In this demonstration, you will create a 3D solid model geometry for a generic pressure vessel.

You
will use a comprehensive set of tools and functionality in the Part Module.

Procedure:

Start Abaqus as shown in the previous presentation. Create a new Model Database, as shown
below:

In the Model Tree, Right-Click on Model-1 and Rename it to Pressure_Vessel_Solid:

In this model, click on Create Part in the Tool Box of the Part Module and create a 3D Deformable
Solid Geometry (name it Pressure_Vessel) with a Solid Revolution as the Base Feature (make the
Approximate Size 5):
Create Part
You are now in Sketch Mode where you will create the necessary sketch for the Revolution Base
Feature. Note that the tools that appear in the toolbox are now Sketch Tools. Also Note that on the
Sketch Grid a vertical construction line is present. This construction line will serve as the axis of
revolution for the base revolution feature that you will create shortly.

Vertical Construction Line

Sketch Tools (Axis of Revolution)

Start by adding an Isolated Point to the origin, along with a horizontal construction line that also
runs through the origin. This will serve as references for further sketch development:
Hint: Click on the Construction Line Tool (and hold in the mouse button). A list of options will
expand to the right. Select the Create Construction: Horizontal Line Thru Point tool.

Click and Hold

Horizontal Construction Line

The point and horizontal construction line now need to be fixed to prevent them from being
accidently moved away from the origin during sketch development. This is done by clicking on the
Add Constraint tool and selecting the Fixed Constraint option. Box-select the construction lines and
point and click Done to complete the instruction.
 Box-select

Click to Complete Action

The construction lines are now fully constrained and you can now continue with creating the model
geometrys sketch.

Add two more horizontal construction lines (above and below the line going through the origin).
Add the dimensions of 0.5 and 1.0 as shown below:

Hint: When adding dimensions to a sketch, follow the instructions in the prompt area below the
viewport. The instructions are as follows:

Select the entity to dimension Select a line or vertex that forms part of your intended
dimension.
Pick the second entity or location for the dimension text--or enter X,Y Select a second
line or vertex, if needed, or click the mouse on where you want the dimension text located.
Pick the location for the dimension text--or enter X,Y Click the mouse on where you
want the dimension text located.
New dimension:____ Enter the desired value of the dimension.
 Add Dimension

Draw a solid vertical line between the upper and lower horizontal construction lines, using the
Create Lines: Connected tool. Again, follow the instructions in the prompt area. To cancel the
procedure (i.e. stop drawing additional interconnected lines) simply hit the Esc button.

When sketching the line, it will snap into a vertical orientation to invoke a vertical constraint to the
line (indicated by a v symbol). It now cannot have a different orientation, such as horizontal or
inclined. You will also notice that the end points of the vertical line have snapped to their respective
horizontal construction lines during sketching. This indicates that, for each point, a coincident
constraint was created between the point and the construction line. In the event of the line being
dragged (by using the Drag Entities tool), the line will only translate to the left or right; the line will
not shorten or lengthen since the end points are constrained to those construction lines. The line
will also remain vertical due to the vertical constraint.

Create Lines: Connected Coincident Constraints

Vertical Constraint
Drag Entities
Dimension the vertical line so that it is located a distance of 0.5 m from the vertical construction
line:

Add two more horizontal construction lines, both located as shown below (also add the dimensions):

Add a circle to the sketch by using the Create Circle: Center and Perimeter tool. Follow the
instructions in the Prompt Area:

Pick a centre point for the circle--or enter X,Y

Pick a perimeter point for the circle--or enter X,Y

Hit the Esc button to cancel the Create Circle command.

Place the centre of the circle on the horizontal construction line as shown below, using the snap
functionality. Also snap the circle perimeter to the endpoint of the solid vertical line:
Add another circle to the sketch by using the Create Circle: Centre and Perimeter tool. This time
place both the centre and perimeter point of the circle on the vertical construction line. The sketch
should look like indicated below:

Add a radius dimension of 0.075 m to the small circle:

Add a tangent constraint between the large circle and the horizontal construction line, as shown
below. Follow the instructions:

Select the first entity for the tangent constraint Select the circle
Select the second entity for the tangent constraint Select the construction line
Add another tangent constraint between the large circle and the small circle, as shown below.

Hint: You may want to use the Drag Entities tool to drag the centre point of the large circle and/or
its perimeter point around to ensure the end result shown:

Drag Entities

Note that the colour of the sketch lines turned green. This indicates that the sketch is now fully
constrained.

Use the Auto-Trim tool to individually remove the unwanted line segments as shown below. When
done, hit the Esc button.

