Summer Internship Report on Conceptual CAE design and simulation virtual

internship

SUMMER INTERNSHIP REPORT

ON

CONCEPTUAL CAE DESIGN AND

SIMULATION VIRTUAL
INTERNSHIP

Submitted by

Sunkara Sekhar

Reg. No: 22K65A0362

Under the esteemed guidance of

Dr. B. Kiran Kumar

Professor

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SASI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY& ENGINEERING
(Approved by AICTE, New Delhi, Permanently Affiliated to JNTUK, Kakinada
and SBTET-Hyderabad, Accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade, Ranked as "A"
Grade by Govt. of A.P., Recognized by UGC 2(f) & 12(B)) Kadakatla,
TADEPALLIGUDEM– 534101.
Academic Year 2024-25
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Summer Internship Report on Conceptual CAE design and simulation virtual
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DECLARATION

I Sunkara Sekhar, 22K65A0362, student of Mechanical

Engineering at Sasi Institute of Technology & Engineering,
Tadepalligudem here by declare that the Internship Report entitled
“conceptual CAE design and simulation virtual internship” is an
authentic record of my own work as requirements of Industrial Training
during the period from date 4/2024 to 6/2024 final date. I obtained the
knowledge of “design and simulation” through the selfless efforts of the
Employeearranged to me by administration. A Training Report was made
on the same and the suggestions are given by the faculty were duly
incorporated.

Sunkara Sekhar,
22K65A0362.

Academic Supervisor Head of the Department

Dr. B. Kiran Kumar Dr. B. Kiran Kumar
Professor Professor & HOD
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my deep sense of gratitude to my beloved Principal, Prof.

MohammedIsmail for his valuable guidance and for permitting us to carry
out this internship.

I would like to thank the entire EduSkills, India. Who has provided me
this Internship. I express my sincere thanks to Mr. P. Srinivasa Sharma,
Director Training for giving me a great opportunity to work in such
domain.

I express my deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Kiran Kumar Billa,

Professor and Head of the Department for the valuable guidance and
suggestions, keen interest shown thorough encouragement extended
throughout the period of internship work.

I take immense pleasure to express my deep sense of gratitude to my

beloved Guide Dr. B. Kiran Kumar, for their benevolent guidance and
kind cooperation throughout my training along with completing this
Internship and provided me the various knowledge about their stations.

With Gratitude
Sunkara Sekhar,
22K65A0362
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ABSTRACT

In today's dynamic and interconnected digital landscape, the All-India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE) presents a groundbreaking Intelligent Automation
Virtual Internship program. This visionary initiative is designed to empower the
future workforce with the essential skills required to navigate and excel in the digital
age. The AICTE's Intelligent Automation Virtual Internship offers students a unique
and transformative opportunity to explore the world of intelligent automation, all from
the convenience of their own homes.

This program goes beyond the theoretical realm and ensures that participants gain
hands-on experience in various facets of intelligent automation. It provides an
immersive learning experience that includes exposure to cutting-edge automation
technologies, such as robotic process automation (RPA) and cognitive automation. By
delving into practical projects, students will not only understand the intricacies of
these technologies but also develop the ability to apply them to real-world business
challenges.

With the AICTE's unwavering commitment to fostering a generation of digital

transformation experts, this internship program opens doors for students to refine their
skills and uncover their passion for intelligent automation. By participating in this
initiative, students enhance their employability prospects while also contributing
significantly to the ever-evolving world of automation and digital transformation.
In an era where digital technologies are central to our lives, the AICTE's Intelligent
Automation Virtual Internship stands as a beacon of progress, nurturing the architects
of a more automated and efficient future. It empowers individuals to harness the
power of automation and drive innovation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape,
ultimately shaping a brighter and more connected world for all.
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Academic Year 2024-2025

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING VISION-MISSION

Vision:
To be a recognized department in providing professional education, producing well-
qualified mechanical engineers to serve the society.

Mission:
1. To provide exceptional education in mechanical engineering, addressing the
societal needs with a commitment to excellence in quality
2. To establish a congenial atmosphere that supportive research-driven learning
environment
3. To provide value-based education instilling a robust sense of ethics and morality

PEOs:
PEO1. Able to apply multi-disciplinary skill sets and solve engineering problems in
the field of Mechanical Engineering.
PEO2. Able to pursue higher education and make significant contribution to research
in emerging technologies.
PEO3. Contribute significantly towards the wellbeing of the society exhibiting
impeccable integrity and ethics.

HOD
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Academic Year 2024-2025

PROGRAME OUTCOMES
PO 1: Engineering Knowledge: Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural
science, computing, engineering fundamentals and an engineering specialization as
specified in WK1 to WK4 respectively to develop to the solution of complex
engineering problems.
PO 2: Problem Analysis: Identify, formulate, review research literature and
analyze complex engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions with
consideration for sustainable development. (WK1 to WK4)
PO 3: Design/Development of Solutions: Design creative solutions for complex
engineering problems and design/develop systems/components/ processes to meet
identified needs with consideration for the public health and safety, whole-life cost,
net zero carbon, culture, society and environment as required. (WK5)
PO 4: Conduct Investigations of Complex Problems: Conduct investigations of
complex engineering problems using research-based knowledge including design of
experiments, modelling, analysis & interpretation of data to provide valid
conclusions. (WK8).
PO 5: Engineering Tool Usage: Create, select and apply appropriate techniques,
resources and modern engineering & IT tools, including prediction and modelling
recognizing their limitations to solve complex engineering problems. (WK2 and
WK6)
PO 6: The Engineer and The World: Analyze and evaluate societal and
environmental aspects while solving complex engineering problems for its impact
on sustainability with reference to economy, health, safety, legal framework, culture
and environment. (WK1, WK5, and WK7).
PO 7: Ethics: Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics, human
values, diversity and inclusion; adhere to national & international laws. (WK9)
PO 8: Individual and Collaborative Team work: Function effectively as an
individual, and as a member or leader in diverse/multi-disciplinary teams.
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PO 9: Communication: Communicate effectively and inclusively within the

