SimLab 14.1

Highlights

SimLab 14.0 introduced the new user interface. SimLab 14.1 enhances the user interface using feedback from customers. In addition many new core features have been added. The enhancements, new features and critical bug fixes are listed below.

•	When the option “RenderMode > Color > Group Color” is enabled, element and face groups are displayed in the color assigned to them.

•	The option “File > Preferences > System > Reset System Settings” clears the Temp, Project and .\AppData\Roaming\SimLab Corporation\SimLab 14.1_64\ folders. This is useful to set SimLab to its default and purge the files in scratch folders.

•	Auto Save option added to save the database at specified time interval. This option is available under “File > Preference > Application dialog”. This is useful to recover the work done at an earlier time.

•	SimLab supports OptiStruct solver cards extensively for various analysis and optimization solutions. Now OptiStruct solver is integrated within SimLab. This helps in solving the problem directly and then post process the results within SimLab.

Parasolid

•	General bodies import and meshing is supported

CATIA

•	Added a support to write the body and publication names in a text file.

•	Option added to import either model or specific layer.

Abaqus

•

When an Abaqus file is read and some of the options in the file are not supported (unsupported cards), then this information is read as text data and stored as an object in the Loads and Boundary Condition browser. The unsupported card can be examined and edited by double clicking the object. This approach can also be added to include features not supported by SimLab. The user can type the text input as they expect in the Abaqus input file and SimLab will include this text when writing the Abaqus input file.

Nastran/OptiStruct

•	Support added to read subcases.

•	Support added to read solid and bar pretension cards for OptiStruct.

•	Reading of excitation loads supported. DLOAD, RLOAD1, RLOAD2 and DAREA cards are supported.

•	Reading of fluid volume (MFLUID) supported.

•	“Update model” toggle added in OptiStruct import options to update the topology of the model. .

ANSYS

•	Reading of analysis local coordinates supported.

Marc

•	Reading of body force supported.

•	If SimLab crashes, a message is posted to indicate the database is saved in the temp folder and “Open” option opens the folder where the saved database is saved.

•	New browser is added to manage parameters. Right click on the browser allows creation, modification and deletion of parameters.

•	To identify faces that contain the selected 2D elements, “Select Connected Faces” option is added to mouse right click when 2D elements are selected.

•	The import of files types in “File > Export > Mesh” with the exception of GDA are moved to “File > Export > Custom Export”.

•	Creating and modifying mesh controls and groups are frequently used operations. To improve usability, their access is added to mouse right click.

•	Group menu is moved to group browser. Right click on the root object in the browser to see the options.

•

Working on large assemblies require creation and managing multiple sub-assemblies. It is advantageous to select a body in the graphics window and move to another assembly. To facilitate this, “Move to Sub Model” and “Move to Root Model” options are added to right click menu when a body is selected in the graphics window.

•	Render mode options are reorganized.

•	Element Free Edge and Element Non-manifold Edge options are added in “Render mode > Edge display”. It shows bodies containing Free Edges and Non-manifold Edges in the UI.

•	Cycle through toolbar support added for Element Free Edge and Element Non-manifold Edge display. This is used to traverse free and non-manifold edge locations one by one.

•	“Model Browser > Sort > Sort by Name”: The behavior is modified to resemble "Windows Browser > Folder" display (where all sub-folders are displayed first and then the files). Here all Sub models are displayed first and then the Bodies.

•	When a database or .gda file is imported multiple times into a session, models will be renamed to prevent duplicates.

•	Import, Export and Transfer of mesh controls is moved from mesh control dialog to mesh control browser. Right click on the root object to access the options.

•	Contact manager option is added in loads and constraints browser to visualize and modify contacts for Abaqus and OptiStruct solver.

•	Select features option enhanced to identify cones/circles with more than four edges.

•	Select Adjacent option added in body right click to identify the adjacent bodies within tolerance.

•	Display Only option added in model and body right click. This option is used to freeze or lock the selected bodies display in the browser and graphics window. This is a useful when working with large assemblies.

•	Support increment / decrement values in line edit by using up and down arrow in keyboard.

•	Right click > Reset, Invert and Redisplay are renamed as Reset Model, Invert Model and Redisplay Body respectively. Reset and Invert model operations impact models that have one or more bodies displayed.

•	Cutting plane rotation performance is improved by 50%.

Face > Select Connected

•	Visible Faces option added to select the connected faces only from the visible faces in the graphics window.

Body > Create > From Shell Element

•	This tool is added to create a body from the selected shell elements.

Body > Create > Bounding Body

•	Option added to create cylinder.

•	When a Box or Cylinder bounding body is created, surface mesh pattern is changed to Union Jack.

•	"Mesh Size" option is added for box and cylinder to specify the mesh size for the newly created body.

Model > Update

•	Performance improved up to 90% for large files that contains large number of element sets.

Mesh > 2D Create > Mesh Controls

•	"Layers" option added in face mesh control to specify the number of layers through the thickness of selected face.

•	Region mesh control has a new feature to create an array of cones. This can be accessed in “Define Cone” dialog and choosing the option “Circular array of Cones”.

•	Added a support to assign hard point mesh control for wire bodies.

