Module 4:

Preparing for Analysis

Introduction to ANSYS
SpaceClaim Direct Modeler
1 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015
 Overview
In this module we will learn about:
• 3D advanced features
– Spot welds, Midsurface, Beam extraction
– Flow volume extraction, Enclosure
• Share topology
– Show contact
• Material assignment
• Named Selections and Parameters
• Volume decomposition
• Transferring SpaceClaim Model to Workbench

2 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Preprocessing Workflow
Import/ Geometry
Meshing Solver
Geometry Creation Modifications

Sketches and Planes 3D Operations

Geometry Cleanup
3D Operations
and Repair

Geometry Import Preparation for

Analysis

ANSYS SpaceClaim Direct Modeler

3 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Spot Weld
• Spot Weld:
– Spot weld tool is located on Prepare ribbon
– Spot welds are applied to the edges of a face. These will represent spots that share a common node between
the two parts
– The property will automatically pass over as an additional connection between the parts to Workbench

4 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Spot Weld
• Spot Weld Tool Guide and options

Use the Select Base Faces tool guide to select the

face or faces on which the weld points will be
defined. You should select a single face or a chain of
tangent faces.
Use the Select Guiding Edges tool guide to define
the edge along which the weld points will be
defined.
Use the Select Mating Faces tool guide to change
the mating face from the face that is automatically 3
4
detected. You can select more than one face.
Clicking on a mating face removes all previously 1
2
selected faces and holding Ctrl adds a face.
1
2
The Complete tool guide completes the spot weld 3
definition. 4

5 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Spot Weld
• Transfer to Workbench
– Expanding the structure tree shows all of the spot welds
under the connections. Each pair of points will create its
own spot weld.
– Note: These are some limitations when sending spot
welds to Workbench
• Only points with mates can be used for simulation
• You may place weld points between multi-body parts if the
two bodies belong to different parts. Spot welds defined
between bodies in the same part are not transferred to
simulation.
• You can approximate seam welds by placing weld points on
the guiding edge with an offset of zero, if no mating face is
found on either side of the base face.

6 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Midsurface
• Midsurface
– Midsurface tool is used to simplify the model and mesh with shell element in the simulation
– Midsurfaces can be created by either selecting faces, or having SpaceClaim find thicknesses within a given
range

7 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Midsurface
• Midsurface Tool Guide
The Select Faces tool guide is active by default. This
tool guide allows you to select a pair of offset faces,
and all other face pairs with the same offset distance
are automatically detected.

The Add/Remove Faces tool guide allows you to select

additional faces to offset or remove detected face
pairs from the selection.
The Swap Sides tool guide allows you to switch the
face pairs. You may need to do this when you detect
pairs with more than one offset distance, and the
offset relationships are incorrectly detected.

The Complete tool guide creates the midsurface faces.

• Note: Selected face pairs are highlighted in blue and green color where blue color indicates the
positive normal side of the midsurface
8 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015
 Midsurface
• Midsurface Options
Use selected Select this option to create midsurfaces for only the faces you
faces select.
Select this option to create midsurfaces on all faces in the
Use range
specified thickness range.
Thickness Change the value of this option to detect offset spline faces
tolerance with an offset value within the tolerance amount.
Select Same component to create the midsurfaces in the same
Create component as the part you selected for midsurfacing. Select
midsurfaces in Active component to create the midsurfaces in the active
component.
Select this option to create midsurfaces in a new sub-
Group component. Deselect the option to create the midsurface
midsurfaces objects in the component you select in the option above (same
component or active component).
Extend Surfaces Automatically extend surfaces (On by default)
Automatically trim the midsurface to the extent of the original
Trim Surfaces
body

9 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Midsurface
• Transfer to Workbench
– Only Visible bodies in SpaceClaim are
transferred to Workbench.
– Thickness of the midsurfaces created in
SpaceClaim is also automatically transferred
to Workbench on import.