engineering community and society at large, such as being able to comprehend and
write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations
considering cultural, language, and learning differences
PO 10: Project Management and Finance: Apply knowledge and understanding
of engineering management principles and economic decision-making and apply
these to one’s own work, as a member and leader in a team, and to manage projects
and in multidisciplinary environments.
PO 11: Life-Long Learning: Recognize the need for, and have the preparation
and ability for
i) independent and life-long learning
ii) adaptability to new and emerging technologies and
iii) critical thinking in the broadest context of technological change. (WK8)

PROGRAM SPECIFIC OUTCOMES

PSO 1: Thermal and Production Engineering Practice: Students will be able to

specify, fabricate, test, operate and document the thermal and production systems or
processes
PSO 2: Use of Auto CAD, SOLIDWORKS and ANSYS: Students will be able
design, analyze and develop machine components

HOD
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CONTENTS:
1. The Finite Element Method – A One Minute Introduction......................................2-5
2. The Finite Element Analysis Procedure......................................................................5-9
3. Basic Interaction with Inspire....................................................................................9-18
Graphical User Interface
Mouse Controls
File Management
Selection and Editing
Organizing Your Model
Units and Measurements
Appearance Properties
4. Geometry Building and Editing................................................................................18-41
Exercise: Sketching Geometry
Sketch Constraints
Exercise: Simplifying Geometry
5. Analysis – How to Do It?...........................................................................................41-52
Exercise: A Step by Step Tutorial on How to Perform A Finite Element Analysis
6. Inspire Motion..........................................................................................................52-66
Introduction
Steps to Motion Analysis
Exercise: Cam Follower
Detailed Information about the Various Entities
Exercise: Excavator
Debugging Inspire Motion
Inspire Motion and Motion View Integration
Inspire Motion and Altair Activate Integration

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1. The Finite Element Method – A One Minute Introduction

The simulation technology presented in this book is based on the Finite Element Method
(FEM). It was first developed over 60 years ago as a method to accurately predict the
reaction of complex parts to various inputs (for instance forces or temperatures acting on the
part). FEA in its infancy was limited to large scale computing platforms but the
development of powerful personal computers, combined with intuitive software packages
such as solid-Thinking and Hyper-Works, has brought FEA to the engineer‟s desktop, to
you.

In the Finite Element Method, the geometry is subdivided into small but regular areas or
volumes which are called Finite Elements. In other words, the volume or the surface will be
represented by thousands or even millions of elements eventually.

These elements may have different shapes (configurations):

3 noded tria 4 noded quad 4 noded tetra 8 noded hexa

The Finite Elements are connected at nodal points with each other as depicted in the next
image:

Brown: finite elements, yellow: connecting nodal points

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For the analysis, one needs to assign material properties such as the Young‟s Modulus E
(elastic modulus), which defines the relationship between stress s (force per unit area) and
strain e (proportional deformation) in a material (σ=E*ε), to the elements. As we are interested
to see how the structure performs if subjected to, for instance forces, these forces need to be
applied to the model. As the applied forces will move (accelerate) the model in space, some
parts of it need to be constrained (fixed).

This may also be formulated (or expressed) as:

In mechanics, we define a steady state as the state of a system that is in equilibrium.

Equilibrium means the loading in the system is balanced so that the system remains at rest
(V=0). This equilibrium system is called static analysis. When solving a static analysis, all
finite element solvers will solve the equation,

Kx = f

where:

K: is the global stiffness matrix

x: is the displacement vector response to be determined

f: is the external forces vector applied to the structure

All the math – calculation of displacements, deformation and stresses are then carried out
with respect to every single element (or node). It all happens while you are waiting for the
analysis run to be completed.

Note: A completed simulation run doesn‟t guarantee that the results are correct. The
Finite Element Program is a “number cruncher” only. Errors (i.e. simulation run is
aborted) are reported if the mathematics can‟t be solved. For instance, the thickness of
a plate is defined to be “0” and so on ...

Another very important type of analyses (also available in Inspire) is called normal and
buckling modes analysis

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When a structure is subjected to excitations from a dynamic load like an unbalanced

rotating device or fluctuating airflow, it will vibrate. When you design a structure, you
want to makesure it doesn‟t vibrate in a way that causes discomfort or leads it to perform
improperly.

Any given structure will tend to vibrate at discrete frequencies. For instance, if you hit the
end of a cantilever beam with a hammer, the beam may start to vibrate at 200 Hz, and then
after some time it will abruptly drop down to, for example, 180 Hz and continue to vibrate
at that lower frequency. As the beam loses energy, it will vibrate at progressively lower
frequencies, making discrete jumps in frequency as it goes. These discrete frequencies
that a structure tends to vibrate at are called the natural frequencies of the structure.

