Durability weld objects

Durability seam weld and spot weld objects are used in Specialist Durability solutions to help identify potential fatigue problems and evaluate fatigue performance in welded connections.

• Durability seam weld objects point to:A seam weld universal connection that is of a type different from Other. A Specialist Durability simulation recovery object.

• Durability spot weld objects point to a spot weld universal connection.

Creating durability seam and spot weld objects

To create durability seam and spot weld objects that can be used in Specialist Durability solutions, use one of the following methods:

• For seam and spot welds:Import the welds using xMCF (extended master connection format). For more information, see Import durability weld objects using xMCF.From a FEM file that has existing weld connections, use the auto-detect commands. For more information, see Create seam weld and spot weld universal connections using auto-detection.

• For spot welds only, create a spot weld universal connection. For more information, see Create and edit universal connections.

For more information on seam welds, see Seam weld universal connections and Specialist Durability.

Importing and exporting durability seam and spot weld objects

You can import durability seam and spot weld objects using the xMCF (extended master connection file) format. Because the durability objects consist of both a Simulation file part (simulation object, seam welds only) and a FEM file part (universal connection), you must export and import them from the Simulation file to retain the durability object data.

During the import process, the software attempts to identify existing connection nodes and/or elements in the FEM, and create universal weld connections. In the xMCF file, seam weld objects point to weld line locations that do not necessarily correspond to the locations of existing connection nodes in the FEM file. Likewise, spot weld objects point to weld locations, which also do not necessarily correspond to the locations of existing connection element nodes in the FEM file. Thus, the software attempts to find a match, as follows:

• For seam welds, the software tries to find an exact match between existing nodes and the location of the seam weld line, and it verifies the flange definitions and joint types. If the software finds a match between the nodes and the location of the seam weld line, it creates a group containing the nodes that define the weld line. When the weld line nodes are not shared between flanges but connected via shell elements, the software creates a group of those connecting shell elements.

• For spot welds, if the software can create a universal spot weld connection at a location that is within a spatial tolerance from the imported spot weld location, it creates a group containing the existing connection elements associated to the spot weld.

If the software finds the matching locations, and the verifications pass, it creates a universal weld connection in the Universal Connections container and a universal connection element in the Connection Elements container.

If the import was done from the Simulation file, the software creates a durability weld object, assigns the simulation recovery object (seam welds only) from the xMCF file, and puts the welds into durability weld sets.

In the xMCF format, the durability seam and spot weld objects are identified in the following XML elements:

• The universal connection data is imported from and exported to the element for seam welds and the element for spot welds.

• If you import LMS Virtual.Lab welds, the weld durability-related data is stored in the xMCF user-specific data element, .

For more information on the seam and spot weld objects in the xMCF format, see Importing and exporting weld connections with xMCF.

Managing large numbers of seam and spot welds

If you have a FEM file with a large number of existing seam and spot weld connection elements, you can use the Auto-detect Seam Welds or Auto-detect Spot Welds command to find them and create universal weld connections so that you can use them in Specialist Durability analyses.

For more information, see Create seam weld and spot weld universal connections using auto-detection.

Durability weld objects in the Simulation Navigator

In the Simulation Navigator, durability weld objects are stored as follows:

• The Simulation file stores the Durability Seam Weld Sets and Durability Spot Weld Sets.Each durability weld set contains one or more durability welds.Multiple durability weld sets can include the same weld universal connection. For example, both Durability Seam Weld Set (1) and Durability Seam Weld Set (2) can contain Y-Joint - Seam Connection 4.Each durability weld points to one universal connection of the same type. For example, a durability seam weld points to a universal connection seam weld. Each durability seam weld points to a simulation recovery object. The durability weld sets are used by Local Definitions. For more information, see Creating a specialist durability local definition.

• The FEM file stores the Universal Connections container and the Connection Elements container.

Durability seam and spot weld objects in Specialist Durability analyses

You use the seam weld and spot weld objects in Specialist Durability solutions in the context of sets and local definitions. To use them in a Specialist Durability solution, you must do the following:

• Add them to spot weld and seam weld sets.

• Assign the sets to local definitions.

• Add the local definitions to the Specialist Durability solution.

For more information, see Include seam and spot weld sets in a Specialist Durability solution.

Where do I find it?

Importing and exporting durability seam and spot weld objects

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A Simulation file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Import Durability Welds Export Durability Welds

Creating durability seam and spot weld sets

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A Simulation file as the work part and displayed part
Simulation Navigator	Right-click the Durability Seam Weld Set container→Seam Weld Set or Spot Weld Set
Command Finder	Seam Weld Set Spot Weld Set

Automatically detecting seam and spot weld connections

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Auto-detect Seam Welds Auto-detect Spot Welds

How do I

Import durability weld objects using xMCF

Export durability weld objects using xMCF

Create seam weld and spot weld universal connections using auto-detection

Create durability seam weld and spot weld sets

Include seam and spot weld sets in a Specialist Durability solution

Define custom seam weld fine models

Learn more

Seam weld universal connections and Specialist Durability

User defined seam weld fine models

Look up more details

Importing and exporting weld connections with xMCF

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

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Durability weld objects, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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