Connecting component FEMs

In the assembly FEM file, you can define connection elements to join component FEMs into a system using the following tools:

• Use 1D Connection to define geometry-based or FE-based connection meshes of 1D elements. Geometry-based connection meshes are recipe-based and update automatically when the geometry or assembly is modified, or if component FEMs are remeshed. You can also use this command to create spider elements or to model connecting structures such as pins, bolts, or struts. For more information, see 1D Connection.

• Use Bolt Connection to model a variety of solver-specific bolted connections between component FEMs. For more information, see Modeling bolted connections.

• Use CFAST/CWELD Connection to create Simcenter Nastran CFAST and CWELD type connections between component FEMs. For more information, see CFAST and CWELD Connections (Nastran).

• Use universal connections, such as Adhesive Connection, Seam Weld Connection, and so on, so that you can use the same assembly FEM without remeshing the connections for different analyses and solvers.

• Use manual node and element operations to create individual elements, such as connection elements, lumped mass elements, or shells or solid hexahedral elements. You can create elements using existing nodes in the component FEMs, or you can create new nodes in the assembly FEM. Unlike 1D connections, you can add the elements you create to an existing mesh.However, because manually created elements are not recipe-based, elements created using these tools may not update correctly, or may be deleted, if the assembly FEM, the component FEMs, or the CAD assembly is modified or updated.

• Use Duplicate Nodes to merge duplicate nodes where component FEMs share coincident node locations. For more information, see Merging component nodes with the Duplicate Nodes model check command

In addition, in the Simulation file for the assembly FEM, you can use Surface-to-Surface Contact and Surface-to-Surface Gluing to constrain behavior at adjacent faces of component FEMs. For more information, see Surface-to-Surface Contact (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics, Abaqus, ANSYS) and Surface-to-surface gluing (Simcenter Nastran, Simcenter 3D Multiphysics).

Node operations available in assembly FEMs

For detailed information about node operations available in an assembly FEM, see:

• Creating nodes

• Creating nodes between other nodes

• Creating nodes on a point, curve,or edge

• Translating nodes

• Rotating nodes

• Deleting nodes

• Working with nodal coordinate systems

• Create and edit universal connections

Element operations available in assembly FEMs

For detailed information about element operations available in an assembly FEM, see:

• Manually creating elements

• Element-associated data

• Deleting elements

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Connecting component FEMs, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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