Mechanical Basics

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Chapter Overview
In this chapter, the basics of using Mechanical to perform analyses will be covered, which include:
A. B. C. D. E. The Mechanical GUI and Operation Introduction to the Mechanical Application Wizard Basic Analysis Procedure The Engineering Data application Workshop 2-1

The capabilities p described in this section are generally g y applicable pp to the ANSYS DesignSpace Entra licenses and above, unless noted.

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A. Launching Mechanical
Recall that there are two ways of running Mechanical:
Configured from within ANSYS Workbench

or from a supported CAD system

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Mechanical Interface
The components of the user interface are shown below:
Menus Toolbars

Graphics Window

Tree Outline

Mechanical Application Wizard

Details View

Message Window

Status Bar
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. . . GUI Menus
The menus provide much of the functionality present in Mechanical. The more commonly used menu items are covered below:
The title bar lists analysis type, product and active ANSYS license. File > Clean to delete mesh and/or results from database. Units to change units on-the-fly. Tools > Options to customize settings and options. Help > Mechanical Help to access documentation.

Analysis Type

Product

License

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GUI Toolbars
There are a number of toolbars to provide users quick access to functionality also found in the menus.

The toolbars can be repositioned anywhere on the top of the Mechanical window. The Context toolbar, as will be illustrated later, updates depending on what branch is active in the Outline Outline tree. Tooltips appear if the cursor is placed over the toolbar button.

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GUI Toolbars
The Standard toolbar is shown below:
Bring up Mechanical Wizard Annotations Comments

Capture Snapshot Solve Model Slice Planes

The Graphics toolbar is used for selection and graphics manipulation:

Select mode

Selection Tools

Graphics Manipulation

Viewports

The left mouse button can be either in selection mode or graphics manipulation mode. The above toolbar buttons are grouped as select entities and graphics manipulation control. The graphics selection can be done using individual selection or boxselection. This is controlled by the Select Mode icon.
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GUI Outline Tree

The Outline Tree provides an easy way of organizing the model, materials, mesh, loads, and results for the analysis
The Model branch contains the input data required for the analysis The Static Structural branch contains the loads and supports relevant to the analysis discipline The Solution branch contains result objects and solution information Other branches (not covered here) are also available.

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GUI Outline Tree

The Outline Tree shows icons for each branch, along with a status symbol. Examples of the status symbols are below:
Checkmark indicates branch is fully defined/OK Question mark indicates item has incomplete data (need input) Lightning g g bolt indicates solving g is required Exclamation mark means problem exists X means that item is suppressed (will not be solved) Transparent p checkmark means body y or p part is hidden Green lightning bolt indicates item is currently being evaluated Minus sign means that mapped face meshing failed Check mark with a slash indicates a meshed part/body p y Red lightning bolt indicates a failed solution
Becoming familiar with the basic status symbols allows users to debug Mechanical problems quickly.

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GUI Details View

The Details View contains data input and output fields. The contents will change depending on branch selected.
White field: input data
Data in white text field is editable

Gray (or Red) field: information

Data in gray fields cannot be modified.

Yellow field: incomplete input data

Data in yellow fields indicates missing information.

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GUI Graphics Window

The Graphics Window shows the geometry and results. It can also provide worksheet (tabular) listings, the HTML report, and a Print Preview option.

Geometry Tab

Print Preview Tab

Worksheet Tab

Report Preview Tab

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GUI Mechanical Application Wizard

The Mechanical Wizard is an optional component, a useful aid to remind users steps required to complete an analysis
The Mechanical Wizard provides a list of required steps and the status of them Green checkmark indicates the item is complete Green i shows an informational item A greyed symbol shows that the step cannot be performed yet A red question mark means that there is an incomplete item An x means that the item is not performed yet A lightning bolt means that the item is ready to be solved or updated

The Mechanical Wizard can be toggled on/off by selecting the button on the Standard Toolbar The options on the Mechanical Wizard menu will change depending on the analysis type chosen

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B. Mechanical Application Wizard

By selecting an item on the Required Steps checklist, a callout appears, illustrating how that function is performed.
In the example below, Verify Materials was selected, and the callout shows the user where this item can be changed changed.

