Lecture 

2 
Introduction to ANSYS Workbench
14. 0 Release

Introduction to ANSYS
D i M d l
DesignModeler
1 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0
 ANSYS Workbench 14

What will you learn from this presentation

What will you learn from this presentation

• Overview of ANSYS Workbench
• H
How to launch Workbench?
l h W kb h?
• Workbench interface details
• Workbench file structure

2 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 What is Workbench
Next Generation engineering simulation environment from ANSYS
• A platform that combines the strength of core solvers with product management tools 
f b tt
for better project and data management
j t dd t t
– Integration framework
• Integrates existing ANSYS technologies/applications
• Allows for rapid integration of 3rd party applications
– Application framework
• Develop new, state of the art user interface, applications, UI tool kits
Develop new state of the art user interface applications UI tool kits
– Common tools and services
• Native data management
• Parameter management and design points, units, expressions and journaling, 
scripting and batch execution

3 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Launching Workbench
From Windows OS :

From UNIX/Linux OS :
~/ansys_inc/v140/Framework/bin/Linux64/runwb2 &

From CAD system :

• Workbench supports various CAD

packages
• Details are covered in CAD
Connectivity presentation
4 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0
 Which Tools are Hosted on Workbench

• Not just limited to 
geometry or meshing
t hi
• Not just limited to CFD / 
CSM
• Not just limited to single 
physics, includes Multi‐
physics too
• Electromagnetic tools
Electromagnetic tools
• Design Exploration and 
Parameterization

5 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Project Management System

A welcome window introduces

basic WB concepts and provides
link to quick-start tutorials

6 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Complete Analysis Systems
The Analysis Systems group contains a
set of pre-defined systems listed by
analysis
y type
yp ((and solver))

The Toolbox contains Systems which are

the building blocks of the Project

Drag the desired analysis type

onto the Project Schematic

7 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Guided Workflow
System components guide the user
through the analysis process

State icons inform the user of

progress
p g and suggest
gg where
action needs to be taken

8 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Workbench Environment
Main Menu 
Bar

Toolbox Project 
Schematic

Customize 
Toolbox
Message 
Window
Project Status Progress Window

9 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Project Schematic
• Just ‘drag and drop’ Analysis or Component or Custom Systems into the schematic to 
create the Project layout
• The location of drop, dictates the “type of linkage” between systems
• The “type of linkage” is indicated by the “type of connector” between the systems

Share Component Create Standalone System

10 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Using ANSYS Workbench “Editors” (1)

Edit operation launches the application

associated with the cell to define details

11 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Using ANSYS Workbench “Editors” (2)

Close DM when done and

Files are saved automatically

12 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Using ANSYS Workbench “Editors” (3)

Geometry cell icon changes

13 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Automated File and Data Management

14 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Meshing at ANSYS Workbench (1)

Move on to Mesh and

Edit to start WB Meshing Application

15 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Meshing at ANSYS Workbench (2)

16 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Working Through the System (1)

Move on to Physics Setup

17 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Working Through the System (2)

18 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Solving in Batch Mode from Project Using 
p
Update
Update command on Solution cell
runs the solver in batch

19 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Post‐Processing the Results (1)

20 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Post‐Processing the Results (2)

All cells are now up to date and

The simulation is complete

21 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Icons Show the State of Project Data 
What happens if we make a change
to the Geometry?

State icons
clearly indicate
upstream
changes
g have
been made

22 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Update Project 

Update Project operation automates

batch-mode update of all analysis steps

23 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Geometry Properties (1)

• Right click Geometry
Ri ht li k G t
• Select Properties

P
Properties:
i
• Basic and Advanced 
Options
• Selected options
under Advanced
options are used
while importing CAD
geometry
geo e y file
e in
WorkBench

24 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Geometry Properties (2)

Basic Properties :
• SSelect ‘Parameters’ option for importing parameters defined 
l t ‘P t ’ ti f i ti t d fi d
in CAD package
• ‘Parameter Key’ filters the parameters from CAD that enter 
Workbench
• If ‘Parameter Key’ is not specified, all parameters from CAD 
enter Workbench
• Similarly, Named Selections key controls the selections from 
C e te g
CAD entering WB

25 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Geometry Properties (3)

Advanced Properties :
• Select ‘Use Associativity’ to establish association between 
CAD and WorkBench
• Import Coordinate Systems, Work Points, etc. defined in CAD
• Smart CAD Update :
p
– If selected, changes made in other options get updated in the 
model

26 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Mesh Properties

• Right click Mesh
• Select Properties
Select Properties

Properties:
• General
• System Information :
– Displays Physics, Analysis and 
Solver type for selected system
– Information also available in 
f l l bl
Toolbox Customization panel

27 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Appendix

Contents
• Toolbox
• Type of Connectors
• Build Project Schematic : Example
Build Project Schematic : Example
• Menus
• Global Settings
• Parameters & Design Exploration
Parameters & Design Exploration
• Workbench Files Structure

28 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Toolbox

- Predefined Templates
pp
- Individual applications to build or use Analysis
y Systems
y ((AS))
- Predefined/user-defined AS for coupled applications
- Parametric management and optimization tools

29 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Customize Toolbox
• Customize the number of tools available in the Toolbox

Ex: Default Systems Ex: Modified

under Component Component System

30 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Type of Connectors
 Square connectors
signify that the data is
SHARED between
the cells.

