Release 12.0
Copyright and Trademark Information
© 2009 SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use, distribution or duplication is prohibited.
ANSYS, ANSYS Workbench, Ansoft, AUTODYN, EKM, Engineering Knowledge Manager, CFX, FLUENT, HFSS and any and all ANSYS, Inc. brand, product, service and feature names, logos and slogans are registered trademarks or trademarks of ANSYS, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries. ICEM CFD is a trademark used by ANSYS, Inc. under license. CFX is a trademark of Sony Corporation in Japan. All other brand, product, service and feature names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Disclaimer Notice
THIS ANSYS SOFTWARE PRODUCT AND PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION INCLUDE TRADE SECRETS AND ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS OF ANSYS, INC., ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR LICENSORS. The software products and documentation are furnished by ANSYS, Inc., its subsidiaries, or affiliates under a software license agreement that contains provisions concerning non-disclosure, copying, length and nature of use, compliance with exporting laws, warranties, disclaimers, limitations of liability, and remedies, and other provisions. The software products and documentation may be used, disclosed, transferred, or copied only in accordance with the terms and conditions of that software license agreement.
ANSYS, Inc. is certified to ISO 9001:2008.
U.S. Government Rights
For U.S. Government users, except as specifically granted by the ANSYS, Inc. software license agreement, the use, duplication, or disclosure by the United States Government is subject to restrictions stated in the ANSYS, Inc. software license agreement and FAR 12.212 (for non-DOD licenses).
Third-Party Software
See the legal information in the product help files for the complete Legal Notice for ANSYS proprietary software and third-party software. If you are unable to access the Legal Notice, please contact ANSYS, Inc.
Published in the U.S.A.
April 2009
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The following installation and licensing changes apply to all ANSYS, Inc. products at the 12.0 release. Be sure to read the Release Notes for your individual product(s) for additional installation and licensing changes specific to your product(s).
ANSYS, Inc. product distributions are available for download on the ANSYS, Inc. website. Windows and Linux product distributions are also available on media which contains all ANSYS, Inc. products in the form of a unified product install for a specific Windows or Linux platform. If you download ANSYS, Inc. products from the ANSYS, Inc. website, you will be required to download separate product component packages that must be combined to create a unified product install based on your product selections.
The 12.0 ANSYS, Inc. License Manager must be installed as a separate process. It is no longer available in the product installation. Please refer to the section on License Manager Installation in the ANSYS, Inc. Installation Guide for your platform for detailed information on installing the ANSYS, Inc. License Manager to set up a license server machine.
The product installation process now automatically installs the client licensing; once you have installed the license server, you do not need to take any further steps to configure a client.
Product installs do not require administrator privileges but it is highly recommended. For non-admin product installs, some product components will require additional post-installation configuration procedures that may require administrator privileges. Please refer to Post-Installation Procedures in the ANSYS, Inc. Windows Installation Guide. In addition, you will also need administrator privileges to install any necessary prerequisites before installing any ANSYS, Inc. products.
On Windows systems, you must have Microsoft .NET Framework
2.0 SP1, Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable, 2.0.50727.762,
and Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package (x64) or (x86),
6.0.2900.2180 installed on your system. You will be able to install
these files using the installation setup menu. All files are also
located under the \util directory.
To uninstall a product on Windows systems, you must use the uninstall process described in the ANSYS, Inc. Installation Guide for Windows. You cannot use Microsoft Windows' Add/Remove Programs feature.
If you have installed any pre-release version of Release
12.0 software, you should delete the contents of the %appdata%\Ansys\v120 folder prior to installing the released version. This directory
contains application-specific data that may have incompatibilities
with the final released version.
ANSYS Workbench, EKM Desktop, and some of the CAD products are no longer listed in the Product Selection dialog of the installation process. These items are automatically installed and configured with all applicable product installations.
ANSYS 12.0 still supports platform and network installations; however, the process has changed from Release 11.0. The AWPNC utility is no longer used on Windows systems. Please review the information in the section on Network Configuration in the ANSYS, Inc. Installation Guide for your platform carefully for procedures on platform and network installations.
Text mode installation is no longer supported.
The Drop Test Module (DTM) is no longer an add-on feature for ANSYS LS-DYNA. At ANSYS 12.0, the DTM is included in all applicable products. The -dtm command line option is no longer valid; if you issue the -dtm command line option when you launch ANSYS, the product will interpret it as a parameter.
Important Licensing Upgrade Notice. This release requires a licensing upgrade. The 12.0 License Manager is required to run ANSYS 12.0 products. The ANSYS, Inc. License Manager and its associated processes have changed significantly at 12.0. Please carefully review the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide for more information on these changes. The new 12.0 licensing process will continue to support ANSYS licensing from prior ANSYS releases.
Other Licensing Updates for Release 12.0. Please note these additional updates to the Release 12.0 licensing:
lmgrd and ansyslmd continue to use FLEXlm 10.8.5 at this release. However, due to other
licensing updates, you must install the new license manager or your
ANSYS, Inc. products will not run.
Communications between the ANSYS applications, lmgrd, and ansyslmd are now handled
by an intermediary process called the ANSYS Licensing Interconnect. The ANSYS Licensing Interconnect communicates
with the FLEXlm component of the license manager to authenticate and
process all license requests. Using an intermediary process allows
us to seamlessly integrate our full range of product offerings to
continually offer you access to the latest products with minimal disruption
to your licensing environment. It also allows us a platform on which
to enhance important licensing features. You must install the new license manager, including the licensing
interconnect, or your ANSYS, Inc. products will not run. We strongly
recommend that you review the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide to become familiar with the
changes.
The licensing installation process is now separate for the server and the client. The client portion is installed automatically during a product installation and requires no further action. The server portion is a separate installation and must be installed for your ANSYS, Inc. products to run.
On Windows license server machines, you will now have access to a server (full) version of the ANSLIC_ADMIN utility and a client version. You will use the Server ANSLIC_ADMIN utility to manage licenses for all users who use that machine as a license server machine. Use the Client ANSLIC_ADMIN machine to make changes to that local machine's configuration. Changes made using the Client ANSLIC_ADMIN utility will not affect other users. For more information, see the chapter on ANSLIC_ADMIN in the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide.
On Windows license server machines at Release 12.0, you will now see a start menu item, ANSYS, Inc. License Manager, from which you can access the Server ANSLIC_ADMIN utility, as well as the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide and the FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide. On client machines, you can also access the Client ANSLIC_ADMIN utility from . You should use these utilities to manage the Release 12.0 ANSYS, Inc. licensing.
On Windows client machines, you may still see an ANSYS FLEXlm License Manager start menu item from an earlier release. This option should be used only for Release 11.0 or earlier, and will not allow you to correctly manage the Release 12.0 licensing. See License Administration Using ANSLIC_ADMIN in the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide for details on using the appropriate ANSLIC_ADMIN option to manage your licensing.
The ANSYS, Inc. License Manager now uses a different service, the ANSYS, Inc. License Manager, on Windows machines. The previously used service, ANSYS FLEXlm License Manager, will be removed and replaced by this new service during the license server installation.
ANSYS 12.0 provides a new automatic boot process on UNIX/Linux machines. See Start the ANSYS License Manager at System Boot Time for instructions on upgrading to the new process.
The LM_LICENSE_FILE environment variable
is no longer supported.
LMTOOLS is no longer sufficient to manage the ANSYS, Inc. License Manager and the Licensing Interconnect. You should use the ANSLIC_ADMIN utility to start or stop the license manager, check the license status, etc. However, if you have well-established processes to manage FLEXlm, you can continue to use those processes and tools (such as LMTOOLS, FLEXNet Manager, and lmutil). For more information on managing FLEXlm separately using your own processes and tools, see Advanced Licensing Configuration Options.
The ANSYS Licensing Interconnect does not support the use of IP addresses in the FLEXlm options file for those settings that allow their use, such as EXCLUDE and INCLUDE.
To specify group restrictions for performing license administrative tasks, in addition to creating an lmadmin group, you must make sure that all members of that group have the lmadmin group as their primary group and the Licensing Interconnect needs to be told to use group restrictions. See Create a Group in the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide for more information.
Beginning with Release 12.0, ANSYS, Inc. products will be standardizing on a unified set of platform names. These names may be different than what your products used in past releases. Please refer to the ANSYS, Inc. Installation Guide for your platform for the list of supported platforms and the standardized platform name.
You are now able to combine ANSYS and LS-DYNA by using the -dyn command option for ANSYS Structural and higher license levels that do not have LS-DYNA enabled. See Starting ANSYS LS-DYNA in the ANSYS LS-DYNA User's Guide for more information.
Table of Contents
In order to clarify the physics and simulation applications available from ANSYS, Inc. at Release 12.0, the ANSYS PREP7/POST1 interface is now called the "Mechanical APDL application" within the Workbench environment. In addition, the ANSYS Workbench interface formerly known as “Simulation” is now called the "Mechanical application."
Both the Mechanical application and the Mechanical APDL application of the ANSYS Mechanical family of software products provide a unique combination of power and ease of use, and both together offer comprehensive user interface choices and flexibility. The Mechanical application has been developed over the last few releases to be our environment for simulation automation and ease of use combined with the full power of the ANSYS solver technology. The Mechanical APDL application will continue to be our user interface environment that emphasizes access to commands, customization and scripting.
This release of the Mechanical APDL application contains all of the capabilities from previous releases plus many new features and enhancements. Areas where you will find changes and new capabilities include the following:
Also see Known Incompatibilities and The ANSYS Customer Portal for important information about this release.
For information about changes to the ANSYS Workbench Products, see the ANSYS Workbench Products Release Notes.
Release 12.0 includes the following new features and enhancements for structural analyses:
Release 12.0 includes the following enhancements for structural analyses involving contact:
Significant performance improvements have been made for contact analysis, as described below.
A new search algorithm speeds up contact searching significantly, depending on the nature of the contact model.
The computation time for contact element assembly and contact results is reduced by as much as 50 percent.
Contact results related to “far field” contact are no longer computed and stored, which greatly reduces the size of the results file.
The CNCHECK command has new options for removing (TRIM) or unselecting (UNSE) contact and target elements which are initially in far field. The new capabilities improve solution efficiency for small sliding contact or assembly contact, especially in Distributed ANSYS runs.
The CNCHECK command also has a new option for automatically setting certain default or undefined key options and real constants to optimized values. The option improves robustness and efficiency.
A new option for shell-solid assemblies (target element TARGE170 with KEYOPT(5) = 5) improves the stress distribution at the shell-solid interface.
Auto constraint type-detection for shell-shell assemblies (target element TARGE170 with KEYOPT(5) = 0) has been improved so that the program chooses the constraint type that is most efficient for the given contact situation. You may therefore notice slight differences in the contact output at this release.
Stiffness multiplier damping (BETAD or MP,DAMP) is no longer applied to contact elements in a full transient analysis, resulting in more accurate simulations, especially in the contact force calculations.
In previous releases, only the pilot node of a rigid target could accept boundary conditions, and only the pilot node could connect to other elements for an entire rigid target surface. These restrictions have been removed. Now, any rigid target nodes can have boundary conditions and can connect to other elements. The enhancement allows rigid target surfaces to represent rigid bodies.
See Controlling the Motion of the Rigid Target Surface in the Contact Technology Guide for more information.
Defining a rigid body in a multibody analysis has been simplified. Instead of defining a rigid body using two element types (contact and target elements) as in the previous release, you now define a rigid target surface (a set of target element nodes and a single pilot node) to represent the rigid body. The new method offers the following advantages:
Only one target element type is necessary.
The size of the DB, ESAVE and RST files is greatly reduced.
In addition, a new POINT target segment has been added to the existing segment sets of target elements TARGE169 and TARGE170. You can define the segment type on a rigid body where no predefined node exists and use it to apply boundary conditions (point loads, displacement constraints, etc.) at that point.
See Defining a Rigid Body in the Multibody Analysis Guide for more information.
You can now define pressure-penetration loads to model surrounding fluid or gas penetrating into the contact interface, based on the contact status. You can apply such loads to 2-D and 3-D surface-to-surface contact elements (CONTA171, CONTA172, CONTA173, and CONTA174) and associated target elements (TARGE169 and TARGE170). The new load type is valid for flexible-to-flexible or rigid-to-flexible contact pairs undergoing small or large sliding.
To model fluid-pressure penetration loads, you must specify the fluid pressure, fluid-penetration starting points, the fluid-penetration criterion, and the fluid-penetration acting time. For more information, see Applying Fluid Pressure-Penetration Loads in the Contact Technology Guide
You can now define a coefficient of friction that is dependent on temperature, time, normal pressure, sliding distance, or sliding relative velocity. You can use suitable combinations of up to two fields to define dependency; for example, temperature and sliding distance. The new capability applies to both isotropic and orthotropic friction. After specifying the data table type as a friction table (TB,FRIC), issue the TBFIELD command to define your field values, followed by the TBDATA command to define your friction data. For more information, see Contact Friction in the Element Reference.
You can now write a userfric subroutine
to create your own friction model for 2-D and 3-D contact elements
(CONTA171, CONTA172, CONTA173, CONTA174, CONTA175, CONTA176, CONTA177, and CONTA178). To implement a user-defined friction model, use the TB,FRIC command with TBOPT = USER to specify
friction properties, and write a userfric subroutine
to compute friction forces. For more information, see User-Defined Friction in the Element Reference.
When a degree of freedom is subjected to multiple constraints, overconstraint occurs, a condition which often results in solver-failure convergence difficulties or inaccurate solutions. The program now automatically eliminates a limited set of overconstraints detected during solution and issues appropriate warning messages. For troubleshooting purposes, you can display certain eliminated constraints in the POST1 postprocessor. For more information, see Overconstraint Detection and Elimination in the Contact Technology Guide.
In a transient dynamic analysis with contact where the contact and target surfaces impact each other with nonzero relative velocities, it is important to satisfy momentum and energy balance for the contact/target interface. Energy- and momentum-conserving contact is now available for the 2-D and 3-D contact elements and is activated by setting impact constraints (KEYOPT(7) = 4 on the contact element). For more information, see "Dynamic Contact and Impact Modeling" in the Contact Technology Guide.
The debonding capability refers specifically to separation of bonded contact. Several enhancements to debonding are available in this release:
The debonding feature supports two additional types of bonded contact: no-separation contact with sliding permitted (KEYOPT(12) = 2), and bonded contact (KEYOPT(12) = 3).
The damping-coefficient input parameter for the cohesive zone material definition has revised size requirements; it should be smaller than the minimum time step size such that the maximum traction and maximum separation (or critical traction) energy values are not exceeded during debonding.
For more information, see Including Debonding in a Contact Analysis in the Contact Technology Guide.
Release 12.0 includes the following enhancements to elements and nonlinear technology:
Use the new REINF264 3-D discrete reinforcing element with standard 3-D link, beam, solid, and shell elements (referred to as the base elements) to provide extra reinforcing to those elements. The element is suitable for simulating reinforcing fibers with arbitrary orientations. Each fiber is modeled separately as a spar that has only uniaxial stiffness. REINF264 allows tension-only and compression-only options. You can specify multiple reinforcing fibers in one REINF264 element. The nodal locations, degrees of freedom, and connectivity of the REINF264 element are identical to those of the base element. REINF264 supports plasticity, stress-stiffening, creep, large-deflection, and large-strain capabilities.
PIPE288 and PIPE289 are among the latest additions to the set of current-technology elements available for your use. The elements have a robust and consistent nonlinear formulation, allowing you to easily simulate pipe behavior using a large family of nonlinear material models. For example, you can use hyperelasticity for nonmetallic pipes. The elements support traditional plane stress and a full 3-D representation. The elements have a capable infrastructure, offering 3-D visualization and various hydrodynamic loading and formulation options. PIPE288 also offers a cubic shape option (activated via KEYOPT(3) = 3).
While PIPE288 and PIPE289 offer advanced analysis capability, they are still bound by the approximations of beam representation. For example, the cross-section cannot distort.
The new ELBOW290 element, suitable for curved pipes, uses shell theory with a user-selected set of Fourier functions to represent complex distortion of the cross-section. As with other current-technology elements, many nonlinear material models are available. The element supports finite strain and rotation applications, and offers more accuracy (than PIPE288 and PIPE289) when cross-section distortion is expected. Unlike traditional elbow formulations, ELBOW290 is also suitable for nonmetallic, composite curved pipes.
The PIPE288, PIPE289, and ELBOW290 elements support other advanced nonlinear features, such as nonlinear stabilization.
Ocean loading for pipes is now available via the current-technology PIPE288 and PIPE289 elements. The ocean environment can take current and wave conditions into account. Define an ocean environment using the new ocean commands (OCDATA, OCTABLE, and related commands). Use the SOCEAN command to associate the ocean environment with the most recently defined pipe section (SECTYPE,,PIPE).
While ocean loading is available with the legacy PIPE59 element, PIPE288 and PIPE289 (along with the ocean commands) offer full nonlinear capability and ocean loading tables of unlimited size.
The BEAM188 element now has a cubic option (activated via KEYOPT(3) = 3). The new option uses cubic shape functions for all displacement and rotation degrees of freedom, and is capable of representing the quadratically varying bending moments accurately. It offers superior accuracy over the linear (KEYOPT(3) = 0) or the quadratic (KEYOPT(3) = 2) options, particularly when higher-order element interpolations are desired. ANSYS, Inc. recommends the cubic option in situations where:
The element is associated with tapered cross-sections.
Nonuniform loads (including tapered distributed loads, partially distributed loads, and non-nodal point loads) exist within the element.
The element may undergo highly nonuniform deformation (for example, when individual frame members in civil engineering structures are modeled with single elements).
A cubic shape option is also available for the new PIPE288 element. For more information, see New Pipe and Elbow Elements.
The new SOLID285 element is a lower-order 3-D, four-node mixed u-P element. The element has a linear displacement and hydrostatic pressure behavior. SOLID285 has a utilitarian element shape and tolerates mesh distortion; it is therefore easy to mesh, making it ideal for irregular meshes (such as those generated by CAD/CAM systems) and large-deformation analyses. SOLID285 is also suitable for modeling general materials (including incompressible materials). The element supports nonlinear stabilization.
Two general axisymmetric solid elements, SOLID272 and SOLID273, allow you to efficiently simulate general 3-D deformation of axisymmetric structures. The elements introduce different Fourier series terms into the interpolation functions simultaneously to describe the displacements in the circumferential (θ) direction; therefore, unlike the harmonic axisymmetric elements, the general axisymmetric elements can have physical nonaxisymmetric loads applied directly and require only one solve to obtain the solution. They can also apply to any analysis type, including geometric nonlinear analyses, and can support arbitrary load and deformation modes.
SOLID272 is defined by four nodes on the master plane, and nodes created automatically in the circumferential direction based on the four master plane nodes.
SOLID273 has quadratic displacement behavior on the master plane and is well suited to modeling irregular meshes on the master plane. It is defined by eight nodes on the master plane, and nodes created automatically in the circumferential direction based on the eight master plane nodes.
In either element, the total number of nodes depends on the number of node planes (KEYOPT(2)). Each node has three degrees of freedom: translations in the nodal x, y and z directions. The elements allow a triangle as the degenerated shape on the master plane to simulate irregular areas. The elements support plasticity, hyperelasticity, stress-stiffening, large-deflection, large-strain, and nonlinear-stabilization capabilities. They also have mixed-formulation capability for simulating deformations of nearly incompressible elastoplastic materials, and nearly and fully incompressible hyperelastic materials. The elements can have arbitrary axes of rotation (defined via SECTYPE and SECDATA commands).
For more information, see General Axisymmetric Elements in the Element Reference.
In addition to using an ANSYS-generated mesh, two new methods are now available for remeshing during a 2-D manual rezoning operation:
Remeshing Using a Generic (CDB) New Mesh
You can now use a generic new mesh generated by another application (such as ANSYS ICEM CFD) when performing a manual rezoning operation. Using a generic mesh gives you more control over the mesh, sometimes necessary when the old mesh is too distorted to converge even after rezoning using an ANSYS-generated new mesh.
To use a new third-party mesh, the mesh file must be in a .cdb file format. The .cdb file must
have mesh information, but an IGES file (geometry information) is
not required. Typically, the new .cdb mesh is
generated from a faceted geometry representation of the boundary of
the region to be rezoned. Issue a REMESH,READ command
to read in the .cdb file.
For more information, see Remeshing Using a Generic New Mesh in the Advanced Analysis Techniques Guide.
Remeshing Using Mesh Splitting
You can now manually split an existing mesh during the rezoning process to obtain the solution of a nonlinear analysis which cannot otherwise converge, or to improve its accuracy. Mesh splitting increases the number of degrees of freedom of the model by enriching the existing mesh. It is a useful option for rezoning if the accuracy must be increased in contact gaps, or if a new ANSYS-generated mesh or a generic third-party new mesh do not fully meet your requirements.
You can perform mesh splitting as a standalone operation, or after creating a new mesh during rezoning (via AREMESH and AMESH commands) or reading in a generic new mesh (via a REMESH,READ command).
For more information, see Remeshing Using Manual Mesh Splitting in the Advanced Analysis Techniques Guide.
Any of the available remeshing methods generally apply to 2-D rezoning problems that use PLANE182 and PLANE183 elements, along with CONTA171, CONTA172, and TARGE169 elements.
The SHELL181, SHELL281, SHELL208, and SHELL209 elements by default use a new nonlinear thickness-update algorithm that accounts for actual material properties. The new algorithm also improves convergence in general. (You also have the option of using the algorithm for thickness updating that was used by default prior to this release. That algorithm is based on preserving the element volume.)
An improved shell formulation is now available for SHELL281, allowing the element to properly incorporate the effects of initial shell curvature, membrane straining, and thickness strain in the shell-curvature update. The new formulation generally results in improved solution accuracy, especially when shell-thickness effects are significant.
Linearized stresses, including membrane, bending, and peak stresses, are now output for SHELL181, SHELL281, SHELL208, SHELL209, and SOLSH190. Those quantities are directly available for postprocessing as SMISC items. The new outputs are especially useful for verification of code compliance.
A new screw joint type named MPC184-Screw is available. The element has two nodes and allows a relative rotation around the screw axis as well as a relative displacement along the axis of the screw (similar to the cylindrical joint).
You can now define Coulomb friction for the revolute joint, slot joint, and translational joint elements. You can define the Coulomb friction coefficient using one of these options:
As single value of the Coulomb friction coefficient
As a function of the sliding velocity
Using the exponential law for friction behavior
For more information, see Frictional Behavior in the Element Reference.
Listing and plotting a complete element solution (including stresses, elastic strains, plastic strains, creep strains, total strains, and strain energy density) is now possible with current-technology elements LINK180, BEAM188, and BEAM189 using POST1 commands PLESOL, PLNSOL, PRESOL, and PRNSOL.
The element solution can now be stored averaged (KEYOPT(15) = 0) or non-averaged (KEYOPT(15) = 1) within the beam cross-sections. The non-averaged storage option typically applies to built-up beam sections with multiple materials. For beam sections with curved boundaries (such as CTUBE or CSOLID subsections), an improved solution-extrapolation method derives a more accurate element solution at the section boundaries.
Now by default, the INTER192, INTER193, INTER194, and INTER195 elements include both through-thickness and transverse-shear stiffnesses (KEYOPT(2) = 1). Also by default, INTER193 and INTER194 adopt a full integration scheme (KEYOPT(4) = 2). The full-integration scheme and the inclusion of transverse-shear stiffness are generally required when the interfaces between the gasket and the mating parts are modeled as sliding contact. The new enhancements result in improved convergence behavior.
Release 12.0 includes the following enhancements in the area of linear dynamics:
Two new methods are available for performing a brake squeal analysis: a linear non-prestressed modal analysis method, and a partial prestressed modal analysis method. These methods involve performing a partial element solution (PSOLVE) for steady-state frictional sliding instead of a standard Newton-Raphson iterative solution. The linear non-prestressed modal method is appropriate when stress-stiffening effects are not critical, and the partial prestressed modal analysis method is appropriate when stress stiffening must be considered. For more information, see Brake Squeal Analysis in the Structural Analysis Guide.
This release offers enhanced spectrum analysis support, as follows:
*GET applicability
Participation factors and mode coefficients can be retrieved for each excitation using the *GET command with Entity = MODE. You can specify the spectrum number via Item2 = SPECT.
Response spectrum plot
The new SVPLOT command displays four input response spectra that you define (via the FREQ and SV commands).
Limitations
The maximum number of modes that can be combined when performing a random vibration analysis or a spectrum analysis has been increased from 1000 to 10000.
SPRS analysis
The number of points per input response spectrum (FREQ and SV commands) has increased from 20 to 100, allowing the input of rougher curves for secondary equipments.
Random vibration analysis and MPRS analysis
100 responses can now be combined which corresponds to the number of PFACT commands.
The number of unique input PSD tables has increased from 10 to 20.
The number of points per input spectrum is no longer limited to 50 for PSDFRQ and PSDVAL commands usage.
Combination method
The Rosenblueth combination method is now available for Single Point Response Spectrum (SPRS) and Multiple Point Response Spectrum (MPRS) through the ROSE command. This method is based on the same theoretical background as Double Sum combination (DSUM command) except that the sign of the modal responses is retained leading to a less conservative total response.
Missing mass and rigid responses (NRC 1-92 application)
You can now include the missing mass response in your Single Point Response Spectrum (SPRS) or Multiple Point Response Spectrum (MPRS) analysis using the new MMASS command. When included, the missing mass response accounts for the contribution of all modes with a frequency at which the response spectrum returns to the zero period acceleration. You can also include the rigid responses effect using the new RIGRESP command, resulting in a better combination of the modes having a frequency in the higher range of the response spectrum.
MPRS analysis general enhancements
The static shapes are written as load step 2 on the
results file (.rst) for postprocessing or possible
customized combinations using APDL.
The mode coefficients
for each excitation are no longer combined before the combination
file (.mcom) is written to support the *GET command and improve the combination file readability.
