Midsurface with more than a solid

[VRuiz]

I'm trying to simulate a plate reinforced with beams in Femap 9.2, simplifying the problem with midsurfaces.

Original geometry is 3 solids (1 for the plate and 2 for the beams) and when doing automatic midsurfaces, there is a space between surfaces (equivalent to half the plate thickness), so I can not analyze the problem.

I tried to connect solids before doing the midsurface, space between them is still there.

I tried to intersect them (midsurfaces -> intersect) but when analyzing there is a mesh error.

I tried to modify the midsurfaces to intersect them (extend, intersect and delete the surplus), but I'm not sure the results corresponds with the original geometry.

Can anybody help me?
Thanks

 

[PaulvdH]

Hi,

You should prepare the model in your CAD program.
create midplane surfaces and in some cases adjust the surface to achieve a contact surface to the surface of the other part where you're assembling the part to.
these means that the part will not be 100% the same as the CAD model, but you need to change it to be able to merge the nodes to eachother.

hope this helps.

 

[rb1957]

or you can create a set of rigid links between the 2D model of the plate and the surrounding solids (maybe they're fastened together at specific points).

or keep the plate as 3D solids between the two other solids and transition to 2D where you don't have the interface issue.