• Circular connector
signify that the data is
TRANSFERRED to
new cell.

31 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Build Project Schematic : Example
• Drag FLUENT component system onto an existing mesh
component system
Step 1:
Select and Drag
FLUENT Component

Step 2 :
p FLUENT
Drop
Component on Mesh

Connection is
established between
Mesh and FLUENT
setup

32 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 File Menu
• Create/Open/Save a Workbench project file
• Saves data from all the components
• Import: Import files (for acceptable file types, 
p p ( p yp
see Import options)
• Archive: Quickly generate a single compressed 
file (.wbpz or .zip file) containing all pertinent 
fil f
files for easy transfer. Zipped file can be saved 
f Zi d fil b d
at any required location
• Restore Archive: Unzip and open zipped 
project files
project files
• Scripting: Record and Run journal files
• EKM: Launch and connect to EKM i.e. 
Engineering Knowledge Manager
g g g g

WB Import options

33 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 View Menu
• Refresh and Reset Window layout
• View Toolbox, Toolbox Customization, Project Schematic, Messages, 
Progress , etc. windows on Project page
• Reset Workspace restores current workspace to default settings
• Reset Window Layout restores original window layout

Messages

Progress

34 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Tools Menu
• Refresh or Update entire project
• Modify Global Settings through ‘Options …’

Or…

35 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Units Menu
• Select Unit System to be used for the project
• Sets the default unit system for all systems
• Units can be changed within components like DM, 
g p
AMP
• Display Values as Defined : displays value and unit 
as defined in Workbench or original source 
application
li i
• Display Values in Project Units : displays values 
converted to selected project unit system
• Modify Unit Systems through 
Modify Unit Systems through ‘Unit
Unit System …
System ’

36 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Global Settings (1)
• Tools  Options …
‐ Project Management :
‐ Manage File Locations
‐ Manage Startup options

37 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Global Settings (2)

• Appearance :
‐ Manage Background Style, Color 
‐ Manage Display options

• Graphics Interaction :
- Manage Mouse Button operations
- Manage Keyboard Button operations

38 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Importing Parameters : Example

Parameters from
CAD to Workbench

Parametric File

DesignModeler

39 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0

 Parameters and Design Exploration
WB exposes and allows to manage the 
parameter at the project level
Parameter Set could be 
• CAD parameters
• Geometry parameters set in DM
• Material parameters Available for all the Physics
– Customization required
• Boundary condition parameters
• Result parameters
• And lot more
Details will be presented in a separate lecture

3D Response Surface • Design

g Exploration
p tool allows yyou to
– Create Parameter correlation
– Create Response surface
– Min‐max search 
– Goal drive optimization
Goal‐drive optimization
– Six sigma analysis
– Direct optimization (Beta)
40 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0
 Workbench Files Structure (1)
• Workbench creates ‘<project>.wbpj’ and a folder ‘<project>_files’
• All the project related files are saved within ‘<project>_files’ folder
Here is an example showing folder structure of a multiphysics
p gf f p y analysis project
y p j
<Project Name>.wbpj
<Project Name>_files
Folder corresponding to Design Point-0
Folder containing all the files related to FLUENT
Contains case, data, *.trn, history (optional)
Contains mesh file (i.e. .msh file)
Contains CFD Post files (i.e. .cst file)
Contains Geometry information
Contains DM file (i.e. .agdb file)
Global
M h
Mech
SYS
ENGD
MECH
SYS-1
Contains user files like images, videos, text files
41 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0
 Workbench Files Structure (2)
• When the project file (<filename>.wbpj) is created, ANSYS Workbench creates a
project folder named <filename>_files
• All files relevant to the project are saved within project folder
• Primary
Pi subdirectories
bdi t i withinithi project
j t ffolder
ld are:
– dp0
– user_files
• dp0 subdirectory:
– Workbench designates active project as design point 0 and creates a dp0
subdirectory that always corresponds to active project files
– Design point folder contains system folders for each system in the project
– System folder contain folders for each application used in the system (i.e.
Mechanical application, FLUENT, etc.)
– These folders contain application-specific files and folders, such as input files,
model directories, engineering
g g data, resources, etc.
• user_files:
– This folder contains any files (such as input files, referenced files, etc.) that are
supplied to a project or any output (images, charts, movie clips, etc.) generated
by Workbench

42 © 2011 ANSYS, Inc. January 8, 2012 Release 14.0