This release offers enhanced support for analyses involving cyclic symmetry, as follows:
Variational Technology (VT)
The CYCOPT command has a new option
for activating the VT accelerator (OPTION = VTSOL). The VT accelerator provides a significant speed increase
for the harmonic index solutions (depending on the hardware, model,
and analysis type). With the VT accelerator, faster modal cyclic solutions
are possible, allowing for cost-effective, simulation-driven parametric
studies of cyclic symmetry models when five or more harmonic index
solutions are requested. An ANSYS High Performance Computing (HPC)
license is required to use this feature.
Full harmonic analysis
Cyclic symmetry is now supported in full harmonic analyses. For every boundary condition type, you can input, list, and solve complex harmonic boundary conditions for cyclic symmetry and regular solid/FE models. A new SECTOR argument for the NSOL command specifies a location for storing the node results in the POST26 frequency sweep post processor.
This release offers enhanced modal analysis support, as follows:
Load vector generation
During a modal analysis, the element load information
can now be written to a separate file (Jobname.MLV) so that the data can be made available without recalculating during
a subsequent transient analysis. The MXPAND and LVSCALE commands are enhanced, and a new MODCONT command is available for creating multiple load vectors in a modal
analysis.
QR damped eigensolver
Performance has been improved for models having more than one million degrees of freedom.
CPU and memory usage have been greatly optimized, allowing much faster solutions.
Mode shapes are now mass-normalized by default.
Supernode (SNODE) eigensolver
The new Supernode eigensolver (MODOPT,SNODE) is available for modal analyses. It solves for many modes (up to 10,000) in a single solution. See Supernode (SNODE) Modal Eigensolver for more information.
*GET applicability
You can retrieve participation factors for each direction via the *GET command with Entity = MODE. You can specify the direction via Item2 = DIREC (X, Y, Z, ROTX, ROTY or ROTZ).
Finite element loads, force, pressure, displacement and body loads (F, SF, SFE, D, BF and BFE) can now be defined as frequency-dependent variables and input as tabular loads. The *DIM command represents the load as a function of frequency, allowing the parameterized load to be applied at any node, surface, or element of your model. The process is enhanced via the Function Editor, which provides GUI functionality for the parameterization.
Performance has been enhanced for linear dynamic analyses based on mode superposition, including transient (ANTYPE,TRAN with TRNOPT,MSUP), harmonic (ANTYPE with HROPT,MSUP) and PSD (ANTYPE with SPOPT,PSD). The expansion pass of mode-superposition transient and harmonic analyses (EXPASS,ON) is faster if the stresses are expanded during the modal analysis. For more information, see Mode Superposition Harmonic Response Analysis and Performing a Mode-Superposition Transient Dynamic Analysis in the Structural Analysis Guide.
The PSD mode combination step (PSDCOM) for large models with a large number of modes is also significantly faster. Additionally, the static solution is skipped if the structure is subjected to a uniform base excitation (PFACT,,BASE), resulting in additional time savings.
This release offers enhanced rotordynamic analysis support, as follows:
Element support for the gyroscopic effect
Shell element SHELL63 and current-technology shell elements SHELL181 and SHELL281 now generate the gyroscopic matrix in a stationary reference frame leading to better performances for thin disk applications.
The new general axisymmetric elements SOLID272 and SOLID273 support the gyroscopic effect and can be used for rotordynamic applications, resulting in better performance for axisymmetric structures.
Pipe elements PIPE288 and PIPE289 support the gyroscopic effect.
A new guide for rotordynamic analysis
The new Rotordynamic Analysis Guide describes how rotordynamic analysis is supported and provides information to help you solve a wide variety of rotordynamic analysis problems. The guide presents relevant commands and supported elements, as well as hints and examples for modeling, solving, and postprocessing your application. The guide is a supplement to the existing rotating structure documentation in the Advanced Analysis Techniques Guide and targets specific applications.
Rotating damping
When structural viscous damping (BETAD or MP,DAMP) is present in a rotating structure, it results
in a modification of the apparent stiffness. You can take this effect
into account (CORIOLIS,,,,,RotDamp) for elements supporting the Coriolis effect in a stationary reference
frame, and for the COMBI214 element
when its damping characteristics are symmetric and nonzero.
When you have two results files (*.rst)
from two different analyses of the same structure, it is sometimes
useful to compare the solutions. MAC is generally used to compare
eigenmode shapes of a structure when two different designs are being
evaluated. The MAC identifies how the mode shapes were altered by
a design change to the structure.
The new postprocessing command RSTMAC can perform such a comparison not only on modal analysis results files, but also on displacement results coming from transient, static, and harmonic analyses. The command matches the geometries, calculates the MAC values between the different nodal solutions at matched nodes, and identifies the best solution matches. The command supports all analysis types.
When postprocessing complex results from a harmonic analysis or a complex modal analysis (QRDAMP, DAMP, or UNSYM eigensolvers), you can retrieve the amplitude or phase of the solution via the SET command. The HREXP and the HRCPLX commands also provide capabilities for handling complex results values. When using the HRCPLX command, the solution obtained is now consistent with the ANHARM command animation. For more information about complex solutions postprocessing, see POST1 and POST26 -- Complex Results Postprocessing in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications.
Release 12.0 includes the following enhancements to materials and fracture technology:
Some material properties are not available via the material property menus of the GUI. For a list of such material properties, see GUI-Inaccessible Material Properties in the Element Reference.
This release includes several new coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid elements. CPT212 is a 2-D four-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid, CPT213 is a 2-D eight-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid, and CPT215 is a 3-D eight-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid. CPT216 is higher-order 3-D 20-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid, and CPT217 is a higher-order 3-D 10-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid. The elements apply to the coupled-pore fluid-diffusion and structural analysis of porous media in which pore fluid flow is assumed to be single-phase and fully saturated. The pore-fluid-diffusion-structural capability is based on extended Biot consolidation theory.
For more information, see Pore-Fluid-Diffusion-Structural Analysis in the Coupled-Field Analysis Guide, Porous Media Constants (TB,PM) in the Element Reference, Porous Media Flow in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications, and the TB,PM command documentation.
The Anand option for modeling viscoplasticity offers a unified plasticity model requiring no combination with other material models (unlike the Perzyna and Peirce models which require material model combinations). The rate-dependent material option (TB,RATE) using the Anand model applies to the following elements: PLANE182 and PLANE183, SOLID185, SOLID186, SOLID187, and SOLSH190.
The new Anand option replaces the functionality of the now undocumented VISCO106, VISCO107, and VISCO108 elements.
For more information, see Viscoplasticity in the Structural Analysis Guide, Rate-Dependent Plastic (Viscoplastic) Materials in the Element Reference, and Rate-Dependent Plasticity in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications.
You can now solve Extended Drucker-Prager (EDP) plasticity problems involving the material creep effect. Use the new capability by issuing the TB,EDP command to define a rate-independent and pressure-dependent plasticity model, followed by the TB,CREEP command to define creep-rate functions.
The enhanced EDP model supports the following current-technology elements: PLANE182 (except plane stress), PLANE183 (except plane stress), SOLID185, SOLID186, SOLID187, and SOLSH190.
For more information about how to use the enhanced EDP material model, see the EDP and CREEP arguments and specifications in the TB command documentation, Extended Drucker-Prager in the Element Reference, and Extended Drucker-Prager Creep Model in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications. For a sample input listing, see EDP and CREEP and PLAS (MISO) Example in the Structural Analysis Guide.
The Bergstrom-Boyce material model (TB,BB) is a phenomenological-based, highly nonlinear, rate-dependent material model for simulation of elastomer materials. The model assumes inelastic response only for shear distortional behavior defined by an isochoric strain energy potential, while the response to volumetric deformations is still purely elastic and characterized by a volumetric strain energy potential.
The model applies to the following current-technology elements: SHELL181, PLANE182, PLANE183, SOLID185, SOLID186, SOLID187, SOLSH190, SHELL208, SHELL209, and SHELL281.
For more information, see Bergstrom-Boyce in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications, Bergstrom-Boyce Material Constants (TB,BB) in the Element Reference, and Bergstrom-Boyce Hyperviscoelastic Material Model in the Structural Analysis Guide.
A modified Ogden-Roxburgh pseudo-elastic Mullins effect option (TB,CDM,,,,PSE2) is now available for modeling load-induced changes to constitutive response exhibited by some hyperelastic materials. Typical of filled polymers, the effect is most evident during cyclic loading where the unloading response is more compliant than the loading behavior. The condition causes a hysteresis in the stress-strain response and is a result of irreversible changes in the material.
The Mullins effect option is used with any of the nearly- and
fully-incompressible isotropic hyperelastic constitutive
models (all TB,HYPER options with the exception
of TBOPT = BLATZ or TBOPT = FOAM) and modifies the behavior of those models. The model is
based on maximum previous load, where the load is the strain energy
of the virgin hyperelastic material. As the maximum previous load
increases, changes to the virgin hyperelastic constitutive model due
to the Mullins effect also increase. Below the maximum previous load,
the Mullins effect changes are not evolving; however, the Mullins
effect still modifies the hyperelastic constitutive response based
on the maximum previous load.
The model applies to the following current-technology elements: SHELL181, PLANE182, PLANE183, SOLID185, SOLID186, SOLID187, SOLSH190, SHELL208, SHELL209, and SHELL281.
For more information, see Mullins Effect in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications, Mullins Effect Constants (TB,CDM) in the Element Reference, and Mullins Effect Material Model in the Structural Analysis Guide.
The Tool-Narayanaswamy shift function for time-temperature superposition of viscoelastic material properties now includes the effects of fictive-temperature evolution. The fictive-temperature model simulates material processes which contain an intrinsic equilibrium temperature that is, in general, different from the ambient material temperature. It is frequently used to model the melting and solidification process of viscoelastic materials such as glass and stiff polymers.
The Tool-Narayanaswamy shift function with fictive temperature is used with the viscoelastic constitutive model and (as with other time-temperature superposition models) is accessed via the TB,SHIFT command. It is available for all current-technology elements. For more information, see Viscoelastic Material Model in the Element Reference.
The term initial state refers to the state of a structure at the start of an analysis. Typically, the assumption is that the initial state is that of an undeformed, unstressed structure; however, such an assumption is not always realistic. The initial state capability allows you to define a nontrivial state from which to start an analysis. In addition to initial stress, you can now define initial strain and initial plastic strain. Initial state support is available with current-technology elements exclusively. For more information, see Initial State in the Basic Analysis Guide.
A new interface is available for defining your own material
linear elastic properties (TB,ELASTIC). The subroutine user_tbelastic allows you to define material linear elastic properties
as a function of temperature or coordinates. The subroutine is called
at the material integration points of elements for which the definition
of material elastic properties is a user option. The material properties
defined are based on the material coordinate system of the elements.
A new USER option on the TB,ELASTIC command accesses
the subroutine. All current-technology elements support
the new capability. The new capability is useful for continually varying
material properties (for example, from a third-party injection-mold
flow analysis, or for functionally graded materials). For more information,
see the documentation for the user_tbelastic subroutine in the Guide to ANSYS User Programmable Features.
J-integral calculation is now supported for thermal stress and surface pressure acting on crack surfaces (or on the edges of continuum elements associated with the crack) and the corresponding contours. The thermal stress and surface pressures are included automatically in the J-integral calculations.
A new fracture mechanics tool for evaluating stress-intensity factors (SIF) calculation is now available for both 2-D and 3-D crack geometries. The approach is based on the interaction integral technique and is easy to use.
To calculate the SIF, issue the CINT command to specify the calculation type, the crack tip/front node set, the number of contour integrals to be calculated, the crack plane normal or crack extension direction, and other information about the crack.
The SIFs calculation feature supports thermal stress and surface pressure acting on the crack faces or edges, and uses current-technology elements exclusively. The program performs the SIF calculation following a converged solution substep and saves the results for postprocessing. You can use the PRCINT and PLCINT commands to list and plot (respectively) in POST1, and the CISOL command to perform time-history processing in POST26. To access a particular SIF value of a specific crack and contour, issue the *GET command.
ANSYS 12.0 includes the following enhancements in the area of coupled-field analysis:
A new convergence option is available for the Multi-field solver.
The command for setting convergence values (MFCONV) has a new field (MINREF) for specifying
a minimum allowed value for the program calculated reference value.
In some analyses, interface loads can be very small (for example,
interface loads in the third direction when a 3-D code is being used
to solve a 2-D problem). You can use MINREF to prevent an analysis from converging on very small quantities.
For more information, see Set Up Stagger Solution for
the Multi-field solver single-code (MFS) or Set Up Stagger Solution for the Multi-field solver multiple-code coupling (MFX) in the Coupled-Field Analysis Guide.
A new command MFRC is added to control file-writing for multiframe restart. Stepped file and maximum file options are available to limit the number of files written to disk. The MFOUTPUT command is also enhanced to provide improved output file writing options. is also enhanced to provide improved output file writing options.
New material-property input options are available for coupled-field elements PLANE223, SOLID226, and SOLID227. Elastic properties and damping coefficients can be defined as frequency and/or temperature dependent properties for use in full harmonic analyses (TB,ELASTIC and TB,SDAMP). Electric resistivity can be input for piezoelectric and thermal-piezoelectric analyses (MP,RSVX) (also RSVY and RSVZ). For more information see PLANE223, SOLID226, and SOLID227 in the Element Reference.
Using PLANE223, SOLID226, or SOLID227, you can now include prestress effects in piezoelectric and structural-thermal analyses. For more information, see Direct Coupled-Field Analysis in the Coupled-Field Analysis Guide.
Release 12.0 includes the following new features and enhancements in the area of low-frequency electromagnetics:
Two new 3-D electromagnetic elements, SOLID236 and SOLID237, are now available for modeling static, time-harmonic, and time-transient magnetic fields. Applications of these elements include electric motors, solenoids, electromagnets, and generators.
SOLID236 is a 20-node solid with 12 magnetic edge-flux degrees of freedom (AZ) associated with the element midside nodes. The element has a quadratic electric potential behavior in electromagnetic analyses with 20 electric potential degrees of freedom (VOLT) defined at each element node. SOLID236 can be degenerated into a pyramid, prism, or tetrahedron. SOLID237 is a 10-node tetrahedral-shaped version of SOLID236.
SOLID236 and SOLID237 use a fast new tree-gauging algorithm (GAUGE) to generate a unique magnetic solution.
In static and transient analyses, the elements have the capability of modeling nonlinear magnetic materials and permanent magnets. Harmonic electromagnetic analyses include both the eddy currents and the displacement current effects. The true electric potential degree of freedom in electromagnetic analyses allows for coupling with discrete circuit elements and solid low-frequency electric elements. The elements have also the legacy option to work with time-integrated electric potential. In addition to magnetic and electric fields, the elements calculate magnetic forces, Joule heat, and electromagnetic energy.
A thickness input option is now available for electrostatic element PLANE121 and electric element PLANE230 (KEYOPT(3) = 3). For more information, see PLANE121 and PLANE230 in the Element Reference.
Release 12.0 includes the following new features and enhancements in the area of high-frequency electromagnetics:
Transmission line characteristic impedance can now be automatically obtained from a 2-D eigenvalue solution or a 3-D modal port solution. This method is easier than the postprocessing method which requires voltage and current path definitions. For more information, see Characteristic Impedance in the High-Frequency Electromagnetic Analysis Guide.
A new surface impedance option is available for very thin conductive layers. You can now specify an impedance sheet using body load or surface load commands (BF, BFA, BFL, SF or SFA). You can also apply a shunt RCL lumped circuit as an impedance load. For more information, see Surface Impedance and Impedance Loads in the High-Frequency Electromagnetic Analysis Guide.
New material property options are available for the 3-D high-frequency elements HF119 and HF120 using the TB command. You can now specify frequency-dependent lossy dielectric properties (TB,HFFDLD) and anisotropic electric and magnetic loss tangents (TB,LSEM) in a TB table. For more information, see High-Frequency Electromagnetic Materials, in the Element Reference.
For periodic structures, specified harmonic components of the reflected and transmitted Floquet wave are now extractable. For more information, see the HFPORT command in the Command Reference.
A modal lumped gap port option is now available via the HFPORT command (Porttype = MGAP).
This port is an interior port with an internal matching load, which
is similar to a matched voltage source. It differs from a modal port
(Porttype = MODAL) in that the port load
consumes the power. For more information, see Excitation Ports in the High-Frequency Electromagnetic Analysis Guide.
For near and far fields beyond the FEA computational domain, you can now print or plot the maximum left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized components and the maximum dominant components for a polarized aperture with Ludwig's third definition of cross-polarization. The new near field commands PRNEAR and PLNEAR replace the HFNEAR command and include more options. The new far field commands PRFAR and PLFAR replace the PRHFFAR and PLHFFAR commands and include more options. For more information, see Calculating Near Fields, Far Fields, and Far Field Parameters in the High-Frequency Electromagnetic Analysis Guide.
Release 12.0 includes the following new enhancement that expands your ability to perform fluid analyses.
You can now run transient thin film analyses using the 3-D squeeze film element FLUID136. Transient thin film analyses are necessary when a moving structure makes contact with a fixed surface. To model the contact more accurately, you can use the new option for the nonlinear Reynolds equation. Applications include MEMS switches. For more information, see Squeeze Film Analysis in the Fluids Analysis Guide.
The new radiosity command VFSM provides view-factor-scaling controls, and helps to avoid computational errors that occur when an enclosure's view factor matrix contains row summations that are not equal to one. Scaling all of the individual factors for each enclosure provides a perfect enclosure summation, providing accurate temperature-distribution values.
Release 12.0 includes the following new enhancements that improve solution procedures and features.
A new Supernode solver (MODOPT,SNODE) is available for modal analysis. This solver is used to solve for many modes (up to 10,000) in one solution. It is similar to Block Lanczos (LANB) technology, except that it runs faster and uses less system I/O when you ask for 200 or more modes. For more information, see Supernode Method in the Structural Analysis Guide.
In order to fully take advantage of multicore desktop systems, the shared-memory parallel capability has been extended to include many preprocessing and postprocessing operations, including graphics and other data and compute-intensive operations.
In addition, when running Distributed ANSYS on a system that uses a multicore master (or head) node, the program now uses shared-memory parallel for the non-solution processing operations.
See Using Shared-Memory ANSYS in the Advanced Analysis Techniques Guide for more information.
A new document, the ANSYS Performance Guide, is now available as part of the online help. The guide provides a comprehensive resource for those who wish to understand factors that affect performance on current computer hardware and push the performance limits of their systems. The guide also includes general information on how to measure performance, and an example-driven section showing how to optimize performance for several analysis types and equation solvers. Windows and UNIX/Linux operating system issues are covered.
Distributed ANSYS now supports the following capabilities:
High-frequency electromagnetic analysis
New 22x series electromagnetic,
piezoelectric, and coupled-field elements (PLANE223, SOLID226, and SOLID227)
Modal cyclic symmetry analysis
Partial solution (PSOLVE)
Prestress effects (PSTRES)
Mass summary option on the inertia relief command (IRLF,-1)
User-defined element USER300, the UserMat subroutine , and other user-programmable features
In addition, the following enhancements are available for Distributed ANSYS:
Distributed ANSYS now supports using shared memory parallel (SMP) for non-solution processing operations (preprocessing and postprocessing).
Overall, scalability is increased by 10-20 percent compared to the previous release.
The scalability for global stiffness assembly is enhanced.
Individual Jobnamexx.FULL files are generated
instead of one large Jobname.FULL file, as in
the previous release.
If the sparse solver (EQSLV,SPARSE) is selected in a Distributed ANSYS run, the distributed sparse solver (EQSLV,DSPARSE) is used automatically to take full advantage of the distributed solution.
The following enhancements are available for the distributed sparse (DSPARSE) solver:
The DSPARSE solver now supports unsymmetric real and unsymmetric complex number options.
The phase of equation reordering has been improved to save CPU time.
The DSPARSE solver now supports multiple solves (SOLVE command in the solution processor) for linear applications without refactoring the matrix.
The following enhancements are available for the Block Lanczos (LANB) solver:
The Block Lanczos solver now does less factorization, when possible. This results in speedup of the Block Lanczos solver in most cases.
The shared memory parallel (SMP) Block Lanczos solver has been improved for better parallel performance.
The PCG memory saving option (MSAVE,ON) can now be used with elements SOLID185, SOLID186, and SOLID187 when large-deflection effects are included in the analysis (NLGEOM,ON).
The following enhancements are available for the sparse solver:
The large memory capability, previously activated by -LM on the command line, has been merged into the standard program; therefore, you no longer need to use the -LM option to access large amounts of memory. This capability allows you to use several hundred gigabytes of memory with the sparse solver.
You can now perform a singleframe restart with the sparse solver to avoid refactorization in linear applications (use the command EQSLV,SPARSE,,,,KEEP followed by KUSE,1).
The sparse solver now supports unsymmetric substructure generation and is the default solver for this case.
The sparse solver is now more robust and accurate for mixed u-P formulation elements.
The substructure expansion pass now runs faster if the associated generation pass was run using the sparse solver incore memory mode (BCSOPTION,,INCORE).
The following changes have been made to MPI software support for Distributed ANSYS:
Distributed ANSYS now supports HP MPI on Windows platforms, including Windows 32-bit and 64-bit systems.
The following are several solver-related changes and enhancements:
The frontal solver (EQSLV,FRONT) has been undocumented and is no longer available via the GUI.
The subspace eigensolver (buckling and modal analysis) has been undocumented and is no longer available via the GUI.
The electromagnetic elements CIRCU124 and ROM144 now use the sparse solver by default.
Shared memory processing (NP = 2) is now the default for the solution phase (/SOLU), except for the assembly loop for element stiffness matrix generation.
Peak memory usage has been reduced by 50 percent for the case of many constraint equations or many terms in the constraint equation, which are typically generated by remote loads (in ANSYS Workbench), surface-based constraints, or the RBE3 command.
In the case of a substructure use pass with large substructures (for example, 10,000 or more master degree of freedom per substructure), peak memory usage in assembly has been reduced up to 50 percent.
This section describes changes to commands at Release 12.0.
Some commands are not accessible from menus. The documentation for each command indicates whether or not a menu path is available for that command operation. For a list of commands not available from within the GUI, see Menu-Inaccessible Commands in the Command Reference.
The following new commands are available in this release:
DDOPTION -- Sets domain decomposer option for Distributed ANSYS.
ELBOW -- Specifies degrees of freedom to be coupled for end release and applies section constraints to elbow elements.
LPRT -- Defines impedance and calibration lines for excitation eigenfield.
MFRC -- Controls File writing for multiframe restarts for the ANSYS Multi-field solver.
MMASS -- Specifies the missing mass response calculation.
MODCONT -- Create multiple load vectors in a modal analysis.
NAXIS -- Generates nodes for general axisymmetric element sections. The command can also specify the number of facets per element edge for PowerGraphics displays.
OCDATA -- Defines an ocean environment using non-table data.
OCDELETE -- Deletes all ocean environment data associated with a specified ocean ID number from the database.
OCLIST -- Summarizes all currently defined ocean environments.
OCTABLE -- Defines an ocean environment using table data.
OCTYPE -- Specifies the type of ocean environment data to follow (basic, current, or wave).
PAUSE -- Temporarily releases the current product license.
PLFAR -- Plots electric far fields and far field parameters.
PLFSS -- Plots reflection and transmission parameters of a frequency selective surface solution.
PLNEAR -- Plots the electric field in the near zone exterior to the equivalent source surface.
PLTLINE -- Plots port transmission line data generated by the HFPCSWP or SPSWP macros.
PRFAR -- Prints electric far fields and far field parameters.
PRNEAR -- Prints the electric field in the near zone exterior to the equivalent source surface.
PSMAT -- Writes an assembled global matrix to a postscript format that graphically displays nonzero matrix values.
RIGRESP -- Specifies the rigid response calculation.
ROSE -- Specifies the Rosenblueth mode combination method.
RSTMAC -- Calculates the Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) and matches nodal solutions from two RST files.
SFLEX -- Sets flexibility factors for the currently defined pipe element section.
SNOPTION -- Specifies Supernode (SNODE) eigensolver options.
SOCEAN -- Specifies an ocean environment and associates it with an element section. Ocean loading applies to the PIPE288 and PIPE289 elements only.
SPFSS -- Performs frequency sweep or angle sweep calculations to determine reflection and transmission parameters of a frequency selective surface.
SVPLOT -- Displays input spectrum curves.
UNPAUSE -- Restores use of a temporarily released product license. (Applicable only after a previously issued PAUSE command.)
VFSM -- Scales view factor matrix to yield row sum values equal to one.
The following commands have been enhanced in this release:
ANHARM -- Produces a time-transient
animated sequence of time-harmonic results or complex mode shapes.
A new NPERIOD argument is added to enhance
animation for damped eigenmodes.
ANSTOASAS and ANSTOAQWA -- These commands, which provide a way to interface with the ANSYS ASAS and ANSYS AQWA products, now allow tabular loading and the SURF154 element in order to support ANSYS Workbench-generated inputs.
BCSOPTION -- Sets memory options for the sparse solver. Three new memory options are available: MINIMUM, OPTIMAL, and FORCE.
BF -- Defines a nodal body force load. The command has two new high-frequency electromagnetic labels. The new label CHRGD is available to flag inner conductors for modal port surface characteristic impedance calculations. The new label IMPD is available to specify surface impedances for very thin conductive layers. A new label FREQ was added to allow tabular loads to be input as a function of frequency.
BFA -- Defines a body force load on an area. The command has two new high-frequency electromagnetic labels. The new label CHRGD is available to flag inner conductors for modal port surface characteristic impedance calculations. The new label IMPD is available to specify surface impedances for very thin conductive layers.
BFE -- Defines an element body force load. You can now specify tabular input when using the current density (JS) body load label. A new label FREQ was added to allow tabular loads to be input as a function of frequency.
BFL -- Defines a body force load on a line. The command has two new high-frequency electromagnetic labels. The new label CHRGD is available to flag inner conductors for modal port surface characteristic impedance calculations. The new label IMPD is available to specify surface impedances for very thin conductive layers.