10 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Beams
• Beams Group
̶ The Beams Group on the Prepare ribbon has the following tools which can be used for creation, extraction and
modification of the beams
• Profiles
• Create
• Extract
• Orient
• Display

11 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Beams
• Profiles
– This tool helps to define profiles (cross-sections) of beams
– You can select a profile either from a list (which is populated
automatically on extraction of beams from solid bodies) or from a library
or from an imported set from other *.scdoc files
– Profiles can be linked to more than one beam in the geometry and hence
when the profile is changed for one beam, it is changed for other
associated beams as well
– It can also be used to remove a profile from the Beam Profiles folder
• Display
– This tool from the Beam Profiles folder, helps to Toggle the display from
Wire Beams to Solid Beams (Lightweight representation of the beam) to
help visualize the structure.

12 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Beams
• Create
– The Create tool won't be active until a profile is selected, which adds the profile
to the design document.
– After selection of profile, beam path can be defined using edges or points in the
document.
– The points of reference can be intersection points or midpoints on edges and
other beams
• Tool Guide

Use the Select Point Chain tool guide to create a

beam along an edge or a series of points that
you select.

Use the Select Point Pairs tool guide to create a

beam between two points.

13 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Beams
• Extract
– This tool places a 3D line in place of the solid, with cross sectional properties
from the original solid

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 Beams
• Orient
– This tool is used to change the direction of a beam, rotate it around its anchor
point, and offset it from its anchor point.
– Orient tool works similar to move tool for beam profiles
– Tool Guide for Orient tool

The Select tool guide is active by default. This tool

guide allows you to select the beam object that
you want to reorient.
The Orient to Object tool guide allows you to
select a face, edge, or axis and orient the beam in
that direction.

15 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Beams
• Transfer to Workbench
– Line bodies should be turned ON in order for
beams to be imported into Workbench (explained
later)
– Beams can be extracted from existing solids
– Beams are associated with beam profiles which
determine the properties of each beam after being
transferred into Workbench

16 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Extend
• Extend
– This tool is helpful to extend or trim surfaces and merge them
with nearby parts, or to extend or trim sketch curves and beams
– The tool automatically detects faces/curves that can be extended
or trimmed and highlights them
– Also can be used to extend or trim a surface/curve
– This tool only works with surface parts and sketch curves

17 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Extend
• Tool Guide
The Select Problem tool guide is active by default. This tool guide
allows you to select and fix problem areas that are automatically
found by the tool.
The Select Geometry tool guide allows you to select faces that
were not automatically found. Hold Ctrl to select multiple objects
or box select in the design area.

The Exclude Problem tool guide allows you to select problem areas
to be excluded from selection or fixing.

The Complete tool guide merges or trims the highlighted surfaces.

18 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Extend
• Options
The maximum distance between parts. The tool will
Maximum distance
search for adjacent faces again if you change this value.
Controls whether or not surfaces may be trimmed in
Trim surfaces
addition to extended.
Controls whether or not faces that partially intersect are
Partial intersections
detected.
Allows a surface to be trimmed or extended by a face or
Same body
edge on the same body.
Finds surfaces to extend to curves when the curve is in
Extend to curves
the same plane as the surface.
Merges bodies, if possible, when you trim or extend an
Merge after extend
edge on one surface body up to a face or edge on
or trim
another body.

19 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Volume Extraction
• Volume Extraction
– This tool is used to create a fluid volume based
on the volume enclosed by a single solid body or
set of solid bodies (including meshes)
– A solid named Volume is created in the
Structure tree Display in the Structure panel
that shows you each of the objects in your
design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of
the tree to view the objects. You can rename
objects, create, modify, replace, and delete
objects, as well as work with components and
the bodies used to generate the volume are
temporarily transparent when the volume is
created.

20 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Volume Extraction
• Tool Guide
The Select Edges tool guide selects edge loops that enclose a region. Edges are used to stop the propagation of
face selection, emanating face-wise outward, starting at the selected seeds.

The Select Faces tool guide activates by default when you select the Volume Extract tool, and selects faces
whose edges seal an enclosed region. This is a shortcut for selecting all the edges that are detected in a face. You
can Ctrl+ Select multiple seed faces, and then choose to click on a different tool guide.

The Select Cap Faces tool guide selects optional capping faces. This is important when an internal edge loop is
either not simply fillable, or when you want some non-standard fill geometry to be created.

The Select Seed Face tool guide selects a face that lies within the volume you want to enclose. If this is not
chosen, then SpaceClaim chooses an arbitrary face to start from, and test whether any bounded volumes are
created. If they are not, another face will automatically be selected and the algorithm will re-start. Select a face
here to save this iteration time.

