We truly enjoy writing blog posts and sharing them. But that’s not all we do. Our new blog site lives on the Rand SIM Resource Center. The Rand SIM Resource Center offers on-demand webcasts, tips, brochures, course outlines, and more. Rand SIM Solutions WILL continue, we hope you’ll join us: https://resources.randsim.com/rand-simulation-solutions-blog ..read more

PCB manufacturers offering design services are becoming a common trend in the electronics industry. Investments in advanced fabrication techniques (multi-layer, HDI, RF, etc.) are important to remain competitive and attract customers. However, as PCB routing gets more complex, the likelihood of customers getting themselves into trouble goes up. By leveraging Ansys Electronics simulation tools, PCB fabricators can position themselves to provide significant value-add to their end customers. Additionally, manufacturers that offer design services can ensure they are creating the best product possi ..read more

Spring has officially arrived promising warmer temperatures and a higher probability of seeing the sun.  The warming glow of the sun’s rays is a welcomed sight this time of year, but in a few short weeks, we will be into the heat of summer when those same rays can add extra heat to struggling air conditioning and ventilation cooling systems.  Rays can pound opaque surfaces, converting solar radiation to surface heat which can transfer through walls and roofs to occupied or unoccupied spaces.  Solar radiation can also pass through windows to heat interior surfaces.  Understa ..read more

Introduction Everyone can agree that skiers are faster down the mountain than snowboarders, but how much faster?  This article will look at the drag difference between the two styles.  The skier has a big advantage facing forward in that it can decrease its frontal projected area (area projected onto a plane) by bending at the knees and waist while the snowboarder’s area remains constant whether the knees and waist are bent or not.  In this model, the skier has a frontal area of about 3.0 ft2 while the snowboarder is 3.78 ft2. Figure 1: Frontal Area Results A CFD analysis was se ..read more

The model chosen to demonstrate some of the advantages of using Ansys Object Generator is shown below. It consists of a box and a lid which are connected with a large number of fasteners. One method of connecting them is with the use of simple beam elements which are easily generated in Ansys Workbench. However, even when easy, it becomes a chore when a large number of them are needed. In this example, first, a simple beam with an assumed diameter of 6 mm spanning from the middle of the lid hole to the middle of a box hole will be generated. The first beam is created as usual… Notice the nea ..read more

In recent years Ansys has released 3D encrypted components for Ansys HFSS. This feature allows users to simulate their complex structures in HFSS and pass completed designs to their customers while suppressing sensitive materials, objects, or structures. Encrypted models also allow for password protection for internal editing and for controlled customer use. A truly fantastic addition to HFSS that increases the ability to move further into system-level simulations instead of single components while protecting the intellectual property created during the design process. Figures 1 and 2 depict a ..read more

Quite often, engineers need to set up a model not by using ideal or undeformed geometry but by using a geometry that has been deformed as the result of structural loading. Checking for clearance or fit within a larger top-level assembly, using the deformed shape for additional simulation or physics, or using the deformed components in a production model could be a reason why a user would seek to create solid geometry from their deformed mesh. With some of the Python scripts available in Ansys SpaceClaim, this process is quite easy. To start, open SpaceClaim and import the following objects (ma ..read more

Valve Wall Contact Dynamic meshing allows for moving parts without the need of overset meshing which introduces interpolation errors at the component/background interface.  For simulations that have wall-to-wall contact, dynamic meshing allows for contact detection to close the gaps and prevent fluid flow in these regions.  This feature was added in Ansys Fluent 2021 R1. A good use case for dynamic meshing is rigid body motion where boundaries or internal walls move relative to each other.  The motion of the walls can be specified directly through the use of a UDF (User-Defined ..read more

Much of the focus in the world of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) centers on designing a structure to withstand a single application of a static load. Frequently, however, structures are subjected to repeated cyclic loading, which can lead to the initiation and growth of cracks, often culminating in sudden fracture. For many common loading scenarios, the fatigue module of Ansys Mechanical can be used to accurately predict the fatigue life of a part. For more advanced cases, Ansys Ncode Designlife is required. In this blog post, we will discuss three approaches to fatigue, when the Ansys Mechanic ..read more

When a new product is being developed for production, electromagnetic compliance (EMC) failures can pose a significant risk to your project schedule and budget. Therefore, it is important to ensure your product has been designed robustly to avoid these costly failures. In the past, mitigating electromagnetic interference (EMI) relied on internal best-practices developed over years of fixing regulatory failures. Oftentimes companies relied on outside organizations with greater EMC knowledge to assist in their product designs. Fortunately, Ansys has developed the necessary tools to work alongsid ..read more