CAMPBELL -- Prepares the results
file for a subsequent Campbell diagram of a prestressed structure.
The number of modal analyses to perform (specified via the new NSOLVE argument) is now required, and that number must
match the number of static analyses.
CNCHECK -- Provides and/or adjusts the initial status of contact pairs. New TRIM and UNSE options on this command allow you to remove or unselect contact and target elements which are initially in far field. In addition, the new AUTO option automatically sets certain key options and real constants to optimized values to improve convergence for nonlinear contact analysis.
CNVTOL -- Sets convergence values for nonlinear analyses. The command now offers support for hydrostatic pressure (specified via the new HDSP convergence label).
CORIOLIS -- Applies the Coriolis
effect to a rotating structure. A new RotDamp argument is added to control the activation of the rotating damping
effect. Additionally, many new technology elements are added to the
list of applicable elements, and their listings have been reorganized
to provide more efficient and intuitive access.
CYCOPT -- Specifies solution options
for a cyclic symmetry analysis. Cyclic symmetry sector array parameters
can be reused or created new using the BCMULT argument. The new FACETOL argument provides
greater flexibility when odd-shaped sectors are considered. The new VTSOL argument allows users with a High Performance
Computing License to employ Variational Technology (VT) to accelerate
your cyclic symmetry analysis.
D -- Defines degree-of-freedom constraints at nodes. The command now offers a new HDSP (hydrostatic pressure) degree-of-freedom option for structural analyses, as well as support for ELBOW290 cross-section degrees of freedom.
*DIM -- Defines an array parameter and its dimensions. The frequency label was added, allowing frequency loads to be input in tabular format.
DSPOPTION -- Sets memory options
for the distributed sparse (DSPARSE) solver. The format of this command
has been changed to make it similar to the BCSOPTION command. DSPOPTION now has Memory_Size and Solve_Info fields that allow you
to allocate initial memory and request additional output. It also
includes a new Reord_Option field that
allows you to specify a parallel equation reordering scheme within
the DSPARSE solver. This option can often help the DSPARSE solver
achieve greater scalability by performing a key solver step in parallel.
EQSLV -- Specifies the type of
equation solver. The new KeepFile field
allows you to specify whether certain files from a sparse solver run
are deleted or retained for use in a subsequent singleframe restart.
EREINF -- Generates reinforcing elements from selected existing (base) elements. The command now supports discrete reinforcing elements (REINF264).
ESURF -- Generates elements overlaid
on the faces of existing elements. New Shape = LINE and POINT options are available to specify line (or parabolic)
and point target segments when generating TARGE169 or TARGE170 elements.
FC -- Provides failure criteria information and activates a data table to input temperature-dependent stress and strain limits. The maximum number of different materials for which you can define failure criteria has been increased from 10 to 250.
FCDELE -- Deletes previously defined failure criterion data for a given material. A new ALL argument is available for deleting all FC command input for all materials.
GAUGE -- This command gauges the problem domain for a magnetic edge-element formulation. The command now uses a fast new algorithm and offers more gauging options.
*GET -- Retrieves a value and stores
it as a scalar parameter or part of an array parameter. For all solution
items except PFACT and MCOEF, the maximum number of returned corresponding
to significant modes has increased from 1000 to 10000. For Entity = MODE, the ability to handle complex numbers
is enhanced for mode participation factors.
/GRAPHICS -- Defines the type of graphics display as Full or PowerGraphics. PowerGraphics now supports results in the solution coordinate system (RSYS,SOLU).
HFPCSWP -- Calculates propagating constants and characteristic impedance of a transmission line or waveguide over a frequency range. The command now supports characteristic impedance solutions for 2-D models using HF118 elements.
HFPORT -- Specifies input data
for waveguide, plane wave, lumped gap, modal, and modal lumped gap
ports. The command now supports modal port surface characteristic
impedance calculations (Porttype = MODAL).
This command now also supports extraction of harmonic wave components
of a frequency selective surface (Porttype = PLAN). A modal lumped gap port option is also now available (Porttype = MGAP).
HRCPLX -- Computes and stores in
the database the time-harmonic solution at a prescribed phase angle.
The command is now based on the same algorithm as the ANHARM command to combine the real and imaginary parts of the solution.
As a result, the combined solution is equal to the imaginary solution
for OMEGAT = -90 degrees.
LAYER -- Specifies an element layer for which to process data. The command now supports the REINF264 discrete reinforcing element and the ELBOW290 elbow element.
LVSCALE -- Scales the load vector for mode superposition analyses. A new MDSTEP argument is added to specify the load step for MSUP transient or harmonic analyses.
MDAMP -- Defines the damping ratios as a function of mode. The maximum number of additional constants that can be used has been increased from 1000 to 10000.
MFCONV -- Sets convergence values for an ANSYS Multi-field solver analysis. A new field (MINREF) is available to specify a minimum allowed value for the program calculated reference value.
MODOPT -- Specifies modal analysis
options. A new Method = SNODE option is
available for the new Supernode modal solver. In addition, a new BlockSize field allows you to specify the block vector
size to be used with the Block Lanczos solver.
NSOL -- Specifies nodal data to
be stored from the results file. A new SECTOR argument is added to designate the sector number where NODE results
are stored for the cyclic symmetry solution.
PRCAMP -- Prints Campbell diagram
data for applications involving rotating-structure dynamics. You can
now specify that all frequencies
from your Campbell analysis are printed out via the new KeyALLFreq argument.
PRED -- Activates a predictor in a nonlinear analysis. Prediction is now on by default when rotational degrees of freedom are present in an analysis. (Previously, it was off under this condition). This applies to elements SHELL181, SHELL281, BEAM188, BEAM189, PIPE288, PIPE289, and ELBOW290.
PRESOL -- Prints the solution results for elements. The command now prints the section nodal and section integration point results for the BEAM188, BEAM189, PIPE288, PIPE289, and ELBOW290 elements, assuming the functions of the now-undocumented PRSSOL command.
PSCONTROL -- Turns shared memory
operation on or off during solution. This command now supports additional
controls to turn parallel processing on or off for the preprocessing,
solution, and postprocessing phases of an analysis (Option = PREP, SOLU, POST, or ALL)
PSOLVE -- Directs the program to
perform a partial solution. The command has a new Rkey field that provides a way to write initial contact configuration
results to the results file when a partial element solution is performed.
The Rkey option is useful in a brake squeal
analysis. In addition, the Lab field on
this command has a new EIGSNODE label to support a partial solution
using the new Supernode solver.
RATE -- Specifies whether the effect of creep strain rate is used in the solution of a load step. The command has new options for specifying the number of temperatures for which data will be provided, and for setting the number of data points to be specified for a given temperature.
REMESH -- Specifies the starting and ending remeshing points, and other options, for manual rezoning. The command has new options allowing you to perform mesh splitting (SPLIT) and to read in a generic new mesh (READ).
RESVEC -- Calculates or includes residual vectors. The command now supports spectrum analyses.
SECCONTROLS -- Overrides program-calculated properties. The command now supports pipes.
SECDATA -- Describes the geometry of a section. The command now supports discrete reinforcing sections, pipe sections, and general axisymmetric sections.
SECFUNCTION -- Specifies shell section thickness as a tabular function. The tabular function evaluation now supports local coordinate systems in addition to the global XYZ coordinates.
SECJOINT -- Defines data for joint
elements. A new option (Kywrd = GEOM) allows
input of geometric quantities required when defining Coulomb friction
for certain joint elements.
SECOFFSET -- Defines the section offset for cross sections. The command now supports pipes.
SECPLOT -- Plots the geometry of a beam, shell, or reinforcing section to scale. The command now supports pipes and includes more mesh display options for beams and pipes.
SECTYPE -- Associates section type information with a section ID number. The command now supports discrete reinforcing sections, pipe sections, and general axisymmetric sections.
SF -- Specifies surface loads on nodes. A new high-frequency electromagnetic label IMPD is available to specify surface impedances for very thin conductive layers. A new label FREQ was added to allow tabular loads to be input as a function of frequency.
SFA -- Specifies surface loads on the selected areas. A new high-frequency electromagnetic label IMPD is available to specify surface impedances for very thin conductive layers.
SFE -- Specifies surface loads
on elements. The command now supports fluid pressure penetration loads
(Lab = PRES) at contact interfaces. A new
label FREQ was added to allow tabular loads to be input as a function
of frequency.
SPARM -- Calculates parameters between ports of a network system. Reflection coefficient and voltage standing wave ratio are now available as an output option.
SPSCAN -- Performs a harmonic analysis of a unit cell over a range of angles and extracts the S-parameter. New options are available for specifying a solver, convergence criteria, and S-parameter output format.
SPSWP -- Computes S-parameters over a frequency range and writes them to a file. A new option is available for specifying S-parameter output format.
TB -- Activates a data table for
nonlinear material properties or special element input. The command
now supports the Bergstrom-Boyce material model (Lab = BB), the Extended Drucker-Prager material model (Lab = EDP), the Mullins Effect material model (Lab = CDM), and the existing Anand material model as
a new rate-dependent viscoplasticity option (TBOPT = ANAND). (The Lab = ANAND argument has
been removed.) The command also supports the new user-defined friction
option (TBOPT = USER) for contact analysis.
New options are available to specify frequency-dependent lossy dielectric
properties (TB,HFFDLD) and anisotropic electric
and magnetic loss tangents (TB,LSEM) in high-frequency
analyses (using elements HF119 or HF119). New options are also available for specifying
elastic properties (TB,ELASTIC) and structural
damping (TB,SDAMP) in coupled-field analyses using
elements PLANE223, SOLID226, or SOLID227. New joint element material
options (TB,JOIN) are available to define Coulomb
friction for several joint elements. A new FuncName field allows input of a function to describe nonlinear stiffness
or damping behavior of joint elements (TB,JOIN,,,,,,FuncName).
TBFIELD -- Defines values of field variables for the material data tables. The command now supports five new field variables for use with field dependent friction. The new variables are time, normal pressure, algebraic sliding distance, absolute sliding distance, and sliding velocity.
TSHAP -- Defines geometric surfaces
for target segment elements. A new Shape = POINT option is available for generating “point” target
segments (TARGE169 and TARGE170).
VTMP -- Defines a material property
as an input variable for DesignXplorer. Support for thermal expansion capability
is now available via a Lab input value.
The following commands have been undocumented at this release:
HFNEAR
HFSWEEP
ISFILE
ISTRESS
ISWRITE
PLHFFAR
PRHFFAR
PRSSOL
REFLCOEF
SUBOPT
VFCALC
The functionality of the HFNEAR command is available via the new high-frequency near field commands PRNEAR and PLNEAR . The functionality of the PRHFFAR and PLHFFAR commands is available via the new high-frequency far field commands PRFAR and PLFAR .
Instead of the HFSWEEP command, for a high-frequency harmonic analysis over a frequency range, you can use the PLSYZ command to calculate return loss, insertion loss, isolation loss and voltage standing wave ratio after you obtain the S-parameters in Touchstone format with the SPSWP command.
The functionality of the ISTRESS, ISWRITE, and ISFILE commands is available via the INISTATE command. To use initial state conditions, consider using a current element technology. For more information, see Legacy vs. Current Element Technologies in the Element Reference. For more information about setting initial state values, see the INISTATE command documentation and Initial State in the Basic Analysis Guide.
The functionality of the PRSSOL command has been assumed by the updated PRESOL command.
Instead of the REFLCOEF command, you can use the SPARM command to calculate reflection coefficient and voltage standing wave ratio.
The functionality of the VFCALC command has been assumed by the VFOPTcommand. Issue a VFOPT,NEW command to compute view factors and write them to a file.
For information about other commands that have been undocumented in prior releases, see the archived release notes on the ANSYS Customer Portal.
This section describes changes to elements at Release 12.0.
Some elements are not available from within the GUI. For a list of those elements, see GUI-Inaccessible Elements in the Element Reference.
The following new elements are available in this release:
MPC184-Screw -- The screw joint element is a two-node element that allows a relative rotation around the screw axis as well as a relative displacement along the axis of the screw, similar to the cylindrical joint. The pitch of the screw relates the relative rotation angle (around the cylindrical or screw axis) to the relative displacement along the axis of the screw.
CPT212 -- This 2-D four-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid element has bilinear displacement behavior. The element has four nodes with three degrees of freedom at each node: translations in the nodal x and y directions, and one pore-pressure degree of freedom at each node.
CPT213 -- This 2-D eight-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid has quadratic displacement behavior. The element has eight nodes with two degrees of freedom at each node: translations in the nodal x and y directions, and one pore-pressure degree of freedom at each corner node.
CPT215 -- This 3-D eight-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid has eight nodes with three degrees of freedom at each node: translations in the nodal x, y, and z directions, and one pore-pressure degree at each corner node.
CPT216 -- This 3-D 20-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid is a higher-order version of CPT215.
CPT217 -- This 3-D 10-node coupled pore-pressure mechanical solid is a higher-order version of CPT213.
SOLID236 -- This 3-D 20-node electromagnetic solid is applicable to low-frequency magnetic field analyses: static, time-harmonic and time-transient. The element has 12 magnetic edge-flux degrees of freedom (AZ) associated with the midside nodes and 20 electric potential degrees of freedom (VOLT) at each element node. It can be degenerated into a pyramid, prism, or tetrahedron.
SOLID237 -- This 3-D 10-node electromagnetic solid is a tetrahedral-shaped version of SOLID236.
REINF264 -- Use this discrete reinforcing element with standard 3-D solid and shell elements (referred to as the base elements) to provide extra reinforcing to those elements. The element is suitable for simulating reinforcing fibers with arbitrary orientations.
SOLID272 -- Use this general axisymmetric solid element to model axisymmetric solid structures. It is defined by four nodes on the master plane, and nodes created based on the circumferential direction of the four nodes. The total number of nodes depends on the number of node planes (KEYOPT(2)). Each node has three degrees of freedom: translations in the nodal x, y and z directions. The element allows a triangle as the shape on the base plane to simulate irregular areas. The element has plasticity, hyperelasticity, stress-stiffening, large-deflection, and large-strain capabilities. It also has mixed-formulation capability for simulating deformations of nearly incompressible elastoplastic materials, and fully incompressible hyperelastic materials.
SOLID273 -- Use this general axisymmetric solid element to model axisymmetric solid structures. The element has quadratic displacement behavior on the master plane and is well suited to modeling irregular meshes on the master plane. It is defined by eight nodes on the master plane, and nodes created based on the circumferential direction of the four nodes. The total number of nodes depends on the number of node planes (KEYOPT(2)). Each node has three degrees of freedom: translations in the nodal x, y and z directions. The element allows a triangle as the shape on the base plane to simulate irregular areas. The element has plasticity, hyperelasticity, stress-stiffening, large-deflection, and large-strain capabilities. It also has mixed-formulation capability for simulating deformations of nearly incompressible elastoplastic materials, and fully incompressible hyperelastic materials.
SOLID285 -- This lower-order 3-D, four-node mixed u-P element has a linear displacement and hydrostatic pressure behavior. The element is suitable for modeling irregular meshes and general materials (including incompressible materials).
PIPE288 -- This 3-D linear (two-node) finite strain pipe element is suitable for analyzing slender to moderately stubby/thick pipe structures. Internal fluid and external insulation are supported. Added mass, hydraulic added mass, and hydrodynamic and buoyant loading, are available via the new ocean family of commands.
PIPE289 -- This 3-D quadratic (three-node) finite strain pipe element is suitable for analyzing slender to moderately stubby/thick pipe structures. Internal fluid and external insulation are supported. Added mass, hydraulic added mass, and hydrodynamic and buoyant loading, are available via the new ocean family of commands.
ELBOW290 -- This 3-D quadratic finite strain pipe is suitable for analyzing pipe structures with an initially circular cross-section and a thin to moderately thick pipe wall. The element accounts for cross-section distortion, which can be commonly observed in curved pipe structures under loading.
The following elements have been enhanced in this release:
COMBIN14 -- This spring-damper element now supports a preload defined via an initial length (real constant ILENGTH) or an initial force (real constant IFORCE) input. This preload is applicable to 2-D and 3-D springs only.
HF119 and HF120 -- New material property options are available for these high-frequency elements using the TB command. You can now specify frequency-dependent lossy dielectric properties (TB,HFFDLD) and anisotropic electric and magnetic loss tangents (TB,LSEM) in a TB table.
PLANE121 and PLANE230 -- A thickness input option (KEYOPT(3) =3) is now available for these electrostatic solid and electric solid elements.
TARGE169 and TARGE170 -- These target elements now support a new POINT target segment. This segment type can be defined on a rigid body where no predefined node exists and can be used to apply boundary conditions (point loads, displacement constraints, etc.) at that point. In addition, you can now use the KEYOPT(2) = 1 setting to apply boundary conditions on any rigid target nodes rather than only on the pilot node.
TARGE169, TARGE170, CONTA171, CONTA172, CONTA173, CONTA174 -- These contact and target elements now support a fluid pressure penetration load that models surrounding fluid or air penetrating into the contact interface. The load is applied via the SFE command. Additional input is supplied via the new KEYOPT(14) and two new real constants on the contact elements. KEYOPT(14) controls how the load is applied, and real constants PPCN and FPAT specify a pressure penetration criterion and a fluid penetration acting time.
TARGE170 -- This target element has a new option for shell-solid assemblies (KEYOPT(5) = 5) that improves the stress distribution at the shell-solid interface for this assembly type.
CONTA171, CONTA172, CONTA173, CONTA174, CONTA175, CONTA176, CONTA177, and CONTA178 -- These contact elements now support user-defined friction via
the userfric subroutine.
LINK180 – This 3-D spar element now supports tension-only (cable) and compression-only (gap) options (specified via the third real constant). The element also offers new options (via KEYOPT(15)) for specifying the results file output; you can store averaged results at each section corner node (the default behavior), or you can store non-averaged results at each section integration point.
SHELL181, SHELL208, SHELL209, and SHELL281-- These structural and axisymmetric shell elements have a new nonlinear thickness-update algorithm that accounts for actual material properties. This option also improves convergence in general. You also have the option of using the legacy algorithm for thickness updating, which is based on preserving the element volume.
MPC184 -- The hysteretic friction capability for MPC184 joint elements has been removed in lieu of the Coulomb friction model.
BEAM188 -- This 3-D two-node beam element is used for analyzing slender to moderately stubby/thick beam structures. The element offers a new cubic option (KEYOPT(3) = 3) that uses cubic shape functions for all displacement and rotation degrees of freedom, and is capable of representing quadratically varying bending moments accurately. It offers superior accuracy over the linear (KEYOPT(3) = 0) or the quadratic (KEYOPT(3) = 2) options, particularly when higher-order element interpolations are desired. The element also offers new options (via KEYOPT(15)) for specifying the results file output; you can store averaged results at each section corner node (the default behavior), or you can store non-averaged results at each section-integration point.
BEAM189 -- This 3-D three-node beam element is also used for analyzing slender to moderately stubby/thick beam structures. The element now offers options (via KEYOPT(15)) for specifying the results file output. You can store averaged results at each section corner node (the default behavior), or you can store non-averaged results at each section integration point.
INTER192, INTER193, INTER194, INTER195 – Now by default, these elements are capable of both through-thickness and transverse-shear deformations (KEYOPT(2) = 1). Also by default, INTER193 and INTER194 adopt a full integration scheme (KEYOPT(4) = 2). The full-integration scheme and the inclusion of transverse-shear stiffness are generally required when the interfaces between the gasket and the mating parts are modeled as sliding contact.
PLANE223, SOLID226, and SOLID227 -- New material property options are available for these coupled-field elements using the TB and MP commands. Elastic properties (TB,ELASTIC) and structural damping (TB,SDAMP) are available for analyses with structural degrees of freedom. Electrical resistivities (MP,RSVX ) (also RSVY and RSVZ) are available for piezoelectric and thermal-piezoelectric analyses. These coupled-field elements now also support prestress effects in piezoelectric and structural-thermal analyses..
SHELL281 -- This eight-node shell element now offers an improved shell-formulation, activated via KEYOPT(2) = 1). Use this option for curved shell simulation, especially when thickness strain is significant or when material anisotropy in the thickness direction cannot be ignored.
Several legacy elements are now undocumented. Their functionality has been assumed by current-technology elements, as follows:
| Undocumented Legacy Element | Suggested Current-Technology Element |
| SHELL43 | SHELL181 |
| SOLID46 | SOLID185 (KEYOPT(3) = 1), or SOLSH190 |
| VISCO88 | PLANE183 |
| VISCO89 | SOLID186 |
| SHELL91 | SHELL281 |
| SHELL93 | |
| SHELL99 | |
| VISCO106 | PLANE182 |
| VISCO107 | SOLID185 |
| VISCO108 | PLANE183 |
| SOLID191 | SOLID186 (KEYOPT(3) = 1) |
For information about other elements that have been undocumented in prior releases, see the archived release notes on the ANSYS Customer Portal.
This section contains information about enhancements not listed elsewhere in this document.
The documentation section entitled Legacy vs. Current Element Technologies in the Element Reference has been updated in an ongoing effort to help you migrate to current element types.
Release 12.0 includes the following documentation updates for programmers:
The Programmer's Manual for ANSYS is available online for the first time in this release.
The UserMat subroutine documentation has
been updated and expanded. UserMat allows you
to write your own material constitutive equations within a general
material framework using current-technology elements. For
more information, see User-Defined Material Model in the Structural Analysis Guide, User-Defined
Material Constants in the Element Reference, and Subroutine
UserMat (Creating Your Own Material Model) in the Guide to ANSYS User Programmable Features.
All routines and functions documented in theProgrammer's Manual for ANSYS have been updated to reflect the current source code. To see specific changes in a file, ANSYS, Inc. recommends opening both the old and current files (using a text editor that displays line numbers), then comparing the two to determine which lines have changed. You can copy the updated files to your system by performing a custom installation of the product.
The following routines and functions have been added to the Programmer's Manual for ANSYS:
Under Subroutines for Customizing Material Behavior:
Subroutine user_tbelastic
Subroutine userfric
Under Subroutines for Customizing Loads:
Subroutine userPartVelAcc
This subroutine computes particle velocities and accelerations, and is intended primarily for inputting your own wave and current information.
Under Vector Functions:
Function vidot
Under Matrix Subroutines:
Subroutine matba
The following routines and functions have been removed from the Programmer's Manual for ANSYS:
Under Subroutines for Modifying and Monitoring Existing Elements:
Subroutine usanly
Subroutine ustress
Under Subroutines for Customizing Material Behavior:
Subroutine uservp
Subroutine usermc
Subroutine userfc
Subroutine usrfc1
Subroutine usrfc2
Subroutine usrfc3
Subroutine usrfc4
Subroutine usrfc5
Subroutine usrfc6
The memory required during the element matrix assembly process has been reduced. The enhancement applies to the use pass of a substructuring analysis (an analysis using superelements).
In a nonlinear analysis, the prediction feature is now on by default for elements that include rotational degrees of freedom (SHELL181, SHELL281, BEAM188, BEAM189, PIPE288, PIPE289, and ELBOW290). See the PRED command for more information.
A thermal expansion capability has been added as an input variable
to DesignXplorer. The capability is reflected in the VTMP command via a new Lab value.
The default file split size (/CONFIG,FSPLIT) has been increased from 128 GB to over 2000 GB (2 TB).
The Drop Test Module (DTM) is no longer an add-on feature for ANSYS LS-DYNA. At Release 12.0, the DTM is included in all applicable products. Consequently, the -dtm command line argument is no longer valid. If used, the program interprets -dtm as a parameter.
You are now able to combine ANSYS and LS-DYNA via the -dyn command option for ANSYS Structural and higher license levels that do not have LS-DYNA enabled. See Starting ANSYS LS-DYNA in the ANSYS LS-DYNA User's Guide for more information.
The following incompatibilities with prior releases of are known to exist at Release 12.0.
The results file now contains two records instead of a single record for specified boundary conditions (constraints and forces). The two records contain the node number and the degree-of-freedom index separately instead of packing this data into a single record (as done previously) for each boundary condition type. Refer to the DIX/FIX records in the results file format shown in the Guide to Interfacing with ANSYS.
The LCFACT command now defaults to a scaling
factor of 1.0 only when the FACT argument
is left blank. A value of zero no longer yields the default (1.0)
and instead is interpreted as FACT = 0.0.
To ensure frame-invariancy when using the lumped matrix formulation (LUMPM,ON) with element types BEAM188, BEAM189, PIPE288, PIPE289, SHELL181, and SHELL281, the mass inertia contributions to rotational degrees of freedom are ignored. This change may affect the accuracy by a small amount in most cases. If you must account for dynamic torsional effects for beams or pipes in your analysis, avoid using the LUMPM,ON command.
The default contact normal stiffness for elements CONTA171 to CONTA177 is no longer reduced by a factor of 100 when plasticity is present in a contact analysis. Models that include contact and plasticity may therefore behave differently. In general, this change results in less penetration in the contact interfaces; however, more iterations may be necessary to achieve convergence (than were necessary in the previous release).
The Lab = ANAND argument for specifying
the Anand material model on the TB command has
been undocumented. Instead, an Anand material option is available
as a new rate-dependent viscoplasticity option (TBOPT = ANAND) via the TB,RATE command.
When performing a Campbell analysis (PLCAMP or PRCAMP) of a prestressed structure, the number
of modal analyses to perform is now required input, and that number
must match the number of static analyses. The CAMPBELL command's new NSOLVE argument specifies
the number of modal analyses (CAMPBELL,ON,NSOLVE).
The HRCPLX command is now based on the same
algorithm as the ANHARM command to combine the
real and imaginary parts of the solution. As a result, the combined
solution is equal to the imaginary solution for OMEGAT = -90 degrees. For more information about complex solutions postprocessing,
see POST1 and
POST26 -- Complex Results Postprocessing in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications.
The sparse direct equation solver (EQSLV,SPARSE) is no longer valid in a Distributed ANSYS run. If the sparse solver is selected, the distributed sparse solver (EQSLV,DSPARSE) is used automatically.