The Complete tool guide creates the volume solid based on the edges and seed face you select.

21 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Volume Extraction
• Options
– Merge Create Volumes: Merge the Created Volume into outer shell to
effectively fill in the inner cavity
• Imprint Capping Edges: Leave the capping faces intact to see the location of inlet and
outlets
– Preview inside faces: Use the scroll bar to preview selection of inner faces and
detect leaks

No merge, only Merge and

Fluid volume from Merge on Imprints
Cavity is extracted

22 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Volume Extraction
• Options: Preview inside faces
– After proper selection of Faces/edges defining inlets and outlets of the cavity
and seed faces, the Preview inside faces tool gets activated.
– You can slide the slider of the tool to see “wetted” faces and check if there are
any leaks in the selected volumes

23 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Volume Extraction
• Updating extracted volume after modifications to
Parent solid(s)
– Right-click the volume part (named Volume by default)
in the Structure tree. Select one of the following
commands:
• Update Volume Body as Created updates the volume body
based on objects that were visible when the volume was
created (regardless of their current visibility). Use this option
for simple regeneration.
• Update Volume Body in Context updates the volume body
based on objects that are currently visible in the design area.
Use this option to remove bodies from the volume calculation.
– Note: If parent solids are parametric, and they are
modified by updating parameters from Workbench,
then you must manually update the fluid volume in
SpaceClaim

24 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Enclosure
• Enclosure
– In SpaceClaim, Enclosure tool is available in Analysis group on Prepare
tab
– An enclosure is a solid around a body or bodies that has a cushion
around the enclosed solid(s). The enclosure can be a box, cylinder, or
sphere, as shown below.
– Enclosures are used by analysis tools to simulate fluid surrounding a
solid object
• e.g. External aero simulation

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 Enclosure
• Tool guides and Options

This is a percentage of the minimum enclosure size,

Use the Select Bodies tool guide to select the and determines the distance between the enclosed
bodies that will be enclosed. Default
object(s) and the closest point of the enclosure to
cushion
the objects. You can change adjust the distances by
Use the Set Orientation tool guide to change the typing in the fields in the Design window.
orientation of the enclosure relative to your design
Select an enclosure shape from the list. If you select
or the axis of a coordinate system.
Enclosure Custom shape, you must use the Custom Shape tool
Use the Custom Shape tool guide to select a solid type guide to select a solid to use as the enclosure
to use as the custom shape when you set the shape.
enclosure type to Custom in the Options panel.
Forces the dimensions to remain symmetric.
Symmetric Deselect this option if you want to enter values for
Click the Complete tool guide when you are
dimensions dimensions and you don't want the opposite
finished.
dimensions changed.

26 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Volume Decomposition
• Volume decomposition is needed to get the desired mesh type (for ex: hexahedrons) or improve the
quality of mesh
• Following tools from Design ribbon and their combination can be used to decompose the large
volume into small volumes
– Plane: to create cutting planes – Pull: to Extrude or revolve cutting edges into cutting surfaces

– Sketch: to draw cutting edges – Combine and Split Body: to cut Volumes

27 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Shared Topology
• Shared Topology
– SpaceClaim can share topology (face, edge, and vertex
connections) between bodies and surfaces in contact
that are transferred to Workbench
– Shared topology is the only way to achieve a conformal
mesh where bodies meet
– Shared topology also applies to volume and surface
bodies that are enclosed within other volume or surface
bodies. This situation is common in analyses involving
fluid flow
– Shared Topology is passed from SpaceClaim to
Workbench when the shared topology property for the
parent Component is set to ‘Share’
– Solids or Surfaces under the same component will be
treated as a multi-body part and will share topology
when the property is set

28 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Shared Topology
• Shared Topology Examples
– Mesher meshes two blocks with shared topology.
The blue block will gain a new imprinted face which
will be shared between the green and blue blocks.
– Mesher creates separate meshes for two parts
because they are in different components and the
root part has Shared Topology set to None.
– The mesh for shared topology is not the same as
merged geometry. Here the boxes are merged, and
you can see that the mesh is different than it is for
two bodies with shared topology.
– Note: If a solid body is taken out of parent
component which is set to shared topology, it will
have no imprints and no shared faces/edges with
the previous parent part

