Before You Begin

Before you begin you should be familiar with the following basic concepts: What Type of Analysis for What Type of Design? What Types of Hypotheses are Used for Analysis? About the Products Available in Analysis Workbench... And What If a Singularity Is Detected? Improving Performances (SGI) Improving Performances (Windows NT) Improving Performances on Multi-Processor Computers Miscellaneous Integration CATIA V5 Analysis / VPM

What Type of Analysis for What Type of Design? You will find here below three methodological cases for generating mesh, depending on the type of the geometry.   GPS: Generative Part Structural Analysis workbench FMS: Advanced Meshing Tools workbench   GSD: Generative Shape Design workbench PRT: Part Design workbench   Analyzing in "Generative Part Structural Analysis" Workbench (GPS)  After Meshing in "Advanced Meshing Tools workbench" (FMS)     The selected FMS mesh part will be used for analysis. This mesh contains triangle and quadrangle shell elements. Those elements can only be linear (three nodes-four nodes). They have six degrees of freedom per node (three translations and three rotations) to take into account membrane and bending effects. The thickness of the part needs to be specified by double-clicking on Material Property in the specification tree. All the preprocessing specifications (Loads, Restraints, Masses) will have to be applied to the geometries that were selected in FMS workbench (by clicking the Surface Mesh icon).   Analyzing in "Generative Part Structural Analysis" (GPS) Workbench Surface Geometry Designed in "Generative Shape Design" (GSD) Workbench   First case You first indicated in GSD which geometry you want to be analyzed by going into  Tools -> External View commands from the menu bar. The following will be generated: mesh parts and shell properties. A 2D Octree mesh Part is automatically created when starting GPS. This mesh part will generate triangle shell elements. Those elements can be linear (three nodes) or parabolic (six nodes). They have six degrees of freedom per node (three translations and three rotations) to take into account membrane and bending effects. Second case You did not indicate in GSD which geometry you want to be analyzed. You will have to use Mesh Part commands to generate Mesh Parts and properties commands to generate properties.  Notes You can edit, delete or re-create mesh parts and properties at any time. In case of inconsistencies, use the Check command . All the preprocessing specifications (Loads, Restraints, Masses) will have to be applied to a geometry on which a Mesh part and property was created.   Analyzing in "Generative Part Design" (GPS) Workbench Solid Geometry Designed in Part Design (PRT)    A 3D OCTREE mesh Part is automatically created. This mesh part will generate tetrahedron elements. Those elements can be linear (four nodes) or parabolic (ten nodes). They have three degrees of freedom per node (three translation). All the preprocessing specifications (Loads, Restraints, Masses) will be applied to the Part Body geometry.

What Type of Hypotheses are Used for Analysis? You will find here below three types of hypotheses used when working in Analysis workbench. Small displacement (translation and rotation) Small strain  Linear constitutive law: linear elasticity For static case solutions, one can say that: If there is no contact feature (either virtual or real), no pressure fitting property and no bolt tightening (either virtual or real) feature, then the problem is linear, that is to say, the displacement is a linear function of the load.  If there is at least one contact feature (being virtual or not) or pressure fitting property or bolt tightening (being virtual or not) feature, then the problem is non linear, that is to say, the displacement is a non linear function of the load.

	About the Products Available in Analysis Workbench...
	GP1: Generative Part Structural Analysis (P1) GPS: Generative Part Structural Analysis (P2) Addresses transparent and automatic stress and vibration analysis for parts, integrating simulation and design specifications, with the core application of V5 analysis. EST: ELFINI Structural Analysis (P2) Performs advanced pre, post processing and solving with complementary analysis options.
	GAS: Generative Assembly Structural Analysis (P2) Addresses transparent, integrated and automatic stress and vibration analysis for assemblies of parts integrating simulation and design specifications.