The DSPOPTION command, which sets memory options for the distributed sparse solver, has a modified structure and several new options. In the prior release, DSPOPTION,INCORE was the only valid option; in this release, the same option is input as DSPOPTION,,INCORE. Although the command attempts to trap incorrect input and modify it to accommodate the new input method, ANSYS, Inc. recommends reviewing any existing input files that may issue this command and adjust the command string accordingly.
The accuracy of nodal coordinates and Euler angles in the .cdb file generated via the CDWRITE command has been increased. The enhancement necessitated a slight
format change to the .cdb file. Although the .cdb files are forward- and backward-compatible between
this release and the prior release, some third-party applications
may encounter difficulty when reading the ANSYS-generated .cdb file.
If you have a password to the ANSYS Customer Portal (http://www.ansys.com/customerportal), you can view Readme files and late documentation changes by entering
the customer portal and following these steps after logging in:
Click on in the menu to the left of the screen.
Result: A submenu appears.
Click on from the submenu.
Result: The ANSYS documentation set list appears.
Click on the link.
The portal is also your source for ANSYS, Inc. software downloads, service packs, product information (including example applications, current and archived documentation, undocumented commands, and product previews), and online support.
Table of Contents
The ANSYS Workbench uses scripting languages to display information in the user interface. These scripting languages when used in World Wide Web pages are susceptible to viruses. Many virus scanning products will install a proxy to verify that scripts on a web page do not contain a virus. Some virus scanning products may leak excessive amounts of memory when running the ANSYS Workbench product. Check your specific products support pages to see if a memory leak has been reported and the solution for it.
Release 12.0 introduces a next generation framework, which leverages the strength of ANSYS core applications, solvers, and associated tools with a new workflow and simulation project management capability. ANSYS Workbench Release 12.0 builds upon the proven strengths of its predecessor with its bidirectional CAD connectivity, pervasive parameterization, and feature-based, persistent modeling environment.
The New ANSYS Workbench Project Window. An innovative project schematic view changes the way engineers work with simulation. The project window is divided into two primary areas: the Toolbox along the left side of the interface contains the systems used to build up the project. The Project Schematic to the right is the project workspace. Projects are represented in the Project Schematic as connected systems in flowchart form to allow engineering intent, data relationships, and the state of the analysis project to be understood at a glance.
Working with the new project system is straightforward. Drag the desired analysis type from the Toolbox and drop it into the Project Schematic. Complete analysis systems contain all the necessary components, helping to guide you through the analysis process, working through the system from top to bottom and right to left. The entire process is persistent. You can make changes to any portion of the project, click on , and ANSYS Workbench will manage the execution of the required applications to update the project automatically, dramatically reducing the cost of performing design iterations.
Drag-and Drop Multiphysics. Building up more complex coupled analyses involving multiple physics is as easy as dragging a follow-on analysis and dropping it onto the source analysis. Required data transfer connections are formed automatically, and transferred loads automatically show up in the physics setup for the downstream system.
Flexible Project Construction. Complete Analysis Systems templates are convenient because they contain all the necessary tasks or components to complete a start-to-finish simulation of a particular physics, but the Project Schematic has been designed to be flexible. You can also use Component Systems, which are generally more task-oriented “building block” systems that can be connected to best suit your analysis intent.
Save and Reuse Complex Workflows. Once the project structure and data relationships have been defined, you can save these simulation workflows to the Toolbox for later reuse.
For more information on using ANSYS Workbench, see Getting Started in ANSYS Workbench.
Project Level Parameter Management. As always, the applications hosted in ANSYS Workbench support parametric variations, including CAD parameters, material properties, boundary conditions, and derived result parameters. Parameters defined within the applications are managed from the project window, making it easy to investigate multiple variations of the analysis. From within the project window, a series of design points can be built up in tabular form and executed to complete a what-if study with a single operation.
For more information on using parameters and design points in ANSYS Workbench, see Working with Parameters and Design Points.
Automated Design Exploration. To fully leverage the power of parametric analysis, Design Exploration can be used with the parameter set to drive design of experiments, goal driven optimization, min/max search, or even perform six sigma analyses to investigate design robustness. All of this power is available across all applications, all physics, and all solvers available within ANSYS Workbench (including Mechanical APDL).
For more information on Design Exploration in ANSYS Workbench, see Design Exploration Help.
ANSYS Workbench Capabilities. The breadth of capabilities hosted in the ANSYS Workbench environment at Release 12.0 is unprecedented and includes:
Common tools
ANSYS CAD Connections
ANSYS DesignModeler
ANSYS Meshing
Design Exploration
FE Modeler
Fluid Dynamics
ANSYS CFX
CFX-Pre
CFX-Solver Manager
FLUENT
CFD-POST
ANSYS Multiphysics
Structural Mechanics
ANSYS Mechanical (formerly ANSYS Simulation)
ANSYS Mechanical APDL (formerly ANSYS)
Explicit Dynamics
ANSYS Explicit
ANSYS AUTODYN
ANSYS LS-DYNA (setup-only in Workbench)
Electromagnetics
ANSYS Emag
Turbo Systems
BladeGen
BladeModeler (within DesignModeler)
TurboGrid
Vista TF
Release 12 includes significant improvements with new features, enhancements to existing features, and bug fixes. Feature based parametric geometry modeling tools in ANSYS DesignModeler are greatly expanded to include several new time-saving tools for fluid and mechanical analyses. Analysis specific tools within DesignModeler now include an automated option to extract flow volume for CFD analysis. Several new features are available for improved beam modeling, including, user-defined offsets, user-defined cross sections, and additional options for orientation controls. Shell modeling is also enhanced in several ways, including improved surface extensions. In addition, Merge, Connect, and Project features have been added for improved Surface modeling.
Automated cleanup and repair of imported geometries is another focus area for this release. A set of new tools are available to automatically detect and fix typical problems such as small edges, sliver faces, holes, seams, and faces with sharp angles. Geometry interfaces are further enhanced to support import of more information from CAD systems. This includes new data types, such as line bodies for modeling beams, additional attributes including coordinate systems and work points, and improved support for creating Named Selections within the CAD systems. Improved attribute support also includes options to create additional attributes within DesignModeler.
| Feature Enhancements |
| Model Enhancements |
| Sketching Enhancements |
| Incompatibilities and Changes in Product Behavior from Previous Releases |
Attributes from CAD systems can now be imported into DesignModeler. These include coordinate systems, named selections, spot welds, work points, and general attributes. In addition, the new Attribute feature allows users to create their own general attributes in DesignModeler that can be transferred to downstream applications.
The Fill feature now allows the user to extract flow volumes when surface bodies are available or created to cap the inlet and outlet openings. DesignModeler will then perform a Boolean operation to automatically extract the internal void regions. The other method of filling holes by selecting faces is still supported.
The Slice feature now offers slicing of line bodies. The Slice Off Edges option can be used to select edges on the model, and DesignModeler will separate or “slice off” these edges to form new bodies.
The Connect feature is available to align and join sets of vertices and edges that are separated by a small gap. The alignment takes the form of a stretching and aligning of existing geometry. Geometric modification of vertices and edges takes place and internal tolerances are adjusted if needed to make entities coincident. This feature can be used with the sewing tool in the Body Operation feature to ensure proper connectivity in models with gaps and overlaps.
The Merge feature is available to merge sets of edges or faces for model simplification. The feature can merge multiple sets of connected entities simultaneously. Generally, merging is useful for defeaturing a model in preparation for meshing.
The Projection feature projects points on edges/faces and edges on faces/bodies. The feature offers the choice of imprinting edges and/or vertices on the target body, or it can create line bodies and/or construction points.
The Edge Delete feature is available to remove edges from surface and line bodies and to heal the wound naturally by extending the neighboring edges to form a new corner. Edge Delete is useful for removing unwanted blends or holes in surface bodies and editing line bodies.
The Surface Extension feature now supports groups of extensions, allowing users to specify many extensions in a single feature.
The Shared Topology feature now allows users to create and view the shared topology in their multibody parts in DesignModeler before the model is transferred to a downstream application. In addition, two new shared topology methods have been added: Imprints and None. The Imprint method does not actually share topology, but rather imprints the bodies in the part with each other to define more accurate contact regions. The None method serves as a grouping mechanism, which can be used to apply mesh controls within the part.
The Model Analysis Tools are a set of functions which will investigate the model, such as computing distances, searching for faults, and calculating mass properties. The tools include:
Distance Finder: Finds distances between two sets of entities.
Entity Information: Reveals detailed information about selected entities.
Bounding Box: Computes the bounding box of the selection.
Mass Properties: Computes volume, surface area, and centroids.
Fault Detection: Finds errors in the model.
Small Entity Search: Detects small faces and edges, as well as spikes and slivers.
The Repair features are a set of semiautomatic tools that can search and correct problematic areas of the model. There are seven tools available:
Repair Slivers: Removes long, narrow faces that may not mesh.
Repair Spikes: Fixes narrow regions of faces that may not mesh.
Repair Small Edges: Removes short edges from the model.
Repair Small Faces: Removes small faces from the model.
Repair Seams: Stitches faces together where they should connect.
Repair Holes: Removes small holes and patches missing faces.
Repair Sharp Angles: Eliminates sharp angles to improve mesh quality.
The feature searches for faults in the model and presents them as a list along with a recommended method to fix them. Selecting a fault from the list will automatically zoom to the area of the fault and highlight it. The result of the repair operation can also be seen by selecting a fault from the list after the Repair feature has generated.
DesignModeler offers a new cross section type, user-defined, which can be used to sketch a custom cross section in a sketching plane. Additionally, DesignModeler now supports user-defined beam offsets, allowing specification of custom x and y offsets. Cross section alignments have also been made easier with a new orientation option to point towards another entity, requiring just one selection.
DesignModeler now supports saving additional feature data to
the agdb file that allows the file to resume
without requiring regeneration. Performance improvement is based on
the amount of feature data saved which can be specified by the users.
The optimization is controlled by the Saved Feature Data property,
available within options.
The Spline Edit tool is available to modify flexible splines in sketching mode. It allows users to edit the spline by dragging control and fit points. Options to insert or delete Fit points are also available.
At Release 12.0 two features have been removed that were included in previous releases.
The auto-save option is no longer available. The project schematic will handle temporary copies of project files.
The Winding Editor tool is no longer available. Legacy models that contain Winding features will still resume in DesignModeler 12.0.
TurboSystem is a set of software applications and software features that help you to perform turbomachinery analyses in ANSYS Workbench.
ANSYS TurboGrid is a meshing tool for turbomachinery blade rows. The release notes for ANSYS TurboGrid are given at “ANSYS, Inc. Release Notes > "ANSYS TurboGrid"”.
CFX-Pre, a CFD preprocesor, and CFD-Post, a CFD postprocessor, are part of the ANSYS CFX product. Both of these products have Turbomachinery-specific features. The release notes for CFX-Pre are given at “ANSYS, Inc. Release Notes > "ANSYS CFX "”. The release notes for CFD-Post are given at “ANSYS, Inc. Release Notes > "ANSYS CFD-Post"”.
Release notes for the remaining TurboSystem applications are provided in the following sections:
| BladeGen |
| BladeEditor |
| Vista TF |
After reviewing these release notes, you are encouraged to see Usage Notes, which describes some known TurboSystem-related workflow issues and recommended practices for overcoming these issues.
BladeGen is a geometry-creation tool for turbomachinery blade rows.
These release notes for BladeGen are divided into the following topics:
There are four tools within BladeGen that are specialized for specific types of turbomachinery. This section summarizes the new features for the existing tools, Vista CCD and Vista CPD, and introduces the key features of the two new tools, Vista RTD and Vista AFD.
Enhancements to Vista CCD, a tool for centrifugal compressor design:
You can import data from the standalone program Vista CCD v2.6.
You can optionally specify the power input factor (in the Duty and Aerodynamic Data).
Vista CCD includes a real gas capability with data supplied for select gases.
You can optionally choose to optimize the inducer shroud diameter.
Vista CCD was developed by PCA Engineers Limited, Lincoln, England.
Enhancements to Vista CPD, a tool for centrifugal pump design:
You can choose to use an efficiency correlation (in the Pump Duty and Fluid Dynamic Data) and view the efficiency chart.
You can export an impeller with or without a volute.
You can export an ANSYS Workbench journal file to generate the volute geometry and mesh.
ANSYS Workbench journaling is a beta feature.
Vista CPD was developed by PCA Engineers Limited, Lincoln, England.
Key Features of Vista RTD, a new tool for radial turbine design:
Vista RTD is similar to Vista CCD and Vista CPD.
Vista RTD is especially well suited for turbochargers.
Vista RTD produces sketches of inlet and exit velocity triangles.
Vista RTD was developed by PCA Engineers Limited, Lincoln, England.
Key Features of Vista AFD, a new tool for axial fan design:
Vista AFD adopts a throughflow approach based on the well established SC90 model (for axial compressor design) from PCA Engineers Limited.
Vista AFD is especially well suited for industrial fans with 6 or more blades.
Vista AFD has a two-step design process that starts with a meanline calculation followed by an inverse throughflow step.
Vista AFD can optionally perform a throughflow analysis for a design obtained from an inverse throughflow step.
Vista AFD was developed by PCA Engineers Limited, Lincoln, England.
Be aware that when using real gas properties in Vista CCD, the RGP data is not saved with the BladeGen model. Instead, the RGP data is in a separate file and the Vista definition contains a reference to it. When you view the Vista CCD definition for a model that uses real gas properties, you may be asked to locate the RGP file if the file specified in the Vista definition cannot be found.
ANSYS BladeEditor is a plugin for ANSYS DesignModeler for creating, importing, and editing blade geometry.
These release notes for BladeEditor are divided into the following topics:
You can create and modify blade shapes.
You can define flow path contours.
You can parameterize definition of details such as leading and trailing edges and hub cross sections.
You can define span fraction layers to construct blade camberlines within the flow path.
You can specify a hub or shroud flow cut, if required.
You can define and modify angle and thickness distributions for each of the blade camberlines using linear, Bezier or cubic spline curves.
You can define multiple blade features, one per blade row, within a given flow path.
Blade rows can include splitters.
You can load blade geometry from BladeGen (with limitations). This process creates editable BladeEditor features.
You can generate estimates of throat area.
You can export blade geometry to Vista TF and RTZT format. The latter is suitable for import into BladeGen.
You can export blade geometry to ANSYS TurboGrid. This is also useful for extracting ANSYS TurboGrid data from imported CAD blade geometry.
You can very easily destroy your BladeEditor models by simply updating a project or otherwise processing a Geometry cell, depending on your license preference settings. This problem can affect you if you have any ANSYS DesignModeler licenses. To learn how to avoid this problem, please read the following section in the ANSYS BladeEditor documentation: Configuring the BladeModeler License.
There is an incompatibility issue related to resuming the use
of an agdb file from a previous version of BladeEditor,
if the agdb file contains the ImportBGD feature.
The internal geometry labeling for the BladeBody feature has changed
in the latest version, causing features that reference the BladeBody
geometry to potentially be generated improperly when the database
is resumed. The workaround is to re-select the geometry for the affected
features and regenerate the model.
There is a known limitation with the ImportBGD feature when importing multiple BladeGen files. If you have imported two or more BladeGen files using separate ImportBGD features, and have turned on shroud clearance for one of these features, then the import process may fail. The workaround is to import the case(s) with shroud clearance first, then import the others.
Furthermore, changing the Blade Design cell Shroud Clearance property from "Relative Layer" or "Absolute Layer" to "None" will have no effect on the ImportBGD feature. In this case, you must change the Shroud Clearance property directly in the ImportBGD feature.
When you load a BladeGen file in BladeEditor (Load BGD operation) where the angle definitions in the BladeGen file are specified as 'Beta Definition' and the 'Theta @ Beginning' values are non-zero, the Theta reference values in the resulting BladeEditor CamThkDef features will be set to zero. In this case, you will need to manually change the Theta reference values to the values corresponding to the 'Theta @ Beginning' values in BladeGen.
When you create a flow path contour sketch, you must be editing in a (global) ZX-plane. The local X and Y axes on the sketch plane correspond to the global Z and X axes, respectively. The local X axis corresponds to the machine axis and the local Y axis corresponds to the radial coordinate axis. Consequently, all flow contours in the sketch must have positive Y coordinates.
The following is a list of known limitations that apply to new BladeEditor features (but not the ImportBGD feature):
Model:
Only the ‘Angle/Thickness’ mode is supported.
Layers:
Only specified span fraction layers are supported.
Angle Definition:
Only Theta and/or Beta definitions are supported.
Only ‘General’ and ‘Ruled Element’ spanwise distributions are supported.
At least one angle definition must exist on either the hub or shroud layer.
The Angle View Data Location must be ‘Meanline’.
Splitting and joining curve segments is not supported.
Thickness Definition:
Only the ‘Normal to Meanline on Layer Surface’ thickness data type is supported.
The ‘vs. Cam’ and ‘% Cam vs. % Cam’ thickness specifications are not supported.
Only the ‘General’ spanwise distribution is supported.
At least one thickness definition must exist on either the hub or shroud layer.
Splitting and joining curve segments is not supported.
Vista TF is a new addition to TurboSystem. It is a tool for performing rapid throughflow analyses of rotating machinery for preliminary design purposes.
Some of the key features of Vista TF are:
Vista TF uses the streamline curvature method.
Vista TF uses empirical correlations or user-specified data to model frictional losses, boundary layer displacement, and flow deviation relative to the blade.
You can view automatically-generated reports of the throughflow results in CFD-Post.
Vista TF was developed by PCA Engineers Limited, Lincoln, England.
The changes in product behavior from previous releases are:
CFX-Mesh is an integrated mesh method within the Meshing application. For further information on how CFX-Mesh can be used from within the Meshing Application, please refer to the Meshing Help.
When you edit a mesh by selecting from within the Meshing Application, the Mesh cell on the Project Schematic will become ‘out-of-date’. Upon completing the edit, you should update the Mesh cell by clicking the right mouse button on the Mesh cell and selecting to ensure mesh data can be passed to downstream applications.
For information on changes in the *.gtm format in release 12.0, see the Meshing Application Release Notes.
The known limitations of CFX-Mesh are:
CFX-Mesh on 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista is unable to support 2D regions for some imported geometry files, e.g. SAT files.
Release 12.0 addresses these goals:
To provide a next generation solution for GAMBIT and CFX-Mesh users by following ANSYS Workbench guiding principles (parametric, persistent, highly-automated, flexible, physics-aware, adaptive architecture)
To integrate TGrid and ANSYS ICEM CFD mesh methods, thereby increasing the power and flexibility of the ANSYS Workbench meshing solution
To further evolve meshing tools and technologies for Mechanical, Electromagnetic, CFD, and Explicit Dynamics physics types
Release 12.0 offers new features and enhancements in the following key technology areas:
Mesh controls
Surface meshing
Tetrahedral meshing
Inflation
Hexahedral meshing
Sweep meshing
MultiZone mesh method
Mesh metrics
Performance and data integration
Miscellaneous enhancements
The following mesh control enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Physics-based mesh controls for CFD problems. Release 12.0 targets the needs of CFD users by providing:
Automated CFD meshing process. You can set a Solver Preference of either CFX or FLUENT to tailor the mesh based on the specified preference. The appropriate shape check defaults are set based on your preference. The Skewness quality metric was added for ANSYS FLUENT users.
To support zone creation in ANSYS FLUENT, Named Selections created in the Meshing application (or DesignModeler) are passed through the workflow (CAD>Geometry>Meshing application>ANSYS FLUENT). When the mesh file is exported to ANSYS FLUENT mesh format, the Named Selections are converted to zone types for use in ANSYS FLUENT.
For models created/edited in DesignModeler, a Fluid/Solid material property can be assigned to a solid body (including bodies of a multibody part). This setting is passed through to the Meshing application and then to ANSYS FLUENT, which will use this material property type for 3D zone creation.
Improved inflation controls. The new Program Controlled inflation option inflates off all faces that are not in a Named Selection. (When you select the Program Controlled option, you can use the Show Program Controlled Inflation Surfaces feature to view the surfaces that will be selected for inflation.) If you prefer, you can choose to inflate off of a Named Selection, or insert local inflation controls. A Smooth Transition option is also available for inflation, which ensures that the rate of volume change is smooth.
Physics-based mesh controls for structural problems. Release 12.0 targets the needs of structural users by providing:
Rigid body contact meshing. Rigid body meshing simplifies the representation of a model by reducing it to the contact regions and the centroid of the model. In other words, when a part is defined as a rigid body, the mesher knows to mesh only the contact regions, and to create a single mass element at the centroid of the model.
Gasket meshing. This feature lets you take advantage of the Mechanical APDL application's gasket element technology via the Meshing application's Method control. When defining the mesh method, you can set a gasket option that instructs the Meshing application to drop midside nodes on gasket element edges that are parallel to the sweep direction.
Improved beam handling with respect to beam orientations. The mesher creates different element types and extra orientation nodes if a cross section is present.
Copying of CAD instances. The Meshing application supports pattern instances that have been defined for part features or assembly components in a CAD system. These instance definitions remain in the CAD system. When a model with instances is read in to ANSYS Workbench, the geometry is read once and then copied for each instance. Similarly, the Meshing application generates the mesh once and then copies it for each instance. Support for pattern instances provides improved geometry import speed because only one instance of a part is read in, and improved meshing speed because only one instance of a part is meshed; copies of the first instance's mesh are used for the remaining instances.
Arbitrary mesh matching. The match control feature has been enhanced to allow arbitrary mesh matching. This feature lets you select two faces or two edges in a model to create a match control that will consequently generate exactly the same mesh on the two faces or edges. However, unlike cyclic match controls, which require you to select a coordinate system with its z-axis of rotation aligned to the geometry's axis of rotation, for arbitrary match controls the two faces or edges to be matched can be arbitrarily located, and the match control is based on two coordinate systems that you select.
Mapped face meshing controls. Advanced mapped face meshing controls have been added, providing support for side/corner/end controls to define a submapping strategy. When you apply advanced mapped face meshing controls to a face, the Meshing application divides the face into one or more mappable regions and creates a mapped mesh in each region.
Pinch feature. The Pinch feature lets you remove small features (such as short edges and narrow regions) at the mesh level in order to generate better quality elements around those features. The Pinch feature provides an alternative to Virtual Topology, which works at the geometry level. The two features work in conjunction with one another to simplify meshing constraints due to small features in a model that would otherwise make it difficult to obtain a satisfactory mesh. When Pinch controls are defined, the small features in the model that meet the criteria established by the controls will be “pinched out,” thereby removing the features from the mesh. You can instruct the Meshing application to automatically create pinch controls based on settings that you specify or, you can manually designate vertices and edges to be pinched.
Advanced Size Function. The size function that the mesher uses is determined by the setting of the Advanced Size Function feature, which provides greater control over how the mesh size is distributed on a face or within a body. Turning on the Advanced Size Function provides much more accurate sizing information to the mesher. The advanced size function controls the following properties:
When the Advanced Size Function is on, the Element Size control is no longer exposed and is replaced by the Min Size, Max Face Size, and Max Tet Size controls. These controls are used by the Advanced Size Function independent of Element Size. They define the desired range for minimum and maximum element sizes, but can be overridden under certain circumstances.
The Use Advanced Size Function control is a global control; however, curvature and growth rate sizing controls can be applied locally to edges, faces, and bodies. Sizing controls such as these and enforced mesh sizes are all fully integrated into the Advanced Size Function. That is, scoped local element sizing on edges, faces, or bodies; mesh matching; influence of a swept body; and defined sphere of influence (SOI) or body of influence (BOI) will all contribute to the final mesh distribution when the Advanced Size Function is on.
Body of influence (BOI). Using this option, you can set one body as a source of another body (that is, a body of influence). The body of influence will influence the mesh density of the body that it is scoped to, but it will not be a part of the model geometry nor will it be meshed.
Interface handling between parts. Handling has been improved in the areas of arbitrary mesh matching and the introduction of the Match Mesh Where Possible control for Patch Independent Tetra meshing.
The following surface meshing enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Poor-quality mesh clusters have been reduced and curvature-based refinement controls have been improved, resulting in a more uniform surface mesh.
2D inflation controls are supported for 2D planar and 2D shell models.
Surface meshers support the new sizing controls.
Uniform Quad and Uniform Quad/Tri surface meshers are more robust.
The mesher takes the default or user-specified values of the Global Mesh Controls and propagates them to the Uniform Quad/Uniform Quad/Tri method control. If you subsequently change the global values, the changes are not reflected in the Uniform Quad/Uniform Quad/Tri method unless a new method is inserted.
The following tetrahedral meshing enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Integration of the TGrid tetra meshing kernel has made the Patch Conforming Tetra mesh method more robust and allowed for smoother transitioning of the mesh. This method is now suitable as a replacement for the CFX-Mesh method in generating high quality CFD meshes.
The Patch Independent Tetra mesh method is more robust and uses similar controls as the Advanced Size Function by taking the default or user-specified values of the Global Mesh Controls and propagating them to the Patch Independent Tetra method control. If you subsequently change the global values, the changes are not reflected in the Patch Independent Tetra method unless a new method is inserted.
The following inflation enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Additional inflation controls have been designed for ease of use. Controls combine the best of what ANSYS FLUENT, CFX, and ANSYS ICEM CFD have to offer.
Improved multibody part handling.
A Smooth Transition option was added to provide layer-by-layer smoothing to achieve a smooth transition from the inflation layers to the tetra mesh. To further define the transition from inflation to tetra, the Transition Ratio control determines the rate at which adjacent elements grow. For the CFD physics preference, the Transition Ratio default differs depending on your solver preference (CFX or FLUENT).
The new Collision Avoidance control determines whether a Layer Compression or Stair Stepping approach will be taken in areas of proximity to avoid collisions that may occur from marching inflated surface meshes from opposite sides into each other. The Layer Compression option compresses inflation layers in areas of collision. In these areas, the defined heights and ratios are reduced to ensure the same number of layers throughout the entire inflation region. Rather than compressing the prism layers, with Stair Stepping the prism layers are “stair stepped” in the proximity region to avoid collision and to maintain a specified gap factor. The Stair Stepping approach to inflation growth locally reduces inflation layers to avoid collisions, as well as bad quality elements in sharp or tight corners. The term “stair stepping” refers to the steps created between one layer and the next.
