Quality audits for connections

The Quality Audit tool identifies and groups connections and connected components or meshes in your model, and it validates universal connections for specific kinds of checks, such as identifying the distance between connections. For each of these checks, you can set the tolerance values.

The Quality Audit tool provides two types of checks—global and connection.

Global audit actions

Global audit actions are performed on the full displayed model. From the global audit results, you can quickly fit any of the identified groups or individual entities into the graphics window, and you can edit any connection. Global audit actions support:

• Universal connections, such as spot weld, seam weld, bolts, spring, damper, and so on

• FEM connections, such as mesh mating and 1D connections

• Simulation object connections, such as surface-to-surface gluing or contact

You can choose from the following global actions.

Action	Description
List All Connections	Lists a summary of all connections in an assembly. The connections are grouped by category, such as universal connections, type of connection, such as adhesive, and characteristic of the connection, such as material. Not all connections have associated characteristics.
List All Non-Modeled Connections	Lists a summary of all universal connections that are not realized (meshed) or that are invalid.
Component Connectivity Check	Lists groups of the connected component FEMs in your model.
Mesh Connectivity Check	Lists groups of meshes in your model that are connected by at least one element or simulation object. Note: The connectivity within the meshes is not checked.For 3D meshes, only the free faces of the mesh are checked.
Connection Synthesis	Lists groups of the connection types that are in your model. The groups are organized by category (such as universal connections or 1D connections) by connection type (such as spring or kinematic), and by characteristics. For example, kinematic universal connections are grouped by the type of joint, such as slider and cylindrical. Other universal connections, such as spot welds, are grouped by their size and the material assigned to them.

Connection actions

Connection actions check the positioning or projection of your connections. For each of the connection actions, you set the tolerance values. When the Quality Audit tool identifies the connections that are out of tolerance, you can quickly zoom in on them to visualize the problem. You can also right-click the connection to open the connection dialog box to edit it, or open the connection location dialog box to modify the location.

Connection actions support all universal connections except for lumped mass.

You can request the connection actions at two levels:

• Object Level Checks — Checks the universal connections. (To visualize the connections as they will be checked, in the Simulation Navigator, hide the elements that were realized for the connection.)

• Mesh Level Checks — Checks the elements created for the universal connections. (To visualize the connections as they will be checked, in the Simulation Navigator, show the elements that were realized for the connection.)Note: Before you use the Mesh Level Checks, you must realize (mesh) the universal connections. Otherwise, no results for Mesh Level Checks are returned.Mesh level checks are useful when you alter the meshes in your model. For example, for analysis purposes, you might offset a mesh from its polygon body, or you might delete some elements and their associated nodes. When you do this, the original connection may no longer reach the intended target on the altered mesh, or it may no longer be able to connect to deleted nodes, and so on. To connect the targets, the software adjusts the connection element. Thus, the tolerances for the realized (meshed) connections may be different than those for the same connection checks at the object level.For example, suppose you realize a connection and run a projection action for the object level and the mesh level. The results for both the Object Level Checks and the Mesh Level Checks show that the spot weld is 30 mm greater than the defined tolerance.For analysis purposes, you offset the mesh of one of the flanges by moving it 10 mm lower than the polygon body. You then realize the connections. Because the connection elements can connect only to the mesh, the software extends the connection element to connect to the offset mesh. Thus, the connection element is now longer than the connection object that you originally defined between the two polygon bodies. This time when you run the projection action for the object level and the mesh level, the results are different—the Object Level Checks shows the original projection error of 30 mm greater than the tolerance, but the Mesh Level Checks shows a projection error of 40 mm greater than the tolerance.

Mesh offset from polygon body with the newly realized spot weld connection	Object level check result	Mesh level check result

You can choose from the following connection actions.