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 Show Contact
• Show contact
– This tool in the CAE group on the Prepare tab displays a preview of topology sharing. ‘Show Contact’ lets you
see – before sending to Workbench – exactly what topology would be shared.
– Allows you to modify/correct the geometry so that it is transferred to Workbench as intended

30 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Show Contact
• Show Contact - Options
Show Contact settings Display
Description
in the Options Panel color
Edge options control the display of
Edge Options connected and disconnected paths (i.e.
edges, sketch curves, Beam paths).
Shared edges of solids or surfaces and
Show Edge Junctions Blue
Beams
Edges of surface bodies that are not
Show Laminar Edges Red
connected to anything
Beams that are not entirely connected
Show Free Beams Orange (i.e. coincident to an edge or
embedded within a face).
Vertex options control the display of
Vertex Options connected endpoints (Beam endpoints
and intersections).
Shared points on Beams (i.e. shared
Show Beam Junctions Blue
endpoints or interior intersections).
Show Beam Ends Red Non-shared endpoints of Beams.

31 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 Defining Material
• Material properties can be passed to
Workbench as long as the property option is set.
• Following properties must be defined for the
material to transfer from SpaceClaim to
Workbench:
– Density, Elastic Modulus,
Thermal Conductivity
– Material properties option
should be checked in
properties of SpaceClaim
geometry in workbench
project schematic
• Material can be defined as new or simply picked from the library
• Note: Even if the material is picked from the library, if it doesn’t have one of the properties
mentioned above it will not be transferred to Workbench (In such cases standard ANSYS material
will be applied i.e. structural steel)
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 Parameters and Named Selections
• Parameters and Named Selections can be transferred to Workbench
by creating Groups in SpaceClaim
• Driving Dimensions can also be created
– Need to use the Pull or Move menu
– Make dimension appearing on the display window.

• Parameters can also be edited and modified within Workbench

which will modify the geometry in SpaceClaim

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 Parameters
• Parameters are used for parametric study in WB. To
define driving parameters in SpaceClaim:
– You should be in Pull or Move mode
• Pull mode provides access to change in dimension (ex. Hole radius)
• Move mode provides access to change in location and orientation
of features
– Select the feature to parameterize (The feature should show
dimension). You can also use ruler for dimensions from
reference object.
– In the groups tab click on Create Group.
– After this, a parameter group should be created under
Driving Dimension Folder for the said dimension.
– Default name (Group#) will be given to Parameter. You can
then rename by right clicking on it.

• Note: Keep parametric bodies in separate components

in order to avoid merging them after parameter update
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 Named Selections
• Named selections are defined to create a base object for mesh
methods, or to identify them for applying boundary conditions in
Workbench
• Named Selections for edge, faces and bodies are transferred to
Workbench
• Procedure to define Named Selection is as follows:
– Select mode should be active
– Select required entity/entities
(Edge, face or body)
– In the groups tab click on Create
Group
– Default name (Group#) will be
given to Named selection. You can
rename by right clicking on it.

35 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 SCDM  Workbench
• Transfer to Workbench
– Driving Dimensions and Named Selections can be renamed (RMB click) in SpaceClaim
– Make sure Named Selections and Parameters are activated into WB project page
• Tools Options  Geometry Import and/or
• Properties for geometry cell

– Filtering prefixes:
• Delete the NS and DS prefixes, or
• Rename required Driving dimensions and
Named selections in SpaceClaim with
prefix DS and NS respectively

36 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015

 SCDM  Workbench
• Geometry from SpaceClaim can be sent into
Workbench using the following methods
– Prepare tab  Workbench 16 (Direct link)
• Opens a Workbench page
• In the project schematic, link to the appropriate
Analysis system by dragging and dropping the system
from the toolbox on the SpaceClaim cell
OR
– Open a Workbench & drag and drop desired
analysis system in project schematic
• Right click on geometry cell
• Again two options are available
– New SpaceClaim Direct modeler…, then open the saved
Spaceclaim file, or
– Import Geometry to open the saved Spaceclaim file

37 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. June 23, 2015