Auto-Trim

The final result should look like:

You will notice that the colour of the top curves (also referred to as the torispherical end) reverted
back to yellow. This is due to constraints that were deleted when you removed the unwanted line
segments with the Auto-Trim tool. You now have to add new constraints and dimensions to the
sketch to fully constrain it (and subsequently turn its colour back to green).

Add the radius dimension of 0.075 m to the small circle segment.

The constraints that are needed are the following:

A Coincident Constraint between the centre of the small circle and the horizontal
construction line it is on.
A Coincident Constraint between the top end of the large circle segment and the horizontal
construction line it meets.
A Coincident Constraint between the top end of the large circle segment and the vertical
construction line it meets.
A Tangent Constraint between the small circle segment and the solid vertical line.
A Tangent Constraint between the large circle segment and the horizontal construction line
it meets.
A Tangent Constraint between the small and large circle segments.
 Coincident Tangent
Horizontal
Dimension
Coincident
Vertical

Tangent
Coincident

The sketch should now be fully constrained (and green).

Repeat all the above steps (that were used to create the top curves) and create a set of curves at the
bottom. Remember to end with a fully constrained sketch.

Bottom Curves

Use the Offset Curves tool to offset the sketch curves inwards by a distance of 0.03 m. Follow the
instructions in the Prompt Area:

Select the entities to offset Select all of the solid sketch line segments and click Done
(as seen below). Hint: Use the Shift-Select action to select more than one line segment.
 Offset Curves

Offset distance Enter the desired offset distance and hit Enter.

Is the offset shown on the correct side? If YES, click OK. If not, Flip the direction and
click OK.
 When finished, click Done.

The sketch should like this:

Use the Create Lines: Connected tool to close off the sketch profile at the top and bottom, as shown
below. To ensure that the profile is completely closed off, use the snap functionality to draw these
lines.
You are now done with the sketch. The final sketch should now look like the one below. The Prompt
Area will show the message Sketch the section for the revolved solid. Since you do not have to
add any sketch details, click Done.

The Edit Revolution dialogue box will appear. Note that the vertical construction line is highlighted
in red, indicating that it will serve as the axis of revolution for the solid revolution feature about to
be created.

In the Edit Revolution dialogue box, change the Angle to 360 degrees and click OK.

The Solid Revolution Base Feature for the part has been created. Note that this feature appears in
the Model Tree, in the Pressure_Vessel_Solid model under Parts Pressure_Vessel Features.
All subsequent features will be added to this Features List as they are created.
 Base Feature

Use the Create Datum Plane: Offset From Principal Plane tool to create a reference X-Y plane.
Specify an Offset of 0.

Create Datum Plane:

Offset From Principal
Plane
Hit Enter to create the plane. Note that the reference plane will appear as a feature in the Features
List in the Model Tree.

Repeat the process above to create a Y-Z and X-Z reference plane. Again, note that these planes will
appear as features in the Model Tree.

Use the Create Datum Axis: Principal Axis tool to create a reference Z-axis. Note that, to create the
reference axis, you must click on your appropriate axis choice and it will be created immediately
(and appear in the Feature List accordingly). To cancel the procedure (i.e. exit from the Create
Datum Axis tool) simply hit the Esc key.
 Create Datum Axis:
Principal Axis

Use the Create Datum Plane: Point and Normal tool to create a reference plane as shown below:

Click and Hold

Select a point through

which the datum plane
will pass
Again, note that this reference plane appears as a feature in the Model Tree.
Repeat this process to create another reference plane at the bottom of the part, as shown below:
Use the Create Datum Plane: Offset From Plane tool to create a reference plane at an offset of
0.425 m away (upward) from Datum Plane-4. Follow the instructions in the Prompt Area:

Click and Hold

Flip Direction if
Necessary
 Hit Enter

Repeat the process to create another reference plane at an offset of 0.425 m away (downward)
from Datum Plane-5:

Use the Partition Cell: Use Datum Plane to partition the part via the reference planes indicated
(Datum plane-4 and Datum plane-5). Follow the instructions in the Prompt Area:
Click and Hold

Select Plane
 Select Plane

The partitions are also placed under the Features List in the Model Tree.

Using the same approach, create a partition using the X-Z reference plane (Datum plane-3):
Add a Solid Extrusion Feature by clicking the Create Solid: Extrude tool. Select the indicated plane as
the plane for the extrusion:

Select the reference Z-Axis to appear vertical and on the right

You will now enter the sketch mode for creating this new feature. Note that the sketch tools have
appeared in the toolbox:

Draw the necessary horizontal and vertical construction lines through the origin (together with the
isolated point at the origin). Also add a fixed constraint to these items:
Add a circle with a radius of 0.1 m with the center at the origin. Note the location of the perimeter
point of the circle below. Hit the Esc key when done with adding the circle:

When the sketch is done, click on Done to create the solid extrude feature. The Edit Extrusion
dialogue box will appear. Click on the Flip Direction button to change the direction of extrusion so
that it points towards the pressure vessel.
Change the Type to Up to Face and click OK.

