LESSON 3 - SOLIDWORKS SIMULATION - OVERVIEW

This introductory lesson guides you through the steps required to setup and simulate the testing of the Ice Scraper through loads.

In this lesson, you will learn the following:

Create a study Apply material Add Fixtures Apply load Mesh and run simulation Evaluate results

ADDING IN SOLIDWORKS SIMULATION

TO ADD-IN:

Click Tools, Add-ins and check the option for SolidWorks Simulation.Click OK.

OPENING THE PART AND ASSIGNING MATERIAL

TO OPEN THE PART:Browse to C:\MoldToolDie101\Lesson03\IceScraper_Stress.SLDPRT and Double Click to open the part in SolidWorks

1. Click Edit Material (SolidWorks Standard toolbar).

2. The Material dialog box appears.3. In the left pane, click the + plus sign

next to SolidWorks Materials, then click the plus sign next to Plastics and select ABS.

4. Mechanical properties of ABS appear in the Properties tab.

5. Click Apply and Close.6. The name of the assigned material

appears in the FeatureManager tree

CREATING A STUDY

1. Click the down arrow on Study Advisor

(Simulation CommandManager) and select New Study.

2. In the PropertyManager, under Name type Static-1.

3. Under Type, click Static

4. Click OK.

The software creates the study in the Simulation study tree. Note the check mark on the part in the study tree indicating that you assigned a material.

.

APPLY FIXTURE TO MIMIC A HAND GRIPFor static analysis, you must apply adequate fixed restraints to stabilize the model. In this example, you fix the side of the Ice Scraper.

Click the down arrow on Fixtures Advisor (Simulation CommandManager) and select Fixed Geometry, or right-click Fixtures in the study tree and select Fixed Geometry.

The Fixture PropertyManager appears.

In the graphics area, click the faces of the side of the Ice Scraper as showin below.

Face<1>, Face<2>, Face<3> and Face<4> appear in the Faces, Edges, Vertices for Fixture box.

Click OK.

The software fixes the faces to simulate a very hard hand grip and it creates an ion Fixed-1 in the Simulation study tree.

APPLYING LOAD ON ICE SCRAPER

You apply a 1 lb force normal to the flat face of the Ice Scraper.

1. Click the down arrow on External Loads (Simulation CommandManager) and select Force, or right-click External Loads in the Simulation study tree and select Force.

2. In the PropertyManager, on the Type tab under Type, click Force.

3. In the graphics area, select the face as shown for Faces for Force .

4. Under Force Value, select English (IPS) in Unit then type 1 lbf for Force Value .

If you change the units after typing a value, the software converts the value to the new units.

5. Click OK.

The software applies 1 lbf forces and creates an icon named Force-1 in the External Loads folder of the Simulation study tree.

RUNNING THE ANALYSIS

1. Click Run (Simulation CommandManager).

VIEWING STRESS RESULTS

1. In the Simulation study tree, open the Results folder.

2. Double-click Stress1 (-von Mises-) to display the plot.

VIEWING STRESS RESULTS

1. In the Simulation study tree, open the Results folder.

2. Double-click Displacement1 (-Disp Res-) to display the plot.

ANIMATING ANY PLOT

1. Click Plot Tools (Simulation CommandManager) and select Animate.

2. By default, the animation plays in a continuous reciprocating pattern. It will play from start to end, then end to start, and continue to repeat.

3. Click to stop the animation.4. Click OK to stop animation.

Congratulations! After completing this tutorial, you now have the basic skills required to setup, run and interpret the results from a SolidWorks Static Simulation analysis, allowing you to check the structural behavior of your plastic part.