Restart/Next Step for Thermal Analysis using Node Temp?

[newmike]

Hi guys,

I have a basic 2D transient heat transfer problem where I have a concentrated heat flux at a node. Currently I have it run in Step-1, for 10ms. And then the heat source is removed and it reaches steady state in Step-2. But in reality it will run for as long as it needs to such that the top surface is greater than a certain temperature (it is a spot weld application).

Is there a slick way to have ABAQUS run the first step UNTIL a temperature condition is met at a certain node or node set...and then switch over to Step-2?

I have managed to "beat around the bush" by running the first step in ABAQUS, once the job is complete a python script runs to generate nodal temperature report files for each iteration in the general analysis, then MATLAB reads these all, including the time increment in the .msg file. It processes the info, and finds the iteration where the source will be removed. Then it creates another python file to run a restart of the first step at the point that I want, and executes it. All this is done autonomously, but if there was a slicker way to do this without MATLAB, it would be nice.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
newmike

 

[newmike]

Here's the update:

Well today I called ABAQUS. They suggested a subroutine URDFIL that would allows you to stop an analysis based on results from the previous iteration (uses the .fil file). They said in version 6.8 they will have flags that you can set to make this more user-friendly.