FEM ANSYS Classic Basics

Course in
FEM – ANSYS Classic

ANSYS Basics
FEM – ANSYS Classic

Computational Mechanics, AAU, Esbjerg
Basics
• Launching of ANSYS
• Graphical User Interface (GUI)
• Menus, dialogs and toolbars
• Working area
• Preferences
• Files used by ANSYS
• ANSYS Menus
• ANSYS File menu
• ANSYS PlotCtrls menu
• Units
• Undo
• Hints
FEM – ANSYS Classic ANSYS Basics 2
Launching of ANSYS
..
ANSYS Commands reference
ANSYS Element reference
..
Basic Analysis Procedures
Advanced Analysis Techniques
..
Structural Analysis Guide
..
ANSYS Tutorials
Click on the Start menu at the bottom left corner of the screen.
Start ->Programs -> ANSYS Release 7.1 -> ANSYS Classic

Launching of ANSYS
• A note on Interactive vs. Batch mode:
– Interactive mode allows you to interact “live” with
ANSYS, reviewing each operation as you go.
– Batch mode works on an input file of commands and
allows you to run ANSYS in the background.
• No live interaction, therefore any errors in input will cause the
batch run to stop.
• Best suited for operations that don’t need user interaction,
such as a solve.
• Interactive mode is used in this course.

Launching of ANSYS
Jobname – specifies the name of all
files in a session. The default is “file”
or “FILE”.
Set memory to 64 for total and

32 for database.
Set the default directory to be a

directory on your disk where
you want to save your ANSYS
database file.
Click on Run.

Launching of ANSYS
You can include commands to
be executed when the program
starts up in the start71.ans file.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Input
Displays program
prompt messages
and a text field for
typing commands.
All previously typed
commands appear for
easy reference and
access.
Main Menu
Contains the primary
ANSYS functions,
organized by
processors
(preprocessor,
solution, general
postprocessor, etc.)
Output
Displays text output
from the program. It
is usually positioned
behind the other
windows and can be
raised to the front
when necessary.

Utility Menu
Contains functions
which are available
throughout the
ANSYS session, such
as file controls,
selecting, graphics
controls, parameters,
and exiting.
Toolbar
Contains push
buttons for executing
commonly used
ANSYS commands
and functions.
Customized buttons
can be created.
Graphics
Displays graphics
created in ANSYS or
imported into ANSYS.

Main Menu
• Contains the main functions required for an analysis.
Utility Menu
• Contains utilities that are generally available throughout the ANSYS session:
graphics, on-line help, select logic, file controls, etc.
Input Window
• Allows you to enter commands. (Most GUI functions actually “send” commands to
ANSYS. If you know these commands, you can type them in the Input Window.)
• Also used for prompts during graphical picking.
Toolbar
• Contains abbreviations -- short-cuts to commonly used commands and
functions.
• A few predefined abbreviations are available, but you can add your own.
Requires knowledge of ANSYS commands.
• A powerful feature which you can use to create your own “button menu”
system!

• The default view for a model is the front view:
looking down the +Z axis of the model.
• To change it, use dynamic mode — a way to
orient the plot dynamically using the Control key
and mouse buttons.
– Ctrl + Left mouse button pans the model.
– Ctrl + Middle mouse button:
zooms the model
⌦spins the model (about screen Z)
– Ctrl + Right mouse button rotates the model: P Z R
about screen X
⌦about screen Y
Ctrl

Mouse button assignments for picking:
• Left mouse button picks (or unpicks) the

entity or location closest to the mouse Apply
pointer. Pressing and dragging allows
you to “preview” the item being picked Toggle
Pick
(or unpicked). Pick / Unpick
• Middle mouse button does an Apply.

Saves the time required to move the
mouse over to the Picker and press the
Apply button. Use Shift-Right button on
a two-button mouse.
• Right mouse button toggles between

pick and unpick mode.