 

Commands		Products:
In which given Products will you access the Commands below?		GP1	GPS	GAS	EST
* some functionalities in these commands are only available if you previously installed EST product (for more details see the documented task itself).
Analysis Cases
	New Static Case	*	*
	New Frequency Case		*
	New Buckling Case
	New Combined Case
Model Manager
	Solid property
	Shell property		*
	Beam property
	Check the Mesh (Body)
	Check the Mesh (Connections)
	Check the Mesh (Others)
Mesh Creation
	3D Mesh part
	2D Mesh part
	1D Mesh part
Mesh Specifications
	Local Mesh Sizes
	Local Mesh Sags
	Local Mesh Sizes
Adaptivity
	Adaptivity Boxes
Mesh Specifications
	Local Mesh Sizes
	Local Mesh Sags
	Local Mesh Sizes
	Adaptivity Boxes
Virtual Parts
	Rigid Virtual Parts
	Smooth Virtual Parts
	Contact Virtual Parts
	Rigid Spring Virtual Parts
	Spring Smooth Virtual Parts
Virtual Parts
	Periodicity Conditions
Connection Properties
	Fastened Connections
	Slider Connections
	Contact Connections
	Pressure Fitting Connections
	Bolt Tightening Connections
	Virtual Rigid Bolt Tightening Connections
	Virtual Spring Bolt Tightening Connections
	Rigid Connections
	Smooth Connections
	User-Defined Distant Connections
	Spot Welding Connections
	Seam Weld Connections
Mass Equipment
	Distributed Mass		*
	Line Mass Densities		*
	Surface Mass Densities		*
Restraints
	Clamps	*	*
	Surface Sliders	*	*
	Ball Joins		*
	Sliders		*
	Pivots		*
	Sliding Pivots		*
	Advanced Restraints	*	*
	Iso-static Restraints	*	*
Loads
	Pressures	*	*
	Distributed Force	*	*
	Moment	*	*
	Bearing Load
	Importing Forces
	Importing Moments
	Line Force Density	*	*
	Surface Force Density	*	*
	Body Force	*	*
	Acceleration	*	*
	Rotation Force	*	*
	Enforced Displacement	*	*
	Creating Temperature Field
Sensors
	Create Sensors (Static Analysis Case)
	Create Sensors (Frequency Analysis Case)
	Create Sensors (Buckling Case)
Groups
	Group Points
	Group Lines
	Group Surfaces
	Group Bodies
Results Computation
	Specify External Storage
	Clear External Storage
	Temporary Data Directory
	Computing Object sets	*	*
	Managing Adaptivity		*
	Use a Batch
Results Visualization
	Visualize Deformation	*	*
	Visualize Von Mises Stresses	*	*
	Visualize Displacements	*	*
	Visualize Principal Stresses	*	*
	Visualize Precisions	*	*	*
	Reporting
	Advanced Reporting
	Historic of Computation
	Animate Image
	Cut Plane Analysis
	Deformation Scale Factor
	Extrema Detection
	Information
	Images Layout
Contextual Menu
on Finite Element Model
on restraints
on loads

 

	About Supports ...
	Analysis specifications can be applied to different types of supports: Geometrical Feature - Point/Vertex (except GSM points) - Curve/Edge - Surface/Face - Volume/Part Mechanical Feature Analysis Feature When the user selects a mechanical feature, the analysis specification is actually applied on the resulting associated geometry. If this geometry is not an authorized geometrical supports (see table below), the user will not be able to select the mechanical feature. For example, selecting a fillet for a Line Force Density will not be allowed because the resulting geometry of a fillet are surfaces while the authorized geometrical entities for Line Force Density are line or edges.
	To apply a restraint, a load or a connection to one extremity of a beam, you need to first put the point that were possibly created at the extremity of this beam, in order to build the wireframe, into the Hide mode. As result, to apply the above mentioned specifications, you will select the extremity of the wireframe and not the hidden point (small cross in the 3D view) as this point is not linked to the mesh.
	This is summarized in the table below:

 

