Post processing the “time” dependent results requires a bit of extra attention. Once created, we can run the simulation.īelow is an animation of the stress plot. There are no other loads applied for this simulation.įor sliding contact, a well refined mesh in the sliding areas is strongly recommended. Remember our “End Time” is one second, so at one second, we set our translation to be zero indicating a return to initial position.
#Activate solidworks simulation how to#
The options above show how to set up the required 7.3 mm prescribed translation to the part up until halfway through the simulation, then fully reverse that motion by the end of the simulation. I want the latch to be forced closed, then pulled open again. The forced displacement in this case is applied as a function of time. For more information on contact, and why these were done as “contact sets” read my blog here.įixtures are applied to the model to restrain it in place, as well as a forced displacement to engage the latch. In this model, any face that will come into contact during the simulation has been assigned a “No Penetration” contact set. Next, the appropriate contacts are added. The blue body will be assigned a linear material that is much harder than the others. All we must do is select it and activate the appropriate nonlinear material model, same as above. Materials in the library that have the suffix “(SS)” have a stress-strain curve associated with them. The red body will be assigned a material out of the SOLIDWORKS default materials library: AISI 316 Stainless Steel Sheet (SS). This material will be applied to the white body in our model so that the post-yield behavior of the material is captured. This allows us to assign a tangent modulus which linearizes the post-yield behavior of the material, for simplicity. Choosing the correct material model and the associated material properties is covered in depth in the SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium: Nonlinear training course.įor our purposes, I have chosen a Plasticity-Von Mises definition. This is similar to linear statics, except there are extra material models available. Next, we must apply the correct material properties to each body in the assembly. Once created, we can go into the study properties to set up the “Stepping Options” of the nonlinear solver.įor this analysis, we will use the default stepping options. Starting a nonlinear analysis is the same as the other study types. I expect to have some plastic deformation as well as sliding contact, so a nonlinear study is appropriate. The problem I would like to solve involves a plastic latching mechanism, pictured below: Watch out for shock or impact loads, these are sometimes best handled with linear dynamics, which will be covered in a future blog.
This includes large amounts of sliding contact. Time-dependent Loading– If loads or forces acting on the model realign, or change magnitude/direction during the calculation, they must be calculated with nonlinear analysis.Large Deformations– If the model is going to have large deformations, the stiffness will not be constant, and must be calculated with a large displacement solution.Nonlinear Materials– Elastomers, plastics, or composites qualify here also, materials that will exceed yield stress during the simulation.Some common reasons to switch to a nonlinear solver are below: Nonlinear studies are appropriate whenever the structural stiffness of the model or the model’s boundary conditions change throughout the simulation. You can read more about these steps here: Six Steps To Your Simulation Study. Nonlinear studies are no different, there are just a few extra bells and whistles to watch out for. How do I complete a nonlinear study in SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium? Every study in SOLIDWORKS Simulation follows the same six general steps.