When a structure is vibrating at one of its natural frequencies, it also vibrates in a shape at
that frequency. For instance, when the beam mentioned above is vibrating at 200 Hz, it
may be bending up and down like a diving board. As it drops to the next lower natural
frequency, 180 Hz, it may switch to a back and forth wagging motion. As it drops again in
frequency, the end of the beam may scribe a circle in space or the beam may take on the
shape of an oscillating sine wave. These displacement patterns are called mode shapes.
The term normal mode is used to describe a characteristic frequency and its associated
mode Shape.
This course is to introduce the subject of Finite Element Analysis (FEA). In this course, you
can see the basic theory of Finite Element Method applied on linear static cases. These are
the topics: Analytical method, application of Finite Element Method, element stiffness
matrices, interpolation functions, element assembly, and solving an example.

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The goal of this course is to present the main Finite Element Analysis concepts that are useful
to evaluate results and interpret execution errors, to provide the analyst more skills to perform
high quality analyses.

Learn Mechanics of Solids Fundamentals:

It is important (at least helpful) to have a basic understanding of what stresses, deformation
and strains are. This course is an introduction into the subject of mechanics of solids with a
focus on theory. After this very short and very simple introduction into the Finite Element
Method, it is time to look at the individual working steps. This leads us right into the next
chapter.

1. The Finite Element Analysis Procedure:

1. Import the geometry (for instance, created in a Computer Aided Design CAD
package). Of course, you can create the geometry in Altair Evolve or Altair Inspire as
well. Please see the chapter “Geometry Building And Editing” for more details.

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Imported geometry

2. Assign material properties (you can choose the material of interest from the
material database contained in Inspire. Naturally, you can define materials on
your own, too).

Material database available in Inspire

3. Apply loads (i.e. forces, temperature or pressure - whatever is going to act on the
product later) and fix (constrain) the model in space so that the applied loads do not
move (accelerate) the ENTIRE model away (which is also called rigid body motion).

Note: Depending on whether your model consists of different parts (you may also call it
components) and whether these parts are supposed to move relative to each other
“Contacts” will be added automatically

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4. Run the simulation. Inspire will ask you whether the simulation run should be
carried out “Fast” or “More accurate” (use “Fast” to test your model). The size of
the Finite Elements used are determined automatically. The same accounts for the
type of elements being used.

Contacts between different parts / components of the model

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5. Start the simulation run

6. Visualize the results and try to understand “what you see”, e.g. are the result
values shown reasonable (e.g. your model is 100 mm long and you see a
deformation of 2000 mm would indicate something is wrong; or you have a
perfectly symmetric model but the results reveal asymmetry); animate the results,
i.e. the model starts to swing/vibrate (e.g. your model is loaded in vertical
direction only but the animation shows (small) lateral motions would indicate that
the way the structure was pinned/ fixed or the way loads were applied are not
correct.
Apart from displacements stresses are very important (i.e. the stresses tell you whether the
part can sustain the loads at all). A bit more information about the kind of results you are
looking at is provided in the Appendix “How To Interpret Finite Element Analysis
Results”.

Something to keep in mind:

The above working steps seem to be straight forward. However, “things” may seem
easier (sometimes more difficult) than they are. Literally, every step depicted above
comes along with questions. Naturally, answers to these questions are helpful.

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Geometry - Do you need to keep all the details (features) contained in the geometry file?
Can the geometry be simplified? For instance, a thin metal part with a thickness of 5 mm
may be modelled as a solid structure or as a shell structure. In the latter approach a so called
mid surface model may be derived from the solid geometry to shorten computation time ...

Material - Typically we use a single value for the Young‟s Modulus, density etc. Does this
really reflect reality? What if the material properties vary let‟s say by +/- 10%?

Finite Element Mesh - Inspire takes care of meshing (by default). You still can change
element size and choose between 1 st and 2nd order elements (see Exercise “Plate with A
Hole”). However, you need to rely on the given element quality (i.e. that a quad element
looks like a quad).

Loads and constraints - The crucial questions are: where are the loads (forces) coming
from, what are their direction, magnitude, where to apply the loads? Similar question relates
to the constraints (fixes). How to fix the geometry so that translations and rotations of the
entire model do not occur - to simply pin (fix) the model everywhere is certainly not the
best answer. Fixing every (too many) nodes artificially stiffens the structure as the
constrained nodes would resist any deformation (absolutely rigid). Recommendation - Ask
colleagues for help and advice. You don‟t need to reinvent the wheel.

2. Basic Interaction with Inspire:

Before we exercise the steps, we need to have a basic understanding on how to use the
program at all. In the following we summarize what you need to know about:

 Graphical User Interface

 File Management (in every simulation different file are created)
 How to select and edit objects
 Units and Measurements.

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Graphical User Interface:

Learn how to “move” and “dance” with Inspire, i.e. learn more about the graphical user
interface. In addition to the selected topics included in this chapter you‟ll find more
information about, for instance, snapping, surface modeling in the Help Documentation
of Inspire.

Note: The video series below is based on Inspire 2016. The overall (working) philosophy
hasn‟t changed.

Watch - Application Overview

https://altair-2.wistia.com/medias/s5al4q00ve (duration 2‟:04)

Watch - Modeling Window:

https://altair-2.wistia.com/medias/gxbqlxu6qw (duration 2‟:06)

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Mouse Controls
Mouse controls are used to pan, zoom, and rotate the model.

Note: You can customize the mouse button/keystroke combinations used to pan, zoom, and
rotate so they match other commonly used CAD applications using the File > Preferences
window.

