ANSYS® Rigid Dynamics
11 . 0 R E L E A S E
Product Features
Joint Types
Fixed
Revolute
Translational
Slot
Cylindrical
Universal
Spherical
Planar
General
Spring Types
Linear
Nonlinear
Longitudinal
Loads
Force
Moment
Tabular
Function
General joint
Activate/deactivate
New for release 11.0, the ANSYS® Rigid Dynamics® solution is an ANSYS®
Workbench® integrated add-on designed to help users rapidly design mechanisms
subject to rigid body motion. Using a new proprietary explicit time integration
scheme, rapid rigid dynamics solutions of mechanisms that undergo large rotations
and transformations are now possible in an integrated, user-friendly ANSYS
environment.
This new tool works by reducing a problem from many thousands of degrees of freedom (DOF) down to a few DOF for each part by assuming that each part is rigid or
nondeformable. Rigid parts are connected via explicit joint types that constrain those
parts to relative and prescribed motions.
Front suspension assembly
of a NASCAR race car
showing components that
keep the right front wheel
attached to the vehicle at
speeds exceeding 200 miles
per hour (322 km/hr). The
area of investigation here
is the lower ball joint,
highlighted in yellow.
Images courtesy DEI Inc.
Results
Joint reaction forces
Joint reaction moments
Velocities
Accelerations
Displacements
Productivity Tools
Body view windows
Interactive assembly manipulation
Automatic joint creation option
Automatic time stepping
Intelligent defaults
ANSYS Rigid Dynamics technology works the way all ANSYS Workbench based
tools do: It is associatively linked to a 3-D ANSYS® DesignModeler™ or computeraided design (CAD) model so parametric modification of the geometry is possible at
any point in the engineering simulation process. The technology allows a user to:
Parametrically change part dimensions without having to tediously rebuild the
analysis model each time the user needs to verify a design iteration's rigid body
motion, part velocities, accelerations, joint forces, etc.
Parametrically modify parameters from within the ANSYS Rigid Dynamics
tool based on insight received from the rigid dynamics solution.
www.ansys.com
11 . 0 R E L E A S E
Product Features
Parametric associativity with all major
CAD systems including:
• ANSYS DesignModeler models
• CAD models
Autodesk ® Inventor ® and
Mechanical Desktop®
Autodesk Inventor Professional
Dassault
• CATIA®V4 and CATIA®V5
• SolidWorks®
PTC Pro/ENGINEER®
UGS
• Solid Edge ®
• Unigraphics ®
VX® CAD/CAM
Geometry transfer via
ACIS®/Parasolid ®
• UGS I-DEAS ®
• PTC Pro/DESKTOP®
• IronCAD
• think3 thinkdesign
• CoCreate OneSpace Modeling
• Kubotek® CADKEY®
• MCS Anvil
ANSYS Rigid Dynamics is an ANSYS Workbench add-on to ANSYS® Structural™,
ANSYS® Mechanical™ or ANSYS® Multiphysics™ software. Using the ANSYS Rigid
Dynamics tool to analyze a fully rigid system with joints can save a considerable
amount of time in model troubleshooting. Once a working rigid model is developed,
it is a simple matter to convert parts of interest from rigid to flexible for a more
comprehensive rigid–flexible dynamics simulation.
Benefits
Extremely fast solution, often measured in seconds for even complex
assembly dynamics
Configuration option that allows interactive kinematic manipulation of
assembly and discovers incorrect constraints immediately
Iterative “what if” simulations possible; realistic manual optimization opportunity
because of the very low CPU requirements of an all-rigid dynamics solution
Converting an all-rigid model to a combined rigid–flexible model takes just a
few mouse clicks; can be ready to run in minutes
Sample Applications
Construction equipment
• Loader arms
• Backhoe linkage
• Hydraulic pumps
Aircraft
• Landing gear
• Steering linkage
Consumer goods
• Washing machine design
• Clutches
• Snowblowers
Automotive
• Suspension design
• Steering rack control
• Engine valvetrain
• Engine reciprocating components
Military
• Fuse mechanisms
• APC hatches
• Turret design
www.ansys.com
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Image Credits: Some images courtesy Aavid Thermalloy, ICT Prague and Silesian University of Technology—Institute of Thermal Technology.
©2007 ANSYS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A
MKT000209
11-07