Universal connection elements

The following table shows what the universal connections look like when they are realized into the solver-specific elements. In the table, the universal connection symbols are hidden.

Note:

Each mesh color represents different mesh collectors. The green mesh represents the two FEM entities that are connected, and the black, magenta, and blue meshes represent the universal connections that are realized into solver-specific elements.

Universal connection type	Description	Examples of solver-specific connection elements
Adhesive connection	Use to connect two objects without applying any heat. You can use this, for example, in packaging and sealing applications.	(1) CHEXA (Nastran) or C3D8 (Abaqus) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) or DCOUP3D (Abaqus) elements(1) CELAS (Nastran) elements(2) RBE2 (Nastran) elements
Bolt connection	Use to represent a screw or bolt connection.	(1) CBAR (Nastran), CBEAM (Nastran), B31 (Abaqus), or BEAM188 (ANSYS) elements(2) RBE2 (Nastran), CONNECTORS (Abaqus), or CERIG (ANSYS) elements(1) RBE2 (Nastran) or CONNECTORS (Abaqus) elements
Bushing connection	Use to provide a bearing surface for rotary applications like a rotating shaft supported on a bearing.	(1) CBUSH element
Clinch connection	Use in applications such as automotive hoods where sheet metal parts stick and interlock with each other.	(1) CHEXA (Nastran) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) elements(1) RBE2 (Nastran) elements
Crimp connection	Use in applications such as sheet metal forming operation on automotive doors, and so on.	(1) CHEXA (Nastran) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) elements(1) RBE2+RBE2 (Nastran) elements(1) RBE2 (Nastran) elements
Damper connection	Use to produce a mechanical or a hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp vibrations by converting the kinetic energy into some other form of energy (mostly heat), which is then dissipated. For example, you can use the damper connection in applications such as a door closing mechanism along with a spring connection to damp the vibrations of the spring.	(1) CBUSH element(1) CDAMP2 element
Kinematic connection	Use where relative motion exists between two geometric or finite element entities, as in a robot arm. Create it between two points where the first target is dependent and the second one is independent.The number of dependent degrees of freedom per node is equal to 1.	(1) MPC element
Lumped mass connection	Use to include parts in your model when you need to account for the mass, but the stiffness is not important to the final result.	(1) CONM2 (Nastran) elements(2) RBE2 / RBE3 (Nastran) elements
Rigid connection	Use to join two geometric or finite element entities when the relative displacement between them is zero. For a rigid connection the first target is independent and the second one is dependent. It is defined by the respective degrees of freedom, which may be either fixed or free.Note: For both rigid and kinematic connections, the dependent target behaves as a slave to the independent target.	(1) RBE2 element
Rivet connection	Use in applications such as structures like ship and automotive bodies, where very high strength and tight fit joints are necessary.	(1) CBAR (Nastran) elements(2) CBUSH (Nastran) elements(3) RBAR (Nastran) elements(1) CHEXA (Nastran) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) elements(1) CBUSH (Nastran) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) elements(1) RBE2 (Nastran) elements
Sealing connection	Use in applications such as pressure vessels, rubber sealing on automotive doors, and so on.	(1) CBUSH (Nastran) or Connector (elasticity) (Abaqus) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) or Interpolation (Abaqus) elements
Seam weld connection	Use to produce continuous welding to connect sheet metal parts in applications such as fabrication of steel cans, pressure vessels, and so on.	(1) RBE2 (Nastran) or Rigid Connector (Abaqus) elements(1) RBE2 (Nastran) or Rigid Connector (Abaqus) elements(2) RBE2 (Nastran) or Rigid Connector (Abaqus) elements
Spot weld connection	Use to produce spot welds to connect sheet metal parts in industries like automobile manufacturing, fabrication, ship building, and so on. The spot weld connection can be used to connect two, three, or four flanges.	(1) CHEXA (Nastran) or C3D8 (Abaqus) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) or DCOUP3D (Abaqus) elements(1) RBE2 (Nastran) or RIGID (Abaqus) elements(2) RBE2 (Nastran) or RIGID (Abaqus) elements(1) CBAR (Nastran) or B31 (Abaqus) elements(2) RBE2 (Nastran) or CONNECTORS (Abaqus) elements
Spring connection	Use to produce an elastic object that can be used to store mechanical energy in applications like a door closing mechanism.	(1) CELAS2 or CBUSH element

Where do I find it?

Universal connections commands

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Adhesive Connection Bolt Connection Bushing Connection Clinch Connection Crimp Connection Damper Connection Kinematic Connection Lumped Mass Connection Rigid Connection Rivet Connection Sealing Connection Seam Weld Connection Spot Weld Connection Spring Connection

Connection Elements command

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Connection Elements

Connection Import and Connection Export commands

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Connection Import****Connection Export

Connection Folder command

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Connection Folder

How do I

Realize (mesh) universal connections

Create and edit universal connections

Learn more

Universal connections

Managing element-associated data for universal connections (Abaqus)

Local spider element targets in universal connections

Bearing universal connection for rotor dynamics (SOL 414)

Using bushing universal connections in rotor dynamics (SOL 414)

Clinch universal connections in the LS-DYNA environment

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

Browse Simcenter 3D help by product area

Universal connection elements, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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