Action	Description
Projection	Available for object-level and mesh-level connection checks for spot weld, seam weld, clinch, rivet, crimp, adhesive, and sealing universal connections.Finds projection errors by comparing the distance between the definition point and the projection point with the defined threshold value. The definition point is how you defined the connection in the universal connection dialog boxes. The projection point is computed by the software using the tolerances you set on the Tolerances page of each connection. A connection is correct if the distance between the definition point and the projection point is less than the defined threshold value. The threshold value is defined by right-clicking the Projection action and choosing Settings.The following example shows the three possible statuses for an object-level check for an adhesive connection.Projection correctedProjection greater than toleranceProjection failed	Projection corrected	Projection greater than tolerance	Projection failed
Projection corrected	Projection greater than tolerance	Projection failed
Length of Connection	Available for object-level and mesh-level connection checks for spot weld, seam weld, clinch, rivet, crimp, adhesive, and sealing universal connections.Checks the distance between the projections on two consecutive flanges in the same connection.A connection is correct if its length is inside the defined range. Displays the measured distance between the flanges. The red line indicates the length of the connection that lies outside the defined range, and the green line indicates the length of the connection that lies within the range. You can correct the connection by adjusting the distance between the flanges to be within the defined range.Length of clinch connection outside range
Length Ratio of Connection	Available for object-level and mesh-level connection checks for spot weld, seam weld, clinch, rivet, crimp, adhesive, and sealing universal connections.Checks the distance between two consecutive flanges/supports divided by the sum of half the support thickness of the connection flanges, as follows:The distance between the supports is related to the connection projection point.Length ratio = dS1-S2/Σt/2where:d is distance.S1 and S2 are the flanges/supports.t is flange thickness.Note: For seam weld connections, only the thickness of the second flange is included when computing the ratio. Thus, the computation uses half of the second flange thickness, not the sum from both flanges.A ratio is correct if it is within the defined tolerance. Displays the thickness of the flanges as T1/2 and T2/2. The red line shows the length ratio of the two flanges. Length ratio of clinch connection outside of range because thickness values are missing
Angle of Connection	Available for object-level and mesh-level connection checks for spot weld, seam weld, clinch, rivet, crimp, adhesive, and sealing universal connections.Checks the angle between the normal directions at the projection points on the flanges.A connection is correct if the angle is within the tolerance value.Displays the computed angle between the normal directions at the projection points on the flange.Angle of connection
Flatness Around Spot Weld	Available for object-level and mesh-level connection checks for spot weld universal connections.Checks the flatness of the geometry around the spot weld connection within a specified cylindrical volume.The flatness is correct if the virtual cylinder created by the Height and Radius values does not intersect with any flanges.If the virtual cylinder intersects with any flanges, the distance measured from the projected center of the connection to the intersection is displayed.You can correct the connection by moving it away from the intersection an amount equal to the sum of the distance from the intersection and the radius of the virtual circle. For example, if the displayed distance from the intersection is 1 mm and the radius of the virtual circle is set to 3 mm, you can correct the connection by moving it 4 mm further from the intersection.Spot weld trimetric****Spot weld cross-section	Spot weld trimetric	Spot weld cross-section
Spot weld trimetric	Spot weld cross-section
Distance Between Connections (object level)	Available for object-level connection checks for all universal connections except lumped mass.Checks the distance between two different connections.A connection is correct if the distance between the neighboring definition points of the different connections is greater than the defined minimum distance value.Displays a pair of definition points with a measured distance less than the specified minimum distance, along with the measured distance value. The red line indicates the distance between the connections, and the green line shows the distance that fits within the tolerance.Inadequate distance between two different spot weld connections
Distance Between Connection Points	Available for object-level connection checks for spot weld, seam weld, clinch, rivet, crimp, adhesive, sealing, and bolt universal connections.Checks the distance between two definition points within the same connection. A connection is correct if the distance between the neighboring definition points within the same connection is greater than the defined minimum distance value. Displays a pair of definition points with a measured distance less than the specified minimum distance, along with the measured distance value. The red line indicates the distance between the connections, and the green line shows the distance that fits within the tolerance.Inadequate distance between two points in the same spot weld connection
Distance from Free Edge (object level)	Available for object-level connection checks for all universal connections except lumped mass.Finds the connection definition points that are closer to the free edges than the specified minimum distance.A connection is correct if the distance between the connection definition point and the nearest free edge is greater than the defined minimum distance value.This check reports the definition points that are closer to their nearest free edges than the specified minimum distance along with the distance between them. The red line indicates the distance from the free edge, and the green line shows the distance that fits within the tolerance.Spot weld connection distance from free edge
Target Sequence	Available for object-level connection checks for spot weld, seam weld, clinch, and rivet universal connections.For connections with more than two flanges, identifies flanges that are not in the correct order. For example, the sequence of the selected flanges should be 1 (upper), 2 (middle), 3 (lower). If the flanges are ordered as 1, 3, 2, the connection appears in the error list and you can right-click it to correct the flange definition. Flanges out of sequence on a spot weld connection

Connection actions and universal connections

The following table shows which connection checks are available for which universal connection types.

	Connection Type
Connection Check	Spot Weld	Seam Weld	Clinch	Rivet	Crimp	Adhesive	Sealing	Bolt	Nodal*	Lumped Mass
Projection
Length of Connection
Length Ratio of Connection
Angle of Connection
Flatness Around Spot Weld
Distance Between Connections
Distance Between Connections Points
Distance from Free Edge
Target Sequence

*Nodal-based universal connections are bushing, damper, kinematic, rigid, and spring.

Reusing your settings

After you select the Global Audit Actions, Connection Actions, and the Connection Actions settings that you want the Quality Audit tool to perform, you can save your actions and settings to use with similar models. If you want to use the saved actions for all of your models, you can set the Quality Audit customer defaults to use your file.

