FEMAP Model Regenerate

[SolidworksFan]

I am new to FEMAP. I have what I hope is a simple FEMAP question.

Say I have a square plate with all four edges constrained. I run a modal analysis and get an answer. For kicks, I deleted the contraints and used model/analysis/analyze to re-run the model. It runs but the results are the same ie the model did not update with the deleted contraints. I looked for a regenerate model buttton did not see anything of use in the help menu. The cntl-G button did not help. Certaintly I must be missing something easy.

 

[SolidworksFan]

I just found the rebuild icon and it did not help. Again, there must be a way to iterate a model without starting over for a simple constraint change.

 

[SolidworksFan]

A coworker just answered the question:

The results are appended to the end of the previous set so if you are requesting 10 modes, the 2nd run should be modes 11-21.

I looked and this is the case. FEMAP is nothing like Solidworks Simulation!

 

[dwallace1971]

I would suggest you work through the series of tutorials (even the really simple ones), that shipped with FEMAP. That will help you familiarize yourself with the interface and will point out some of the less obvious features of FEMAP.

 

[SolidworksFan]

I worked thru almost all of the Examples and none of them discussed the problem I was having. Is there another set of tutorials available? I am willing to work thru anything to help get me up to speed. I tried to find a text book but it appears none have been written for beginners in FEMAP.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[dwallace1971]

At least some of the tutorials demonstrate how to select output sets, though I don't know if any of them actually have you running multiple analyses on the same model, then manipulating the sets. Another drawback of the tutorials is that they don't encourage you to use the post-processing toolbox. The toolboxes are the most handy part of the software, when you get used to them.

The FEMAP "Commands" manual and the User's Guide are very helpful (I found the Commands manual moreso). The vendor your company purchased the software from should offer courses on the software at a resonable price. If they don't, several companies do.

The more you use FEMAP, the more you will like it. I had used MSC PATRAN for pre and post processing for a number of years before moving to a company that preferred FEMAP. Though I was initially a little hesitant to embrace the software, now I can't think of any reason short of a command from on-high that would make me go back to PATRAN.

 

[rb1957]

i apologise for not readin all of the posts in detail, but ...

have you selected the right output set ? if you deleted the constraints i wonder how it ran ? maybe it didn't produce any results (so you have only one output set) ??

 

[SolidworksFan]

Since it was only a modal analysis with no loads, a constraint is not required. The only trick is to realize the first 6 modes are basically zero because they reflect the 6 degrees of freedom. Mode 7 is really the first mode or fundamental frequency of the unsupported model. I learned this trick in the Solidworks Simulation class.

 

[rb1957]

"there must be a way to iterate a model without starting over for a simple constraint change"

a simpel way is to define constraint sets; use different sets to define different supports for the model. make the desired set active in the analysis ...

 

[SolidworksFan]

I may have tripped across this process a few minutes ago. Thanks for posting.