The feature helps you identify possible problems with inflation before you generate the mesh. You can also export the previewed inflation mesh file in ANSYS FLUENT format.
The Inflation Algorithm control determines which inflation algorithm will be used (Pre or Post). When Pre is selected, the surface mesh will be inflated first, and then the rest of the volume mesh will be generated. When Post is selected, a post processing technique that works after the tetrahedral mesh is generated is used.
Inflation with sweeping generates a hex mesh. By setting the Free Face Mesh Type control to All Quad, All Tri, or Quad/Tri, you control the shape of the elements used to fill the swept body (pure hex, pure wedge, or a combination of hex/wedge respectively). The boundary region of the source/target faces will always be meshed with quad layers.
The following sweep meshing enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Improved robustness with the default Sweep approach. For multibody parts inflation layers can now be generated across the interface of swept and tet regions. There is also now an option to constrain the sweep boundary, which provides flexibility for how the mesher handles difficult transitions between swept and tet regions.
Thin model sweeping has been improved. Both single body and multibody parts are supported. Thin sweep works at the body level with other methods (for example, you can use thin sweep and general sweep for different bodies in the same part). For multibody parts, only one division through the thickness is possible. For single body parts, you can define multiple elements through the thickness using the Sweep Num Divs control.
The MultiZone mesh method from ANSYS ICEM CFD has been integrated at release 12.0. MultiZone provides automatic decomposition of geometry into mapped (structured/sweepable) regions and free (unstructured) regions. It automatically generates a pure hexahedral mesh where possible and then fills the more difficult to capture regions with unstructured mesh. Another benefit of MultiZone is its support for 3D inflation. The MultiZone mesh method and the Sweep mesh method operate similarly; however, MultiZone has capabilities that make it more suitable for a class of problems for which the Sweep method would not work without extensive geometry decomposition.
MultiZone, which is based on the blocking approach used in ANSYS ICEM CFD Hexa, starts by automatically blocking out surfaces. If the surface blocking can form a closed volume, then the volume may be filled automatically with a number of structured, swept, or unstructured blocks. The structured blocks can be filled with Hexa or Hexa/Prism elements and the unstructured blocks can be filled with Tetra, Hexa Dominant, or Hexa Core elements depending on your settings.
The following mesh metric enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Mesh Metric option. The Mesh Metric option allows you to view mesh metric information and thereby evaluate the mesh quality. Once you have generated a mesh, you can choose to view information about any of the following mesh metrics: Element Quality, Aspect Ratio, Jacobian Ratio, Warping Factor, Parallel Deviation, Maximum Corner Angle, or Skewness. For each mesh metric, Min, Max, Average, and Standard Deviation values are reported. If the model contains multiple parts or bodies, you can view the mesh metric information for an individual part or body by highlighting it under the Geometry object in the Tree Outline.
option. Once you have selected a mesh metric as described above, you can view the worst quality element based on the quality criterion for that metric. This approach also works for previewed mesh (surface mesh or inflation) and can be a useful tool to debug problems in the geometry that can cause meshing problems or bad quality mesh.
The following performance and data integration enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Performance. Memory utilization and speed have been improved.
Data integration. A number of improvements have been made in the area of data integration, including:
Providing they adhere to some simple rules, Named Selections defined in the Meshing application will be available in CFX-Mesh and CFX-Pre.
The Write ICEM CFD Files option has been added. If this option is set to Yes, your ANSYS ICEM CFD project (.prj), geometry (.tin), unstructured domain (.uns), and blocking (.blk) files will be saved during mesh generation when using ANSYS ICEM CFD mesh methods (Patch Independent, MultiZone, Uniform Quad, or Uniform Quad/Tri).
A mesh generated by the Meshing application can be exported into the following file formats:
Mesh Application File format
ANSYS FLUENT mesh format
POLYFLOW format
CGNS format
ANSYS ICEM CFD format
The following miscellaneous enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
In previous releases, the Meshing application meshed all bodies regardless of suppression. In release 12.0, you can generate the mesh for all unsuppressed bodes or individual unsuppressed parts.
Release 12.0 allows you greater control over whether midside nodes will be kept or dropped. Prior to this release, surface bodies and beams were meshed without midside nodes, and 2-D models were meshed with midside nodes. You now have the option of keeping or dropping the midside nodes for these geometry types.
Changes in release 12.0 that result in product behaviors that differ from previous releases include:
Write GTM File option for the CFX-Mesh mesh method. The *.gtm file format is a legacy CFX mesh file format that is not supported at the ANSYS Workbench project level in the 12.0 release. Mesh data transfer between the Meshing application (Mesh cell) and CFX-Pre (Setup cell) via *.gtm is not supported directly on the project schematic. A *.gtm file may be written from CFX-Mesh, but must be read into CFX-Pre via either an independent system, or by running CFX-Pre in standalone mode and importing the *.gtm file within the application. If you are using the CFX-Mesh method and have selected Tools>Options>CFX-Mesh Options>Volume Mesh Output>Write GTM File, and Tools>Options>CFX-Mesh Options>Commit Mesh To Workbench project on Generate>No, a warning message will be issued upon mesh generation to alert you that the *.gtm file format is not supported for downstream data transfer in ANSYS Workbench. In certain cases, your option settings may be ignored and in such cases will result in an additional warning to that effect. For related information, refer to the discussions of Volume Mesh options in the CFX-Mesh Help, and the CFX-Mesh mesh method in the Meshing Help.
In order to clarify the physics and simulation applications available from ANSYS, Inc. at release 12.0, the ANSYS Workbench interface formerly known as “Simulation” is now called the "Mechanical Application". In addition, the ANSYS PREP7/POST1 interface is now called the “Mechanical APDL Application".
Both the Mechanical application and the Mechanical APDL application of the ANSYS Mechanical family of software products provide a unique combination of power and ease of use, and both together offer comprehensive user interface choices and flexibility. The Mechanical application has been developed over the last few releases to be our environment for simulation automation and ease of use combined with the full power of the Mechanical APDL solver technology. The Mechanical APDL application will continue to be our user interface environment that emphasizes access to commands, customization and scripting.
This release of the Mechanical application contains all of the capabilities from previous releases plus many new features and enhancements. Areas where you will find changes and new capabilities include the following:
Release 12.0 includes several new features and enhancements that result in product behaviors that differ from previous releases. These behavior changes are presented below.
Constraint Type Contact Region. A Constraint Type Contact Region setting has been added for choosing the type of MPC constraint when scoping to surface bodies. This setting replaces the Search Direction setting available in previous releases where the default setting for contact between surface bodies using MPC contact was to leave the constraints uncoupled. The default setting for the current release is to couple the constraints. This default is preferred as it more common. However, coupling the constraints can give undesirable results for certain types of node matching edge to edge contact.
Convection properties are no longer specified in Engineering Data. These properties are now included in the Details view of the Convection load object in the Mechanical application.
Geometry Import. Line bodies do not transfer to the Mechanical application by default as they did in previous releases.
Load Histories are no longer specified in Engineering Data and are available exclusively on load objects in the Mechanical application. Load histories still can be imported/exported from the Details view of the respective load.
Magnetostatic analysis. The use of winding bodies created in DesignModeler to represent winding conductors is no longer available. Winding bodies now require solid geometry and can be assigned as a Stranded Source Conductor feature in the Mechanical application. Previous version databases (.dsdb files) that contain winding bodies will resume into release 12.0 and solve.
Pinball Region. For manually created contact regions, the program controlled pinball region value is now the Mechanical APDL default value when scoped to solid bodies. At prior releases, a default pinball factor of 1.0 was used. Compared to prior releases, this new default value may lead to smaller pinball radii for manually defined contact.
Reference Temperature for a material is no longer specified in Engineering Data. It is now specified as a property of the Body object in the Mechanical application.
Note the following when resuming databases from previous releases:
When resuming legacy databases in Magnetostatic analyses:
Databases that include obsolete winding conductors (created from winding bodies in DesignModeler) will solve in release 12.0, but no new objects based on this legacy feature can be created in release 12.0. When these types of winding conductors are sensed, warnings are issued stating that this feature will not be supported in future releases.
Databases from release 10.0 that include Directional Force/Torque results will cause these results and all other results to become obsolete. To obtain new results, you can perform a solve after resuming the database. Alternately, you can preserve the original results by resuming the 10.0 database in stages (that is, resume the 10.0 database in Workbench 11.0, save it, then resume the 11.0 database in Workbench 12.0.).
Imported Body Temperature or Thermal Condition objects, or a combination of both will replace legacy Thermal Condition objects that are imported into release 12.0. In this case, the replacement loads will cause the solver to issue a warning indicating the solution state of the environment has been modified during migration. You may also receive a warning to re-solve the linked thermal environment before solving if the legacy Thermal Condition object was created prior to release 10.0. Previous CFX loads, such as CFX Pressure, CFX Temperature, and CFX Convection, are not automatically replaced by appropriate imported loads in release 12.0. To create a new imported load to transfer the CFX results, generate a CFX system using the appropriate CFX file(s) and create a link to the Mechanical application system to establish a new imported load. You can then suppress or delete the old load object.
Any thermal-structural analysis linked by a Thermal Condition that is fully solved in a previous release will resume correctly in release 12.0, but the structural systems will not be in a solved state. To ensure that the system is fully up-to-date in these situations, it is recommended that you choose Update Project.
The solution state should be changed for an Energy probe when a legacy 11.0 database is opened in release 12.0. The value for the Energy probe is incorrect and should be updated.
A Joint probe representing a constrained moment for a revolute joint with the ANSYS Rigid Dynamics solver shows the wrong value when solved in a legacy 11.0 database. The ANSYS Rigid Dynamics and ANSYS Mechanical solvers have been made consistent in release 12.0.
The mesh will need to be regenerated for legacy databases that include wire geometry to replace any existing beam elements. Results in the database will be retained, but should be solved again at release 12.0. This is to correct a potential error in the orientation of beam sections for complex curved geometry.
A body with a material assignment that has a Reference Temperature property will import the Reference Temperature material property as the Reference Temperature Value of the body. If a material Reference Temperature property is not present the release 12.0 body Reference Temperature will be set to obtain the value from the Environment.
Within the Engineering Data workspace, the material Thermal Expansion and Reference Temperature properties will be converted into a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion material property. If the Thermal Expansion is tabular data and the Reference Temperature is not present, the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion will be underdefined and the Reference Temperature must be specified. The Reference Temperature of the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion is the temperature at which strain in the design does not result from thermal expansion or contraction.
If the reference temperature of the material differs from the Reference Temperature of the body inside the Mechanical application, the tabular data will be adjusted to correlate to the specified body Reference Temperature. In prior versions if the material Reference Temperature property was not provided the reference temperature was the same as the environment.
A default solid material for the model will not be assigned within the Engineering Data workspace. You may edit the Engineering Data cell and assign a default material. The effect of choosing or not choosing a default material can affect material assignment for parts in the model if the geometry is again imported or refreshed. If a default solid material is not chosen, a subsequent update or refresh of the geometry may cause some parts to have no material assignment. This will cause the model to be in an edit required state and you must assign materials to those parts before the solution can occur. This will assure that you consciously choose the correct material for each part. If a default material is assigned, an update of the geometry can cause some parts to be assigned the default material without any notification. It is recommended for this case that you review the material assignments after the update or refresh.
The following result incompatibilities occur when importing dsdb files from release 10.0:
Results in a single step analysis with a pretension bolt load will not resume as solved. This can be addressed by setting the display time to 1 and choosing Evaluate All Results.
Results under a Solution Combination folder will resume as unsolved.
Probes will not animate or evaluate at different time points.
The following general enhancements have been made at release 12.0
Additional Unit Types. The following unit system quantities have been made available at release 12.0:
New Unit Systems. The Mechanical application now supports the following:
Kelvin units display of temperatures and temperature-based quantities.
Ton (t) and Dekaton (dat) -based Newton millimeter (NMM) unit systems.
Send to Solver Option for Named Selections. A Send to Solver object property is now available for Named Selection objects, allowing you to control whether a named selection is passed to the solver.
Solver Target for Commands Objects. A Target object property is now available for Commands objects, allowing you to associate the object with a solver target.
The following new or enhanced analysis types are available in the Mechanical application at release 12.0:
Explicit Dynamics analysis. Newly introduced at release 12.0, ANSYS Explicit STR is the first explicit dynamics product with a native ANSYS Workbench interface. It is based on the Lagrangian portion of the full ANSYS AUTODYN solver. The technology will appeal to those who require nonlinear dynamics simulation of solids, liquids, gases and their interactions. In addition, the product will appeal to users who can benefit from the productivity provided by other applications integrated within the ANSYS Workbench environment. Those who have previous experience using ANSYS Workbench will find that they already know most of what is needed to use ANSYS Explicit STR.
Rigid Dynamics Analysis. The ANSYS Rigid Dynamics product, introduced at release 11.0, has been greatly enhanced and has been positioned within the ANSYS Workbench as an analysis system. The product now appears in the Workbench toolbox as a transient structural (MBD) analysis. Multi-body, rigid dynamic and kinematic analyses can be conducted with this analysis system. New features include the following:
Redundancy Analysis checks the joints you define and indicates the joints that over constrain the assembly.
Remote Forces Support. Remote forces and remote displacements are now supported in a Transient Structural (MBD) analysis.
Assemble Tools performs the assembly of the model, finding the closest part configuration that satisfies all the joints. The assembly feature allows you to bring in unassembled CAD geometry which you can actively assemble and put them in the assembled configuration for the start of the analysis. All the joints degree of freedom values are considered free.
Multibody part supports a group of bodies, glued to each other.
Shell body also known as a surface body, can be imported from DesignModeler, NX, SolidEdge, SolidWorks, Pro/Engineer CAD systems, as well as CATIA, IGES, Parasolid and SAT files.
Export Motion load is a feature added in release 12.0 which allows the user to export the results of an all rigid dynamics simulation at various time points during the transient.
Time Integration and Stabilization. During a transient analysis of multiple rigid bodies, you can now specify the time integration type feature to choose from the fourth and fifth order of the Runge-Kutta algorithm to integrate the equations of motion during analyses.
Response Spectrum, Electric, and Thermal Electric analyses are also new analysis types being introduced at release 12.0.
The following geometry enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Beam Section. The Beam Section feature for line bodies now allows you to define beam offsets including user defined offsets.
Element Order Options for Surface Bodies, Beams, and 2-D Models. The Element Midside Nodes setting for the Mesh object is now available for surface bodies, beams, and 2-D models, allowing the option of either keeping or dropping midside nodes for each of these geometry types. Prior to this release, surface bodies and beams were meshed without midside nodes (low order), and 2-D models were meshed with midside nodes (high order).
Rigid Body Declaration Expanded. Surface bodies, multibody parts, and 2-D bodies can now be declared as rigid. Prior to this release, only 3-D single body parts could be declared as rigid.
Selective Update. You can now selectively synchronize parts in the Mechanical application with an external CAD model. In addition to the time saving benefits, this new feature allows you to limit the scope of your changes.
Surface Body Offsets. This features allows you to define offsets for surface bodies, including user defined offsets.
Thermal Strain Effect Control. An option is now available to control if the coefficient of thermal expansion is sent to the solver. This is required for the calculation of Thermal Strain results.
The following connection enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Beam Connection. A beam can now be added to connect two bodies as could be done previously with a spring. Beam radius and material properties can be assigned.
Body Interactions. For explicit dynamics analyses, body interactions have been added that represent contact between bodies. Settings are included that allow you to control these interactions.
Bushing. A new joint is now available.
Constraint Type. A Contact Region setting has been added that allows the selection of an MPC constraint type for bonded contact when scoping is applied to surface bodies. Constraint Type replaces the Search Direction setting available in previous releases.
Contact Scoping Enhanced. Contact objects can now be scoped to rigid bodies.
Joint Stops and Locks. You can now apply optional constraints to a joint to restrict the motion of the free relative degrees of freedom in a joint in the form of a Stop or Lock.
Nonlinear Shell Contact. Nonlinear contacts (such as frictionless) can now be scoped to surface bodies. You can now specify whether a Contact Shell Face or Target Shell Face should be applied as a shell’s top face or bottom face.
Preloaded Springs. The Mechanical application now provides an option to preload a spring and create an initial “loaded” state.
Revolute and Cylindrical Joint Properties Added. Torsional Stiffness and Damping properties are now available for Revolute and Cylindrical joints.
The following loads/supports enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Coupling. A Coupling support is now available to allow you to create a set of geometric entities with a coupled degree of freedom. Using the Coupling boundary condition, you can create a set of surfaces/edges/vertices which have a coupled degree of freedom.
Cylindrical Coordinates for Displacement. The Displacement structural support can now support components defined in a cylindrical coordinate system. Only Cartesian coordinate systems were available in previous releases.
Fixed Rotation Includes Directional Control. The Fixed Rotation support for surface bodies and beams now has more granular control. Now, each X, Y, or Z axial direction, in an arbitrarily oriented coordinate system, can be made fixed or free. Previously, the Fixed Rotation support fixed all directions or none at all.
Imported Loads. Using imported loads, you can import loads generated by other analyses and include them in a subsequent analysis by linking them with a data transfer.
Line Pressure Enhanced. You can now apply spatially varying Line Pressure loads and loads varying with time for tangential option using tabular loading. The Component option now supports a cylindrical coordinate system as well as Cartesian.
Magnetostatic Analysis Load Enhancements. The following load enhancements are now available for magnetostatic analyses:
Multiple load steps
Full tabular and functional loading
New Source Conductor object (enhancement of Conductor in previous releases) that now includes provision for a Stranded Source Conductor option to scope one Current load to a conductor body.
PSD Base Excitation. The following enhancements are now available for the PSD Base Excitation load within a Random Vibration analysis:
When scoping the load, you can now specify any individual fixed support, all fixed supports, displacements, remote displacements, and solid-to-ground springs.
You can use a "Goodness of Fit" feature to ensure that your results will be dependable.
Remote Point. A Remote Point feature is available that provides a scoping mechanism to establish a point in space associated to a portion of geometry that can have multiple boundary conditions scoped to it.
RS Base Excitation. The RS Base Excitation load is now available for use in a response spectrum analysis.
Spatially Varying Loads and Displacements. Pressure, Temperature, and Thermal Condition loads, as well as Displacements can now have a variable magnitude in a single coordinate direction (x, y, or z) while remaining constant in the other two directions.
Temperature Applied to the Entire Body. During thermal analyses, when using the picking tool, you can now choose to scope a load to an entire body in addition to the external faces of the body.
Transient Analysis Load Enhancements. The following load enhancements are now available for transient analyses:
Velocity load
Multiple initial conditions
Thermal Condition Expanded on Surface Bodies. This feature allows you to apply a Thermal Condition load to a surface body with options for Top, Bottom, or Both face selections.
The following solution enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Expanded Support for Background Solutions. A variety of solver targets are now available to support external solvers. Transient Structural (MBD) analyses and Adaptive Convergence can both now be solved asynchronously using a background solver process setting. In previous releases, these features could only be solved using an in process solution.
Expanded Distributed ANSYS Support. Solving using Distributed ANSYS can now be accomplished with both synchronous and background configurations. In previous releases, Distributed ANSYS solves could only be realized in background configurations.
Multiple Solver Targets. A variety of solver targets are now available to support external solvers.
Postprocessing During Solve. With this feature you can use the postprocessing features such as contours and animation while the solution is still in progress.
Scratch Solver Files Directory. The Scratch Solver Files Directory analysis setting has been added as a temporary location for all files generated during a solve. These files are then moved to the Solver Files Directory for completed solves.
Time Integration and Stabilization. During a transient analysis of multiple rigid bodies, you can now specify the time integration type feature to choose from the fourth and fifth order of the Runge-Kutta algorithm to integrate the equations of motion during analyses.
The following results enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Beam Probe. A beam probe has been added in support of the new beam connection feature mentioned under the Connection Enhancements section of the Release Notes.
Composite Results Over Time. Results can now be displayed with contours over time that indicate either the maximum result over time, or the time that the maximum result occurred for a node, element, or sample point.
Dynamic Legend. The dynamic legend feature helps you display the result range and contour colors associated only with the visible elements.
Eroded Nodes. During explicit dynamics analyses, highly distorted elements that can impact other structures may be automatically removed (eroded) from the model and the mass automatically transferred to nodes that can impact other structures.
Joint Probe Result Types. Additional result types are now available for Bushing, Revolute, and Cylindrical joints.
Linearized Stress. The feature enables you to derive membrane, bending, peak, and total stresses using a line integral for a straight path.
Magnetostatic Probes. The following new probes are available for evaluating results in a Magnetostatic analysis: Force Summation, Torque, Energy (per body), and Magnetic Flux (per edge).
Path Plots. A Path Plot is a new feature which retrieves results from points along a path. The path can pass through any points in the model.
Response PSD Probe. A new Response PSD probe is available for evaluating a structure that is subjected to a PSD load in a Random Vibration analysis.
Results Probe Enhanced. The results probe now displays displaced mesh for a specified time.
Solution Coordinate System. The option is now available as a Coordinate System orientation setting for certain result types.
Unaveraged Contour Results. Result contour displays for most element nodal contours (for example, stresses and strains) can now be displayed as unaveraged contours where there is no nodal averaging across element boundaries.
User Defined Result. User Defined Result is a new result object that allows you to derive result values by performing mathematical operations on results obtained following a solution. Many additional results stored in the result file can be postprocessed and displayed in the Mechanical application using this technique.
The following ease of use enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Duplicate Without Results. This new right-mouse click option, only available on result objects, allows you to duplicate the highlighted object, including all subordinate objects. This option is not available for User Defined Results.
Environment Filtering. The Mechanical application interface includes a filtering feature that only displays items applicable to the particular analysis type environments in which you are working. This provides a simpler and more focused interface.
Inspecting Large Meshes Using Named Selections. You can use named selections to inspect only a portion of the total mesh which is most beneficial when working with a large mesh (greater than 5 - 10 million nodes).
Rescaling Annotations. The option Rescaling Annotations allows you to adjust the size of annotation symbols in order to display them in a more convenient fashion.
| Feature Enhancements |
| Import Enhancements |
| Transformation Enhancements |
| Resuming Databases from Previous Releases |
The FE Modeler Skin Detection Tool (SDT) now allows you to specify element components as either angular or based on face curvatures using the options of the Algorithm Parameters category.
The Details View options of the Skin Detection Tool (SDT) feature are now organized under the following categories:
Definition
Algorithm Parameters
Treeview Display
After the Initial Geometry is created, you can convert it to Parasolid Geometry. The Initial Geometry is a faceted representation of the geometry and can only be imported into a Mechanical system. However the Parasolid Geometry is a “real” geometry (with NURBS and analytic surfaces) so that it can be imported into DesignModeler .
Geometry can be imported into FEM to act as working geometry for subsequent Geometry Synthesis operations, Initial Geometry Creation or Projection. This import supports all the Workbench CAD/Geometry formats.
Rather than building the Initial Geometry directly from the mesh, you can associate the mesh with an external geometry imported as a Working Geometry. Further, the imported mesh will be morphed to this geometry. This is useful if you want to reuse an archived mesh for a geometry that is slightly changed from the original meshed geometry.
1D elements (Beams, RBE, Springs,…) are now handled when building the Initial Geometry. You can enable/disable this feature with a property on the Geometry Synthesis object.
The FE Modeler Skin Detection Tool (SDT), which is used in geometry creation, now applies only on the facets of elements/elements that are not already contained in a component. Further, in the Skin Detection step of geometry creation, you can iteratively add components to create better initial geometry.
When importing a NASTRAN or ANSYS CDWRITE file, FE Modeler now allows you to group elements based on the Shell Thickness identifier assigned to the element.
FE Modeler can now read the following mesh formats : STL, Fluent (*.msh, *.cas), CFX (*.def, *.res), ICEM (*.uns)
You can now project a face, an edge, or a vertex onto a face, edge, or vertex or a group of faces or edges from an imported working geometry.
When resuming legacy databases where FE Modeler data was created from a Mechanical analysis, a link will not be created between the two systems. You can manually link the Mechanical Model cell to the FE Modeler Model cell and import the Mechanical data; however, all FE Modeler data contained in the FE Modeler database will be lost.
In Release 11.0, DesignXplorer was a Workbench application that gave the user the ability to do parametric studies of their analysis to search for the best design for their constraints. In Release 12.0, most of the functions of DesignXplorer became native in the Workbench environment and independent of the project’s structure and the simulation type. The DesignXplorer’s features are now exposed in the Design Exploration category of the Workbench Toolbox. The UI and workflow for the various features have changed significantly in Release 12.0.
A few of the analysis options available in Release 11.0 are not currently available in Release 12.0. These include:
Robust Design
Min-Max Search
Variational Technology
Some features have been removed or replaced by other procedures.
Excel import and export of Design Points and Response Points is not currently supported. It is possible to Copy/Paste the data in the Table view from/to Excel but the output parameter values cannot be imported yet.
There are no snapshots or reports in this release. You can save images of the charts generated in the Design Exploration solutions, however.
Curve imprinting is not supported in this release.
Multiple Sample Sets cannot be generated for a single Design Exploration system analysis.
There is no Third Party Plug-In capability in this release.
Design Exploration solutions cannot currently be distributed over several machines.
The processes for performing various tasks have changed and are described in the following paragraphs.
Instead of having its own Wizard, DesignXplorer is now natively exposed in the Project management system of Workbench. The items previously exposed in the wizard can now be found in the Design Exploration Toolbox, and creating a new study is as easy as dragging Design Exploration system templates on to the Schematic of the Project. Several studies can be performed in the same project. To set up the study, edit each cell in the system and set the properties of your inputs and analysis options in the cell’s workspace. View the results in the cell’s workspace, also.
Parameters and Design Points are exposed in a central Parameter Set cell which is the place to:
Manage Parameters exposed by other systems and create additional user parameters—for instance, Derived parameters.
