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Abaqus CAE performances with multiple partitions

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Arnaud-W

Aerospace
Jun 11, 2019
8
Hi all !

I have an issue using multiple partitioning in Abaqus CAE (2018): The more partitions I use on a complex part (imported form a CAD software), the longer Abaqus needs to regenerate the part. When the number of partitions gets above 10 or 11, it start to be quite sensible (20-30 s).
The problem with that is that Abaqus seems to do this regenerating each time it shows the part for the first time after startup (either in part or assembly context). As I have a model with 5 such parts, Abaqus cae takes ages to display the assembly at startup. Once it's started it's fine though, but it's still a pain as I copy/past this assembly a lot to test plenty of different simulations situations.

It there any solution to this issue ? Either by using a different meshing strategy (requiring less partitions) or by turning off some regenerating options ? For now, the only workaround I found is to create the mesh using another database, to write and INP, and to import only the orphan mesh in my main database (which I need to do each time I change anything on the part).

As an example, I attached a database with 3 models. And empty one (that get selected at database opening), one with the part without partition (fast to open), and one with the part partitioned as I need for the mesh (very long to open).

To give more background on the problem : I import the original parts from Catia. There are quite small 10x10cm, but with a lot of details that I need to keep (some overlapping lids etc...), and with thin walls and stiffeners. I want to create an FE model to do both thermal (and thermo-mechanical) and vibration analysis. As radiation is needed in thermal analysis, I want to use elements as big as possible to keep computation time not crazy. But to have a valid simulation in mechanical and vibration analysis, I need more elements (especially in the thickness of the walls). The solution I found to this dilemma is to use quadratic hex elements. And to mesh a complex geometry with hexes, I need a lot of partitioning... Here is an example of the final mesh I use:
CasingHaut_mqcbjj.png


Thank you very much !
 
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What are your PC’s specs ? Maybe the machine itself is too weak since your model doesn’t seem so big and it shouldn’t take that long to regenerate it. You can also try restarting the computer (if you haven’t done this already), especially if it has been running for a long time. This often helps with Abaqus performance.
 
Hi ! Thanks for the answer.

My computer is definitely not strong, but still OK for most of the thinks I do. (i5-8250CPU, 16Go RAM, no dedicated GPU) And I restart once a day.

Maybe it's the lack of GPU that make the display so slow ?

I checked the system use during the time Abaqus try to display the part after startup: CPU goes to 30% load only on abaqus, but don't increase more even if there is still 60% idle. RAM and GPU are not loaded.

I've tried to change the options in "Graphics Options", with no luck. But I don't really understand what the options are about, so...

I don't exactly understand what Abaqus is computing so hard when first displaying the part.

Arnaud
 
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