File Management
Creating a new model
 Creating a new file clears the current model from memory and opens a new
model file.

Note the highlighted white “paper” indicating that a new model will be created

Opening a model

 Opening a model file clears the current file from memory and restores a
previous model. Note that opening a model is different from importing
geometry, which merges the contents of another file into the current model.

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Note: the highlighted folder indicates that an existing model will be opened

(Inspire supports a variety of file formats, including ACIS, CATIA, IGES, JT, Parasolid,
Pro/ Engineer, SolidWorks, STEP, STL, and Unigraphics files).

Saving a model

 Save your current model file regularly so you don‟t lose your work. Note
that saving a model is different from exporting results.

Note: the highlighted disc indicates that the model will be saved

Saving a model overwrites the previously saved version of the file. Use the “Save As”
command to save the current version to a different file.

Importing geometry

 Importing a file merges the contents of that file into the current model. This is
different from opening a file, which clears the current file from memory.

To import geometry, use File > Open

To import and merge geometry into the current model, use File > Import

Capturing an image

 This option may be handy if you need to document your working steps within
Inspire.

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A screen capture saves an image of your model with a white background. These snapshot
images are saved as .png files. To capture a snapshot of your model: Click on the File >
Screen Capture from the ribbon menus.

In the Snapshots window, browse to the location where you want to save the image.

Selection and Editing

In short - you can single-click an object to select it, and double-click to edit it using a
micro dialog, graphic manipulator, or context menu.

Selecting objects

You can select objects in the following ways:

Left click to select a single object

Hold the Ctrl key to add or remove objects to or from a selection
Use window or “box” selection to select multiple objects simultaneously
Dragging left-to-right selects every object the box touches

Dragging right-to-left only selects objects entirely within the box

Editing objects:

In most cases, you can click double-click or right-click an object to edit it using a micro
dialog, graphic manipulator, or context menu.

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Micro dialogs: Double-clicking an object selects the object and either activates an
appropriate editing mode or opens a micro dialog with editing options

Graphic Manipulators: Once in an editing mode, some tools feature graphical handles that
can be manipulated using a mouse, such as the Move tool and Push/Pull tool

Context Menus: Right clicking an object in the Model Browser or modeling views opens a
dynamic context menu. The options in the context menu change based on the type of
object selected Property Editor: Specific properties of an object, such as its name, color,
and visibility, can be viewed and modified by selecting the object and pressing F3 to open
the Property Editor.
This is generally the least convenient method for editing entities, but is the only way to
access some advanced functions

Copying objects:

 The Cut, Copy, and Paste functions in Inspire follow standard software
conventions.

Deleting objects:

 Select the object(s) and press the Delete key

 Right-click an object and select Delete from the context menu
 To restore a recently deleted object, press Ctrl+Z on the keyboard, or choose Edit
> Undo from the pull-down menu

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Renaming objects:

 Typically, the following characters should be avoided: “ „ * ? $.

Organizing Your Model

Model Browser
The Model Browser shows all the objects in your model in a tree structure. It is useful for
organizing your model and for accessing objects that aren‟t currently shown in the
modeling window.

Press the F2 to open the Model Browser or use the View menu.

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You can use the “Model Browser” to:

 Find and search for objects in your model.

 Show and hide objects in your model
 Organize parts into assemblies and alternatives
 Organize loads, supports, and displacement constraints into load cases
 Configure your model by activating and deactivating parts and assemblies.

Show and Hide

Each object in the Model Browser is preceded by an icon that indicates the type of object.
Clicking on an object‟s icon shows or hides the object in the modeling window with each
successive click. When an object is hidden, it appears greyed out in the tree structure.

You can also show and hide objects using the Show/Hide tool in the view controls
Note: Objects that are hidden don‟t appear in the modeling window but are still
included in all calculations such as optimization, static weight calculations, mass
computations, etc. To exclude an object from these calculations, you must deactivate it
using the Configure toolbar on the Model Browser. This is called configuring your
model.

Search, Find, Filter

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You can find and search for objects such as parts, assemblies, loads, and shape controls
in the Model Browser by clicking the Find or Search and Filter icons in the

browse.

Units and Measurements

Units are of course important (use the unit system you feel most comfortable with).
You can change the current unit system using the “Unit System Selector” located in the
lower right corner of the workspace.

Most numbers in a model have units associated with them, such as centimeters or inches
for length, and kilograms or slugs for mass. Units are always displayed to the right of
numbers wherever they appear.

Very helpful: When you enter a number in a field, the appropriate unit is
automatically appended. If you type a unit after a number, the number is converted to
the current units. For example, entering 10 in. inside a field where millimeters are the
current units results in 254 mm. being displayed.

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Appearance Properties
Assigning different colors to the parts and assemblies in your model is a good way to help
organize it visually. You can assign colors to all non–design spaces automatically using
the “Auto Color” command in the “View” menu, or you can assign specific colors
manually using the “Color Selector”.

Following is a list of general properties and the types of objects to which they apply
(indicated in parentheses). Press F3 to open the Property Editor.

Visible (all) - Indicates whether the selected object is visible in the modeling window.
Color (all) - Indicates the color assigned to the object when it is displayed in the
modeling window

Transparency (models, parts) -Allows you to change the transparency of the selected object,
according to a percentage. By default, objects are 0% transparent

Auto Color- You can assign colors to all non–design spaces automatically using the Auto
Color command. Just select the View > Auto Color command.

