SS-T: 2100 Clamping

Learn how the clamping contact condition works in SimSolid.

Purpose
SimSolid performs meshless structural analysis that works on full featured parts and assemblies, is tolerant of geometric imperfections, and runs in seconds to minutes. In this tutorial, you will do the following:
  • Learn how to assign and use clamping contact conditions to clamp parts together
The clamping contact condition allows parts to align in normal direction only, while allowing sliding between parts. Clamping condition can be applied to different locations sequentially by keeping the effect of clamping from the previous subcase.

In this tutorial, b-pillar will be clamped at locations 2,3,4,5 and 6 locations sequentially. Location 1 will be aligned to avoid rigid body motions.

Model Description
The following model file is needed for this tutorial:
  • clamping.ssp
Figure 1.


This file has the following specifications:
  • Assembly consists of b-pillar and rigid pucks at different locations of the b-pillar
  • Material is set as Aluminum for b-pillar and a rigid mass of 0.00166667 kg is assigned to each puck
  • Connections are created between all the parts and the contact condition is set to disable

Open Project

  1. Start a new SimSolid session.
  2. On the main window toolbar, click Open Project .
  3. In the Open project file dialog, choose clamping.ssp
  4. Click OK.

Create Structural Analysis

  1. On the main window toolbar, click Structural Analysis.
  2. Select Structural linear from the dropdown.
    The new analysis appears in the Project Tree under Design study 1. The Analysis Workbench opens.

Create Immovable Support

  1. On the Analysis Workbench, click Immovable support.
  2. In the dialog, verify the Faces radio button is selected.
  3. In the modeling window, select the faces highlighted in orange from the figure below.
    Figure 2.


  4. Click OK.

Apply Gravity Load

  1. On the Project Tree, open the Analysis Workbench.
  2. In the workbench toolbar, click Gravity.
  3. In the dialog, for Load direction vector, enter: [0,0,-1] for X, Y, and Z respectively.
  4. For Amplification factor, enter 10.
  5. Click OK.

Edit Contact Conditions for Structural 1

In this step the contact conditions for Connection 6 will be set to Aligning and Connection 5 will be set to clamping.

  1. In the modeling window, right-click b-pillar and right-click.
  2. Select Review part contact conditions.
  3. Select Connection 6 and click Edit.
    1. Change the contact conditions to Aligning.
    2. Click OK.
  4. Select Connection 5 and click Edit.
    1. Change the contact conditions to Clamping.
    2. Click OK.
  5. Click Close.

Create Structural Sequential Analysis - Structural 1

In this step, create a structural sequential analysis and set the contact conditions for Connection 4 to clamping.

  1. On the main window toolbar, click Structural Analysis ➔ Structural sequential.
  2. In the Structural sequential setup dialog, ensure Structural 1 is selected and click OK.
    The new analysis (Structural 2, Linked to Structural 1) appears in the Project Tree under Design study 1 and the Analysis Workbench opens.
  3. In the modeling window, select b-pillar and right-click.
  4. Select Review part contact conditions and ensure the analysis is set to Structural 2.
  5. Select Connection 4 and click Edit.
    1. Change the contact conditions to clamping.
    2. Click OK.
  6. Click Close.

Create Structural Sequential Analysis - Structural 2

In this step, create a structural sequential analysis and set the contact conditions for Connection 3 to clamping.

  1. On the main window toolbar, click Structural Analysis ➔ Structural sequential.
  2. In the Structural sequential setup dialog, ensure Structural 2 is selected and click OK.
    The new analysis (Structural 3, Linked to Structural 2) appears in the Project Tree under Design study 1 and the Analysis Workbench opens.
  3. In the modeling window, select b-pillar and right-click.
  4. Select Review part contact conditions and ensure the analysis is set to Structural 3.
  5. Select Connection 3 and click Edit.
    1. Change the contact conditions to clamping.
    2. Click OK.
  6. Click Close.

Create Structural Sequential Analysis - Structural 3

In this step, create a structural sequential analysis and set the contact conditions for Connection 2 to clamping.

  1. On the main window toolbar, click Structural Analysis ➔ Structural sequential.
  2. In the Structural sequential setup dialog, ensure Structural 3 is selected and click OK.
    The new analysis (Structural 4, Linked to Structural 3) appears in the Project Tree under Design study 1 and the Analysis Workbench opens.
  3. In the modeling window, select b-pillar and right-click.
  4. Select Review part contact conditions and ensure the analysis is set to Structural 4.
  5. Select Connection 2 and click Edit.
    1. Change the contact conditions to clamping.
    2. Click OK.
  6. Click Close.

Create Structural Sequential Analysis - Structural 4

In this step, create a structural sequential analysis and set the contact conditions for Connection 1 to clamping.

  1. On the main window toolbar, click Structural Analysis ➔ Structural sequential.
  2. In the Structural sequential setup dialog, ensure Structural 4 is selected and click OK.
    The new analysis (Structural 5, Linked to Structural 4) appears in the Project Tree under Design study 1 and the Analysis Workbench opens.
  3. In the modeling window, select b-pillar and right-click.
  4. Select Review part contact conditions and ensure the analysis is set to Structural 5.
  5. Select Connection 1 and click Edit.
    1. Change the contact conditions to clamping.
    2. Click OK.
  6. Click Close.

Edit Solution Settings for Structural 1

  1. In the Analysis branch of the Project Tree, double-click on Solution settings: for Structural 1.
  2. In the Solution settings dialog, for Adaptation select Global+Local in the drop-down menu.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Right-click on Solution settings and select Apply to all analyses in the current design study to apply the Global+Local adaptation to all other analyses in the study.

Run Design Study

Solve all analyses in the design study.
  1. In the Project Tree, select Design study branch.
  2. Click Run All Analyses .
  3. In the Solver Manager, verify all analyses are selected.
  4. Click Solve.
    SimSolid runs all analyses in the design study branch. When finished, a Results branch for each analysis appears in the Project Tree.

Review Results

  1. In the Project Tree, select the Structural 1 subcase.
  2. On the Analysis Workbench toolbar, click Results plot.
  3. Enable Deformed shape.
  4. Review the parts, with clamping condition, clamped together.
  5. Switch to the sequential subcases. Review how the parts with clamping contact condition make contact with each other in each subcase, while retaining the clamping from the previous subcase.