Analysis Specifications		Supports
		Mechanical Feature	Geometrical Feature				Analysis Feature
			Point or Vertex	Curve or Edge	Surface or Face	Body (Solid or Surface)
Loads
	Pressures
	Distributed Force						Virtual part
	Moment						Virtual part
	Bearing Load				Cylindrical surface
	Acceleration
	Rotation Force
	Line Force Density
	Surface Force Density
	Body Force
	Enforced Displacement						Restraint specification
	Creating Temperature Field
Restraints
	Clamps						Virtual part
	Surface Sliders
	Sliders						Virtual part
	Sliding Pivots						Virtual part
	Ball Joins						Virtual part
	Pivots						Virtual part
	Advanced Restraints						Virtual part
Mass
	Distributed Mass						Virtual part
	Line Mass Densities
	Surface Mass Densities
Virtual Parts
	All

 

 

 

 

 

 

And What If a Singularity Is Detected? If as you launch the computation operation , a singularity is detected, the following error message dialog box appears: For example, open the sample31.CATAnalysis document. 1. Select the Compute icon and click OK in the Error message dialog box. In addition, an exclamation mark lets you know in the specification tree (assigned to the Case solution feature) that a singularity was detected. This exclamation mark will appear either when you expand/collapse the tree or still when adding or updating a generated image. In other words, you will be able to know, visually speaking, which computed solutions are singular and which computed solutions are not singular. 2. Select the Deformation icon . Note that as the computation failed, only the Deformation type of image is available. 3. Select the Animate icon to understand why singularity was detected. Most commonly, the reasons are that a restraint or a connection is missing. 4. In this particular case, you need to assign a restraint (Clamps ) to the CATAnalysis. 5. Select the Compute icon .

Improving Performances (SGI) If you installed EST (ELFINI Structural Analysis) product and want to improve performances, it is strongly recommended that you install SCSL SGI product.

Improving Performances (Windows NT) To improve performances, download the Intel MKL library from the following intel web site: http://developer.intel.com/software/products/index.htm The Intel MKL library level supported is 5.1.e.

Warning: Only the last version of Intel MKL can be found on the site, and this version may be an upper level that was tested with CATIA. In this case, you can download it from the Intel FTP site by the following procedure: > ftp download.intel.com > cd /design/perftool/perflibst/mkl/exes/mkl51e You will find in this directory an executable corresponding to the INTEL MKL 5.1e. You just have to execute it to install the version. Then, add to your PATH environment variable, the following string: C:\Program Files\intel\MKL\ia32\bin

Miscellaneous DMU Space Analysis workbench Any CATAnalysis document that will be imported into a product needs to be updated if you wish to use it in DMU Space Analysis workbench.

	Integration CATIA V5 Analysis / VPM You will choose PDM destination using a CATIA command, save the docment and then manage the CATAnalysis document using ENOVIA VPM. 1. Load a CAnalysis document in CATIA 2. Save the CATAnalysis document into the VPM database 3. Reload the saved CATAnalysis document from VPM. 4. In CATIA session, create or load a basic assembly including two parts with a constraint. 5. Launch Generative Structural Analysis workbench, create a Static Analysis case and click OK. 6. Apply the desired specifications (Loads and Restraints) and then Compute the CATAnalysis document. This is an example: Note that the CATAnalysis document points to a CATProduct, a CATAnalysisResults and a CATAnalysisComputation documents. 7. Choose the PDM destination. For this, drag and drop the new  setPDMProperties command in any CATIA toolbar. This command can be found in the following menu bar Tools -> Customize Commands Tab and All Commands Categories. 8. Activate the SetPDMProperties command: each pointed document appears in the dialog box. 9. Select the pointed documents you want to save in VPM. For each pointed document, choose the appropriate VPM database environment in  Doc Env (See your VPM database administrator).
	when saving Assemblies containing applicative data (Such as Analysis Connections), be sure to have the Publication exposed option selected in the Storage Mode box.
	10. Saving  the documents from CATIA into VPM and reload the CATAnalysis from VPM. 11. Launch a VPM session. Parts list and Documents list are empty. 12. Launch a Save in CATIA session. For this, select File -> Save all in the menu bar. 13. Refresh the view in VPM. Newly created VPM Parts and documents now appear in VPM window. 14. Close the current CATAnalysis document in CATIA. 15. Open your saved CATAnalysis document  from VPM (use double click or Open) The previously saved CATAnalysis document is loaded in CATIA, updated and appears with the corresponding results if any.