3. Geometry Building and Editing:

Most of the exercises contained in this book come along with a given geometry.
However, later you may need to construct geometry yourself. Hereto, you may use Inspire
(see exercises and explanations below), any CAD system or Altair Evolve. Evolve, which is
part of your installation, is powerful and offers many more functions compared with Inspire
(see also the Appendix “CAD Sketching (first ideas) with Evolve”).

Exercise: Sketching Geometry

In this exercise, we are going to sketch the geometry of a “bridge” (very bulky

geometry). Create a new model

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Define the unit system to be used, here it will be CGS (cm g dyn s). Of course, you can use
a unit system you may feel more comfortable with. In that case make sure your units are
consistent.

Activate the “Geometry Ribbon”

Select “Rectangle by Corners”

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A sketch plane appears.

Zoom out using the “scroll wheel” on the mouse

Draw a rectangle by clicking the “left mouse button” once to place the first corner, and a
second time to place the opposite corner, so that the dimensions of the rectangle are 30 cm by

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10 cm

Then right click or press Esc to exit the tool.

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Right-click or press Esc again to exit sketch mode and enter push/pull mode.

Use the right mouse button to rotate the model forward slightly, then click and drag with the

left mouse button to pull the rectangle into a solid 10 cm thick. Then right click or press Esc
to exit push/pull mode.

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Click and drag with the right mouse button to orient your model so that the z-axis is in the

vertical direction, as shown below:

Some part of the interior will be “removed” next.

Select the “Rectangle by 3 Pts” tool on the Geometry ribbon.

Click on the square end of the solid to select the sketch plane.

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Draw a rectangle by clicking the left mouse button twice to place the bottom two
corners, and a third time to place the center of the opposite side. The rectangle should be
6 cm tall and 8 cm wide and positioned along the bottom edge of the solid

Then right-click or press Esc to exit the tool. Right-click or press Esc again to exit sketch
mode and enter push/pull mode

Click and push on the surface with the left mouse button to push a hole through the solid.

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Right-click or press Esc to exit push/pull mode and use the right mouse button to orbit the
model.

Some of the interior was carved away. In the next step, we are “shaping” the left/right

side. Click the Rotate to Closest Principal Axes icon at the bottom left corner of the
modeling window, then use the scroll wheel to zoom out and the mouse controls to adjust
the view as shown.

Select the Lines tool on the Geometry ribbon

Click on the solid to select the sketch plane

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Draw a line by clicking the left mouse button twice to place the end points, one at the
bottom corner and another 5 cm along the top edge, as shown below (the length of the line
will be about 11.18 cm).

Draw a second line on the opposite side of the rectangle, indented 5 cm along the top edge,
as shown below

Right-click or press Esc to exit the tool, and right-click or press Esc again to exit sketch
mode and enter push/pull mode.

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Use the right mouse button to rotate and adjust the view as shown

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Click and push one of the triangular surfaces with the left mouse button to trim the solid.

Click and push the other surface with the left mouse button to trim the opposite side.

Using the right mouse button, rotate the model so you can see the bottom of the bridge, as
shown below.

Select the Rectangle by Corners tool on the Geometry ribbon

Click on one of the bottom faces to select the sketch plane

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Click the Create New Part button. A new part appears in the model
and geometry you are about to create will be p[laced in that new part.

Using the left mouse button, draw a 30 cm by 10 cm rectangle on the bottom face by
placing two opposite corners, as shown below:

Right-click or press Esc to exit the tool.

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Right-click or press Esc again to exit sketch mode and enter push/pull mode.

Click and drag with the left mouse button to pull the rectangle into a solid 1 cm high
(alternatively, you can enter 1.0 in the text field and press Enter).

Right-click or press Esc to exit push/pull mode, and use the right mouse button to orbit the
model.

Done. Congrats.

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Sketch Constraints
When sketching, you can apply geometric relationships such as tangency,
perpendicularity, etc. to lines, rectangles, circles, and arcs using sketch constraints. As you
sketch, Inspire automatically applies many sketch constraints for you. For instance, if you
draw a line that is nearly horizontal, a horizontal constraint will be created on that line
automatically, making it precisely horizontal for you. When you modify a sketch, the
constraints ensure that the intended relationships between the sketch entities remain
intact.

You can apply sketch constraints by right-clicking on a curve when in sketch mode and
selecting a constraint from the context menu.

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https://altair-2.wistia.com/medias/arv0s0hpy0

The following sketch constraints may be applied, although some are only applicable to certain
types of curves. If a constraint cannot be applied to the selected geometry, it appears greyed
out in the context menu. In some cases, the application of certain constraints may cause the
geometry to be overly constrained, in which case you will receive an error message.

Fixed

Use to constrain a sketch point, line, or curve so that it maintains a fixed position relative to
adjacent sketch curves (the object itself is not fixed in 3D space. You can still move it by
clicking-and-dragging). Points, lines, circles, and arcs can all be fixed. The edges of
rectangles are separate entities and can be fixed independently.

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https://altair-2.wistia.com/medias/rmweg2dfai

Horizontal

Use to position lines segments horizontally with respect to the sketch plane. Right click the
line segment to open the context menu

Then select the Horizontal icon.

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Vertical

Same process - Use to position line segments vertically with respect to the sketch plane

Then select the Vertical icon.

Collinear

Use this functionality to align two or more-line segments Hold down the Ctrl key to select
multiple line segments.