Menus, dialogs and toolbars






Some dialog boxes have both Apply and OK
buttons.
– Apply applies the dialog settings, but retains (does
not close) the dialog box for repeated use.
– OK applies the dialog settings and closes the dialog
box.
• The Output Window is independent of the
ANSYS menus. Caution:
Caution Closing the output
window closes the entire ANSYS session!
• Remember that you are not restricted to using
the menus. If you know the command, feel free
to enter it in the Input Window!
Working area

Preferences

Preferences
Preferences
• The Preferences dialog (Main Menu > Preferences)
allows you to filter out menu choices that are not
applicable to the current analysis.
• For example, if you are doing a thermal analysis, you
can choose to filter out other disciplines, thereby
reducing the number of menu items available in the GUI:
– Only thermal element types will be shown in the element type
selection dialog.
– Only thermal loads will be shown.
– Etc.

Files used by ANSYS
• *.db and *.dbb The jobname is a name that identifies the ANSYS
• *.log job. When you define a jobname for an analysis,
• *.rst the jobname becomes the first part of the name of
• *.esav all files the analysis creates. (The extension or
suffix for these files' names is a file identifier such
• *.emat
as .DB.) By using a jobname for each analysis,
• *.mode you insure that no files are overwritten.
• *.full
• *.mntr The element matrix file
• *.osav
• *.rdb For a static or transient structural analysis, the file
• *.ldhi Jobname.RDB (a copy of the database) will be
• *.err automatically saved at the first substep of the first
• *.avi load step.

Files used by ANSYS
• *.db and *.dbb
• *.log The Jobname.LOG file (also called the session
• *.rst log) is especially important, because it provides a
• *.esav complete log of your ANSYS session.
• *.emat File>Write DB log file
• *.mode LGWRITE, Fname, Ext, --, Kedit
• *.full
• *.mntr
• *.osav
• *.rdb
• *.ldhi
• *.err
• *.avi

Files used by ANSYS
File Type File Name File Format
Log file Jobname.LOG ASCII
Error file Jobname.ERR ASCII
Output file Jobname.OUT ASCII
Database file Jobname.DB Binary
Results file: Jobname.xxx Binary
structural or coupled Jobname.RST
thermal Jobname.RTH
magnetic Jobname.RMG
FLOTRAN Jobname.RFL
Load step file Jobname.Sn ASCII
Graphics file Jobname.GRPH ASCII (special format)
Element matrices Jobname.EMAT Binary

ANSYS Menus - File Menu
ANSYS Utility Menu

ANSYS Menus - Select Menu

ANSYS Menus - List Menu

ANSYS Menus - Plot Menu

ANSYS Menus - PlotCtrls Menu

ANSYS Menus - WorkPlane Menu

ANSYS Menus - Parameters Menu

ANSYS Menus - Macro Menu

ANSYS Menus - MenuCtrls Menu

ANSYS Menus - Help Menu

File menu
You can include commands to be
executed when the program starts up in
the start81.ans file.
Clears (zeros out) the database stored in

memory. Clearing the database has the same
effect as leaving and reentering the ANSYS
program, but does not require you to exit.

File menu
You can change the default jobname using
/FILNAME
or
Files opened before this command will only

change name if set to “Yes”

File menu

File menu
Defines a title for the analysis. ANSYS includes

the title on all graphics displays and on the
solution output.

File menu
Reads the file Jobname.DB
You can save or resume the database

from anywhere in the ANSYS program
Using the save and resume operations

together is useful when you want to
"test" a function or command.

File menu
Allows you to restore a *.db or *.dbb
with an other file name than
Jobname.db

File menu
The ANSYS program stores all
input data (model dimensions,
material properties, load data,
etc.) and results data
(displacements, stresses,
temperatures, etc.) in one large
database.

File menu
• The term ANSYS database refers to the data
ANSYS maintains in memory as you build,
solve, and postprocess your model.
• The database stores both your input data and
ANSYS results data:
– Input data - information you must enter, such as
model dimensions, material properties, and load data.
– Results data - quantities that ANSYS calculates, such
as displacements, stresses, strains, and reaction
forces.

