Tips and Techniques

•	The operations performed in HyperMesh can also be saved as a compact HyperMesh binary file using the File - Save As option.

•	Bolt simulation configuration files are now available for ANSYS profile. In the bolt panel, you can create general bolt, bolt with one or two washers, bolt with spider option and clips under the Ansys profile.

•

To determine the mass of your finite element model, use the Mass Calc panel on the Tool page. Select the ansys.tpl template file through the Import tab. The mass calculation is supported for the following element type numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28, 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 67, 69, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 80, 82, 83, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 107, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 143, 145, 147, 148, 150, 152, 153, 154, 157, 162, 163, 164, 173, 174, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 186, 187, 191

•

Each operation in HyperMesh results in an ASCII command that is added to a command.cmf file. This file is useful if your computer shuts down while working in HyperMesh. You can restore your previous work by reading this file with the command function, which can by found by clicking File - Run - Command File. You can delete this file if it requires too much disk space.

The command.cmf file can also be used to store repetitive HyperMesh operations. If you deal with the same set of geometrical and material properties, you can record the creation of these collectors (steel plate, foam solids, aluminum rods, and so on) into series of command files and read them as needed.

•	The ANSYS template is associated with the Composites panel. Using this panel for laminated elements, such as SHELL99, enables the following:

Element orientation by two methods:

-	By system - assigns a system to the element (set ESYS for the element)

-	By vector - projects a vector on the element plane. A coordinate system, in which the x-axis is parallel to the defined vector, is created and assigned to the element as ESYS.

-	The by system axis and by angle options are not available for this template.

-	Visualization of the element orientation

-	Visualization of the ply direction on a layer-by-layer basis. Visualizes the angles defined in the R card with respect to the element orientation.

•	If you change KEYOPT3 for MASS21 and KEYOPT6 for BEAM23 elements, make sure you do so on comp as well as on prop collector.

•	When you click the card image button while creating a prop collector, the GENERALp card is shown at the end of the list. This card is used to card edit the properties that are not used by any element.

•

The ANSYS connectivity for a second order (3-node) line element (such as BEAM189 or SURF153), is as follows: End-node-I, End-node-J and Mid-node-K. However, for creation of a bar3 element in HyperMesh (using the bar panel/bar3 subpanel), pick node A, node B, and node C in the following order: End-node-I, Mid-node-K and End-node-J, respectively. The ANSYS template will export the bar3 element using the ANSYS connectivity.

•	There are two ways to apply loads in local coordinate systems (ANSYS NROTAT card) using HyperMesh:

-	The Forces panel and the Moments panel allow you to apply loads in a local coordinate system by using the local system option.

-	The set analysis option in the Systems panel - assign subpanel can be used to assign a node to a coordinate system. A load applied to that node would be displayed correctly after exportation and importation of the ANSYS deck.

If both options of applying loads in local coordinate systems are used for the same node, the first method (via the Forces and Moments panels) takes precedence.

See Also: