Defining element thickness using a field

Estimated time to complete: 5–15 minutes

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use a spatial field to define the thickness of elements.

1: Setup

  1. On your desktop or the appropriate network drive, create a folder named strut3.

  2. Click the link below:

    Download the part

  3. Extract the file to your strut3 folder.

  4. Start Simcenter 3D or NX.

  5. Open strut_fem1.fem.

  6. Load the idealized part file.

      strut_fem1_i.prt

      Load

2: Reset dialog box memory

The options you select in dialog boxes are preserved for the next time you open the same dialog box within a given session. Restore the default settings to ensure that the dialog boxes are in the expected initial state for each step of the activity.

File

Preferences→User Interface

  • Options

  •   Reset Dialog Memory

  • OK

     
3: Use fields to define element thickness for the copied elements

In this activity, the provided FEM includes two meshes, 2d_mesh(1) and 2d_mesh(2), that have been copied and translated to create two additional meshes, 2d_mesh(1)_translated(1) and 2d_mesh(2)_translated(1). Because element thickness data is not passed along to copied and translated meshes, you must define the element thickness data for these meshes. To do so, you will:

  1. Create a spatial table field for element thickness from the thickness data for the 2d_mesh(1) and 2d_mesh(2) meshes.

  2. Create a linked field from the spatial table field.

  3. Define the coordinate basis of the linked field to be rotated +30 degrees about the X-axis of the absolute coordinate system.

  4. Assign the linked field as the thickness source for the copied and translated meshes.

In this step, you create the spatial table field for element thickness from the thickness data for the 2d_mesh(1) and 2d_mesh(2) meshes.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   2D Collectors→ThinShell(1)

  •   2d_mesh(1)

  •   Thickness Information

  •  

  •   Create Field

    The status bar lets you know that a field has been successfully created.

  • Cancel

     

  Simulation Navigator

  •     Fields

  •   Thickness 2d_mesh(1) field

  •   Rename

  		•

    ribs

  • Repeat the preceding steps to create a spatial table field for thickness from 2d_mesh(2). Rename the field strutcase.

4: Create and assign linked fields

In this step, you create linked fields for the spatial table fields and assign them to the copied and translated meshes.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   Fields

  •   New Field→Linked

  • Source Field

    ribs

  •  

  • Type

    Cartesian

  •  CSYS Dialog (Specify CSYS)

  • Type

    Offset CSYS

  • Reference

    Absolute - Displayed Part

  •  

  • Angle X

    30

  • OK

     all dialog boxes

  Simulation Navigator

  •   Fields

  •   Link Field

  •   Rename

  		•

    ribs30

  • Enter

     

  Simulation Navigator

  •   2D Collectors→ThinShell(1)

  •   2d_mesh(1)_translated(1)

  •   Edit Mesh Associated Data

  • Thickness Source

    Field/Expression

  •  Select Existing Field (Thickness)

  • Fields

    ribs30

  • OK

     all dialog boxes

Repeat the preceding steps to create a linked field for strutcase. Rename the new field strutcase30 and assign it to 2d_mesh(2)_translated(1).

5: Display element thickness on the copied elements

  Simulation Navigator

  • 2D Collectors→ThinShell(1)

  • 2d_mesh(2)_translated(1)

  •   Edit Display

  •   Element Thickness and Offset

  • OK

     

    The element thickness defined with a field appears the same as the element thickness defined with the midsurface.

  •   2d_mesh(2)_translated(1)

  •   Edit Display

  • Element Thickness and Offset

  • OK

     

  Save

File

  • Close→All Parts