You can also use your saved settings with NVH Composer. When NVH Composer generates your assembly FEM file, it checks your assembly connections against the connection tolerances in your Quality Audit settings file. For more information, see Quality audit checks in NVH Composer.

Visualization of connections and results management

After you run a check, the Results list is updated with the information for the selected global actions, and a list of errors for each selected connection action type.

For global actions, you can visualize connections, edit connections, run action checks again, and export results. When you visualize connections, meshes, and groups in the global audit actions, the selected entity is displayed with no errors. To visualize errors in the graphics window, you must select a connection from the Connection Actions folder.

For connection actions, you can visualize the connection and problems, edit connections and locations, change tolerance settings, run action checks again, and export results.

For global and connection actions:

• In the Global Audit Actions results, to edit connections, right-click a connection under List All Connections or List All Non-Modeled Connections, and choose Edit.

• In the Connection Actions results, to edit connections or locations, right-click a connection and choose Edit or Edit location.

• To export all results, right-click the vertical or horizontal scroll bar and choose Export results. To export results for a set of actions or a single action, right-click a folder or individual action and choose Export results.

• To visualize an entity, select it. The graphics window updates to show the entity or group of entities in the context of the model. To visualize only that entity, right-click-it and choose the corresponding command, such as Fit Connection in View, Fit Group in View, Fit Group in View, and so on.

• To visualize a problem in a connection, under a Connection Actions node, right-click a connection and choose Zoom to Problem. The graphics window updates to show the problem area in the connection. The red portion of the line, angle, or diameter shows the measurement that is above or below the tolerance, and the green line shows where the connection needs to be adjusted to fit within the tolerance.

• To run an action after you make updates, right-click the action and choose Run Action Again.

Managing the Quality Audit work space

All commands for managing your Quality Audit work space are available from the right-click menu.

As you work in the Quality Audit work space, you can collapse each group after you make your selections to create more vertical space for the group you are working on. However, for models with many components and connections, also try some of the following techniques:

• To view the Actions, Input, or Results groups in a separate window:For the Actions and Input groups, right-click the column heading or any blank cell and choose Send to Window.For the Results group, right-click the vertical or horizontal scroll bar and choose Send to Window.A new window opens with a duplicate of the actions, input, or results tree. You can expand this window to the height of your monitor and drag it next to the work space or to another monitor. This allows you to expand the graphics window so that you can view connections more easily.Selections you make in the separate Actions, Input, and Results windows are simultaneously made in the corresponding group, and the same right-click commands, such as collapsing and expanding, loading and saving action settings, and viewing by group or hierarchy are available.To close the window, click Close in the upper-right corner.

• To display the results in a browser window, first expand and collapse, filter, and so on, the results to show your areas of interest. Then right-click anywhere in the vertical or horizontal scroll bars or to the left of the results tree, and choose Export to Browser. The display in the browser is static, so you cannot expand and collapse the nodes.

• To quickly display only the columns you need in the Results group, right-click anywhere in the vertical or horizontal scroll bar and choose Columns→the column you want to hide. Select the column again to show it.

• To rearrange the columns in the Results group, right-click anywhere in the vertical or horizontal scroll bar and choose Columns→Configure. In the Default View dialog box, you can select or clear the check boxes to show or hide columns, and you can rearrange the columns by clicking a column name and then using the Move Up or Move Down arrows to position the column in the order you want.

• To keep a column visible while you scroll horizontally, right-click the column heading of that column and choose Freeze. To include that column in the horizontal scrolling again, right-click the column and choose Unfreeze, or right-click a different column and choose Freeze.

• To limit the displayed results for one of the actions to a specified criterion, click the action whose results you want to filter, and then right-click a column heading and choose Filter. A right angle bracket appears in the column heading to indicate that the column is filtered. To clear the filter, right-click the column heading and choose Clear Property Filters.

• To quickly find specific information in a column, right-click the column heading and choose Find.

• To expand or collapse the Global Audit Actions and the Connection Actions results, right-click anywhere in the vertical or horizontal scroll bar and choose Expand All or Collapse All.

If you prefer to keep all of the Quality Audit groups expanded, you can use the right-click commands on the main vertical scroll bar to navigate to the top or bottom, page up or down, and so on. The main vertical scroll bar is available only if all groups are expanded.

Where do I find it?

Quality Audit command

Application	Pre/Post
Command Finder	Assembly Quality Audit
Resource bar	HD3D Tools tab→Quality Audit

Setting Quality Audit customer defaults

Command Finder	Customer Defaults
Location in dialog box	Simulation→Pre/Post→Quality Audit→Check Settings tab→Use Configuration File

How do I

Check connections

Reuse your settings for connection checks

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

Browse Simcenter 3D help by product area

Quality audits for connections, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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