Manage and update one or several Design Points, in order to perform What-If studies.
In Release 11.0, DesignXplorer was the only application to manage Design Points and to handle the update mechanism. In Release 12.0, Design Exploration systems use the Design Points creation and update features of Workbench, just as a user would do it manually. Internally, the Design Exploration systems generate Design Points into the Parameter Set cell, update, and delete them. From a Design Exploration system, Response Points and candidate points can be copied to the Parameter Set cell and updated for verification.
Parameters in the Parameter Set cell are available for use in any of the Design Exploration systems.
You cannot resume a DesignXplorer database that was created in a previous release of Workbench. You can resume a project that was created in an earlier version of Workbench, but any associated DesignXplorer database will be ignored. However, all parameters defined by the project will still be available to Design Exploration and the corresponding Design Exploration components can be built and solved.
Design Exploration is now a native workbench application that allows you to do further analysis of results that are obtained from any of the analysis systems available from the toolbox (mechanics, fluid analysis, explicit, etc.). From the Design Exploration Toolbox you can add to the Project Schematic various templates that contain cells that allow you to setup the design exploration analysis for that template. The templates available are: Goal Driven Optimization, Parameters Correlation, Response Surface, and Six Sigma Analysis.
When you edit a cell in any of the templates from the Project Schematic, you will open the workspace for that cell. In the workspace, you have four views: Outline (which shows parameters and charts available for that cell), Table (which shows any relevant data for the workspace or for any cell in the Outline, if applicable), Properties (which shows the properties of the cell selected in the Outline, or the properties of a chart, when you edit the chart) and Charts (which can display results charts or charts associated with individual parameters, where applicable).
Response Surface, Goal Driven Optimization, and Six Sigma Analysis use a Design of Experiments approach to build a response surface, and then allow additional analysis. Design of Experiments generates a number of design points that are sent to the analysis system for solution. The response surface is generated based on interpolation from those design points. Any response point on the response surface can be added to the project as a design point, which can be solved by the analysis system for verification.
The following analysis enhancements have been made at Release 12.0:
Parameters Correlation. To perform Goal Driven Optimization (GDO) or Six Sigma Analysis (SSA) in a finite element based analysis framework, it is always recommended to perform a Design of Experiments (DOE) study. From the DOE study, a response surface is built within the design space of interest. After a response surface is created, all simulation runs of GDO or SSA will then become function evaluations.
In the DOE study, however, the sampling points increase dramatically as the number of input parameters increases. For example, a total of 149 sampling points (finite element evaluations) are needed for 10 input variables using Central Composite Design with fractional factorial scheme. As the number of input variables increases, the analysis becomes more and more intractable. In this case, one would like to exclude unimportant input parameters from the DOE sampling in order to reduce unnecessary sampling points. A Parameters Correlation matrix is a tool to help users identify input parameters deemed to be unimportant, and thus treated as deterministic parameters in SSA.
Custom DOE. A new Design of Experiments option is available that allows definition of a customized DOE matrix through manual addition of new design points, or editing of existing parameter values.
Parameters Parallel Chart. A Parameters Parallel Chart postprocessing feature has been added to explore a sample set given defined goals in an Optimization study. The aim of the chart is to provide a multidimensional interactive graphical representation of the parameter space under study.
Engineering Data materials are fully integrated within Workbench, accessible directly from the Project Schematic. Individual material component views for Tabular Data, Properties, and Charts are available simultaneously, each displaying details of a selected item in an Outline view.
The Engineering Data workspace at release 12.0 exhibits product behaviors that differ from previous releases. These behavior changes are presented below.
The material property Coefficient of Thermal Expansion has replaced the Thermal Expansion and Reference Temperature properties.
The specification of Convection Coefficients and Load Histories is not possible, but those libraries that where created in prior releases can still be used in the Mechanical application. See the procedures: ”To import a load history from a library” and “To export a load history” under How to Apply Loads for information on how to work with libraries.
The following material property enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
The material properties to support a Thermal-Electric (ANSYS) Analysis System.
The material properties to support an Explicit Dynamics (ANSYS) Analysis System.
The following ease of use enhancements have been made at release 12.0:
Analysis System Filtering. The Engineering Data workspace includes a filtering feature that only displays items applicable to the particular analysis systems in which you are working. This provides a simpler and more focused interface.
Default Material Assignment. The default material for the solid parts of the model as well as the fluid/field parts of the model may be assigned in the Engineering Data workspace. It is possible to choose to not have a default material as well. The effect of choosing or not choosing a default material can affect material assignment for parts in the model when the geometry is imported or refreshed. If a default solid material is not chosen, the model will have parts which have no material assignment. This will cause the model to be in an edit required state and you must assign materials to those parts before the solution can occur. This will assure that you consciously choose the correct material for each part. If a default material is assigned, then parts will be assigned the default material without any notification. It is recommended for this case that you review the material assignments after the update or refresh.
ANSYS Engineering Knowledge Manager (EKM) Desktop is a single-user, local environment version of the web-based multi-user collaborative EKM product. It is available as part of ANSYS Release 12.0 and can be accessed via Workbench. EKM Desktop is focused at meeting the challenge of “reusing existing simulations” by offering simulation data search, retrieval, and reporting features that can increase simulation productivity and efficiency.
Access. EKM Desktop can be accessed from the File menu in Workbench. You can search and retrieve prior simulation files based on properties that are automatically extracted when files are added to the repository or synchronized. These simulation properties and attributes (or “EKM data”) are stored in a user-defined location that you specify when EKM Desktop is accessed for the first time.
Features. EKM Desktop offers an easy-to-use and intuitive user interface. A Getting Started wizard displays actions that you can perform when the application is launched:
Add Content
Search Simulation Files
Create Simulation Details and Comparison Reports
You can point to folders located on your local machine, mapped or shared network drive and “Add Content” from these folder locations to the EKM Desktop repository so that properties and attributes are automatically extracted from the source files. Any time the source files are updated on your local disk or drive, you can “Synchronize” the content so that updated properties are available in EKM Desktop.
The files that are being indexed by EKM Desktop can be retrieved using keyword and advanced search features. The search criteria can be saved, edited and reused later.
EKM Desktop allows you to create Simulation Details and Comparison reports which help to translate the “simulation intent” into a user-friendly report that can be saved in standard formats such as PDF, EXCEL, etc. Simulation files can be compared by creating a Comparison Report that can help you identify the best simulation that meets your current needs from multiple candidates.
The searched and retrieved simulation files can also be opened
in associated applications directly from within EKM Desktop (e.g.,
*.cas files will open in FLUENT; ANSYS *.db files will open in Mechanical APDL). You can also open
the folder that contains the searched files on the mapped or shared
drive, or local computer.
Promotion. EKM Desktop is available in ANSYS Release 12 as a separately-licensed product. However, as a special promotion, the product can be used FREE of charge for six months for evaluation purposes. The evaluation begins from the time EKM Desktop is accessed for the first time from Workbench. At the end of the free trial period, you can contact an ANSYS sales representative to purchase a license for ANSYS EKM Desktop.
Simulation Collaboration. In addition to accessing the single-user EKM Desktop version, you can also leverage the extensive simulation process and data management capabilities provided by the ANSYS EKM product directly from Workbench. If your organization has purchased a standard ANSYS EKM product (Workgroup or Enterprise version) and installed the EKM server, then Workbench in ANSYS R12 provides the option of connecting with the standard EKM database and enabling dynamic CAE/Simulation collaboration.
You can launch the EKM File Transfer client from the File menu from Workbench and transfer files from your local project to a central EKM server database. By connecting to a shared EKM repository that other users have access to, you can easily share your local simulation files to enhance collaboration, and search and retrieve files to promote greater reuse.
Table of Contents
ANSYS Release 12.0 represents a significant stage in the integration of the ANSYS ASAS and ANSYS AQWA products into the ANSYS family of products. This will be the first release that will have some of the software available as an ANSYS Workbench style application, with the same look and feel as other products available in ANSYS Workbench. There are also new interfaces between ANSYS mechanical products and post-processors related to code checking and fatigue. These are described in more detail below.
At ANSYS Release 12.0 the ANSYS ASAS and ANSYS AQWA products will now use the same installation process as other ANSYS products thus removing the need to undertake a separate installation when several products are licensed. These products will also be licensed using the ANSYS License Manager so that only one license file will be required to run any of the ANSYS products. Please refer to the section global Release Notes of the ANSYS, Inc. Release notes for installation, licensing, and system updates that apply to all products.
Note that previous releases of the software are not compatible with the new license manager. Similarly Release 12.0 is not compatible with earlier releases of the license manager. Existing users will already have been informed about the consequences of this change. This is repeated in the section Installation and Licensing Changes later in this document.
The ANSYS ASAS and ANSYS AQWA products are adopting the ANSYS release numbering. The new products will be ANSYS ASAS 12.0 and ANSYS AQWA 12.0. Long standing users of ASAS will know that version 12 existed many years ago, but the new release will be differentiated by the reference to ANSYS ASAS. Femsys FemGV will retain its existing release numbering; at this time this is Release 7.1.
Integrating the latest technology into the core of ASAS has meant that it is able to use up to four processors in parallel for no additional fee. This has significantly increased analysis performance for ASAS, ASASNL and RESPONSE based analyses when used on a multi-core machine.
In response to demands from the renewable energy market, time history based fatigue calculations have been implemented. FATJACK can now process the stresses obtained from one or many ASASNL or ANSYS Mechanical transient dynamic analyses, these stresses are then rainflow counted at each inspection point on both the chord and brace sides. To complement these new abilities the functions to obtain element results in AXL and AMC have been extended.
When performing code checks, BEAMST can now use one or many ANSYS Mechanical simulations as the source of the stress analysis. Section information can either be written in BEAMST format using an APDL command or can be manually entered within BEAMST. The results are stored in the ASAS database format making it possible to extract results using existing ASAS tools such as AXL and the Visualiser.
RAO definitions can now be defined in a text file as well as being imported directly from an AQWA database.
Two new functions have been implemented in AMC and AXL , amcgetelementflt and axlgetelementflt respectively; these allow the extraction of minimum, maximum, absolute minimum and absolute maximum results from the ASAS database. When using these functions you can select if it is to be over all loadcases, elements, element nodes, etc. or if any of these are to be fixed, e.g. to a particular loadcase. There are options to define what type of result you wish to obtain, such as the value, the loadcase for which it occurs, the element upon which it occurs. This enables a performance increase to be obtained with post processing.
The capability to write out an ASAS data file from an ANSYS Mechanical model is now a command within ANSYS, rather than an APDL macro. This means that it runs much faster than previous releases.
Release 12.0 of ASAS will run on Windows Vista and 64-bit operating systems. Although it is still using 32-bit architecture (i.e. it is not using the extended memory capabilities of 64-bit OS) it has been fully tested to run in a 64-bit environment.
| The format of the .RES and .HYD database files and the .PLT results file has changed. Release 12.0 will read old format files and convert them to the new format, saving the old files with _v57 appended to the name. The converted file, which has the original name, cannot then be read into a previous version (e.g. the version that created it). |
| The DELF and MVEF cards in Deck 6 have been withdrawn. See the AQWA Reference manual for details. |
| The functions of the LDOP option (producing .POT and .USS files) are now always switched on. See the AQWA Reference manual for details. |
| When a hydrodynamic database is imported into AQWA-LINE, it expects to find the .PAC, .VAC, .POT and .USS files as well as the .HYD file. This only applies to AQWA-LINE, not the other modules. See the AQWA Reference manual for details. |
| The NCOG card in Deck 16 has been withdrawn. See the AQWA Reference manual for details. |
Some new functions have been added to AQL, the interface between AQWA and Microsoft Excel:
Function: Value returned
aqltharticulation: Articulation reactions from time history analysis
aqlthfender: Fender results from time history analysis
aqlthnumsteps: Number of timesteps in a time history analysis
aqlglobal: Global parameters (depth, density, gravity)
aqlzcge: ZCGE value
The capability to write out an AQWA data file from an ANSYS Mechanical model is now a command within ANSYS, rather than an APDL macro. This means that it runs much faster than previous releases.
The VLID card controls the creation of a lid that can be used to suppress standing waves between structures. The formulation of this lid has been significantly improved.
AQWA can now calculate hydrodynamic interaction between structures which have forward speed, as long as they have the same velocity.
The maximum number of hydrodynamically interacting structures in a model has been increased from 10 to 20.
It is often required to obtain a textual version of the hydrodynamic data created by AQWA, and this is generally only available from the .LIS file. The format of this is not constant, and changes can be inconvenient if software is written to extract this data from the listing file. It is now possible to request an ASCII output of hydrodynamic data in a concise format using a new AHD1 option.
If mooring section tensions are requested using the PMST card, they are now written to the .PLT file as well as the .LIS file.
It has long caused confusion that a profiled current was only applied to Morison elements, and was not used for calculating the drag force using drag coefficients in Deck 10. It is now possible to request that hull drag loading is computed from a specified current profile.
Any change that causes the RAOs to change (for example, re-running with additional damping) also affects the drift coefficients, because part of the drift force calculation depends on the RAOs. Until now the drift coefficients were not re-calculated, which could lead to a situation where the RAOs and QTFs in a database were inconsistent.
This has now been changed so that the QTFs are re-calculated when the RAOs change. They are also re-calculated when databases containing different sets of frequencies are merged. As a result of this merging and re-calculation it is not possible to allow so much flexibility and the DELF and MVEF cards in Deck 6 have been withdrawn.
The re-calculation of QTFs also means that the potentials and source strengths must always be available, and so the functions of the LDOP option (output of .POT and .USS files) are now always switched on.
It has long been a source of irritation that the names of AQWA data files were restricted to 12 characters (8 followed by the extension .DAT). Although full Windows compatibility has not yet been achieved, the maximum length of file name has been increased to 32 characters (28 plus .DAT). The total length of path + filename is limited to 135 characters.
When structures are connected by mooring lines or articulations, AQWA-FER now checks that they all have the same forward speed (or current). If the speeds are different it will use the maximum when calculating encounter frequency for all the structures.
A major development in ANSYS Release 12.0 is the conversion to use the same Intel Visual Fortran compiler as the rest of the ANSYS programs. This is giving a considerable increase in speed compared to previous versions, although the increase will vary from one analysis to another. This change in compiler will also help facilitate future integration with other ANSYS tools, and provides the basis for taking advantage of multi-core processors and distributed networks in the future.
One consequence of the conversion is that the format of direct access binary files such as the .RES, .HYD and .PLT files has changed. When importing an “old” format file from v5.7 into Release 12.0, AQWA will convert the file and save a copy of the old file with a new name. This means that if you then attempt to import the same file into v5.7, you will get an error.
Release 12.0 of AQWA will run on Windows Vista and 64-bit operating systems. Although it is still using 32-bit architecture (i.e. it is not using the extended memory capabilities of 64-bit OS) it has been fully tested to run in a 64-bit environment.
Previously it was necessary to define a chain of articulations in order along a model. In complex models it was sometimes necessary to try different orders for the articulations before a satisfactory solution was obtained. This requirement has now been removed. Unlike a FE program there is no fixed support so it is still necessary for the program to “consolidate” the articulations, but the order is now determined internally, usually starting with the most massive structure.
When using AQL to import AQWA results into Excel, data is read from the .PLD file. Previously this file was not created automatically by AQWA-LIBRIUM, meaning that the files had to be opened in the AGS before AQL could be used. AQWA-LIBRIUM now always writes out the .PLD file.
When using the AGS to plot wave surface heights or pressures, it was always necessary to wait while the program created a .PAG file (pressures at grid points). Using a new SEAG card in deck 2, this file can now be created at the end of the AQWA-LINE analysis, meaning that there is no delay when using the AGS.
A major development for the ANSYS AQWA suite is the introduction of a new module AQWAWB, which provides a Workbench style interface that allows importation of ANSYS DesignModeler geometry files, offers integrated meshing, and is able to undertake a Diffraction/Radiation analysis directly within the new environment. This represents the first stage in fully incorporating the ANSYS AQWA capabilities within ANSYS Workbench.
Major features include:
Using the ANSYS meshing algorithms to mesh the geometry, this means that manual input of node and element data is no longer required. The mesh size can be adjusted and it can be regenerated easily.
All data input is in Workbench style tree objects, this means that it can be validated before performing the analysis. For most inputs there is also on screen graphical representation so that the positions, or directions of application, can be visually checked. Where there is a fixed range the entry will be highlighted if it is outside the permitted range.
Within the single environment you are able to view the hydrostatic report along with graphs that pertain to diffraction/radiation calculations. Furthermore, the pressures and motions that the structures are subject to can be displayed and animated, with the possibility to export the animation in a standard format.
The following commands have been added or have modified functionality:
PRESENT OPTIONS VECTORS MODULATE ZERO
VIEW DEVEL
CONSTRUCT FCURVE
PROPERTY ATTACH FCURVE
RESULTS RANGE SURFACE
UTILITY DELETE FCURVE
UTILITY GRAPH FCURVE
UTILITY OPTIONS TABULATE
UTILITY SETUP FEEDBACK
UTILITY TABULATE FCURVE
UTILITY TABULATE SETS
Color modulation: The command PRESENT OPTIONS VECTORS MODULATE ZERO now allows to view vector plots with different colors for negative and positive values.
Developed view: Vector plots can now also be displayed on development views when using the command VIEW DEVEL.
The FCURVE option defines a frequency curve in terms of an amplitude as a function of frequency. With this option, you specify the curve either with a predefined function and a few parameters, or as a list of frequency-amplitude pairs. You may attach a frequency curve to a load via the PROPERTY ATTACH FCURVE command, thus specifying the variation of the magnitude of a load during the analysis.
The RESULTS RANGE SURFACE command enables you to select surfaces for which FemGV should display multi-surface analysis results. The option ALL to select all surfaces is, next to plotting graphs, now also appropriate for peak values, numerical values, discs, symbols, and vector plots.
Via the new UTILITY OPTIONS TABULATE HEADERS command you may control the output of headers to print files or the tabulation area.
The UTILITY SETUP FEEDBACK command has been extended with the option to control the feedback while merging geometric parts. Furthermore, the use of the UTILITY SETUP FEEDBACK MESHING MERGE DIALOG has been extended so that it is always acted upon, regardless whether the merge is saved or not.
The UTILITY TABULATE SETS command has been extended with the option to tabulate the named sets to which a certain geometry part belongs.
Support has been added for Abaqus 6.7-1.
The CADfix library has been updated to Release 7.0 SP3, supporting many new releases of CAD programs.
With the release of ANSYS Release 12.0 there will be significant changes to the way the AQWA, ASAS and FEMGV products will be licensed. These changes are given below and how they will affect your installation of ANSYS Release 12.0. In the context of the information below, prior version refers to AQWA 5.7x, ASAS 14.04.xx and FEMGV 7.0-xx and new refers to ANSYS Release 12.0.
Major features include:
ANSYS ASAS and ANSYS AQWA products will be included on the ANSYS Release12.0 Installation Package along with all the other ANSYS products. This will make installation more straightforward, particularly as many users license other ANSYS products. FEMGV will be issued by ANSYS as a separate CD created by TNO.
The ANSYS License Manager will be employed for AQWA, ASAS and FEMGV products. Although this is based on the FLEXlm licensing system currently used, ANSYS have added a ‘wrapper’ which guides the user towards a successful installation. Again, for those users who have other ANSYS products besides ASAS and/or AQWA, it will mean only one licensing system is employed. It should be noted, however, that the two versions are not compatible; the ANSYS License Manager will ONLY work with Release 12.0 products, and the ASAS/AQWA/FEMGV License Manager will ONLY work with the existing (or prior) versions.
There will be changes to the release numbering. For AQWA where the prior release number is AQWA 5.7x, the next release will be ANSYS AQWA 12.0. For ASAS where the prior release is ASAS 14.04.xx, the next release will be ANSYS ASAS 12.0. This apparent backwards move is necessary in order to align all of ANSYS’ product family with a single release. To differentiate this release from previous ASAS Release 12.0, the word ANSYS precedes the word ASAS in all of the output and documentation. FEMGV will be Release 7.1 or above.
When the Release 12.0 products are installed the ANSYS License Manager will require a new license file which will be in addition to that installed for the prior releases of AQWA, ASAS and FEMGV. This will result in having two concurrent license managers for the AQWA, ASAS and FEMGV software. For example, a licensee with one AQWA license will find that they will have two; one for the prior releases, and a second for the new ANSYS Release 12.0 release. Note that the licensee will ensure that at no time will the concurrent use of the ANSYS Release 12.0 license(s) and prior version license(s) exceed the total number of the prior version license(s).
Table of Contents
ANSYS AUTODYN 12.0 is released within the next generation ANSYS Workbench framework. The next generation ANSYS Workbench brings many new possibilities to the ANSYS AUTODYN user in terms of CAD geometry import, complex geometry generation, meshing and ease of use. To complement the significantly enhanced model generation capabilities, a range of new solver, material modeling and postprocessing features enable larger simulations to be solved in a faster time.
The following features have been added or updated at ANSYS AUTODYN 12.0.
The ANSYS AUTODYN application can be started from the Component Systems Toolbox on the ANSYS Workbench Project Schematic. In addition, the following interactions are available with other ANSYS Workbench applications.
Linking to an ANSYS Explicit Dynamics system in the Project Schematic. When the linked ANSYS AUTODYN system is started, the model from the Explicit Dynamics system is automatically transferred into the ANSYS AUTODYN application. A persistent link to the Explicit Dynamics system is retained such that subsequent updates to the geometry or model can easily be updated in the ANSYS AUTODYN model.
Linking to a Mesh system in the Project Schematic. When the linked ANSYS AUTODYN system is started the mesh from the Mesh system is automatically transferred into ANSYS AUTODYN. With release 12.0 the link is not persistent anymore, which means that with every update of the workflow system the definitions made in ANSYS AUTODYN (material filling, boundary condition assignment, etc.) are lost and have to be re-applied. Therefore at release 12.0, we recommend using the ANSYS Explicit Dynamics system to link to CAD/geometry and generate a mesh for use inANSYS AUTODYN, where loads, constraints and material assignments are maintained after any change to the geometry or mesh.
Legacy and third party FE model data can be imported into the FE Modeler system and this data can be transferred into ANSYS AUTODYN via a Mesh system or an ANSYS Explicit Dynamics system. Note that direct transfer of data from the FE Modeler system into ANSYS AUTODYN is not possible at release 12.0.
The Trajectory contact in ANSYS AUTODYN Release 12.0 now offers the following enhancements:
A new Penalty Contact algorithm that uses a local penalty force to push penetrated nodes back to the coupling surface. This contact algorithm conserves linear and angular momentum, but does not necessarily conserve energy.
The shell thickness taken into account during contact can be varied between zero thickness and full shell thickness. The contact surface is then positioned at the mid surface for zero shell thickness or at half the shell thickness on both sides of the shell for full shell thickness.
A new search and fix option will automatically search the model for initial penetrations of nodes into contact surfaces. Initially penetrated nodes are set back to the closest contact surface and no initial penetrations are present at the start of the analysis.
Trajectory contact can be used with static and dynamic friction between different parts. Aside from the standard friction definition in the ANSYS AUTODYN GUI there is also a user defined friction option available through the use of a new user-subroutine.
Bonded connections allow the nodes of an unstructured Part to be bonded to a face of another unstructured Part. Bonded connections alleviate the requirement that for joining purposes two nodes need to reside at the same physical location. The nodes that are to be bonded to a face may have an offset with respect to the face.
Bonds are allowed to fail and break upon a user-defined criterion based on a combination of a normal and shear stress limit.
This new option allows reinforcing bars, modeled with beam elements, to be tied (bonded) to the volume of a solid element, without the restriction that the nodes of the beams and volume elements initially need to reside at the same physical location. The bonded beam nodes are constrained to stay at the same initial parametric location within the volume element during element deformation. Typical applications involve reinforced concrete or reinforced rubber structures like tires and hoses.
Spot welds generated in an ANSYS Explicit Dynamics systems are transferred to the ANSYS AUTODYN system as beam elements filled with a rigid material. Spotwelds utilize the multibody rigid material option where each spot weld acts as an individual rigid body.
Spotwelds can be defined as breakable on a combination of a normal and shear force limit.
A new option to merge joined unstructured nodes has been implemented to increase robustness in many applications involving joins.
The option of merging joined unstructured nodes will merge the (multiple) joined nodes that reside at the same physical location in the model into one single unstructured node.
ANSYS AUTODYN now supports the capability of using local coordinate systems in ANSYS Explicit Dynamics to define boundary conditions and initial material directions for volume elements filled with linear orthotropic materials. The generation or display of local axis in ANSYS AUTODYN itself is not supported.
A new global erosion option has been implemented that can be used to define global erosion criteria for all elements in the model. The global erosion options are only available for 3D unstructured elements.
Global Erosion by Geometric Strain where an element will erode when the element geometrical strain exceeds a user specified value.
Global Erosion by Timestep where an element will erode when the local element timestep is less than the user specified erosion timestep.
Global Erosion by Failure where an element will erode when a material failure criterion is met.
The 3-D Multi-Material Euler solver has been enhanced to allow the use of Euler-Lagrange coupling in combination with multiple joined Eulerian domains. This new capability can reduce the size of the Euler domain required and provides a reduction in model memory size and analysis speedup.
With release 12.0 of ANSYS AUTODYN, the dezoning algorithm for the 3-D coupled Euler ideal gas and Euler multi-material solver has been enhanced to take the coverage of the Euler mesh by the coupling surface into account. The dezoning of coupled Euler meshes now also provides correct and accurate results.
An ANSYS AUTODYN explicit analysis can be initialized (or prestressed) with the results from either a linear static structural, nonlinear static structural or transient dynamic (ANSYS) implicit analysis. Note that this feature requires the ANSYS results to be saved to a .rst file. It is assumed that the same mesh is always used in both the implicit and explicit analyses; otherwise results will not be mapped onto the explicit mesh correctly.
Two transfer type options are available to define what analysis results need to be transferred from the ANSYS implicit analysis to initialize the ANSYS AUTODYN analysis:
Displacement Only. Nodal displacements from an ANSYS Mechanical linear static solution are used to initialize the ANSYS AUTODYN nodal positions.
