Lecture: 4

SYSTEM DESIGN AND SIMULATION

Asst. Prof. Rupak Chaudhary
Department of Mechanical and Automobile
Institute of Engineering,
Thapathali Campus,
Tribhuvan University
Kathmandu, Nepal
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 Simulation
• The Process of creating a model of an existing or proposed system in order to identify and
understand those factors which control the system and/or to determine how the particular system
will respond to various conditions of operation.
• A simulation is the intimation of the operation of a real-world process or system.
• The act of simulation requires a model which represents the key characteristics, behaviors and
functions of the selected physical system.
• Accuracy, and closeness of the simulation results with the actual behavior depends upon the
accuracy and preciseness of the model.
• The initial and boundary conditions to which the system is/will be subjected is properly applied to
the model. (Force, Displacements, type of support etc.)

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 Basic of Simulation Software

• Basic principle is any system which can be quantitively described using equations or rules can be
simulated.
• Simulation is a powerful and important tool as it provides a way in which alternative design, plan and
policies can be evaluated without having to have operating experience of a real system.
• Allow to ask “What if?”
• Different types of software are available for Finite element methods like ABACUS, ALGOR, NASTRAN,
ANSYS, SOLIDWORKS etc.
• Each software requires its own specific sequence of commands and menu option to build and solve a
FEM model which are similar among different software.
• Any physical phenomena such as structural or fluid behavior, thermal transport, wave propagation,
etc. are described mostly using Partial Differential Equations (PDEs).
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_finite_element_software_packages

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 Desirable features of simulation software

Model Building Features

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 Runtime Environment

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 Animation and layout Features

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 Output Features

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 Workbench Environment
• Workbench environment provides a complete modeling environment for developing and executing
the real-time in the loop simulations.
• Fully integrated solutions improve test quality and reduce development and production costs.
• An Innovative project schematic view which ties together the entire simulation process.
• Typical tasks performed in Workbench are:
A. Importing models from a variety of CAD systems.
B. Conditioning models for design simulations using the design Modeler or spaceclaim.
C. Performing FEA simulations
D. Optimizing designs using DesignXplorer or Designxplorer VT
• Allows choosing between different systems like mechanical, electrical, fluid flow, thermal etc from
analysis system toolbox.
• Allows to choose materials and also to assign our own materials.
• Creation of mesh with single click or a special type of mesh that suits particular loading condition can
be applied.

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 Graphics and Picking

• An important part of any software.

• There are many functions in the Ansys program that involves graphical picking-using the mouse or
through keyboard entries.
• The most common graphical picking operations includes:
1. Locational Picking
2. Retrieval Picking
3. Query picking

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 Locational Picking
• It is one where we locate the coordinates of new point.
• The picker windows allow either work plane coordinates or global cartesian coordinates or simply
allows picking and unpicking using the mouse.

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 Retrieval Picking
• One where we identify existing entities for subsequent operations.
• After creating entities using locational picking operation, the step of applying load on those entities is
a process of retrieval picking operation.
• It allows to choose among single, box, polygon, circle and loop mode.

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 Query Picking
• Identify points on the model for querying solution data.
• Querying means, for any picked point on the model, the ANSYS will retrieve a specified result.

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 Database and Files
• A database is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval and use of that
data.
• Material database file of ANSYS includes linear properties, stress-strain curve with temperature,
fatigue, visco-elastic and rate dependent properties of metals, plastics, foams, rubber, wood and
many other materials.
• Some important file extensions of Ansys
1. .rth: ANSYS Results File
2. .wbdp: ANSYS Workbench DesignPoint Data
3. .wbpj: ANSYS Workbench Project
4. .wbdb: ANSYS Workbench Project Database
5. .esav: ANSYS Element Saved Data
6. .mntr: ANSYS Monitor Data

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 7. .rst: ANSYS Results Data
8. .mechdb: ANSYS Mechanical Database
9. .emat: ANSYS Element Matrix Data
10. .meshdat: ANSYS Workbench Mesh Data
11. .ans: ANSYS Model Data
12. .dbb: ANSYS Workbench Database Backup
13. .lgw: ANSYS Saved Log

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 Saving of file
• Saving a file at various points during its creation is always important in any simulation run.
• To save model: utility menu bar-> file-> save as file.db
• It is a good idea to save job at different times throughout the building and analysis of the model to
back up your work in case of system crash or other unforeseen problems.

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