instructional software for demonstrating cadfea integration best ...

1. Instructional Software for Demonstrating CAD/FEA Integration Best Practices Joe Chabura & Jim Leake Department of General Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

3. What is Needed? Instructional materials to assist design engineers in proper use of CAD-embedded FEA software Self-paced, standalone materials to help students master CAD/CAM/CAE software usage Time constraints in engineering science and design courses Bridge between fundamental science and CAE

4. Research Goals Identify CAD-embedded FEA best practices Identify ANSYS Design Simulation learning objectives Develop multimedia software tool to illustrate best practices and learning objectives Linear static structural problems Promote use of tool in UIUC GE Department Make tool freely available Use architecture as template for similar instructional packages

5. FEA Software Trends Interactive graphical user interface Automation of critical functions CAD integration Underlying robust technology

6. ANSYS FEA Software ANSYS “Classic” ANSYS Workbench CAD-embedded Environments Design Modeler Design Simulation Design Xplorer

7. Best Practices: Categories + Example Modeling Suppress features far from an area of interest Symmetry Symmetry constraints on a solid prevent translation through a symmetry plane Meshing Refine the mesh in critical areas and gradually transition Boundary Conditions Plan for patches to apply BC’s Solving Unusually long run times can indicate singularities Results Viewing Animate displacement first Convergence An initial mesh must be refined multiple times to capture stress behavior Assemblies Use component contribution analysis

8. ANSYS Design Simulation Learning Objectives: Categories + Example Design Simulation Interface Use multiple viewports Attaching Geometry Update a modified CAD model in Design Simulation Applying Boundary Conditions Describe the precautions necessary when applying a load to an edge or vertex Meshing Use the sizing control Results Read reaction force and moment results Solving Create duplicate models Reporting Insert a figure and comments in a Design Simulation report Assembly Contact Describe the difference between each contact type

9. Instructional Software Development Tools Macromedia Authorware Used to create program architecture Adobe Photoshop Used to manipulate graphics and create special effects Techsmith’s Camtasia Used to create video tutorials

10. FEA Instructional Software Features Pedagogical structure designed around measurable learning objectives and FEA best practices Mimics look and feel of actual CAD and FEA software environments Multiple examples using ANSYS Design Simulation together with Autodesk Inventor Narrated movies with pause, fast-forward and rewind controls; movies partitioned and linked to learning objectives

11. Instructional Software Layout

12. Authorware Architecture

13. Interaction Features Buttons Sliders Hot spots Pop up windows

14. Implementation Instructional software to be used next semester in CAD/CAE course CD’s distributed to GE structures faculty Available for download at: http://leake.ge.uiuc.edu

15. Future Work Instructional software package linking mechanism design with CAD/CAE software Use CAD/FEA architecture as a starting point Conduct usability assessment Identify CAD/CAE mechanism software Develop models (virtual & physical) Develop software package

16. Acknowledgements Autodesk Manufacturing Division support Vince Adams & Abraham Askenazi, “Building Better Products with Finite Element Analysis”, Onward Press, 1999

17. Questions & Demonstration Instructional Software for Demonstrating CAD/FEA Integration Best Practices