Material State. Nodal displacements and element stresses, strains, plastic strains and velocities from an ANSYS Mechanical solution are used to initialize an ANSYS AUTODYN analysis at cycle 0.
The ANSYS AUTODYN solution is therefore completely initialized at the start of the analysis.
64-bit ANSYS AUTODYN on Windows works in conjunction with the 64-bit ANSYS Workbench installation to offer full 64-bit support. There is no difference between 32-bit and 64-bit ANSYS AUTODYN in terms of features but it can support larger models when more RAM is also available on the system.
In addition to the several forms of strain energy potential functions ANSYS AUTODYN already provides for the simulation of nearly incompressible hyperelastic materials, a new 1st, 2nd and 3rd order Polynomial Strain Energy Function has been added. The Polynomial hyperelastic strain energy function can be used to model elastomer rubber-like materials up to about the 300% strain range.
For materials exhibiting monotonic hardening a new isotropic and kinematic hardening model has been implemented that can handle bi-linear as well as multi-linear hardening curves. For materials which exhibit the Bauschinger phenomena the kinematic hardening option should be used.
A number of enhancements implemented for orthotropic material modeling have made the application of orthotropic materials in ANSYS AUTODYN more user-friendly and accurate.
ANSYS AUTODYN now supports the capability of using local coordinate systems in ANSYS Explicit Dynamics to define the initial material directions for volume elements filled with linear orthotropic materials.
A new user subroutine has been made available that allows user definition of the local material directions for unstructured volume elements filled with orthotropic materials.
Enhancements have been made to the update of the material axes in orthotropic models as the elements rotate and/or strain. Based on a Hughes-Winget approach, these enhancements provide a more robust update and prevent material directions being incorrectly swapped as has previously been observed in a small number of cases.
A series of new checks on the orthotropic yield strength function have been implemented that assures that the yield surface remains real in stress space.
Two new material based erosion options have been implemented.
Erosion by Failure where an element will erode when the material failure criteria is met.
Erosion by Timestep where the element will erode when the local element timestep is less than the user specified erosion timestep.
A new option in the rigid material definition under the Equation of State allows the use of a single rigid material to also define multiple rigid bodies. Regions that are topologically connected and filled with the rigid material will form a single rigid body.
The options for rigid material definition in ANSYS AUTODYN Release 12.0 are:
Single body. Regions of the model filled with a rigid material will act as a single rigid body, irrespective of whether the individual elements filled are connected to each other.
Multibody. Different unconnected regions of the model filled with the rigid material will act as multiple separate rigid bodies. Each group of individual elements filled with rigid material and that are topologically connected forms a rigid body.
Multibody + break. This option is used for spot welds generated in ANSYS Explicit Dynamics. Each spot weld defines a separate rigid body that will fail (break) when the spot weld failure criterion is reached. Note that a spot weld cannot be generated manually in ANSYS AUTODYN.
Aside from the effective plastic strain, additionally the different components of plastic strain can now be optionally stored and displayed if required.
The 12.0 License Manager is required to run ANSYS12.0 products. The ANSYS, Inc. License Manager and its associated processes have changed significantly at release 12.0. Please carefully review the ANSYS, Inc. Licensing Guide for more information on these changes. The new release 12.0 licensing process will continue to support ANSYS Workbench and ANSYS AUTODYN licensing from prior releases.
With ANSYS AUTODYN Release 12.0 no distinction is made anymore between a 2-D or a 3-D ANSYS AUTODYN solver license. A single ANSYS AUTODYN solver license will allow you to run one instance of an ANSYS AUTODYN system or ANSYS Explicit Dynamics system or Meshing system.
ANSYS, Inc. products are available on DVD media or as downloads from the Customer Portal on www.ansys.com.
Table of Contents
This section summarizes the new features in ANSYS CFX and CFD-Post Release 12.0. Information about the known limitations of ANSYS CFX Release 12.0 can be found in the ANSYS CFX online help under ANSYS CFX, Release 12.0 > ANSYS CFX Introduction > ANSYS CFX Release Notes for 12.0.
New features and enhancements to ANSYS CFX and CFD-Post introduced in Release 12.0 are highlighted in this section.
ANSYS CFX and CFD-Post are supported in Release 12.0 of ANSYS Workbench, which is built on a new framework while leveraging the strength of ANSYS core applications, solvers, and associated tools with a new workflow and simulation project management capability.
Multiple Configurations and Re-Meshing
Multiple configurations can be defined to set up a continuous simulation during which the mesh topology or the physics changes during a simulation. For configurations with re-meshing can be defined using either ICEM CFD replay files, or a user defined mode where a script can be referenced to run external meshing processes or load alternative mesh files. This new functionality is defined in CFX-Pre, but also carries through with additional related options in the CFX-Solver and CFX-Solver Manager, as well as CFD-Post. In the CFX-Solver, this includes the ability to retain all possible data from input files used when interpolating from one mesh to another, and the possibility of using multiple initial values files for interpolation. For CFD-Post, this means the option to post-process multiple configurations as a continuous transient run, when applicable.
There have been numerous incremental improvements to the organization and content of the user documentation, to improve clarity and make it more user-friendly. The default and context-sensitive help continues to use CHM (on Windows) and JAR (on UNIX) files, but the documentation in PDF files can be found directly from the Help menus of all ANSYS CFX components.
In addition to adapting the existing tutorials to take advantage of new features in ANSYS CFX and Release 12.0 of ANSYS Workbench, there are new tutorials for ANSYS CFX including:
Equilibrium and non-equlibrium predictions of steam flowing through an axial turbine
Modeling of flow in a gear pump using immersed solids
Calculation of a drop curve for cavitating flow in a pump
Flow in a spray dryer
Modeling of a coal combustor
Modeling of flow in a steam jet
Using CFD-Post for analyzing flow in a mixing elbow
Postprocessing of flow in a centrifugal compressor using CFD-Post
In addition to supporting the various new physics models, numerous further additions and improvements have been made in CFX-Pre.
An enhancement to CFX-Pre in this release is the mechanism for defining materials used in a simulation, which has been modified with the aim of making material definition more flexible. Users now define a name for a fluid and then assign a material to it. This permits, for example, the material used in a simulation to be changed more easily, and also helps facilitate the definition of reacting mixtures.
A new extension is available for defining logical expressions, including support for conditional statements.
To aid in the definition of expressions, improvements have also been made to the presentation and syntax highlighting in the expression editor. In addition, existing expressions and variables are available on the right-click menu in the expressions widget in all editors.
CFX-Pre can now optionally be used to edit or define most settings that traditionally have only been available in the Solver Manager. In addition, there are now options to launch the solver and monitor a run directly, rather than visiting the ‘define run’ panel in the solver manager.
Also now available at the same location is an option for node re-ordering, to change the order of the vertex data written for the solver and potentially improve the solver speed.
All mesh transformations can now be dynamically previewed to give immediate visual feedback on the defined action before applying it. Transformations specific to turbomachinery meshes are also available in the general mesh transformation editor, as are scaling and reflecting of both the original mesh and copies of it.
New picking tools are available when selecting regions from the viewer. These are available in the ‘picking toolbar’ when picking is commenced.
The size and quantity of Boundary condition markers can now be controlled in the ‘Label and Markers’ editor. In addition, quick access is provided to the marker visibility through the right click menu in the viewer. These settings are stored in the preferences file.
New features and enhancements to the CFX-Solver introduced in Release 12.0 are highlighted in this section.
A number of enhancements have been made in the core numerical algorithms, typically leading to improvements in efficiency and accuracy in the range of 10-20% or more in comparison with the previous release.
A new iteratively bounded high resolution advection/transient scheme has been introduced, primarily to allow more robust and accurate solution of turbulence quantities.
Parallel improvements have been made in a number of areas. In the partitioning step, both the partition file sizes and partitioning times are dramatically reduced, and weighting factors have been made available for all partitioning methods.
For transient rotor-stator simulations, the defaults are changed in an effort to significantly reduce memory usage and CPU time during the parallel run. A new partitioning method for transient rotor-stator cases has also been added. This method reduces the number of overlap vertices required for the parallel run by creating banded partitions along the domain interface while using one of the regular partitioning methods in the interior.
This new option is available to more easily capture the effect of complex geometry motion on flow: meshes of solid regions can be defined as immersed solids, and the solver tracks the overlap of these immersed solids with the background fluid mesh. In regions of overlap, the fluid flow is given the velocity of the solid, thereby having the presence and/or motion of the solid influence the flow. This method of capturing the interaction between fluids and solids does not involve re-meshing, so the fluid mesh must not conform to the solid boundaries. Therefore, the motion that can be simulated is unlimited, with the caveat that the model is not applicable in all situations (for example, it does not resolve near-wall turbulent conditions on the immersed solid).
In addition to new particle injection options for points and hollow cones, Release 12.0 introduces a further option for primary break-up, the turbulence-induced atomization model of Huh & Gosman to account for turbulence effects in nozzles and improve predictions of the initial spray angle. Particle-wall interaction can be modeled with the Elsässer model (to include wall effects like roughness and temperature), and a quasi-static wall film model can be used to model the changes in heat and mass transfer due to the presence of a wall film. Other enhancements include further controls on particle termination, the ability to have coefficients of restitution be a function of time, and additional options to control the particle data available for post-processing. The stochastic particle-particle collision model, which extends the applicability of the Lagrangian particle transport model to higher mass loadings, is now fully released.
The Extended Coherent Flame Model (ECFM) is a new combustion model for the simulation of flame propagation in pre-mixed or partially pre-mixed systems, with an emphasis on internal combustion engine applications. It is similar to the Burning Velocity Model (BVM), but solves an additional transport equation for flame surface density, which provides an enhanced description of the location and intensity of the reaction. ECFM is combined with the flame let model to model the composition of the burnt mixture, and also incorporates a wall-quenching sub-model to simulate the local extinction of flames at walls.
The Residual Material (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) model is now available for use with the BVM and the ECFM. This model solves an additional transport equation for the concentration of fuel tracer. It can be used, for example, to simulate multiple cycles of an internal combustion engine, where some fraction of the products produced in one engine cycle remain in the combustion chamber as residual material for the next cycle.
Several auto-ignition models are now also available to model both ignition delay for pre-mixed models and knock for non-pre-mixed models after the delay time has expired. A transport equation is solved for the formation of radical species under high temperature and pressure. Auto-ignition occurs locally whenever the radical concentration exceeds a specified threshold.
For the hydrocarbon fuel model (coal model), the proximate/ultimate analysis data can now also be specified on a ‘dry ash-free’ basis, as an alternative to the ‘as received’ reference.
A new and improved workflow for the definition of reacting flow simulations has been introduced. The combustion model can now be selected before the reactions. This workflow allows all steps required to model reacting flow to be made when the domain is created.
Another effort to further improve workflow is the integration of the CFX-RIF tool for generating Flamelet libraries into the CFX-Pre GUI.
A major addition to ANSYS CFX is the new ability to include ‘thin surface physics’, without the need to resolve the thickness of the thin region. This permits you to easily account for thermal contact resistances, coatings on CHT objects, as well as diffusion of heat or other scalars through thin geometries.
Another extension is the addition of further options for heat transfer and Additional Variables on non-overlapping portions of domain interfaces.
The robustness for Fluid-Solid and Solid-Solid domain interfaces is improved by using GGI numerics whenever the ‘Mesh Connection’ method is set to ‘Automatic’ (if the mesh is in fact 1:1, the intersection data required by the GGI numerics is now generated topologically).
A number of enhancements have also been made to stage interfaces. For one, the constant total pressure stage model is now also supported for multiphase flows. In addition, a relative frame constant total pressure option is now available, which holds the relative frame total pressure and direction constant instead of the stationary frame total pressure and direction.
The curvature-correction model is now available for two-equation RANS turbulence models (for example, SST, k-w, and k-e) as well as the DES-SST and SAS-SST models. The rough-wall treatment for the w-based turbulence models is now improved and the SAS-SST model has undergone further tuning.
A number of models previously available as beta features have also been released: the dynamic and WALE LES models, and the EARSM (Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress Model).
A significant extension to the Euler-Euler multi-phase modeling capability is the full implementation of the RPI wall-boiling model. This model was previously implemented only in a special version of an older release of CFX; this release implementation broadens the range of boundary condition specifications that can be used with it to include temperature, heat flux, and heat transfer coefficient.
Additional lift force (Tomiyama, Saffman Mei, and Legendre Magnaudet) and wall lubrication correlations (Tomiyama and Frank) are now also available to users.
It is now possible to perform Euler-Euler multi-phase simulations with CHT domains connected to fluid domains using GGIs, a combination of features that was previously not possible. Robustness improvements have been made to the virtual mass force and to the coupled volume fraction algorithm (so it performs better in inhomogeneous multiphase flow simulations).
A number of additional options are available in specifying boundary conditions. At wall boundaries, users now also have the options of explicitly specifying the wall shear or a finite slip condition. At supersonic inlets, the conditions can now be specified using total pressure, static pressure, total temperature, and flow direction. And at opening boundary conditions, a new option called “Entrainment” has replaced the previous options “Static Pressure for Entrainment” and “Opening Pressure for Entrainment”, with the user being able to additionally specify whether the pressure condition applied is total or static when the flow is into the domain.
Extensions to the material property definitions include support for two-interval NASA Format polynomial coefficients for specific heat capacity in real gas models such as the Aungier Redlich Kwong model. Together with an additional library of materials in CFX-Pre, this allows combustion to be combined with real gas equations of state more seamlessly.
To improve the predictions of gas viscosity of pure substances, the Interacting Sphere viscosity model is added and used by default in the real gas combustion library.
In addition, a couple of options previously only available as beta features have been fully released: the standard Redlich Kwong and Peng Robinson equations of state, and the built-in non-Newtonian dynamic viscosity models.
Various enhancements have been made in other areas, including: CHT solids that can now account for their rotation and translation when solving for heat transfer or Additional Variables; sources in porous regions; writing of non-default variables to the results file; mesh quality diagnostics; availability and default use of HP MPI for Windows; and boundary-only additional variables.
A number of new post-processing features have been added, and the name of CFX-Post has changed to become CFD-Post, as it evolves to become the common post-processor for both ANSYS CFX and ANSYS FLUENT.
Comparison Mode
A new file comparison mode is available, in which comparisons and difference plots can be made between different solutions on the same mesh (at different times in a transient solution or with two different results), and between different solutions on different meshes.
Feature Extraction
A new visualization object is provided to allow users to easily identify vortex core regions in the flow based on a variety of different derived variables such as swirling strength, eigen helicity, and others.
Iso Clips
A new visualization object is the iso clip, which greatly simplifies the creation of surfaces, planes, or lines bounded by any solution or geometry variable.
Turbo Post
Several new report templates have been added and include support for multiple components/blade rows. Machine types that can be used with these reports include axial compressors, centrifugal compressors, compressible and incompressible flow turbines, and pumps.
Chart Improvements
The user interface to create charts has been re-designed to become more intuitive and consistent with other common charting tools. In addition, histogram charts can now be created, and FFTs are available for spectral analysis.
Color Maps
A color map editor has been added to simplify the creation and modification of color maps, and permit transparency levels to be set.
This sections highlights differences in the behavior between Release 11.0 and Release 12.0 of ANSYS CFX and CFD-Post.
When importing meshes from ANSYS FLUENT files in CFX-Pre, Release 12.0 (or later), the topology and naming of regions may not be the same as those generated by importing these meshes into previous releases. As a result, session files generated in CFX-Pre Release, 11.0 (or earlier) that import meshes from ANSYS FLUENT files may generate errors when loaded into CFX-Pre, Release 12.0 (or later).
for defect 81721
The changes highlighted in this section are numerics improvements made for ANSYS CFX that are believed to be generally helpful and should only be reverted in the event of a problem.
Boundary Conditions/GGI Interfaces
Fluid-Solid and Solid-Solid domain interfaces that are General Connections and have the Mesh Connection set to Automatic now always use the GGI assembly machinery for improved convergence/accuracy in certain situations. The 1:1 assembly machinery can be reverted by setting the Mesh Connection option explicitly to 1:1.
Some improvements have been made for symmetry conditions
applied to degenerate axes. Revert by setting the expert parameter
‘old symmetry behavior = t’.
Some interpolations at GGI interfaces when there is
a frame change have been made more consistent with the interior discretization.
Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘consistent
ggi interpolation = f’.
The discretization of stress at GGI interfaces now
uses the true stress tensor rather than the Laplacian approximation.
Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘ggi laplacian
stresses=t’.
Gradient extrapolation at vertices that lie at the
intersection of periodic boundaries and regular boundaries has been
improved. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘adjust bnext periodic=f’.
The length scale used to determine if candidate faces
are close enough for intersection has been changed to improve robustness
with highly skewed elements. Revert by setting the expert parameter
'ggi face depth option = 1'.
Turbulence
Various minor improvements have been made for boundary condition closure for Reynolds Stress models.
With the Reynolds Stress model, the production term in the epsilon equation may be negative. This term is now linearized for better robustness in this situation.
Turbulent flow involving variable viscosity or density has been changed slightly when turbulence intensity or eddy viscosity ratio is specified at a boundary.
The SAS-SST model has been updated. Revert to the
old behavior by setting TURBULENCE MODEL/Model Version=2006.
Energy Equation
The discretization of viscous work for laminar flows at moving noslip walls has been improved.
The viscous work closure at inlets, outlets, and openings has been made consistent with the momentum equation. (In the past, momentum used molecular stress while viscous work used effective stress.) In addition, the stress used in the viscous work calculation at inlets, outlets, and openings is now closed with boundary velocities rather than conservative velocities. Finally, the viscosity interpolation at boundaries has been changed slightly to be consistent with stress discretization in momentum.
The viscous work calculation for turbulent flows now
properly includes the normal turbulent stress (2/3 rho k), consistent
with the pressure definition as controlled by the expert parameter
‘pressure value option’.
When solving the energy equation together with multicomponent
flow, the high resolution group now considers enthalpy boundedness
in addition to mass fraction boundedness. Revert by setting the expert
parameter ‘highres energy option=1’.
Mesh deformation is now properly accounted for in the pressure transient term.
Viscous work is now discretized at GGI interfaces.
Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘ggi viscous
work = f’.
Multiphase
When using the cavitation model, if the turbulence modification to saturation pressure is activated, this modification is now multiplied by water volume fraction for improved accuracy.
Rotational source terms for rotating reference frames
now multiply by vertex volume fractions rather than element-averaged
ones. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘mpf
mom source option = 2’.
The solver discretization has been improved when combining
interphase mass transfer with the Interphase Transfer model set to Free Surface. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘bound ipmt rate=f’.
The discretization of virtual mass force has been
made more robust. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘virtual mass force option=0’.
For simulations of cavitation with real fluid properties, the pressure used to evaluate properties is now clipped to the saturation pressure. This change replicates behavior already implemented for ideal gases.
Transient simulations of inhomogeneous multiphase flow have a behavior change as a result of fixing a bug in the mass flow calculation. The dependence of the mass flow on the timestep size was incorrect, leading to an error that increases as the timestep size is reduced.
Properties
Real gas properties are no longer clipped at (Tcrit,P)
when T<Tcrit and p>Pcrit. When running the IAPWS, Redlich Kwong,
or Peng Robinson equations of state, properties are calculated in
this region consistent with those equations. To get correct behavior
with RGP files, the RGP tables must also be filled in with correct
values. Revert this change by setting the expert parameter ‘prop interp opt = 2’.
A more efficient algorithm is now used for converting
between static and total pressure with the equilibrium phase change
model. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘new hbm ptot=f’.
Dynamic viscosity, density, and thermal conductivity of real fluids are no longer extrapolated to the solution temperature and pressure if these go outside of the table limits.
If the reference temperature is set for a material but reference enthalpy is not, the solver now consistently defaults the reference enthalpy to zero at the reference temperature. Before, the solver might have ignored the reference temperature setting. This may affect behavior when restarting results files from previous versions.
Miscellaneous
Control volume velocity gradients (used for second-order
advection in the momentum equation and to calculate the shear strain
rate) now use trilinear rather than linear-linear interpolation. Revert
by setting the following CCL: 'SOLVER CONTROL/INTERPOLATION
SCHEME/Velocity Gradient Interpolation Type = Linear-Linear’.
The diffusion stencil for prism elements having a
quad face on a boundary is improved. Revert by setting the expert
parameter ‘include tri with tet=f’.
The high-resolution scheme has a small improvement
in accuracy near boundaries. Revert by setting the expert parameter
‘bnd values in highres = f’.
A bug with the freestream damping algorithm for the High-Resolution Rhie Chow algorithm is now fixed.
The depth control algorithm for GGI intersection has
been modified. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘ggi face depth option = 1’.
Turbulence
When running with high resolution active for the turbulence
equations, the advection term linearization has been modified for
improved stability. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘hr iterative bounding turb=f’.
A small change has been made for boundary relaxation
behavior. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘boundary relaxation option=3’.
Multiphase flow
For multiphase flows involving phase change, the linearization
of area density against volume fraction has been corrected. Revert
by setting the expert parameter ‘arden linearisation
fix = f’.
When using the coupled volume fraction solver, the
default linear solver convergence criterion has been tightened from
0.1 to 0.01. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘solver target mod cvf=1’.
When using the coupled volume fraction solver with
buoyancy active, a detail of the buoyancy linearization has been tuned.
Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘fsdamp
buoyancy linearisation = 0’.
The linear solver behavior has been modified for inhomogeneous
MPF. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘solver
relax drag=t’.
A GGI detail has been modified for inhomogeneous MPF.
Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘ggi volfrc
aprmas option=1’.
The buoyancy stencil for free surface flows has been
modified slightly. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘old buoyancy numerics=t’.
For the droplet condensation model, the default underrelaxation
factor has been changed to 0.2. Revert by setting ‘Condensation Rate Relaxation Factor=1.0’.
For multiphase cases involving thermal phase change,
the heat transfer co-efficients are now underrelaxed for better robustness.
Revert by setting the CCL parameter ‘PHASE CHANGE
MODEL/Heat Transfer Coefficient Under Re-laxation Factor = 1’.
For transient problems, volume fractions are no longer
extrapolated when using an Automatic or Extrapolation timestep initialization
option. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘tsinit extrap volfrc=t’.
Miscellaneous
Some linear solver expert parameter defaults have been modified for improved robustness of a few difficult cases:
‘max solver its ted tef’ has been increased from 40 to 100.
‘max solver its fluids’ has been increased from 20 (11.0 default) to 40 (pre-11.0
default)
‘max solver its scalar’ has been increased from 20 (11.0 default) to 40 (pre-11.0
default)
For transient compressible cases, the Courant number for timestep
initialization now includes the acoustic Courant number in addition
to the convective Courant number. Revert by setting the expert parameter
‘tsinit acoustic courant = f’.
The algorithm used to create bands for circumferentially averaged
outlet boundaries has been modified to be consistent with the algorithm
at stage interfaces. Revert by setting the expert parameter ‘old outlet band averaging=t’.
The default value of the expert parameter ‘saturation dhdt factor’, which affects linearization
behavior for cases involving equilibrium phase change, has been changed
from 100 to 1.
For compressible transient simulations with no pressure level
set, the ‘Shift Pressure’ adjustment, which accelerates
mass conservation, is no longer applied to cases that involve liquids
or mass sources. Revert by setting 'SOLVER CONTROL/COMPRESSIBILITY
CONTROL/Compressible Transient Option=Shift Pressure’.
For coupled equations (other than hydro), the linear solver convergence criterion is now based on the maximum equation residual rather than the first.
Source terms are now separated into positive and negative contributions. This may affect the normalization of imbalances when a conservation target is set.
When initializing a solution with an initial values file, the solver now uses the interpolator in a ‘run continuation’ mode. However, restarts should still be the same if the mesh is unchanged.
In order to use the distributed parallel modes in Release 12.0,
the file hostinfo.ccl must exist in the <CFXROOT>/config/hosts.ccl file, but the format
of hostinfo.ccl is incompatible with that of hosts.ccl. This change was made necessary by changes in
the host architecture.
for defect 78350
The CFX partition file is generated by the CFX-Solver and used as input for a parallel run. A partition file generated in ANSYS CFX 11.0 or earlier versions is not supported in ANSYS CFX 12.0. If such a file is used in ANSYS CFX 12.0, an error message is displayed.
for defect 71780
This section describe procedural changes (actions that have to be done differently in this release to get an outcome available in previous releases) as well as support changes (functionality that is no longer supported) in Release 12.0 of CFD-Post.
Procedural Changes
To replace a loaded file with another file while keeping the state, the recommended procedure in Release 12.0 is to right-click on the case name in the Outline tree and select Replace. The 11.0 procedure of reloading the file through the Load Results panel may not recover the state completely, in particular when Turbo Post is initialized. Note also that the Replace function will keep the original case name even though the results file has changed.
Multi-file support
By default, additional cases are opened in new views. To open two or more files in the same view (for example, for 2-way FSI cases), turn off the Open in new view toggle in the Load Results panel.
Applying automatic case offset is no longer supported through the Load Result panel. You can still offset a case by the desired amount by double clicking on the loaded case.
When multiple cases are loaded, CFD-Post no longer changes the names of boundaries, domains and other loaded regions to make them unique across all cases (for example, renaming "Inlet" for the second file to "Inlet 1"). All regions will now preserve their original names.
To select a non-uniquely named surface for a specific case in Location selectors (for example, in a Contour plot), you can use the '...' list and select the surface under the desired case name. By default, all surfaces with the given name will be used as the location.
Support Changes
ANSYS FLUENT mesh-only files (.msh) can no longer be read into CFD-Post.
This section summarizes the new features in ANSYS TurboGrid Release 12.0. Information about the beta features and known limitations of ANSYS TurboGrid Release 12.0 can be found in the ANSYS TurboGrid online help under ANSYS TurboGrid, Release 12.0 > ANSYS TurboGrid Introduction > ANSYS TurboGrid Release Notes for 12.0.