Activate the collinear icon results in:

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Parallel:

Use to position two lines segments so they are parallel. Hold down the Ctrl key to select
multiple line segments. Right-click one of the selected line segments to open the context
menu.

With the Parallel icon activated:

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Perpendicular

Similar process as before …

Tangent
Use to position a line segment so that it is tangent to an arc.

https://altair-2.wistia.com/medias/5autnrslq8

Concentric
Use to align two or more circles so they are concentric. The process - without many words
….

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Exercise: Simplifying Geometry

Simplifying geometry is

quite an important topic.

Why?

You may recall from the introduction in the CAE Driven Design Process, that the concept
optimization typically starts with a rather “bulky” kind of geometry (to give the optimizer
more freedom). Especially if the geometry is provided by someone else - just recall the
story from Volkswagen about the bracket - you may face the challenge to simplify the
given geometry by removing fillets, ribs and holes.

Hence, the next exercise covers the following topics:

 Find and remove pockets and holes

 Find and remove rounds and fillets

Let‟s get started. Click Open Model on the Files

icon

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 Select the Geometry_Simplification.x_t file and click Open. Adjust the view
so the model is positioned as shown below

Be sure the Unit System Selector in the lower right corner of the application is set to MPA
(mm t N s).

Remove Holes and Pockets

 Select the Simplify tool on the Geometry ribbon.

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 Select the Holes tool from the secondary ribbon.

Inspire automatically finds all the holes and pockets in your model, which are shown in
red. The number shown above the Holes icon indicates the total number of holes and
pockets found, in this case twelve.

 Move the mouse over one of the pockets. You‟ll notice the mouse cursor
changes and shows a check mark, then l eft click the pocket to remove it.

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Note the

difference in the geometry, i.e. the pocket on the left side is removed

 Continue removing the other five pockets (there are three on each side) by left
clicking on them. Do not remove the holes. When finished, right-click to exit
the tool.

4. Analysis – How to Do It?

Do you recall the overall workflow of a Finite Element Analysis (described earlier)?

Knowing the overall workflow helps you mastering your simulation tasks. Naturally, the
workflow will become clearer after you have completed a few of the exercises below.

The workflow:

Geometry - loads and constraints - materials & properties (e.g. sheet thickness) - analysis
run settings - analysis run – post-processing

The video below may be of interest - also because you worked in the geometry before.

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Watch - Analysis Setup

https://altair-2.wistia.com/medias/dn3ie1d2as

Exercise: A Step by Step Tutorial on How to Perform A Finite

Element Analysis
Step 1: Open the Y-bracket Model

 Start Inspire.
 Click Open Model on the Files icon.

 In the Open File window select the y-bracket.stmod file and click Open.
 Click on the Unit System Selector in the lower right corner of the modeling

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window, default unit system to SI (m kg N Pa).

 Use the right mouse button to adjust the view so the y-bracket is positioned as
shown below:

Step 2: Create a Center Hole Support and the First Load Case

 Click the Structure tab on the ribbon.

 Select the Apply Supports tool on the Loads icon.

 Click on the front boss material to apply the support. Here all 6 DOF‟s are
constraint.

(DOF refers to Degree of Freedom. Typically, we have to make up our mind about the 3
translational displacements (x-y-z- direction) and 3 rotational displacements (rotation with
respect to x-y- or z-axis). If all DOF‟s of the node are set to zero “0”, the node remains
absolutely fixed in space. If DOF 1,2, and 3 are set to zero, then we may still see rotation
and so on).

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 In the Model Browser, two new folders are created, one called Load Case 1
and the other called All Loads and Displacements. Support 1 is added to
both.

 Click on Load Case 1 twice, rename it “Load Case X,” and press Enter. The
name of the load case is shown in bold, indicating that it is the current load
case. Any new loads or supports that you create will be added to it
automatically.

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Step 3: Apply Forces to Boss Materials

 Select the Apply Force tool on the Loads icon on the Structure ribbon.

 Click on one of the rear boss materials to apply the force.

 The force is initially applied in the negative x direction. Click the +/- icon in
the micro dialog to reverse it to the positive x direction.

 Force 1 appears in the Model Browser in both the All Loads and Displacements
folder and Load Case X.

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 While the Apply Force tool is still active, click on the other rear boss material
and use the +/- icon to reverse the direction. Both Force 1 and Force 2 should
now be applied in the positive x direction, as shown in the image below:

 Force 2 appears in the Model Browser in both the All Loads and Displacements

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folder and Load Case X.

 Right-click or press Esc to exit the tool.

Step 4: Define Material

 You can right click on the model and choose the material or create your own
material using the Materials Tab, the material definition is important as we
intuitively understand that steel is stronger than plastic and hence is critical
for the analysis.

Step 5: Run a Baseline Static Analysis

 Select the Structure tab on the ribbon.

 Click Run Analysis on the Analyze icon to open the Run Analysis window.

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 Change the Element size to 3 mm

 Make sure that Speed/Accuracy is set to More accurate.

 Click Load Cases and verify that Load Case X is selected.

 Click Run to perform the analysis. The Run Status window appears. A green
check mark will appear when the analysis is complete (this may take several
minutes).

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 Double-click on the name of the run to view the results. The results are
displayed in the Analysis Explorer.

Step 6: View the Results

Most of the time you are looking at so called contour plots., i.e. results such as
displacements or stresses are displayed using colors (either single color ranging from bright
to dark or rainbow colors).
File > Preferences > Run Options as shown
below. Displacements shown with single color
option

 In the Analysis Explorer under Result Type, select Displacement.

