.06 Selection Information
When a selection is made in the graphics window (node, vertex, face, etc.), the status bar
lists basic information (e.g. line length, surface area, etc.). Additional information can be
obtained by using the selection information window.
− Activate (3 ways) by:
• Icon
• View > Windows > Selection Information
• Double click the status bar selection.

Double Click
02.06 Selection Information
The selection information window provides a summary of all selections and/or a
list of individual selections (or both as shown).
Select: vertex, edge, face, body, node, element, or xyz coordinate location.
Coordinate selection returns information on the nearest node to the coordinates.
02.07 Training-3

Goal:
Determine the torque required in the
gear to produce the desired output.
02.09 Training-4 :Object Generator
Goal:
Become familiar with the operation of the object generator in the
Mechanical application.
02.11 Appendix 02.1

Named Selections Worksheet

02.11 Appendix 02.1: Named Selections Worksheet
Worksheet Criteria:
• Insert a new named selection then change the scoping
method to “Worksheet”.

• Selections are created using various criteria.

• Add, remove, filter, etc. to “stack” criteria for complex
selections.
• Generate selections after the criteria choices are complete.
02.11 Appendix 02.1: Named Selections Worksheet
Worksheet Criteria is entered in rows and columns in the worksheet.
• When a new worksheet opens the first step is to RMB to “Add Row”.
• Subsequent rows can be added to the list or inserted mid list (order matters!).

• As rows are added to the worksheet columns

are configured using drop down menus available
by clicking the desired cell.
02.11 Appendix 02.1: Named Selections Worksheet
After entering the criteria (various actions, entity types, etc.) the named selection is created
by clicking the “Generate” button.
• Rows can be made temporarily inactive using the check box column on the left.
• Following named selection generation, the details show the result.
• To view the named selection toggle to the “Graphics” tab at the bottom of the worksheet.
02.11 Appendix 02.1: Named Selections Worksheet
It is often convenient to convert a geometric named selection into a nodal named
selection in order to obtain the underlying nodes
• Create a geometry named selection (face for example).
• Create a second named selection using the “Worksheet”.
• Convert the geometry selection to nodes.
02.11 Appendix 02.1: Named Selections Worksheet
Worksheet Summary:
• As can be seen, numerous controls are available in the worksheet. See the
documentation for a complete discussion of each.
• As discussed elsewhere in this course the “Convert To” action is used to change a
geometry named selection (face, edge, etc.) to a nodal named selection.

When creating named selections using worksheet criteria

a set of tolerances is available if needed:
• Tolerance adjustment is usually only necessary in special
circumstances like models in micro units or node selections
in dense meshes.