The following is a list of new features and enhancements in ANSYS TurboGrid:
You can add sticky control points to topology layers to improve the control of node distribution along mesh topology edges.
You can suspend the automated updating of topology to improve the workflow when making multiple refinements to the geometry. This feature is on by default.
You can export a mesh to the CGNS file format.
The “Automatic” topology method is discontinued in release 12.0.
Table of Contents
Release 12.0 comprises improved implementation of ANSYS ICEM CFD meshing technology as a standalone application and within the ANSYS Workbench based Meshing application.
The Meshing application available in ANSYS Workbench can
be accessed with the ANSYS ICEM CFD license key (aienv), or with the Tetra key (aitetra) at Release 12.0.
The ANSYS Workbench Meshing application can export the behind-the-scenes
blocking files used with the Multi-zone method for editing in ANSYS ICEM CFD.
Improvements made for the Meshing application, such as multi
source and target sweep, also appear in ANSYS ICEM CFD at Release 12.0.
The improvements in the Meshing application are described in
the ANSYS Workbench Meshing Application release notes.
The ANSYS ICEM CFD product line has been simplified at Release 12.0. All the Hexa methods (including body-fitted Cartesian and Hexa blocking) have been combined into the ANSYS ICEM CFD Hexa product. Similarly, all the tetra/prism methods are included with ANSYS ICEM CFD Tetra. The surface meshing functionality is included with all products (including ANSYS ICEM CFD Tetra and ANSYS ICEM CFD Hexa). The AI*Environment product has renamed ANSYS ICEM CFD and provides access to all capabilities. To allow for more flexibility, the ANSYS ICEM CFD products now come with all our CFD and FEA setup and import/export functionality.
ANSYS ICEM CFD 12.0 includes the following new features and improvements:
Improved Undo/Redo in a number of areas.
Added general setting to not erase undo history on save.
Blocking files are incremented when the project file is saved.
Tetin files and boco files are cleaned on save.
Improved the Help content and browser.
Improved hotkey implementation.
Added Number of sectors option for periodicity.
Reduced frequency of license checks (improved speed for remote users).
Improved connections to use Workbench CAD file readers for all formats.
Particularly useful for CATIA V5, SolidWorks 2008, Autodesk Inventor, ACIS 18 and ACIS 19, etc.
Ability to directly import ANSYS Workbench Meshing and Geometry files.
Improved handling of named selections, subsets, etc.
Improved file transfer from ANSYS ICEM CFD to FE Modeler as a way to get the mesh into ANSYS Workbench.
Significantly improved the quality of UG NX 4 to ANSYS ICEM CFD tetin conversion.
Fixed UG NX 4 reader issues specific to Linux64–bit.
Updated UG interface to NX 6.0.
Updated Pro/ENGINEER interface to Wildfire4.
Updated IDI reader to I-DEAS NX5 (I-DEAS 13).
Improved Step/IGES reader.
Improved Rhino3D reader.
Improved Parasolid reader.
Improved segment curve by plane.
Improved build topology.
Improved automatic body creation.
Added scale by LCS.
Improved midsurfacing and surface extension.
Added several tools to repair or cleanup faceted data.
Style compliance with other ANSYS Workbench Products.
Some style compliance is optional, and can be modified using the display settings.
Improved histogram functionality.
Improved “tree” functionality.
Improved settings and settings defaults.
Improved Params by Parts window, allows handling of more parts.
Improved/reduced error messages.
Improved all the Information queries to give more details.
Improved selection tools to be more efficient, particularly for select “all”.
Added mouse settings (such as disabling mouse wheel for cutplanes).
Improved Windows 64–bit support for:
Parasolid reader
Cart 3D
Tetra in batch mode
Advancing Front Tetra
Prism
Significant defect fixes to improve stability.
Increased maximum model size to > 1 billion cells.
Improved surface normals.
Improved feedback.
Messages are less cryptic.
Problem subsets.
Orient Octree mesh by local coordinate system.
Especially useful when used with 12 tetra to 1 hexa conversion.
Improved integration of TGrid Tetra.
Beta option for TGlib under Delaunay mesh method.
Improved flood fill implementation.
Automatic Match Edges.
Improved Multi-block handling.
Improvements to Update Blocking.
Improved linked spacing.
Improved Merge Blocks.
Improved ease of “unlinking” edge bunching.
Improved Orthogonality based (elliptic) smoother.
Improved Multi-block Smoother
1D Constrained multi-block smoothing (for 2D inlets and outlets)
Converter for old v4.3 smoother settings files.
Distributed parallel support.
Added Advanced and Swept 3D fills.
Added Imprint Blocking on a free face.
Added Link Face Shapes.
Added Associate Reference Mesh to a face.
Added use of variables for edge parameters (can be used in scripting).
Added Auto Project option for new splits.
Significantly improved Sweep functionality.
Supports multiple sources and targets and multiple directions.
Automatic imprinting.
Improved interpolation.
O-grid in swept blocks.
Option to reverse sweep direction.
Variable “Fill” O-grid height based on surface parameter settings.
Improved edge bunching parameter settings and defaults.
Better selection display and handling.
Improved integration of TGrid Tetra.
Improved block type conversion.
Option to convert free block face to free (for 3D blocking).
Ability to change free face mesh type on individual 2D blocks or after conversion to 3D.
Added selective inflation.
Added Post inflation (currently just one layer).
Added a setting to control projection of inflated faces.
Added thin cuts.
Improved Stretched Cartesian functionality (Aspect Ratio or blocking file based).
Improved handling of Cartesian split files.
Improved quality, particularly for explicit analysis.
Improved flood fill for handling multiple materials.
Improved Redistribute Prism.
Added Redistribute by Growth Ratio.
Added TGrid Skew quality metric.
Improved Move Nodes.
Improved Subsets.
Improved Color by Quality.
Improved Stitch/Match edges.
Improved Check Mesh.
Added interrupt button.
Improved implementation of fixes such as “volume orientation”.
Improved Element Normals and Edit Normals.
Improved information queries.
Improved options for Project Node to Surface.
Improved remesh options, particularly for surface mesh.
Improved pyramid creation.
Improved Coarsen.
Improved Split Nodes.
Added Y-Split Hexas at a Vertex.
Improved histograms.
Added display of bad elements directly from the histogram (without subsets).
Improved color by quality and ranges for a number of metrics.
Improved behavior/speed in general.
Expanded flood fill to more mesh methods and types.
Added LCS support to Tet to Hex conversion.
The following incompatibilities with prior releases of ANSYS ICEM CFD are known to exist at Release 12.0:
There are some differences in the Tetin file format at Release 12.0, particularly with respect to some of the mesh parameter settings.
To read an R12 Tetin file back in R11 or R10, use the File > Save Geometry As Version... > Version 10 File option. The Version 10 file can be read into ANSYS ICEM CFD Version 11. All older version files can be read into ANSYS ICEM CFD 12.0.
All documentation for ANSYS ICEM CFD 12.0 is accessible using the Help menu. Please contact us if you would like to attend training. Please visit the ANSYS ICEM CFD website for more information.
We have set up an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) site to answer common questions from our customers. This site contains not only the answers to the problems, but also the correct ways to deal with them and also explanation of existing bugs and their work-arounds. It will also keep you abreast of the latest changes in the software.
The tutorials, input files, as well as the solved tutorials are available at http://www.ansys.com/tutorials.
Table of Contents
This chapter summarizes the new features and incompatibilities in CFD-Post Release 12.0. Information about the known limitations of CFD-Post Release 12.0 can be found in the ANSYS CFX online help under ANSYS CFX, Release 12.0 > ANSYS CFX Introduction > ANSYS CFX Release Notes for 12.0.
A number of new post-processing features have been added, and the name of CFX-Post has changed to become CFD-Post, as it evolves to become the common post-processor for both ANSYS CFX and ANSYS FLUENT.
Comparison Mode
A new file comparison mode is available, in which comparisons and difference plots can be made between different solutions on the same mesh (at different times in a transient solution or with two different results), and between different solutions on different meshes.
Feature Extraction
A new visualization object is provided to allow users to easily identify vortex core regions in the flow based on a variety of different derived variables such as swirling strength, eigen helicity, and others.
Iso Clips
A new visualization object is the iso clip, which greatly simplifies the creation of surfaces, planes, or lines bounded by any solution or geometry variable.
Turbo Post
Several new report templates have been added and include support for multiple components/blade rows. Machine types that can be used with these reports include axial compressors, centrifugal compressors, compressible and incompressible flow turbines, and pumps.
Chart Improvements
The user interface to create charts has been re-designed to become more intuitive and consistent with other common charting tools. In addition, histogram charts can now be created, and FFTs are available for spectral analysis.
Color Maps
A color map editor has been added to simplify the creation and modification of color maps, and permit transparency levels to be set.
This section describe procedural changes (actions that have to be done differently in this release to get an outcome available in previous releases) as well as support changes (functionality that is no longer supported) in Release 12.0 of CFD-Post.
Procedural Changes
To replace a loaded file with another file while keeping the state, the recommended procedure in Release 12.0 is to right-click on the case name in the Outline tree and select Replace. The 11.0 procedure of reloading the file through the Load Results panel may not recover the state completely, in particular when Turbo Post is initialized. Note also that the Replace function will keep the original case name even though the results file has changed.
Multi-file support
By default, additional cases are opened in new views. To open two or more files in the same view (for example, for 2-way FSI cases), turn off the Open in new view toggle in the Load Results panel.
Applying automatic case offset is no longer supported through the Load Result panel. You can still offset a case by the desired amount by double clicking on the loaded case.
When multiple cases are loaded, CFD-Post no longer changes the names of boundaries, domains and other loaded regions to make them unique across all cases (for example, renaming "Inlet" for the second file to "Inlet 1"). All regions will now preserve their original names.
To select a non-uniquely named surface for a specific case in Location selectors (for example, in a Contour plot), you can use the '...' list and select the surface under the desired case name. By default, all surfaces with the given name will be used as the location.
Support Changes
ANSYS FLUENT mesh-only files (.msh) can no longer be read into CFD-Post.
Table of Contents
FLUENT 12.0 contains new features and defect fixes. The sections that follow provide information on new features, supported platforms, limitations that no longer apply, and updates that affect code behavior. Information about the known limitations of FLUENT 12.0 can be found in the online documentation. The documentation can be found by selecting the More Documentation... item from the FLUENT Help menu.
FLUENT 12.0 will now be installed under ANSYS Inc/v120/fluent on Windows and ansys_inc/v120/fluent on Linux and Unix platforms.
Instructions for installing FLUENT are included in the ANSYS Installation documentation. This documentation is included in the ANSYS Documentation package. Please view the FLUENT Product Page on the User Services Center (www.fluentusers.com) for more information.
If you have used FLUENT Launcher for FLUENT 6.3 or a preview version of FLUENT 12, you will need to reset the default values in FLUENT Launcher as described in the documentation for using FLUENT in Workbench, available from the ANSYS FLUENT 12.0 Documentation page.
Please also note that GT Power and WAVE are now part of the standard FLUENT 12 installation package and no longer need to be downloaded separately.
New features available in FLUENT 12.0 are listed below.
Solver
First-to-second-order blending
Improved robustness of the density-based implicit solver via explicit relaxation
Differentiable limiter for improved robustness of second order solutions
Ability to use W-cycle in parallel for AMG solver
Recursive projection method option for improved stability (coupled pressure-based solver)
Solution extrapolation for transient simulations
Improved adaptive time stepping
Cell-centroid aligned limiter
Enabling viscous dissipation work automatically includes pressure work and kinetic energy terms
LSQ set as the default gradient reconstruction scheme
Solution steering for the density-based solver
Models
Ffowcs-Williams & Hawkings (FW-H) acoustics model
Compatibility with the density-based explicit solver, implicit unsteady formulation
Compatibility with the density-based explicit solver, explicit unsteady formulation.
Broadband noise sources available with the density-based explicit solver
Ability to export dipole sound data from surfaces to Virtual Lab in CGNS format
Ability to export quadrapole sound data from volumes to Virtual Lab in CGNS format
Turbulence modeling
Four equation SST transition model
Vortex method for pressure inlets with LES
Spectral synthesizer method for pressure inlets with LES
Ability to use Vortex Method and Spectral Synthesizer with DES simulations
Dynamic SGS model for variable-density flows
UDF access to correlations used in SST transition model
Ability to display wall-distance based Reynolds number
GUI option for selecting the SA near-wall damping
Scalable wall function approach for wall function based turbulence models
Delayed DES for improved prediction of separation for external aerodynamics
Improved Walters model (turbulence transition)
Heat transfer
DO radiation enhancements
Improved treatment of partially specular walls
Absorption at specular walls based on wall emissivity
Specification of beam direction as a profile
Ability to specify diffuse irradiation component at semi-transparent walls
First-to-second-order blending for DO discretization (TUI only)
Solar load radiation enhancements
Ability to control solar transmissivity through boundaries
S2S radiation enhancements
Support for symmetry boundary condition when using ray tracing approach for viewfactors
View factor calculations using Ray Tracing approach
Improved cluster sizing control on radiating surfaces
New utility to manage surface participation
Ability to compute the faces per surface cluster for active surfaces
P1 radiation enhancements
Accounting for the reflective index
Shell conduction
Compatibility with semitransparent walls
Faster creation of shell conduction zones in parallel
Temperature dependent thermal conductivity in shell zones
Heat exchanger
Dual cell heat exchanger model
Ability to plot NTU as a function of mass flow rate
Support for parallel flow and counterflow heat exchangers
Ability to print or monitor total heat rejection
Heat exchanger reporting available through GUI
Multipass dual heat exchanger
Species transport, reactions, and combustion
Stiff chemistry for Eulerian multiphase
Ability to model chemical reactions with the real gas model
Ability to import mechanism files with multiple surface reaction mechanisms for use with the KINetics module.
DQMOM-IEM model
Option to input mole fractions for species instead of mass fractions
Improved speed of PDF table lookup
Moss-Brookes soot model
Use of KINetics routines to evaluate specific heat and enthalpy
Enhanced Coherent Flamelet model (IC engine applications)
Zimont turbulent flame speed wall damping
Fuel NOx model for simultaneous droplets and particles
Support for ISAT v5.0
Ability to set time exponent for spark ignition model
Ability to model coverage dependent surface reactions
Ability to import flamelet library files generated by using the CFX-RIF utility available in CFX
Inert model: transport of inert species (EGR in IC engines)
Ability to use the partially premixed model with empirical fuel and empirical secondary stream options
Solidification and Melting
Option to select the Lever or Scheil rule for alloy solidification
Discrete phase modeling
Customized particle history file
Ability to start/stop injections as a function of crank angle
Improved consistency of DPM reports, including energy and mass balances with radiation and combustion
Ability to write selected injections to a file and read into another FLUENT session
Vaporization laws for IC engine environments
Ability to inject and display massless particles
VOF model
VOF explicit schemes for Eulerian multiphase
Ability to plot phase IDs when more than 2 phases are present
Multi-fluid VOF
Phase drag interaction
Surface tension
Numerical wavetank boundary condition
Eulerian multiphase model
Volume fraction pressure-velocity coupling for granular and gas-liquid flows, including mass transfer
Pressure-velocity coupling for gas-liquid and granular flows, including mass transfer
IAC model using Ishii-Kim kernels for breakup and coalescence
IAC model using Hibiki-Ishii kernels for breakup and coalescence
Optional turbulent dissipation models for IAC kernels
Universal drag laws for multiphase simulations
Ability to calculate and display cell averaged quantities taken from Lagrangian phase
Accounting of Lagrangian phase volume fraction in Eulerian multiphase model
Collisional force based on granular temperature and relaxation of volume fraction field
Gidaspow and Syamlal-Obrien drag laws
Dense discrete phase model
Immiscible fluid model
Evaporation-condensation mass transfer model
Cavitation
Improved robustness for cavitation modeling (activated by choosing the cavitation checkbox)
Schnerr-Sauer and Zwart et al. cavitation models (uncheck cavitation checkbox and set mass transfer mechanism to cavitation)
Mixture model
Ability to model turbulent diffusion force (consistent with Eulerian model)
Population balance
Compatibility with the coupled multiphase solver
Ability to express breakage kernel through separate frequency and breakage pdf functions
Lehr model (gas-liquid)
Generalized pdf for multiple breakage
Ramakrishnan numerical methods for population balance
Mixing plane model
Ability to perform mass averaging
Ability to perform mixed-out averaging
Boundary conditions
Ability to use wildcards to select boundary and cell zones in the TUI
Ability to define input and output parameters for boundary and cell zones
Ability to specify Reynolds stress profiles at inlets for the vortex method (with the LES turbulence model)
Boundary condition file contents expanded to include all case settings (with the exception of the mesh)
Improved numerical accuracy of surface integrals on boundary zones
Mass flow inlet
UDF hook for flow rate
Ability to specify swirl component
Temperature extrapolation for flow exiting the boundary (pressure-based solver only)
Ability to specify conditions all in relative or absolute reference frame
Allow mass flow inlet to operate as an outflow (profile preserving)
Pressure inlet
Pressure extrapolation method (TUI only; density-based solver only)
Ability to specify swirl component
Ability to specify conditions all in relative or absolute reference frame
Pressure outlet
Option to specify strong average pressure enforcement (TUI only; DBNS solver only)
Improved target mass flow rate condition at pressure outlets
Outflow
Degassing boundary condition for the Eulerian multiphase model (see the UDF Manual for more details)
Pressure far field
Ability to specify condition in cylindrical coordinates
Profiles
Linear interpolation of profile data
Plotting of profiles with respect to coordinate direction or time
Plotting of interpolated profile data on a face
Material properties
Real gas model compatible with the pressure-based solver
Redlich-Kwong equation of state
Additional materials from NIST database added for use with the real gas model
Ability to input coal parameters via proximate and ultimate analysis
Ability to set the solidification partition coefficient as a function of temperature
Data import and export
FSI one-way coupling via imported user-defined surfaces
Ability to import ABAQUS, Mechanical APDL, NASTRAN, PATRAN surface meshes and interpolate FLUENT data to the mesh and export it in the same format
Ability to import ABAQUS, Mechanical APDL, NASTRAN, PATRAN volume meshes and interpolate FLUENT data to the mesh and export it in the same format
Ability to display the imported FSI mesh with FLUENT surfaces
Ability to write FLUENT data to imported surface and volume meshes
Ability to export multiple file formats or variables via automatic export for transient calculations
Ability to select internal surfaces for export to EnSight Gold format
Support for cell-based data export for transient EnSight
Ability to import 3D ABAQUS files in .odb format
Ability to save light-weight data sets during unsteady simulations for postprocessing in CFD-Post
Ability to create transient data export to Ensight from existing FLUENT data files at various times
Ability to import mesh files in the binary Tecplot format
Mesh
Reduced memory requirement for polyhedra conversion
Ability to replace the mesh in a current FLUENT session while retaining all current case settings
Repair face-handedness option for high-aspect ratio meshes (TUI only)
More robust creation of periodics
Support of many-to-many nonconformals with mixed fluid and solid zones
Skewness reports (IC engine applications)
Ability to enable nonconformal interfaces with mixed zones (enabled as default)
Anisotropic refinement of boundary layers
Automatically detect periodic shifts (rotational angle/translational offset) at non-conformal interfaces and report in the Mesh Interface dialog box
Moving meshes
Layering with non-constant layer height
Ability to execute TUI command via a dynamic mesh event
Improved MDM for steady-state deformations
Ability to activate/deactivate zones for dynamic mesh simulations
Ability to use the in-cylinder modeling tool IC3M for in-cylinder simulations
Enhancements to the dynamic mesh GUI
Porous Media
Improved robustness and accuracy of porous media with the density-based solver
Ability to model anisotropic porous media using physical velocity formulation with the Eulerian multiphase model
Parallel processing
Improved parallel scalability
Ability to handle cases with more than 700 million cells (x86 64bit Linux platforms only)
Enhanced speed of cell migration
Improved load balancing by including thread weights in parallel partitioning
Parallel process cleanup on abort
Auto selection of interconnect protocols
Compiler performance improvements for 64bit x 86 platforms
Support for HP MPI on Windows 64
Speedup of case file reading and writing using standard IO
Speedup of data file reading and writing using standard IO
Support for HP MPI on 32-bit Windows port
Support for OpenMPI on lnamd64 and aix51_64 platforms for Myrinet and Infiniband
Parallel MPI-IO for data files (.pdat)
Improved scalability of DPM simulations in parallel
Speedup of auto-partitioning using ParMetis in parallel
Memory management
Ability to more accurately track memory allocations and deallocations in parallel
Ability to print out memory usage by each FLUENT process (TUI only)
Ability to print out system level memory and CPU number/speed/load on each node running FLUENT
Graphics, post-processing, and reporting
Improved post-processing accuracy for data stored on flow boundary faces
Heat of combustion reports
Q-criterion for LES/DES models
Support for PNG format
IC engine-specific output panel
Ability to calculate moments about an axis
Ability to postprocess particle solid species mass fraction (with the discrete phase model)
Ability to postprocess particle surface reaction rates (with the discrete phase model)
Ability to postprocess the particle unburnt char fraction and non-released volatiles
Option to hide the ANSYS logo in the graphics windows
Ability to launch CFD-Post from the FLUENT 12 interface
User-defined functions (UDFs) and scalars (UDSs)
User-defined black body emission factor (Plancks function)
User-defined heat capacity
User-defined layer height
UDF macro for the ignition model
Ability to access properties for the partially premixed model via UDF
Ability to access turbulent Schmidt number via UDF
Species mass fractions included in specific heat UDF macro
User Interface
Single-frame graphical user interface
Improved robustness of TUI journaling
Expanded suite of Case Check recommendations
Ability to toggle between embedded and detached graphics windows
SOFC and PEM Fuel Cell Module
Integrated PEM/SOFC framework
Resolved MEA for SOFC modeling
Ability to model PEM membrane as a solid
Ability to restrict gas diffusion across the PEM membrane using a solid
Option to model current collectors as porous media
Ability to model multicomponent diffusion
Ability to model electrolysis in the Resolved MEA model
TUI for Resolved MEA fuel cell models
Ability to model temperature dependent leakage current in the unresolved SOFC model
Ability to model leakage current in the Resolved MEA model
Automatic stack setup with the Resolved MEA model
Ability to use anisotropic electrical and thermal conductivities in GDL (PEMFC)
User-specified CO/H2 split (SOFC)
Multiple current input (SOFC)
Ability to specify time-dependent total current and cell voltage inputs (zero-thickness electrolyte SOFC model)
Platform/OS levels that are supported in the current release are posted on the User Services Center (www.fluentusers.com) .
Information about the known limitations of FLUENT 12.0 can be found in the online documentation. The documentation can be found by selecting the More Documentation... item from the FLUENT Help menu.
The real gas model is now compatible with the pressure-based solver
The S2S model is now compatible with NITA
The pressure-based coupled solver is now available with the Eulerian multiphase model
The FLUENT/REACTION DESIGN KINetics coupling is now available on the following platforms: IBM, SUN Ultra, Linux AMD, and Linux Itanium
The default font for Unix platforms has been changed from 14 point bold face adobe helvetica to 12 point regular face adobe helvetica.
Default behavior of partially specular walls has been changed to allow for absorption and emission. An rp variable is available to return to the FLUENT 6.3 default, (rpsetvar ’disco/partially-specular-method 1).
By default, enabling viscous dissipation energy work will now also automatically enable the pressure work and kinetic energy work terms. These additional terms will be enabled when previously saved cases with viscous dissipation turned ON are read into FLUENT 12, and a jump in residuals is expected.
An extra parameter, compressibility (Z), has been added to the macros DEFINE_DPM_VP_EQUILIB and DEFINE_DPM_HEAT_MASS. For existing routines, it is sufficient to add this parameter without any other code change. Z is predefined with 1.0 before the DEFINE_DPM_VP_EQUILIB function is called.
LSQ is now the default gradient reconstruction scheme in FLUENT 12.
The Zimont model has been enhanced to more physically represent flame-wall interactions. Older cases read into FLUENT 12 will use the old method. New cases set up in FLUENT 12 will use the new method and will not replicate the results in previous releases.
Pressure has been added to the argument list for Real Gas UDF. This will break existing UDFs using this macro.
The inlet diffusion boundary setting is now turned off by default. This will impact new cases created in FLUENT 12; older cases read into FLUENT 12 will not be affected.
The default specific heats (Cp) for species in gaseous combustion have been changed from constants to piece-wise polynomials in the FLUENT 12 property database.
The default value of layering collapse factor for moving and deforming meshing has been changed from 0.04 to 0.2.
The breakup parcel diameter in the TAB secondary breakup
model is no longer sampled from a Rosin Rammler distribution. Instead,
the mean diameter is applied to all breakup parcels. To return to
the FLUENT 6.3 behavior, enter yes to the
TUI command /define/models/dpm/spray-model/randomize-breakup-parcel-diameter?
The default under-relaxation factor for the P1 radiation model has been changed from 0.8 to 1.0.
When writing UDFs for the DPM model, it is no longer necessary to distinguish between serial and parallel when calling par_fprintf in a DEFINE_DPM_OUTPUT macro. The try_id and the part_id should be written out also in serial runs. If this is not done, then the serial output will be corrupt and will not contain any particle data from the UDF.
For the solar load model, the internally reflected component of solar irradiation is no longer ignored at coupled and external transparent boundaries.
User-defined source terms are no longer multiplied by porosity by default when defined in porous regions and when using the physical velocity formulation, as was done in FLUENT 6.3. The user is now required to properly scale volumetric source terms within the UDF
Mesh Check now reports the existence of degenerated contact points created during mesh generation. These are nodes that are incorrectly shared by coincident, uncoupled wall boundaries. If degenerate contact points are detected, Node-based Gradient reconstruction should not be used in the simulation. To avoid errors in the solution, either the mesh should be corrected in the preprocessor to eliminate these nodes, or Least Square Gradient reconstruction should be used instead of Node-based Gradients.
Certain mesh manipulations (e.g., surface remeshing, moving or deforming a boundary, zone deactivation or deletion) can fail in meshes containing degenerate contact points.