File menu
Save and Resume
• Since the database is stored in the computer’s
memory (RAM), it is good practice to save it to
disk frequently so that you can restore the
information in the event of a computer crash or
power failure.
• The SAVE operation copies the database from
memory to a file called the database file (or db
file for short).

File menu
To specify a different file name
Any save operation first writes a backup of the

current database file (if the database already
exists) to Jobname.DBB. If a Jobname.DBB file
already exists, the new backup file overwrites it.

File menu
• Notes on SAVE and RESUME:
– Choosing the Save as or Resume from
function does NOT change the current
jobname.
– If you save to the default file name and a
jobname.db already exists, ANSYS will first
copy the “old” file to jobname.dbb as a back-
up.
– The db file is simply a “snapshot” of what is in
memory at the time the save is done.

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu

File menu
By default, the program saves the

model and loads portions of the
database automatically and writes
them to the database file,
Jobname.DB. If a backup of the
current database file already exists,
ANSYS writes it to Jobname.DBB.

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu – View Settings

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

PlotCtrls Menu

Units
• The ANSYS program does not assume a system
of units for your analysis. Except in magnetic
field analyses, you can use any system of units
so long as you make sure that you use that
system for all the data you enter. (Units must be
consistent for all input data.)
• Using the /UNITS command, you can set a
marker in the ANSYS database indicating the
system of units that you are using. This
command does not convert data from one
system of units to another; it simply serves as a
record for subsequent reviews of the analysis.

Undo
Main Menu>Preprocessor>Session Editor
• The UNDO command brings up the session

editor, a text window that displays all of the
program operations since the last SAVE or
RESUME command. You can modify command
parameters, delete whole sections of text and
even save a portion of the command string to a
separate file. The file is named
jobname000.cmds, with each subsequent save
operation incrementing the filename by one digit.

Hints
• Get familiar with
File>Write DB log file or command key LGWRITE, Fname, Ext, --, Kedit
• This file can be easily edited in for example “Notepad”

• For every “create/add” facility there is a “delete” function
in ANSYS
• It may save time to build the model in ANSYS (and yield
better results) rather than importing from a CAD system
• Use the “Alt-Tab” key to activate hidden dialog boxes or
activate the ANSYS output window if ANSYS stalls!!

Hints
• Tips on SAVE and RESUME:
– Periodically save the database as you progress
through an analysis. ANSYS does NOT do automatic
saves.
– You should definitely SAVE the database before
attempting an unfamiliar operation (such as a
Boolean or meshing) or an operation that may cause
major changes (such as a delete).
• RESUME can then be used as an “undo” if you don’t like the
results of that operation.
– SAVE is also recommended before doing a solve.

Hints
File Management Tips
• Run each analysis project in a separate working
directory.
• Use different jobnames to differentiate various analysis
runs.
• You should keep the following files after any ANSYS
analysis:
– log file ( .log), database file ( .db), results files, load step files, if
any (.s01, .s02, ...), physics files (.ph1, .ph2, ...).
• Use /DELETE or Utility Menu > File > ANSYS File
Options to automatically delete files no longer needed
by ANSYS during that session.


FEM ANSYS Classic Basics

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Course in

FEM – ANSYS Classic

FEM – ANSYS Classic

Start ->Programs -> ANSYS Release 7.1 -> ANSYS Classic

FEM – ANSYS Classic ANSYS Basics 3

• Interactive mode is used in this course.

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Set memory to 64 for total and

Set the default directory to be a

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• Left mouse button picks (or unpicks) the

• Middle mouse button does an Apply.

• Right mouse button toggles between

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Error file Jobname.ERR ASCII

Output file Jobname.OUT ASCII

Database file Jobname.DB Binary

Results file: Jobname.xxx Binary

structural or coupled Jobname.RST

Graphics file Jobname.GRPH ASCII (special format)

Element matrices Jobname.EMAT Binary

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ANSYS Utility Menu

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Clears (zeros out) the database stored in

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Files opened before this command will only

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Defines a title for the analysis. ANSYS includes

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Reads the file Jobname.DB

You can save or resume the database

Using the save and resume operations

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