Modeling a beam and cross section

Estimated time to complete: 10–20 minutes

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a 1D beam mesh, assign a cross section to it, and orient the cross section.

1: Setup

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

  2. Click the link below:

    Download the part

  3. Extract the files to your beam folder.

  4. Start Simcenter 3D or NX.

  5. Open ladder_fem1.fem.

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: Create the rung cross section

Create a tube cross section to represent the rungs of the ladder.

  1D Element Section (Mesh group→More list)

  •   Create Section

  • Type

    TUBE

  • DIM1

    15 mm

  • DIM2

    10 mm

  •   Preview

  • Apply

     

Leave the Beam Section dialog box open for the next step.

4: Create the rail cross section

Create another standard cross section to represent the rails of the ladder.

The Beam Section dialog box is open from the previous step.

  • Type

    CHAN

  • DIM1

    40 mm

  • DIM2

    100 mm

  • DIM3

    10 mm

  • DIM4

    10 mm

  •   Preview

  • OK

      Beam Section dialog box

  • Close

      Beam Section Manager dialog box

5: Define mesh collectors

Define mesh collectors for the rails and rungs. Create a physical property for each mesh collector that references the cross sections you just defined.

  Mesh Collector (Properties group)

  • Element Family

    1D

  • Collector Type

    Beam Collector

  • Type

    PBEAML

  •  

      Create Physical (Beam Property)

  • Name

    rung_properties

  • Fore Section

    TUBE(1)

  •  

      Choose material (Material)

  • Materials

    Aluminum_6061

  • OK

       Material List dialog box

  • OK

       PBEAML dialog box

  • Name

    Rungs

  • Apply

      Mesh Collector dialog box

  • Type

    PBEAML

  •  

      Create Physical (Beam Property)

  • Name

    rail_properties

  • Fore Section

    CHAN(1)

  • Material

    Aluminum_6061

  • OK

      PBEAML dialog box

  • Name

    Rails

  • OK

      Mesh Collector dialog box

6: Mesh the rails

  1D Mesh (Mesh group)

  •   Auto Chain Selection

  •   the four lines that make up the left rail

  • Type

    CBEAM

  • Mesh Density by

    Number

  • Number of Elements

    1

  •   Merge Nodes

  •  

     

  •  Automatic Creation

  • Mesh Collector

    Rails

  • Apply

      1D Mesh dialog box

  •  

      Auto Chain Selection

  •   the four lines that make up the right rail

  • OK

      1D Mesh dialog box

 

Turn on the solid beam cross section display.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   1D Collectors→Rails

  •   1d_mesh(1)

    Ctrl

     + 1d_mesh(2)

  •   Edit Display

  • Display Section

    Solid

  • OK

     
7: Mesh the rungs

  1D Mesh (Mesh group)

  •   Auto Chain Selection

  •   the three lines that represent the rungs.

    Select each line near the left endpoint to insure that the selection is oriented from left to right, as shown in the image.

  • Type

    CBEAM

  • Mesh Density by

    Number

  • Number of Elements

    4

  •   Merge Nodes

  •  

     

  •   Automatic Creation

  • Mesh Collector

    Rungs

  • OK

      1D Mesh dialog box

 

Turn on the solid beam cross section display.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   1D Collectors→Rungs

  •   1d_mesh(3)

  •   Edit Display

  • Display Section

    Solid

  • OK

     

  •  

8: Modify the beam orientation and offset on the left rail

  Simulation Navigator

  •   1D Collectors→Rails

  •   1d_mesh(1)

  •   Edit Mesh Associated Data

  •  

     

    Element Axis

    Y

  • Align the element Y axis to the global Z axis.

  • Specify Vector

      ZC Axis

  •  

     

  • Pick point on section (Specify Point on Section)

  •   midpoint of cross section (Cross Section Preview)

  •   Done

  • Specify Section Location

    Inferred Point

  •   (Start point or End point – line)

    Tip:

    Use QuickPick to help you select the start or end point.

  • OK

     
9: Modify the beam orientation and offset on the right rail

Repeat the previous step to orient and offset the right rail.

  Simulation Navigator

  •   1d_mesh(2)

  •   Edit Mesh Associated Data

  •  

     

    Element Axis

    Y

  • Align the element Y axis to the global –Z axis.

  • Specify Vector

      –ZC Axis

  •  

  • Pick point on section (Specify Point on Section)

  •   midpoint of cross section (Cross Section Preview)

  •   Done

  • Specify Section Location

      Inferred Point

      (Start point -line or End point)

    Tip:

    Use QuickPick to help you select the start or end point.

  • OK

     
10: Check for duplicate nodes

Check for duplicate nodes, and if necessary, merge them.

 Duplicate Nodes (Checks and Information group→More list)

  •  

  • Displayed

  •   Ignore Nodes in Same Mesh

  • List Nodes

     

  •   the Information window

  • Merge Nodes

     (if necessary)

  • Close

     

  Save

File

  • Close→All Parts