When a metal is loaded beyond its elastic limit, it no longer springs back to its original shape - it deforms permanently. Capturing this behaviour accurately in FEA requires moving beyond simple linear-elastic models and into the realm of plasticity. This post walks through the key concepts behind metal plasticity including true stress and strain, … Continue reading Elastoplastic Analysis in ANSYS and SolidWorks Simulation
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Thermo-structural Simulation: An Example of Laser Welding Process
Laser welding is a highly localized heat input process in which a moving heat source induces steep thermal gradients. These gradients lead to thermal expansion and contraction generating residual stresses. They may also cause material softening or phase changes in the heat-affected zone. From a modelling perspective, laser welding process is a sequentially coupled problem … Continue reading Thermo-structural Simulation: An Example of Laser Welding Process
Two workflows for the buckling analysis of a structure subject to gravity in Ansys
The Eigenvalue Buckling analysis in Workbench takes the results of a Static Structural analysis and calculates the load multiplier that would cause a structural buckling. If in the Static Structural analysis, loads and gravity are applied together to take into account the self-weight of the structure, then the buckling multiplier would also ‘multiply’ the gravity, … Continue reading Two workflows for the buckling analysis of a structure subject to gravity in Ansys
SAE Chassis Frontal Impact Analysis
The chassis is a major part in any automotive design since it is the structural backbone of various functional systems attached to it and is responsible for carrying loads of different components. Using ANSYS Mechanical to analyse a chassis allows different design configurations to be evaluated efficiently, making it possible to assess stiffness and deformation … Continue reading SAE Chassis Frontal Impact Analysis
Drop Test Simulation using Transient Structural Analysis in ANSYS
This post originates from a project validating the drop test experiment (see Figure 1) in a case study—Analytical and Experimental Study on Drop Test of Electronic Devices (Lamar University, 2021)—using Transient Structural analysis in ANSYS. Figure 1. The drop test set-up. There are several important questions to ask before the simulation: For this drop test … Continue reading Drop Test Simulation using Transient Structural Analysis in ANSYS
A Heat Exchanger in SolidWorks Flow Simulation
We have talked about conjugate heat transfer in a recent post. In this post, we will look at a similar example and perform a steady-state thermal analysis on a copper heat exchanger as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. Heat exchanger (transparent mode). The heat exchanger is used to transfer heat between air and water. … Continue reading A Heat Exchanger in SolidWorks Flow Simulation
What’s New SOLIDWORKS 2025 – Assembly Design
It has been a while since the last post. Today I would like to share a video I made about SOLIDWORKS 2025. Working with large assemblies in SOLIDWORKS can be challenging, especially when dealing with thousands of components. Efficiently utilizing computer resources and optimizing performance is crucial for a smooth workflow. SOLIDWORKS 2025 introduces several … Continue reading What’s New SOLIDWORKS 2025 – Assembly Design
SolidWorks Simulation: How Do We Understand Response Spectrum Analysis?
Any loading can be understood as transient, but it can also be understood as a spectrum of waves. Treating dynamic problem inputs and outputs as a combination of waves (or wave spectrum) simplifies the problem by removing the concept of time. However, the solution is approximate and with certain limitations. You can use a response … Continue reading SolidWorks Simulation: How Do We Understand Response Spectrum Analysis?
SolidWorks Simulation: How Do We Understand Harmonic Response Analysis?
What is harmonic response analysis? Let's start this post by a simple example: A single degree of freedom oscillator loaded with a time varying force F. The solution to this problem is known in closed form. If the force F oscillates, the resulting displacement will oscillate in the same oscillatory fashion. The phase angle Φ, … Continue reading SolidWorks Simulation: How Do We Understand Harmonic Response Analysis?
4 Tips for Harmonic Response Analysis Using SolidWorks Simulation
It has been a while since the last post. Today I would like to share 4 tips you should keep in mind when doing harmonic analysis using SolidWorks Simulation. Tip 1. 80% cumulative mass participation criteria To help determine the minimum number of modes to be used, make sure there is at least 80% mass … Continue reading 4 Tips for Harmonic Response Analysis Using SolidWorks Simulation