ANSYS 16.0 has some really sweet features for our structural mechanics users. Check out the video below as we use a HexaKopter model from Molly-Shop.De to showcase some key enhancements.
In a PADT blog earlier this year, Eric Miller shared his top features. Here are my favorites.
Improved Defaults for Nonlinear Contact Results in Improved Convergence
Getting convergence for problems with nonlinear contact just got easier with improved defaults under the “Program Controlled” setting, which is backed by smart adaptive algorithms. In many cases, I found that convergence was achieved quickly with less # of iterations. Did you know that there is a FREE training video course on the ANSYS Customer Portal?
Contact Trackers
New Solution Trackers are available for Contact pairs. These can be viewed during AND after the solution. You can also view the data at per iteration or time step. This greatly helps in monitoring and diagnosing tough nonlinear contact problems.
New Folder Grouping Enables Easier Handling of Large Trees
Often time, with large models, the length of the tree can span several pages. With the Auto-group feature now objects like forces, loads, etc. can be quickly grouped into folders for easier management.
Explode View for Easier Graphical Navigation of Parts
With the explode view feature you can now visualize and select geometries while maintaining the context of loads or contact definitions.
Filter the tree based on Part visibility and vice versa
While working with complex assemblies you can select parts of interest and then filter tree based on what you see in the GUI OR you can filter the tree and then only see parts associated with the filtered objects.
Find the Most Critical Bolt Using the BOLT Tool for Post-processing
When there are several bolt loads in your model, you can use this tool to analyze all bolts to quickly identify the most critical bolt.
Model Assembly with Persistence and Associativity expanded
Now with ANSYS 16.0 you can assemble models in a downstream system that supports gaskets, line bodies, contact, mesh connections, coordinate systems etc. You can quickly preview the assembled geometry and also control renaming of objects in the assembled system.
Greatly improved Quad Meshing and Connections for Shell Structures
Meshing shells in ANSYS 16.0 is a joy with the new enhancements. The software is fast and more robust while giving high-quality meshes for complex geometries. Mesh connections makes it easy to create conformal meshes.
Node Merge and Node Move Enable You to Manipulate Mesh Inside Workbench
This is one small feature that makes me jump with joy. Now you can merge nodes across different parts while still maintaining associativity to CAD and replayability. In case some nodes are not within tolerance, just use the new node move feature.
Fracture Mechanics Advanced with Some New Innovations
Now you can evaluate fracture parameters on TET Meshes using the UMM (Unstructured Mesh Method), which is default if the software realizes that you are evaluating parameters on tet mesh. This combined with the availability of C* Integrals and XFEM make it a very compelling release for crack engineers.
Material Forces Calculations Enabled for Hyperelastic Materials
A novel idea to use Material Forces as a Fracture criterion and crack path predictor, enable the possibility of evaluating fracture failure for non-linear materials like rubber. For more information, check out Material Forces – A Novel Approach to Fracture Mechanics in ANSYS.
Composites, Model the way it is manufactured
Thick-layered composites parts are often complex to model and setup. With the new CAD model cut-off feature, you can create and analyze the CAE models with an accurate representation of the manufactured part. Add to this an accurate representation of local degradation of material and you’ll further increase the realism of your simulations.
Transient/Harmonic Vibration Analyses of Electronic Packaging
Enforced Motion method now allows you to apply acceleration as a base excitation in a MSUP Harmonic/Transient method which is very useful when analyzing electronic packaging components for vibration.
Force Response Combined with CFX TBR enable Mistuning analysis of turbine blades
ANSYS 16.0 lays out an exciting streamlined workflow for forced response of bladed turbomachinery components while linking CFD with FEM for tuned or mistuned forced response in the frequency domain
Flow Network Modeling enables efficient simulation of Heat Exchangers
A thermal fluid flow analysis can now be performed to model heat distribution between fluid and solid bodies during Steady-State and Transient Thermal analyses.
Nonlinear Adaptive Remeshing allows for remeshing of highly distorted elements
For highly nonlinear problems which experience severe distortion, the solution often may stop because the finite element mesh has become distorted. R16 now provides an option for models with lower order tetra elements to automatically refine the mesh locally.
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