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Mechanical Application Wizard

The Mechanical Wizard is handy for users who do not use Mechanical every day
Besides basic functionality, callouts for more advanced items are also available as shown on right

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C. Basic Procedure
The purpose of analysis is usually to determine the response of a system based on some type of excitation or loading. It is crucial to remember that a mathematical model is used:
CAD geometry is an idealization of the physical model The mesh is a mathematical representation of the CAD model The accuracy y of answers is determined by y various factors:
How well the physical model is represented depends on the assumptions Numerical accuracy is determined by the mesh density

CAD Model
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Finite Element Mesh

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Basic Procedure
Every analysis involves four main steps:
Preliminary Decisions
What type of analysis: Static, modal, etc.? What to model: Part or Assembly? Which elements: Surface or Solid Bodies?

Preliminary D i i Decisions

Preprocessing
Attach Att h th the model d l geometry t Define and assign material properties to parts Mesh the geometry Apply loads and supports Request results

Preprocessing

Solve the Model Postprocessing p g

Review results Check the validity of the solution

Solution

Postprocessing

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Basic Procedure
The Wizards in Mechanical aid the user in following the basic analysis template discussed previously:
Attach/import geometry Assign material properties (Mesh geometry)
A default mesh will be supplied by Mechanical if this step is not performed manually ll by b the th user

Apply loads and supports Request results S l model Solve d l Review results/postprocessing

Several S l examples l of f using i the th Mechanical M h i l Wizard Wi d follow f ll ....

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Wizard Example: Assign/Verify Material Properties

Verify Materials is selected, and the callout shows how to verify/change material properties in the pull-down menu (engineering data is described later in this chapter).
After Verify Materials is selected, all of the parts from the Geometry branch are highlighted, highlighted and the Details view shows how to change the material.

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Wizard Example: Assign Material Properties The call out message indicates the user should return to the Workbench interface to access Engineering Data
The default material property is Structural Steel but can be changed As a material is added to the project it will appear in the material assignment detail field

Material properties supplied with Mechanical are for demonstration purposes purposes. Users should use their own material property values in production use.
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Wizard Example: insert Loads & Supports

After verifying and assigning materials, Insert Structural Loads is selected from the Stress Wizard
Loads are applied from the pull-down icons in the Context toolbar.

After Insert Insert Loads Loads is selected, notice that the Environment branch is highlighted. By highlighting the Environment Environment branch, branch the Context toolbar and Details view change.

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Applying Loads & Supports

Loads and supports are applied on geometric entities in two different ways:
Pre-select geometry entity in Graphics Window, then select load or support from Context Toolbar

Or, select load or support from Context Toolbar then select geometry entities in Graphics Window, then click on Apply in Details View.

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Applying Loads & Supports

After assigning the load the user can enter additional data in the Details view, if necessary.
Notice that in the Outline Tree the associated loads branch symbol status will also g to completed (checkmark). ( ) change

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Applying Loads & Supports

For some structural loads direction is needed:
If Components is chosen, enter X, Y, or Z C Components t of fl loading di If Vector is chosen, select geometry and enter magnitude of loading Defaults can be set in Tools > Options p > Mechanical: Miscellaneous > Load Orientation Type

The Global Coordinate System or user defined local coordinate systems can be referenced
User-Defined Coordinate Systems will be discussed later

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Applying Loads & Supports

Existing geometry can be referenced to control direction:
In the Details view, select Define By: V t Vector Three types of existing geometry can be used
Normal to planar face or along axis of cylindrical face Along straight edge or normal to cylindrical edge Two vertices defining vector

Click on Direction and select geometry used for vector orientation. Use the arrows in the Graphics window to toggle the direction. Click on Apply when finished. Enter magnitude for loading in Magnitude.

