FEM WITH UG-NX

NARENDRA KOMARLA M-CME

MENTOR Prof. Dr Ing. H-B. Woyand Fachgebiet Maschinenbau-Informatik

FEM WITH UG-NX

CONTENTS

1.

Introduction .....................................................................

03

2.

Entering the Module ..........................................................

04

3.

Creating the Mesh .............................................................

08

4.

Assigning Material Properties ...........................................

10

5.

Boundary Conditions .........................................................

11

6.

Defining the force .............................................................

14

7.

Results and Post-processing .............................................

16

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1. Introduction The purpose of this guide is to familiarize the user with the Structural analysis solver in Siemens-NX. Structural analysis using NX is strong and comprehensive, as it uses NX Nastran Design as the solver. An indispensable example of the structural analysis of a cantilever beam is demonstrated here. The analysis demonstrates only basic functions. The main intention of the manual is to familiarize the user with the environment, so that it could be used for practical purposes.

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2. Entering the module The first step is to model the parts required to be analyzed (Refer other user guides for modeling in NX). Once modeling is complete, Start > Design Simulation (Pic. 1) (May be located in All applications sometimes)

Picture 1 Design simulation A new window opens automatically. In the form that opens, select the following: Analysis type Structural/Thermal. In this case, structural Analysis type is chosen. De-activate the Option, Create Idealized part *

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*The idealized part creates an idealized copy of the design part file. This idealized part file can be modified later to remove some small geometry details to be ignored in the analysis. This is ignored at this moment. A description can be given Ex Cantilever_beam FEM (Pic. 2)

Picture 2 New Simulation

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Picture 3 Parts There would be three parts in the Simulation navigator now. (Pic. 3) 1. The original design part file being analyzed. This file will not be modified during the analysis. 2. The FEM file. This file will contain the finite element mesh. 3. The simulation file. This file will contain the specific loads for this analysis, and will contain the results after the solution. Note that the Idealized part in missing here, because it was not created.

The new window called Solution opens. Select the solution type Linear Static > Single Constraint and then OK (Pic. 3)

Picture 4 Solution type

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We find ourselves in the Analysis Environment now (Pic. 5).

Picture 5 Analysis Environment

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3. Creating the mesh Left mouse click on 3D Tetrahedral in the Design Simulation menu opens a form (Pic. 6). Select the element type, CTETRA (4), for a linear mesh (4 nodes), or CTETRA (10) for a parabolic mesh (10 nodes). Enter a value for the element size, ex. 5mm. Select the solid model, and confirm with OK. Our part is now meshed (Pic. 7). The mesh and the mesh type can be seen in the Simulation Navigator

Picture 6 Meshing window

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Picture 7 Meshed part

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4. Assigning Material Properties

A click on the Material Properties button allows the user to Define and assign the material of our choice. Select the material from the list (Ex: Steel) and select the body (Pic. 8).

Picture 8 Material

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5. Boundary Conditions Click on the Constraint Type button (Pic. 9). The options are displayed in the dropdown menu and Fixed Constraint can be selected from the menu. Select the left face of the model. If the selection was not precise, a new window QuickPick opens. The face can be selected now (Pic. 10, 11).

Picture 9 Constraints

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Picture 10 Fixed Boundary Conditions

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Picture 11 Fixed Support

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6. Defining the force A mouse click on the Loading type (Pic. 12) icon displays the available options. Select the force type Ex Force and select the face on the opposite side (opposite to which the fixed boundary conditions was defined). Give a value for the force, Ex 1000N. Select the direction Ex, -ZC. And confirm with OK. The force is now defined (Pic. 13, 14).

Picture 12 Force

Picture 13 Force

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Picture 14 Force defined

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7. Results and Post-Processing A click on the Finite Element Model Check (Pic. 15) opens a new window. The default settings are confirmed with OK. This runs a check on the model which is being examined and a comprehensive Model check report is displayed (Pic. 16). The report is read for abnormalities.

Picture 15 Model check

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Picture 16 Model check report

Click on the Solve Icon (Pic. 17), with default settings, we confirm with OK

Picture 17 Solve

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Nx Nastran solver calculates the problem and reports the status (Pic. 18). A detailed Solution report (Pic. 19) is displayed too. The Solution report (monitor) contains relevant data along with the node and element information of the analyzed part. A new entry appears in the Simulations-Navigator called Results (Pic. 20).

Picture 18 Job Monitor

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Picture 19 Solution Report

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Picture 20 Simulations Navigator

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A double mouse click on the results displays a list of results which have been calculated in a Post processing Navigator (Pic. 21).

Picture 21 Post processing Navigator

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Stress > Elemental is expanded in the post processing navigator, and select, VonMises (Pic. 22). The contour plots for Von Mises stress is displayed (Pic. 23)

Picture 22 Stress - Post Processing Navigator

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Picture 23 Von mises stress - Solution

For an averaged contour plot (blended colors), Click on Postview (Pic. 24) in the Post Processing Navigator click on the Results button (Pic. 25), and activate Averaged, (Pic. 26) confirm the settings with OK. A new contour plot appears on the screen, displaying the average stress distribution in the model. (Pic. 27)

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Picture 24 Post View

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Picture 25 Solve

Picture 26 Averaged stress

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Picture 27 Average Stress Distribution

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