ANSYS R17 Brings Added Tools to Mechanical Licenses

Some of you have probably already noticed, but ANSYS Mechanical licenses have some changes at version 17. First, the license that for years has been known as ANSYS Mechanical is now known as ANSYS Mechanical Enterprise. Further, ANSYS, Inc. has enabled significantly more functionality with this license at version 17 than was available in prior versions. Note that the license task in the ANSYS license files, ‘ansys’ has not changed.

The 17.0 ANSYS License Manager unlocks additional capability with this license, in addition to the existing Mechanical structural/thermal abilities. Previously, each of these tools used to be an additional cost. The change includes other “Mechanical-” licenses: e.g. Mech-EMAG, Mech CFD. The new tools enabled with ANSYS Mechanical Enterprise licenses at version 17.0 are:

Additionally, at version 17.1 these tools are included as well:

These changes do not apply to the lower level licenses, such as ANSYS Structural and Professional. In fact, these licenses are moving to ‘legacy’ mode at version 17. Two newer products now slot below Mechanical Enterprise. These newer products are ANSYS Mechanical Premium and ANSYS Mechanical Pro. We won’t explain those products here, but your local ANSYS provider can give you more information on these two if needed.

Getting back to the additional capabilities with Mechanical Enterprise, these become available once the ANSYS 17.0 and/or the ANSYS 17.1 license manager is installed. This assumes you have a license file that is current on TECS (enhancements and support). Also, a new license task is needed to enable Simplorer Entry.
Ignoring Simplorer Entry for the moment, once the 17.0/17.1 license manager is installed, the single Mechanical Enterprise license task (ansys) now enables several different tools. Note that:

• Multiple tool windows can be open at once
  • g. ANSYS Mechanical and SpaceClaim
• Only one can be “active” at a time
  • If solving, can’t edit geometry in SpaceClaim
• Capabilities are then available in older versions, where applicable, once the 17.0/17.1 license manager is installed

Here is a very brief summary of these newly available capabilities:

Fatigue Module:

• Runs in the Mechanical window
• Can calculate fatigue lives for ‘simple’ products (linear static analysis)
  • Stress-life for
    • Constant amplitude, proportional loading
    • Variable amplitude, proportional loading
    • Constant amplitude, non-proportional loading
  • Strain-life
    • Constant amplitude, proportional loading
  • Activated by inserting the Fatigue Tool in the Mechanical Solution branch
  • Postprocess fatigue lives as contour plots, etc.
  • Requires fatigue life data as material properties

Rigid Body Dynamics:

• Runs in the Mechanical window
• ANSYS, Inc.-developed solver using explicit time integration, energy conservation
• Use when only concerned about motion due to joints and contacts
  • To determine forces and moments
• Activated via Rigid Dynamics analysis system in the Workbench window

Explicit STR:

• Runs in the Mechanical window
• Utilizes the Autodyn solver
• For highly nonlinear, short duration structural transient problems
  • Drop test simulations, e.g.
  • Lagrangian-only
• Activated via Explicit Dynamics analysis system in the Workbench window

Composite PrepPost (ACP):

• Tools for preparing composites models and postprocessing composites solutions
• Define composite layup
  • Fiber Directions and Orientations
  • Draping
  • Optimize composite design
• Results evaluation
  • Layer stresses
  • Failure criteria
  • Delamination
  • Wrinkling
• Activated via ACP (Pre) and ACP (Post) component systems in the Workbench window

SpaceClaim:

• Geometry creation/preparation/repair/defeaturing tool
• Try it, learn it, love it
• A direct modeler so no history tree
  • Just create/modify on the fly
  • Import from CAD or create in SpaceClaim
  • Can be an incredible time saver in preparing geometry for simulation
• Activated by right clicking on the Geometry cell in the Workbench project schematic

DesignXplorer:

• Design of Experiments/Design Optimization/Robust Design Tool
• Allows for variation of input parameters
  • Geometric dimensions including from external CAD, license permitting
  • Material property values
  • Loads
  • Mesh quantities such as shell thickness, element size specifications
• Track or optimize on results parameters
  • Max or min stress
  • Max or min temperature
  • Max or min displacement
  • Mass or volume
• Create design of experiments
• Fit response surfaces
• Perform goals driven optimizations
  • Reduce mass
  • Drive toward a desired temperature
• Understand sensitivities among parameters
• Perform a Design for Six Sigma study to determine probabilities
• Activated by inserting Design Exploration components into the Workbench project schematic

ANSYS Customization Suite:

• Toolkit for customization of ANSYS Workbench tools
• Includes tools for several ANSYS products
  • Top level Workbench
  • DesignModeler
  • Mechanical
  • DesignXplorer
• Based on Python and XML
• Wizards and documentation included

AQWA:

• Offshore tool for ship, floating platform simulation
• Uses hydrodynamic defraction for calculations
• Model up to 50 structures
• Include effects of moorings, fenders, articulated connectors
• Solve in static, frequency, and time domains
• Transfer motion and pressure info to Mechanical
• Activated via Hydrodynamic Diffraction analysis system in the Workbench window

AIM:

• New, common user interface for multiphysics simulations
  • Structural
  • Thermal
  • CFD
  • Electromagnetics
• Capabilities expanding with each ANSYS release (was new at 16.0)
• Uses SpaceClaim as geometry tool
• Single window
• Easy to follow workflow
• Activated from the ANSYS 17.0/17.1 Start menu

Simplorer Entry:

• System level simulation tool
• Simulate interactions such as between
  • Controllers
  • Actuators
  • Sensors
  • Structural Reduced Order Models
  • Simple circuitry
• Optimize complex system performance
  • Understand interactions and trade offs
• Entry level tool, limited to 30 models (Simplorer Advanced enables more)
• Activated from the ANSYS Electromagnetics tools (separate download)
• Requires an additional license task from ANSYS, Inc.

Where to get more information:

• Your local ANSYS provider
• ANSYS Help System
• ANSYS Customer Portal