In the Prompt Area, the message Select a face to extrude to appears. In the viewport, select the
top torispherical end of the pressure vessel as indicated.
The solid extrusion feature is then completed. You will also see this new feature in the Feature List in
the Model Tree.

Repeat this process to create another solid extrusion feature from the bottom plane (as indicated
below) to the bottom torispherical end of the vessel. The final result should look like the following:
 Select Plane

Use the Create Cut: Extrude tool to create an extruded cut feature through the vessel along the y-
direction. Select the top plane as the plane from which to extrude:

Select the reference Z-Axis to appear vertical and on the right

Sketch a fully constrained circle with a radius of 0.075 m as shown below:

When done with the sketch, exit the sketch mode and, in the Edit Cut Extrusion dialogue box, set the
Extrusion Type to Through All, make sure the extrusion direction points into the vessel and hit OK.
The model should look as follows:

Add a solid extrusion (Create Solid: Extrude) to the part from the top reference plane, as shown
below:
Draw a fully constrained circle with a radius of 0.15 m:

Complete/exit the sketch mode. In the Edit Extrusion dialogue box, set the Type to Blind, Depth to
0.025 m and make sure the Extrude direction points away from the vessel.
The model should then look like this:

Repeat this procedure at the bottom of the vessel, so that the model looks as follows:
Now add a fillet of radius 0.02 m to the edges shown.

Edges to Fillet

To perform this task, use the Create Round or Fillet tool and follow the instructions in the Prompt
Area:
Shift-select the two edges as indicated and click Done:

Enter the desired radius (0.02), hit Enter and click Done.
The two fillets will have been added to the model as a Round Feature (see in the Model Tree; the
feature name will be Round-1) and should look like this:

Fillets

Use the Partition Cell: Use Datum Plane tool ( ) to create two partitions of the entire part: one
using the X-Y reference plane as the datum plane and the second using the Y-Z reference plane as
the datum. The model should look as follows:
Create two new reference (datum) planes, each with an offset of 0.15 m from the indicated planes.
Use the Create Datum Plane: Offset From Plane tool ( ). Then use the Partition Cell: Use Datum
Plane tool ( ) to create two partitions of the entire part using these new datum planes:

0.15 m

0.15 m

Up until now the part has consisted entirely of solid geometry. To complete the part, we need to add
four lifting lugs to the pressure vessel. As a simplification, we will model these lugs with shells
instead of solid geometry.

This will be done by creating a shell geometry with the Create Shell: Planar tool.
Select the X-Y reference plane as the datum plane and a vertical edge to be vertical and on the
right. The sketch mode will then be invoked:

Using the sketch tools that you used earlier (eg Create Lines, Auto-Trim, Construction Lines,
dimensions and constraints), create the fully constrained sketch, with its dimensions, as shown
below:
When done with the sketch, click Done. The model with the added lugs will look as follows:

Repeat this process using the Create Shell: Planar tool, this time using the Y-Z plane as the datum
plane. The end result should look like this:
Save the model database with the name PressureVessel.cae.

Creating Sets and Surfaces

In order to effectively manage the definition of material definitions, sections and section
assignments, loads and boundary conditions, you can make use of the Sets and Surfaces
functionality in Abaqus. By assigning sets and surfaces to the appropriate regions on the model, you
can keep track of your various definitions. Although this concept may seem unclear at the moment,
it will become more apparent when defining material characteristics in the Property Module and
loads and boundary conditions in the Load Module.

To create a set or surface, simply double-click on the relevant icon in the Model Tree.

Double-Click

The Create Set dialogue box appears where you can specify a name for the set. In this case, name
the set All and click Continue.
Box-select the entire model and click Done.

A set with the name All has been created and is listed under the Sets icon in the Model Tree:
This set is now associated with the entire model. You can also create sets that are associated with
just a particular region, or portion, of the part. For example, in this model we need to distinguish the
lifting lugs from the rest of the model since they are shell geometries and the rest of the model are
solids. This will simplify the material section definitions and assignments later on. To create a new
set, double-click on the Sets icon again and name the new set LiftingLugs_15mm. The select the four
lifting lugs as indicated below and click Done. The new set will also appear in the Sets list:

Now we want to create a number of sets that are associated with the following regions of the
pressure vessel:

The vessels cylindrical portion.