 The maximum displacement for the model is approximately 2.6e-4 mm, as

shown in the legend.
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The same results are now shown using rainbow colors. At the end it will be up to you to
use the one or the other coloring method.

Note: As it is a symmetrical model with symmetrical loads applied, the contours (here
displacements) are also expected to be symmetrical

Always very helpful is to animate the results as it helps to better understand the overall
behavior of the model. In this way you may see that the model was not properly constraint
(fixed).

For your information - the program interpolates the results between the initial (zero
displacements) and the final state.

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 Click the Show/hide deformed state icon to show the deformed state of
the model. Click the icon again to hide it.

 Click the button under Animation to visualize the displacement.

 Click the button and use the slider to change the speed of the animation.
 Inspire automatically scales the displacement animation to make it easier to see.

 Click the button, deselect Auto, and enter a value to change the scale of the
animation.

 Click the button to stop the animation.

Step 7: View the von Mises Stress Results

In the image below the von Mises Stress is shown. The von Mises failure criterion is
typically used to assess the structural performance of ductile materials. A material is said to
start yielding –which in many instances is considered failure –when the von Mises stress
reaches the yield stress (for an explanation about von Mises Stresses please refer to the
Appendix “How To Interpret Finite Element Analysis Results”). In general, red colors
indicate “high” or critical values, whereas blue colors (cold) refer to “safe” areas.

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5. Inspire Motion

Introduction
What is Inspire Motion?

A concept design tool for understanding mechanism motion, it is an environment for

understanding the dynamic motion of existing CAD designs and is a tool that will
provide dynamic motion loads for a structural analysis or a topology optimization.

What is Motion Analysis?

A motion analysis will show you how a mechanism will behave with forces, joints,
and contacts applied. In Inspire we can link components of a mechanism together
using various types of joints and contacts to simulate the real-world connections in
an assembly. The motion is defined in the appropriate degrees of freedom (the
direction in which the motion can occur) for each connection point. Some type of
force can be applied to the mechanism through the use of gravity, a motor, actuator,
or a spring to replicate the forces applied in the real assembly. By setting up the
model and running the analysis, you can review the plots on the mechanism. These
plots can show results for items such as the torque required for the motor to turn
the mechanism at various points through the motion.

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What are the steps to setup a motion analysis?

To setup a motion analysis you need to follow 3 steps. The first one is to import the
models of the assembly. Next the connections need to be created on the assembly.
The connections consist of grounded parts, rigid groups, joints and contacts.
Grounded parts are set for those parts that do not move. The rigid groups are created
for those parts that should be rigid and linked together. The joints are setup to
connect the parts so they move correctly through the range of motion. Then the
assembly needs to have a force applied to it. The force can be added through
gravity, a motor, or an actuator.
Finally, we run the motion analysis.

What is Inspire Motion Ribbon?

Inspire motion ribbon includes the tools that are used to set up and run a motion analysis,
they allow you to set designs into motion using motors, actuators, springs, and other tools.
The function automatically assigns motion-generated forces as boundary condition inputs
for structural FEA or topology optimization. It runs on the Motion Solve solver engine.

Steps to Motion Analysis

Step 1: Import the Model

So, let‟s look at each step of the motion analysis in a little more detail. The first step is to
import the models of the assembly. Inspire can bring models from many popular CAD
packages. Files can be dragged and dropped into the Graphics Window. Once open there
are many tools to work with the geometry built into Inspire.

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Step 2: Create the Connections

Once the geometry is imported and any editing is complete, the model needs to be
connected. Connections come in many different forms for setting up the analysis. Pieces
of the model are made into the Ground which does not move. Joints are placed in the
holes where the components of the model meet each other. The joints will be where the
models move after the setup is complete.

The functions in the Ribbon required to do this are:

Ground parts are the parts which are fixed to

the background, preventing motion. Most
models generally require at least one ground
part.

They are used to simplify the number of parts

requiring joints. When defining joints, features
between components in a rigid group (holes,
planar surfaces) will not be detected.

Step 3: Create the Motion Forces

Forces are applied to the model in one of many forms to move the mechanism. The force
can come from gravity or from motor or actuator. The motor can be configured with
various specifications to drive the mechanism. The actuator has properties that apply to
provide the force to drive the mechanism.

Step 4: Run the Motion Analysis

We then run a motion analysis, plot the results, and extract the results for use in structural
(FE) analysis and optimization.
Exercise: Excavator
This exercise reinforces the basic features of Inspire Motion, such as navigating the
interface, adding joints, adding actuators, plotting results, and analysing for stress and
deflection using dynamic motion loads. The exercise is meant to be performed after

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performing Exercise 1a, as explicit step-by-step instructions are not necessarily given
here and users should operate through their knowledge of the Inspire environment. The
example we will use in this training exercise is an excavator model. The objective is to
complete the model‟s setup including CAD import, grounding and jointing, actuation for
specific motion, tracing, and stress analysis.
Model File: https://altairuniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Excavator.zip

Step 1:

Import the model Excavator.x_b from a Parasolid file

Step 2:
Rotate the model so that Z+ axis is „up‟
 Select the top assembly within the Model Browser to select the entire model.
 Click M on the keyboard to activate the Move tool.
 Orient the mouse over the X-axis rotate control as shown and click to bring up
the microdialog.

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 Enter 90 deg in the microdialog field and click Enter to perform the model
rotation.
 Right-click to exit the Move tool and click in the graphics area to deselect the
model.

