ANSYS Sample Beam Problem Rev.

11/20/07
Preparation
Make a sketch of the structure
Choose your global reference frame
Number the nodes
Calculate the nodal coordinates
Calculate the section properties of each element: E, I, J, A, w and beam height h
Accessing ANSYS from Windows computers
Login / Password (CAEDM Login)
Create a subdirectory for ANSYS
Start / Programs/CAD Programs/ ANSYS /ANSYS
ANSYS Setup
[PlotCtrls] >Zoom/Pan/Rotate (drag this menu to the right of your workspace)
Open ANSYS Model File [ ] = Top menu bar; > = Side menu bar
[File] >Change Directory (change default directory)
[File] >Change Jobname (enter name for new problem. Default: file)
Note! this will keep you from overwriting previous day's work)
[File] >Change Title (enter title for new problem)
[File] >Switch Output to> jobname.out Note! Checkmark [ ] Append box
[File] >Resume db jobname.db (restore unfinished problem)
>Preferences
Select: Structural & h-method (turns off thermal, electromag, fluid, Flotran menus)
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Create Model
Create Beam Model
>Preprocessor (Click on menu item to expand menu)
>Element Type
>Add/Edit/Delete <Add>
Select: Beam 2D elastic (create a group for each element type, cross section)
<Options> K9 (5) (outputs 5 intermediate points between nodes)
K6 (Include Output) <close>
>Real Constant (define Iz, h for each size beam
>Add/Edit/Delete <Add> A, Shrz, w are optional)
A=100, Iz = 10, h=10, Shrz=1 (Large A => stiff axially, Shrz=0 to negl shear defl)
>Material Properties (enter or select from library)
>Material Library (Dont forget to select units!!!)
Select units <OK> (English=BFT or BIN, feet or inches)
Select material from list (N/A - the material library is not installed)
or
>Material Model >Structural >Linear >Elastic >Isotropic (double click)
Ex is Young's Modulus 30e6
PRxy is Poisson's Ratio 0.3 <Close window>
>Modeling>Create (Create nodes)
>Nodes > In Active CS (enter x, y, z coordinates from keyboard)
<Apply> to enter data and continue or <OK> to end
or
>Nodes > On Work Plane (enter x, y, z coordinates using mouse)
>Modeling >Create (create beam elements)
>Elements (define each type of beam)
>Element Attributes (select Type #, Material #, Real Constant #
or Shape for each change in beam properties)
Auto Numbered>Thru Nodes (choose 2 nodes for each beam, using mouse)
Pick 1-2 Apply, 2-3 Apply, 3-4 Apply <OK>
Model Check
Use the [List] and [Plot] options to check model geometry and coordinates
[List] >Nodes or [Plot] >Nodes
Coord. Only, by Node No. <OK>
[File] Copy to Output file [File> Close]
[List] >Elements (Nodes+Attrib+Const) or [Plot] >Elements
[File] Copy to Output file [File> Close]
Use [PlotCtrls] to change display
[PlotCtrls] >Numbering > Nodes ON
Elements Colors and Numbers
[Plot] >Elements (re-plot with colors)
Collapse the Preprocessor menu
[Save db] (on ANSYS Toolbar) (Back up your model before you execute solution!!)
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Loads, BC, and Solution
>Solution
>Analysis Type >New Analysis (default is Static)
>Define Loads
>Apply >Structural
>Displacements - On nodes (define constraints)
Pick node <Apply>
1 All DOF - as Constant <Apply>
4 X,Y dir - as Constant <OK>
>Apply >Structural
>Force/Moments - On nodes (define applied loads)
Pick node <Apply>
2 FX -10000 <Apply> (Check: Nodes All DOF
3 MZ -20000 <OK> Forces on all nodes)
NOTE: to apply a distributed load (called pressure load in ANSYS):
>Define Loads >Apply >Structural >Pressure >On Beams
Select: Beams<Apply> Enter: Load number, I node pressure, leave J node blank
[Save db] (Back up your model before you execute solution!!)
>Solve - Current LS (Load Step) (submits completed problem to FEM solver)
Status window lists solution options executed. Banner appears: "Solution is done!"
Collapse the Solution menu. [Save db]
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View Results
>General Postprocessor
>Plot Results
>Deformed Shape
Select: Deformed and Undeformed Shape <OK>
[PlotCtrls] Hard Copy (see below)
>List input data: Nodal coordinates, elements, properties, real constants, loads, constraints.
>List Results: Nodal Solution, Dispt Vector Sum
Reaction Solution All Items
Element Solution All Available Force Items
Element Solution >Line Element Results >Element Results <OK>
( Stress in local beam coordinates: X=beam axis, Y =max dist from neutral axis
SDIR=stress-axial, SBYT =stress-bending(Top), SBYB =stress-bending(Bottom) at I & J nodes
SMAX & SMIN are the sum of axial and bending stresses at each node)
(copy each list to the Output file)
>Print Results
[File] >Print "lpr" (default printer or dctb 450 psa, -cb 230 ps2)
or...[File] >Copy to Output File (send to file: jobname.out)
>Plot Element Solution
Graphic Screen Capture - Print or save to a file
[PlotCtrls] >Hard Copy
Select: Graphics Window, Gray Scale, Jpeg, Reverse Video, file name
Send to default printer: lp-d CB230ps (substitute printer for your lab)
Or, Print to a File (choose a file name)
NOTE! Reverse video is important! Black background uses too much toner.
Print Table or Output File
[File] >Print (Use File option in the table window)
Send to default printer: lp-d CB230ps (Substitute printer for your lab)
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Other ANSYS Features
Dependent Contraints
>Preprocessor
>Couple / ceqn
0 = -1*4Y + 0.2*4X Angled constraint: at node 4, displ in Y dir. equals
0.2* displ in X dir. (i.e. positive slope)
0 = -1*4X + 1*3X Pin joint: coincident nodes 3 and 4 move together in the
0 = -1*4Y + 1*3Y X and Y dir, but rotate independently
Help
To print a Help file, use the [File] menu on the Help window.
Help - Table of Contents - Workbook Sample Problems
Help - Table of Contents - Procedures Manual
Sec. 2.4 Typical ANSYS Analysis
Sec. 11.2 General Postprocessor
Sec. 12.5 Creating Graphs
App. A File Management
Help - Beam3 (description of beam elements)
Files Created by ANSYS
Look in your ANSYS directory.
jobname.db Database file - your ANSYS input data
jobname.dbb Backup of database file - created when you do a Save-db
jobname.emat Element matrices
jobname.err Error/warning log
jobname.esav Saved element data
jobname.log Command history - complete record of commands used in a session
jobname.out ANSYS Output file
jobname.rst ANSYS Results file
Accessing ANSYS from States UNIX commands
Login / Password (Use the Xwindows interface if you prefer)
Create a subdirectory for ANSYS [ ] mkdir ansys
Look at the directory [ ] ls
Move to the subdirectory [ ] cd ansys
Rename files from previous runs [ ] mv fold.ext fnew.ext
Execute ANSYS [ ] xansys