![running fea solidworks with beams running fea solidworks with beams](https://blogs.solidworks.com/tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/Image-5-4.jpg)
I am going to apply some thermal loads to the CATI weldment structure (using beam elements) and export those thermal loads into a linear static FEA analysis. Now, this wouldn’t be a simulation blog unless we ran a couple of studies. Courtesy of SOLIDWORKS 2020 What’s New document Thermal Load compatibility with beam body and joints. See the same screenshots from above in SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2020 below:įor a detailed list of the types of thermal loads that are applicable to beam bodies and joints, see the list below courtesy of the SOLIDWORKS 2020 What’s New documentation.
![running fea solidworks with beams running fea solidworks with beams](https://cdn.lynda.com/course/606063/606063-636688230315617474-16x9.jpg)
This all changes in SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2020! We can now apply thermal loads to beam or truss elements in Linear Static, Nonlinear Static, Frequency, Bucking, Nonlinear Dynamic, and of course Thermal FEA studies. (Yes, temperature loads can be accomplished in linear static FEA, see my blog on the subject if you have questions.) Furthermore, you can start a thermal analysis with weldments and the cut list is brought in, but all the bodies are treated as solid elements and no joint groups are calculated.
![running fea solidworks with beams running fea solidworks with beams](https://www.computeraideddesignguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1.5-Adding-fixtures.png)
In SOLIDWORKS 2019, if you start a static study with beam elements and go into the external loads menu, you will not see a temperature load available. Let’s take a look!īelow is a snazzy weldment structure that I made, and we are going to compare the options and results from SOLIDWORKS 2019 and previous versions with the new SOLIDWORKS 2020 functionality. This has been remedied in SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2020 with the addition of Thermal Loads for Beam Elements. This was a severe limitation, as many types of structures made from beams may be required to endure large temperature variations. However, beams have always had a major drawback they cannot take thermal loads. They offer robust results on long, slender structural members without the compromising solve times that would be required with solid or shell type elements. This is useful for work out what the footprint of the weldments does to other bodies in your model.ĭon't think of a model of being either or, a combination of triangular nodes, shell and beam can often be the best way to solve a problem.In SOLIDWORKS Simulation, beam elements are quite common. With a beam model you're pretty much reduced to defining everything by nodes or individual beams.įinally weldments modelled as beams do actually transfer the weldments profile to other solid elements. With beam elements, a lot of the more accurate fixture options aren't available to you as these require face or edge selection. Or, shells perhaps but defining the structure with shells often involves messing around with surfaces which can take a lot of time. If you're interested in stress at a particular section of box wall or the interaction of some else complicated on the model you need solid bodies with 3-4 elements through the thickness of the box. In simplified terms, beams are less good at working out stress at a specific position in your model. In simplified terms, if you're interested in displacement, beam elements are fine and much quicker than solid or shell bodies. Solid bodies with triangular elements don't. These mesh much more quickly.īeam elements have a number of nodes rather than triangular elements.īeam elements allow the generation of bending moment and shear force graphs. Models that use Weldments and 3d sketches are much more maintainable than standard extruded sketches on millions of different planes for models that are meant to be made out of structural steel like SHS, CHS and RSA etc. Weldments allow weld gaps and auto generation of end caps etc. Weldments allows cut lists to be auto generated for manufacturing purposes. Use of weldments allows all kinds of useful trim and mitre features that you can't do easily with extrusions.