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Tip: Model rotation within Inspire is set to preferentially bias rotation around the Zaxis to
enable rotation of a model about that axis. Rotation of the model so that the Z-axis is „up‟
makes many following operations when reorienting the model more intuitive.

Step 3:
Change the color of the entire model

 Again, select the top assembly within the Model Browser.

 In the Profile Editor, select the Value area of field Color to bring up a color
chart.
 Select a new color and deselect the model.

Step 4:

Change the color of the tracks and cab windows and cab door to a dark grey.

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Step 5: Select the created joints within the Model Browser and change their type in the micro
dialog to Cylindrical.

Step 6: Exit the Joints tool and press A to show all components

Step 7: Re-enter the Joints tool to scan the model for any remaining joints which need to be
created.

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Tip: There should be 14 joints which remain which need to be connected as illustrated
on the Joints icon following the search through the model

Step 8: In the Joints tool guide bar, use the Connect All feature to connect the 14
outstanding joints with default joint types

Step 9: While in the Joints tool, select the two cylindrical joints created at the end of the
joints list in the Model Browser and set their type to Hinge

Tip: For a more in-depth look at the differences between a cylindrical and hinge joint,
refer to the Altair Inspire Help under Joint Types
Step 10: Click on the Gravity tool to verify the direction of the gravity vector lines up with
the “down” direction in the model.
Step 11: Use the Quick Run feature of the Analyse Motion tool to run a quick analysis to
verify that the ground parts, rigid groups, and joints are set up correctly.

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Tip: Since the excavator arms are not constrained in any way other than their joint
connections, the mass and location of the booms and bucket acts as a pendulum connected by
pin links

Step 12: Add a motor to control the main cab rotation

 Hide the Suspension subassembly and rotate the model to view the bottom of the
cab.
 Enter the Motors tool.

Select the center snap point of the base circle on the cab as shown to set the location of the
shaft center and click the circle again to set the base.

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Tip: Note that the motor base graphic is scaled according to the feature size of the
connecting part.

 Using the microdialog, set the motor type to Angle and set the profile to
Table .

 Click the Edit the Table Profile button to enter the Profile Editor.

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 In the Profile Editor, click the Load Data icon . Navigate to and load the file
Turret_Motor-Travel_Plot.csv.

Tip: The file is read and populated into the Profile Editor for review and editing.

 Close the Profile Editor.

 Using the advanced options in the motor micro dialog, deactivate the motor
controller.

Step 13: Add actuators to the model

 Enter the Actuators tool on the Motion ribbon.

 Ensure that the guide bar search mode is set to Connected Parts.

Tip: Four connected part pairs are found – the four cylindrical joints that form the
Bucket, Boom RH, Boom LH, and Ext Boom actuators.

 Click Create All on the guide bar to create actuators in these locations with the
default settings.
 Select all of the actuators in the Model Browser and click the Reverse
Direction option in the Property Editor to flip the direction of all of the
actuators at the same time.

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Select the first actuator in the model and review its connected parts under the Applied To
section in the Property Editor. One at a time, rename the actuators in the model according
to their connected parts as follows:

Connected Parts New Name

Bucket Cylinder, Bucket Piston Bucket

Boom Cylinder LH, Boom Piston LH Boom

Boom Cylinder RH, Boom Piston RH Boom

Ext Boom Cylinder, Ext Boom Piston Ext Boom

Step 14: Set the actuators to be driven by table-based data curves

 Double-click the arrow for the Bucket actuator to select the actuator and bring
up its micro dialog.
 Change the profile type to Table.

 Click the Edit the Table Profile button to enter the Profile Editor
 In the Profile Editor, click the Load Data icon Navigate to and load the file.

Bucket_Actuator-Travel_Plot.csv.

 Close the Profile Editor and deselect the actuator.

 Similarly, edit the following actuators to use the following data tables:

Actuator Data File

Bucket Bucket_Actuator-Travel_Plot.csv

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Boom Boom_Actuator-Travel_Plot.csv

Boom Boom_Actuator-Travel_Plot.csv
Extended_Boom_Actuator
Ext Boom -

Travel_Plot.csv

 Exit the Actuators tool.

Step 15: Set the Run Analysis options to end the simulation in 18 seconds and set the
output rate to 100 frames per second

 Click the Edit the Table Profile button to enter the Profile Editor

 In the Profile Editor, click the Load Data icon Navigate to and load the file.

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Step 16: Run the analysis

Step 17: Review the motion animation by clicking and dragging the animation slider

Step 18: Plot the joint forces and angular displacement of the pin between the boom and
extended boom by clicking on the pin of interest

Tip: Right-click on the plot to change the plotted data

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Step 19: Export the joint forces on the pin between the boom and extended boom to a
csv file named BoomJointForces.csv by right-clicking anywhere on the plot

Step 20: Determine the force required to operate the bucket actuator by clicking on the
actuator icon to get a plot

Step 21: Add a mass load to the bucket

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 In the Structure ribbon enter the Masses tool

 Rotate the model so that the point in the middle of the Bucket can be seen.
Hover so that the point crosshairs are highlighted and click on that point to
create the point mass.
 In the micro dialog, update the point mass value to 1000 kg.

 Click on the Connect Concentrated Mass button in the micro dialog.

Holding Shift, select the seven major interior faces of the Bucket as shown.

 Ensure that the micro dialog for the connections shows Rigid and hit Esc to exit
the Masses tool.

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