Tutorial 7:
Snap-fit
fit using the Explicit Solver
Laurence Marks
About this problem
Snapfit problems can get very tricky. Essentially there are issues with stability,
stability
the sudden changes of geo
geometry and contact can be problematic too. All these
problems point to an explicit solver being an advantage, howe
howeverver there are a
number of potential issues which need attention if a solution is to be obtained in a
useful timeframe.
This problem
blem uses a typical snap
snap-fit
fit geometry, and the simulation simply models
one part being pushed into the other. Tuning the model to give a sensible step
length is essential to getting a solution in a rapid time frame and two features of
the model are in focusus here – the geometry is modified to remove small element
edges and a slightly high material density is used. Attention to these issues
means that a solution to the assembly and pull test phases can be achieved in
around 30 minutes.
This tutorial requires
res the user to have completed the previous examples as it pre-
pre
supposes a limited level of user competence.
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1. Geometry Import
Import the geometry in the
he form of a step file – Tutorial 7.stp
Note that a ¼ model is used to speed up the solution – the other ¾’s can be
added after solution has completed
completed.
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2. Define the Assembly of the two parts
Simple process as described in previous tutorials
tutorials.
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3. Material and section properties
Start to define the material properties – go into the properties module and define
modulus, density and yield.
Density: 3e-9
Modulus: 3000
Poisson’s ratio 0.4
Note a slightly increased density is used – there is more on this later in the
tutorial.
Create a section and apply it to the geometry, as with previous tutorials.
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4. Define the analysis steps
Two steps are defined – a loading and an unloading step. Both are explicit
dynamic and consider an event duration of 0.1s. Non
Non-linear
linear geometry is
considered in both steps.
5. Contact
General contact specifying all with self and a simple interaction property defining
a coefficient of friction of 0.2.
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6. Meshing
This part is critical to getting results from the model in useful timeframe. We
could just throw a tet-mesh
mesh at the problem and let it get on with it, but this results
in solution times much longer than necessary. Here we use a brick mesh and pay
attention to the element edge length – small element lengths mean small solver
timesteps, hence we use the virtual topology feature of CAE to ensure that th a
uniform mesh is created.
Virtual topology/combine faces is an important tool used to combine the small
face with the adjacent face and thereby removing the geometry which gives rise
to the small element edges.
Select the Combine Faces option in the vertical option ribbon and follow the
instructions to combine the faces. The combine faces option may be nested
underneath another virtual topology option.
Faces to
combine
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The first image shows meshing without using virtual topology and the second
with. As we can see small elements from the model before the virtual topology
was applied have been removed. This will decrease our solution time.
Mesh both of the parts using an element size of 0.75mm. (If necessary specify a
hex mesh – this is however the default.) This size allows the solution to be run in
a sensible timeframe – accurate stress results require a finer mesh and this could
be used once the solution has been successfully run like this.
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7. Loads and Boundary Conditions
The boundary conditions in this problem are relatively simple.
1. Vertical central plane of model – add a z = 0 constraint to enforce
symmetry
2. Horizontal central plane of model – add a y = 0 constraint to enforce
symmetry in this plane
3. Add an x = 0 constraint to the end face of the larger component
4. Add a 15mm X-axisaxis displacement in step 1 and then modify this in the to -
15mm in step 2, as shown below.
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8. Defining a Job
Create a Job, accept the default settings and submit it.
The solution monitor shows the solver progress, as well as the stable time
increment.
As stated previously this stable time increment is a function of modulus, density
and element edge length. It is controlled by the shortest element llength
ength in the
model. Try re-meshing
meshing the model, or modifying the material properties and look at
how this effects the stable time increment, or total solution time.
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9. Post Processing
This is pretty much the same as in previous examples, however we can add the
missing ¾ of the model using the ODB Display options in the view menu.
The reaction force graph shows how the assembly force is less than the
disassembly force.
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10. Summary
We can get a solution to a complex proble
problemm within about an hour. However, this
is only achieved by paying careful attention to the geometry, meshing and
material properties.
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