•	To create mesh that is aligned or oriented in the same direction, a new mesh pattern “Aligned mesh” pattern is added.

Mesh > 2D Create > Mesh

•	Added an option “Create mesh in new model” under advanced options. Turn off this toggle to retain the surface mesh in existing model.

•	“Identify features and mesh” will mesh the fillets and cylinders as if the fillet and cylinder mesh controls are applied with the global meshing parameters

•	Improve Skew Angle option supported for CAD input. Turn on this toggle to improve the skew quality of the surface mesh.

Mesh > 2D Create > Re-mesh

•	CAD local re-mesh option added to “Advanced Options”. When this toggle is enabled and a FE face is selected to remesh, SimLab will identify the associated CAD surface, mesh it and update the FE face. If this toggle is not enabled, then the mesh in the selected FE face will be used to remesh.

Mesh > 2D Create > 2.5D Mid Plane

•	Support added to create Tri3 elements.

Mesh > 2D Create > Pipe Mesh

•	Option added to specify the mesh pattern.

•	In case of free mesh pattern, pipes are re-scribed and surface mesh is generated. Also, holes are filled and inner surfaces are deleted.

Mesh > Verify > Folds

•	Find Cracks: Performance improved for “Auto Clean Cracks” function in “Find Cracks” dialog.

•	Find Wedges: “Group Connected Element” option added. The failed wedge elements will be grouped based on connectivity and separate Groups will be created.

Mesh > Verify > Quality

•	Stable time increment calculation for Abaqus quality is added. Supported for Tet, Hex and Wedge elements.

Mesh > 3D Create > Solid Mesh

•	Internal grading is set to 1.2 when “Enable CFD Modelling tools” is turned “On” in “File > Preferences > Application”.

Modify > Intersections

•	Option enhanced to identify output body pairs for multiple intersection types

Connect > Fuse

•	Support added for Tri 6 elements.

Features > Modify > Scribe

•	Scribe support added for Parasolid geometry.

Features > Remove > Parasolid: Features

•	Support added to include and exclude fillets and holes.

Loads and Constraints > Contact

•	Abaqus Tie contact enhanced to support No thickness and Node to surface or Surface to surface parameters.

Loads and Constraints > Connectors > Bush

•	Stiffness vs frequency table supported.

•	Viscous damping vs frequency table supported.

•	Loads and Constraints specification supported.

•	Contact manager is supported for Abaqus and OptiStruct solvers. It allows editing of various contact parameters in a tabular form.

•	Sets template can be created by importing Abaqus deck. The NSET, ELSET and *SURFACE cards will be used to create sets template. This will help in reusing set names from existing solver decks like specification files.

•	Load cases can be exported as a separate specification file.

Abaqus

•	Unsupported cards can be added as text input either as model data or step data or material data. The text input option is available in Load and Constraints browser right click menu.

•	Excite analysis export is supported. RETAINED NODAL DOFS, SUBSTRUCTURE GENERATE and *FLEXIBLE BODY cards are supported.

OptiStruct

•	Random response analysis export is supported. RANDPS and TABRND1 cards are supported.

•	Explicit dynamic analysis export is supported. NLOAD, XSTEP and TTERM cards are supported.

•	The dependent RBE2 nodes that are constrained will be skipped in constraint writing.

•	AUTOMSET parameter will be set, if ASET is defined on RBE center node.

•	Option to write fluid volume (MFLUID) is added.

•	Cyclic symmetry and cyclic constraints supported in Topology optimization setup.

•	Option to define the following parameters is added,

EFFMASS

LGDISP

HASHASSM

Nastran

•	The dependent RBE2 nodes that are constrained will be skipped in constraint writing.

•	Excitation load writing is supported. DLOAD, RLOAD1, RLOAD2 and DAREA cards are supported.

Ansys

•	MPC writing is supported.

Marc

•	Creep analysis export is supported. CREEP, TEMPERATURE EFFECTS, AUTO CREEP and AUTO THERM cards are supported.

Femap

•	Export of nodes, elements, material and property is supported.

Import Results

•	Reading support added for OptiStruct coupled analysis results.

•	Reading and visualization support added for free shape optimization results.

•	Added a support to read the H3D results with respect to local coordinate system.

•	Abaqus Nodal Force (NFORCE) results reading supported.

Distortion > Bore

•	Two new options added under the plot options: True Distortion with (Expansion and Eccentricity removed) and True Distortion (Eccentricity Removed).

Right Click > Query Results

•	Query results supported for field table contour plots.

Bolt Modeling > Solid Bolt

•	New Bolt Pattern added to create TET bolts with matching mesh between bore and thread surface.

Crank Train > Crank Fillet

•	Fillet geometry option added to create Hex/Wedge/Tet fillets by selecting input CAD fillet profile.

•	Fillet profile hex pattern is improved. Also, 100% hex elements are achieved in the fillet profile.

Process Automation

•	Added a support to import the parameters from CSV file.

SimLab 14.1 supports scripting. The scripting language used in versions 13.x and 14.1 is Jscript, sometimes referred to as JavaScript. But the way the functions are invoked is different. All version 13.x scripts and scriptable functions are supported in version 14.1. So if you have a version 13.x script it should run in v14.1.Added a support to import the parameters from CSV file.