- SIMULATION SOLIDWORKS 2010 SOFTWARE
We have to record the number of elements and the solving time in each case and plot the same graphs as in first case for comparison. The number of elements in a circle (parameter) is to be varied from 4 to 36 in steps of 8. Then the effectiveness of a curvature based mesh is to be explored. The material is steel rod of diameter 0.25 inches. The middle joint allows rotation as well as translation and it is subjected to a force of 50 lb in the horizontal direction as shown in Figure 1. The two base joints are fixed and only allow rotation as a degree of freedom. The truss structure consists of two elements and three joints. This problem has to be solved analytically using the direct stiffness method of truss elements in 2-D space by formulating the stiffness matrix. The first part of the problem deals with the analysis of a 2-D Truss element (lesson 4). The results obtained are to be compared with analytical solutions plotted in MATLAB in order to explore the accuracy of the solutions in Solidworks.
SIMULATION SOLIDWORKS 2010 SOFTWARE
In this project, we have not only learnt the basics of implementing FEA in this software through lessons provided in the book “Introduction to Finite Element Analysis using SolidWorks Simulation 2010” but also used explored the capability of the package for analysis using different mesh types, mesh sizes, and observing their corresponding effects on computational time and convergence towards the analytical solution.Ģ Problem statementWe are required to study and complete the lessons 4, 7, 11 provided in the book “Introduction to Finite Element Analysis using SolidWorks Simulation 2010”. This ability of Solidworks has been depicted in this project by considering a detailed study of a C-bracket.
SolidWorks provides the ability to carry out this technique in a very user friendly manner, it is fast and the design changes can be explored by making changes in the CAD models and design constraints. The solutions obtained in Solidworks are compared to the solutions in MATLAB with the help of various plots to explore the accuracy of the CAE package.įEA is being tremendously used in the industry today for design and analysis purposes. The problems considered in this project such as the 2-D truss or the loaded beam problem can be solved analytically using the basic equilibrium equations of force and moment, and the results can be visually analyzed using the powerful MATLAB tool. The CAE package is very handy for doing such a type of finite element study as it is fairly easy to define the various conditions or the constraints under which the device is being subjected to, and it gives sufficiently accurate results required for the further analysis of the system. Quick, clever, and productive! Now that I like.1 IntroductionThis project is intended towards learning the use of Solidworks 2010 for carrying out finite element analysis of structures and mechanical devices such as a truss or a cantilever beam. The software automatically checks for proximity of these items and applies the bond to the correct face. No mention of the beam surfaces and no need to have to drill down through layers of geometry to find them. Here we see the bonded contact set definition requiring the two side members and the surface of the footplate alone. Well, in 2010 the whole process has been made more intuitive and more intelligent by allowing the user to simply pick the entire beam rather than having to select the correct face of the beam. This might be ok for the two side members, but what if you had to do this for each cross member too?! In SolidWorks 2009 this would have required the user to pick the top face of each side beam to bond with the surface of the footplate, meaning a repetitive ‘Select Other’ command to drill down to the correct beam face. Therefore we need to create a bonded contact set between these three entities. In the example above the two side members of the bridge structure support the footplate, which is modelled as one complete curved surface (highlighted below). However we have also spent quite a bit of effort making the day to day tasks of using the products more simple, intuitive, and productive and so I wanted to begin by highlighting one of these.įirstly think beam modelling, think pre-processing, and think what a pain it is when you have to select specific surfaces of a beam geometry to set up bonded contacts. Feedback has been amazing and there are some really neat technologies that I’m sure we’ll be talking about soon. I’ve just spent the past couple of weeks with our Northern European resellers going through some of the new simulation features in 2010.