Lecture 2

14.5 Release

Mechanical Introduction
2012 ANSYS, Inc.

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Welcome!
Welcome to the ANSYS Mechanical Offshore application training course!
This training course covers the basics of using ANSYS Mechanical in performing
structural analyses of fixed marine structures.
It is intended for all new or occasional ANSYS Mechanical users, regardless of
the CAD software used.
Course Objectives:
General understanding of the user interface, geometry import, meshing, application
of loads, supports, and postprocessing.
Procedure for performing FEA simulations, application of wave loads (in-place
analysis), soil-pile interactions, code checking and fatigue analysis.
Utilizing parameters for what-if scenarios.

Training Courses are also available covering the use of other Workbench applications
(e.g. DesignModeler, Design Exploration, etc.).

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Course Materials
The training notes you have is an exact copy of the slides.
Workshop descriptions and instructions are included in the Workshop Section.

Advanced training courses are available. The schedule is available on the ANSYS
web page www.ansys.com under Support > Training Center.

Lecture 1 Contents:

A.
B.
C.
D.

E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.

About ANSYS Inc.

ANSYS EKM
ANSYS Customer Portal
ANSYS Workbench Overview

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ANSYS Mechanical Overview

Starting Mechanical
The Workbench Environment
Workbench File Management
Working With Units
License Preferences

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A. About ANSYS, Inc.

ANSYS, Inc.
Developer of ANSYS family of products
Global Headquarters in Canonsburg, PA

Development and sales offices in US and around the world

Publicly traded on NASDAQ stock exchange under ANSS
For additional company information visit www.ansys.com

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B. ANSYS Engineering Knowledge Manager

What is ANSYS EKM?
ANSYS Engineering Knowledge Manager (EKM) is a web-based multi-user
collaborative product that is aimed at meeting the simulation data and process
management challenges faced by our customers. EKM is tightly integrated with
other ANSYS simulation offerings and it can also be very easily integrated with
other simulation codes including legacy and competitors software.

What is ANSYS EKM Desktop?

ANSYS EKM Desktop is a single user, local environment version of EKM. It is
available as part of ANSYS R14 release and it can be accessed via Workbench.
EKM Desktop is focused at meeting the challenge of re-using existing
simulations and thereby increasing simulation productivity and efficiency.

EKM Desktop can be started

under the File menu in the
Project window

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C. ANSYS Customer Portal

This document provides quick tour of the ANSYS Customer Portal,
including:

Using the Software Download area

Product information
Customer Support & Training tools
Knowledge Resources / FAQs
Training Material & Animated Tutorials
Online Support Request
Phone number
Other tools

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ANSYS Customer Portal

www.ansys.com/customerportal/

1. Visit www.ansys.com/customerportal/
2. For first time users, click Register here:
3. For returning users, click one of the following:
Type your email address
Type your password

Notes:
If you are encountering difficulties with the ANSYS
Customer Portal please click on the ANSYS Portal Help
Support Request Form on the login page
Online Technical Support for
all ANSYS products,
Mechanical/Fluent/CFX/Ansoft, is available through
the ANSYS Customer Portal

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ANSYS Customer Portal Home Page

Search the Knowledge Resources for FAQs,
Best Practices, Examples!

Survey: We appreciate your

feedback!
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Navigate to important locations on the Portal

with the click of an icon!

Review Top Solutions from

our Knowledge Resources!
8

Review latest News!

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Support and Training

Support Request
Submit a question to a support
specialist.

Animated Tutorials & Training

Materials
Watch short 2-8 minute demos
Download PDF versions of the
training lectures

Useful Links
Register for live technical webinars
Register for training courses
Register/view the ANSYS eNews

Search KRs & Submit SRs

Type keywords to perform a search
Submit/Update support requests
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How to Submit a Support Request

For ANSYS Direct Customers*:
From the ANSYS Customer Portal
1. Click Submit Support Request
2. Click Submit/Update technical support request
3. Under My Service Requests, click New
Other Methods
For UK:
Phone 0800.048.0462 (make sure that your Contact # (aka. Individual Customer #) is
available when you call
Support hours 0900 to 1700hrs
* Customers serviced by ANSYS Channel Partners should contact them for technical
support

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Check the Status of Existing Support Requests

For ANSYS Direct Customers*:
From the ANSYS Customer Portal
1. Click Submit Support Request
2. Click Submit/Update technical support request
3. Click the SR# of interest
Through Phone in the UK
1. Call 0800.048.0462
2. Press 1 for Technical Support

3. Press 2 for Existing Technical Support

4. Enter your SR number followed by # to be connected to the support specialist
working on your request

* Customers serviced by ANSYS Channel Partners should contact that Channel Partner
to check on status of existing support requests
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How to Update a Support Request

Attachments
Upload large files (>20 MB) via
ANSYS Secure Transfer portal.
Attach small files (<20 MB) directly to
SR. [Note: To download attachments
you may need to add
https://crm.ansys.com to your list of
trusted sites.]
ITAR Data
Please do not attach ITAR controlled
data to your SR.
SR Updates
Communicate directly with your
support specialist by adding &
viewing SR Updates.
Associated Solutions
Previously created solutions
associated with your SR may be
viewed here.
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ANSYS Customer Portal Download Center

The Download Wizard
Will guide you through 4
easy steps to download
the products you need.
The current release is
ANSYS 14.0!
Installation Tutorials
Download these tutorials
before proceeding. They
include step-by-step
instructions on installing
and setup your
applications
Download Ansoft
Products
Select Ansoft Products
on Step 1
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D. ANSYS Workbench Overview