The vessels top torispherical end.
The vessels bottom torispherical end.
The top and bottom nozzle pipes.
The top and bottom nozzle flanges.
Create a new set named Cylinder and box-select the cylindrical portion of the vessel, as shown
below. Hint: Orientate the model so that you DO NOT select the lifting lugs. If you accidentally
selected one of the lugs, use Ctrl-click to deselect it.
At this stage it is should be noted that the partitions that were created earlier resulted in the part
being divided into multiple cells. These cells can be selected individually (or in groups) and hidden
from the viewport. This is useful for observing regions of the model that are not visible from the
outside. To do this, find the Remove Selected button in the top toolbar.

When selected, change the Entities to Remove from Faces to Cells (in the Prompt Area).

As you hover your mouse cursor over the cells, they will be highlighted:
To hide a cell(s) simply click on the cell(s) that you want to hide, and click Done. The cells will be
hidden from the viewport:

Note that the cells have NOT BEEN deleted; they have simply been hidden from view. To make them
reappear again, click on the Replace All button in the top toolbar:
When manipulating the model during hiding and reappearing cells, you will notice that, amongst
others, the pressure vessel has been divided into longitudinal quarters. However, for each quarter
the torispherical ends, their respective nozzle pipes and flanges all form one cell:
 Nozzle Flange

Torispherical Ends

Nozzle Flange

Nozzle Pipes

We also want to divide these up into different cells to simplify further model development. To do
this, hide the cells that form part of the pressure vessels cylindrical portion:

On the bottom torispherical end, create a cell partition using the Partition Cell: Extend Face tool:
Box-select the bottom torispherical ends cells and click Done:

Select the indicated face as the face to be extended as the partitioning tool:
Then click on Create Partition:

Select the torispherical end and the nozzle pipe as the cells to partition (Note that the flange has not
been selected since it was partitioned off in the previous step):
Select the one of the external cylindrical faces of the nozzle pipe the face to be extended as the
partitioning tool and click Create Partition:

When this step is completed, click Done. The bottom torispherical end with the nozzle pipe and
flange should then be partitioned off from one another and look like this:
You can manipulate the model again with the Remove Selected tool to observe the end result of
your partitions. You should find that the torispherical end, nozzle pipe, nozzle flange and rounded
fillet are now all separate cells. This will prove to be useful when assigning material sections and also
when creating the mesh.

Repeat the same procedure for the top torispherical end to partition off the different regions.

We can now continue with creating the sets that we initially planned to, i.e.:

The vessels top torispherical end.

The vessels bottom torispherical end.
The top and bottom nozzle pipes (INCLUDING their Rounded Fillets).
The top and bottom nozzle flanges.

Using the same approach that you used to create the earlier sets, create the sets for the above listed
regions. Hint: to make selecting the cells easier, change the selection criteria to Cells.

Give the sets the names as shown below:

The pressure vessel will be connected to a support structure through the lifting lugs. We will not
model this support structure yet, and will create a boundary condition at the lugs holes to resemble
a simplified coupling to the support structure. In this case it would also be prudent to create a set
that is associated to these holes. Create a set that consists of the perimeter edges of the four holes.
Call the set SupportLugs_Connect. Hint: You will have to change the selection criteria back to All in
order to be able to select the hole perimeter edges:

Create another set, this time selecting the perimeter edges of any three of the holes. Name this set
LugHoles_FixZ.

Then create a set by selecting the perimeter edge of the fourth hole (that is, the hole that was not
selected for the previous step definition). Name this set LugHoles_FixAll.

In certain cases, we want to change the name of a set, surface or feature. To do that, simply right-
click on the item you want to change and select Rename. For this model, rename the
LiftingLugs_15mm set to SupportLugs_45mm.

Next we want to define a surface which consists of all of the interior surfaces of the pressure vessel.
Double-click on the Surfaces icon and name the new surface InteriorSurfaces.

Change the Select the regions for the surface from Individual to By Angle (leave the default angle
at 20.0):
Since you have to select the interior surfaces of the vessel, a simple way to view the interior is to
click the Activate/Deactivate View Cut tool in the toolbar. A cross-section view of the part is then
shown, allowing you to select the relevant interior surfaces.
Now select all the interior surfaces of the vessel by shift-selecting the surfaces. This includes the
inner surfaces of the nozzle pipes and flanges. You will notice that you do not have to select the
surfaces individually due to the By Angle option you selected earlier. All surfaces that are within a
20 degree relative inclination will be selected with one click. The selection should look like this:

When all the surfaces have been selected, click Done and deactivate the cross-section view by
clicking on the Activate/Deactivate View Cut tool again. The interior surfaces of the pressure vessel
have now been associated with a surface definition, which will be used for the definition of a
pressure load later in the analysis:
Save the Model Database and close Abaqus.