Toggle arrow buttons to reverse load direction

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Mouse Controls
The left mouse button is used to select geometric entities OR to manipulate the graphics display

User can select items (vertex, edge, surface, body) or manipulate the view (rotate, pan, zoom in/out, box zoom) Select S l t mode d can be b single-select i l l t or box-select b l t
In single-select mode, click-drag with left mouse button to paint select multiple items Use Ctrl-Left mouse button in single-select g mode to select or unselect multiple p entities
In box-select mode, click-drag from left to right selects entities fully enclosed in bounding box In box-select mode, , click-drag g from right g to left selects any y entity y partially p y enclosed in bounding box

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Mouse Controls (shortcuts)

In select mode the middle mouse provides several short cuts for graphics manipulation
Click + drag middle mouse button = dynamic rotate CTRL+ Middle mouse button = dynamic pan S f + Middle mouse button = dynamic zoom Shift If present, the wheel can be used to zoom in/out RMB + drag = box zoom Click right mouse button once and select Fit to fit model in view or access contex menu options

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Selection Planes
Selection planes allow for users to easily select surfaces which are hidden from view by other surfaces.
User selects a plane; if more planes lie directly underneath the cursor, selection planes appear. Selection planes are color-coded with the same color as its parent part and are ordered by depth from the cursor.

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D. Engineering Data
The Engineering Data application provides overall control for material properties.
Engineering data is a part of every project. Engineering data can be opened stand alone (as a precursor to starting a project for example).

To open p the Engineering g g Data standalone, add from the component systems in the toolbox (drag/drop or double click), then RMB > Edit or double click.

To edit the Engineering Data in an existing project RMB > Edit or double click

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. . . Engineering Data
The Engineering Data application is displayed below. Individual controls and components are described next.

Outline Filter Toolbox Outline of Filtered Materials

Properties for material selected below

Properties of material selected above

Property Chart

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. . . Engineering Data
The window interaction provides cascading data presentation. To view or modify materials one generally follows a work flow shown here:

data source > material > individual property

Display Property in tabular and graphical format Choose Data Source (Library)

Choose Material

Choose Property

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. . . Engineering Data
Outline Filter
The Engineering Data field represents the list of materials which have been imported f use in for i the h current project j Check box allows library to be unlocked for editing editing.

A list of available material libraries is displayed. These may b ANSYS supplied be li d or user defined.

Favorites are materials which will be available in every project without the need to import from a library.
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Browse for existing libraries or choose lib location. l ti new library

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. . . Engineering Data
The toolbox provides numerous material property definitions that can be added to existing or new materials. To modify materials in existing libraries the library must be unlocked, (note this permanently modifies the material stored in that library). Materials in the current projects engineering data can be modified without affecting the material library.

The Toolbox Customization settings allows filtering of the properties displayed in the toolbox.

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. . . Engineering Data
To add a material from an existing library to the current project click the plus sign (+) next to that material. Any material defined in the current project will be marked as show at right. Once added each material becomes available for use in the current project (it becomes p part of the current Engineering g g Data).

Note, to add a material to the Favorites list, RMB the material and add.

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. . . Engineering Data
To create a new material first select the library where you want the definition to be stored (or Engineering Data for the current project). Enter a name, and description if desired, for the new material. From the Toolbox double click or drag and drop the desired properties. Finally enter values for the properties.

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. . . Engineering Data
Units menu in Engineering Data:
You may choose to display Values as Defined or Values in Project Units. As Defined units are controlled individually.

Project Units are taken from the current Units menu selection.

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E. Workshop 2-1 Mechanical Basics

Workshop 2.1 Mechanical Basics Goal:
Using the Stress Wizard, set up and solve a structural model for stress, deflection and safety factor.

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