The ANSYS Workbench platform is a framework upon which ANSYS has developed
a suite of advanced engineering simulation applications. Workbench incorporates
bi-directional CAD connectivity, pervasive parameter management and integrated
optimization tools.
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ANSYS Workbench Overview

ANSYS Workbench hosts numerous applications spanning many
engineering disciplines (some examples):
Mechanical : structural (civil, mechanical, offshore, thermal) analyses.
Fluid Flow (CFX or FLUENT) : CFD analyses using CFX or FLUENT solvers.
Geometry (DesignModeler): create and/or modify CAD geometry for use in
analysis.
Design Exploration: optimization using state of the art methods
AUTODYN: simulate nonlinear dynamics (crash test, metal forming, etc.)
Maxwell: simulate electromagnetic field operation while coupling multiple
physics (structural, thermal, electrical).

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E. Mechanical Overview
Analysis types available in Workbench - Mechanical:
Structural (static and transient):
Linear and nonlinear structural analyses.
Dynamics:
modal, harmonic, random vibration, flexible and rigid dynamics.
Heat Transfer (steady state and transient):
Solve for temperature field and heat flux. Temperature-dependent
conductivity, convection, radiation and materials allowed.
Magnetostatic:
Perform various magnetic field analyses.
Electrical:
Simulate electrical devices such as motors, solenoids, etc..
Note, the

active ANSYS license dictates what functionality is available to the user. Not all
features listed are covered in this course.
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 Product Configuration
Add-on licenses for Mechanical:
Rigid Dynamics
Fatigue Module
FATJACK, BEAMCHECK
14.5 Workbench products are available for Windows and Linux operating
systems.

Check the ANSYS web site or online documentation for the latest compatibilities.
Network licensing capabilities are used for all ANSYS and ANSYS Workbench
products.

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F. Starting Mechanical
There are two methods of launching Workbench:

From the Windows start menu:

From the CAD system

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G. The Workbench Environment

For most situations the Workbench GUI is divided into 2 primary sections
(there are other optional sections well see in a moment):

The Toolbox

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The Project Schematic

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The Toolbox
The toolbox contains 4 subgroups:
Analysis systems: predefined templates
that can be placed in the
schematic.

Component systems: various

applications that can be accessed
to build, or expand, analysis
systems.
Custom Systems: predefined analysis
systems for coupled applications
(FSI, thermal-stress, etc.). Users
can also create their own
predefined systems.
Design Exploration: Parametric
management and optimization
tools.

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. . . The Toolbox
The systems and components
displayed in the toolbox will
depend on the installed
products.
Using the check boxes in the View
All / Customize window, the
items displayed in the toolbox
can be toggled on or off.
The toolbox customization window
is normally left closed when
not in use.

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The Project Schematic

The Workbench project schematic is a graphical representation of the workflow defining a
system or group of systems.
From the toolbox a selection can be dragged and dropped onto the schematic (or double
clicked).

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. . . The Project Schematic

By dropping applications and/or systems into various locations in the schematic,
an overall analysis project is defined.
In the example below a structural system is dragged and dropped onto a thermal
system forming a coupled thermal/structural analysis.

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. . . The Project Schematic

A schematic can also be constructed by RMB and choosing to Transfer Data To
New or Transfer Data From New.

These selections will vary depending on which cell in a particular system you
highlight.

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. . . The Project Schematic

Identifying cell states:
Unfulfilled: missing upstream data.
Attention required: may need to correct this or upstream cells.
Refresh required: upstream (input) data has changed. Need to refresh
cell (update will also refresh the cell).
Update required: the data has changed and the downstream (output) of
the cell must be regenerated.
Up to date.
Input changes pending: cell is locally up to date but may change when
the next update is performed due to upstream changes.
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Optional Workbench Windows

The View menu (and RMB) allows additional information to be displayed in
the Workbench environment.

Below, the geometry is highlighted and the properties are displayed.

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H. Workbench File Management

Workbench creates a project file and a series of subdirectories to manage all
associated files.
When a project is saved a project file is created (.wbpj).
A project directory will be created using the project name. In this example the file
is called Pipe_clamp.wbpj so the directory created is Pipe_clamp_files.
The subdirectories created are dependent on the Workbench applications used in
the project.

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. . . Workbench File Management

From the Workbench View menu activate the Files option
to display a window containing file details and locations.

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. . . Workbench File Management

Archive: quickly generates a single compressed file
containing all pertinent files.

File is zip format (.wbpz) and can be opened using the

Restore Archive . . . utility in WB2.

Several options are available when archiving systems

as shown here.

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I. Working With Units

The Units menu in Workbench:

Select from predefined unit systems.

Create custom unit systems.
Controls unit display for Engineering Data, Parameters and
Charts.
Activate the Units System dialog to unit display preferences.

Units can be displayed in

the active Project system or
as they were defined in their
source (e.g. CAD system).
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. . . Working With Units

Create custom unit systems by duplicating existing systems then modifying.
Custom unit systems can be exported and imported.

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J. License Preferences
Workbench license control is handled through the user interface shown below,
activated from the Workbench project page:Tools > License Preferences . . .

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. . . License Preferences
The order of license preference is specified using the up/down arrows (first
available is used).

The Use License column indicates desired licenses to use (0 = off, 1 = on).

Workbench users can specify whether a

single license is shared when multiple
applications are open, or if each application
accesses their own license.

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