solidworks simulation bonding parts 1

[LightHi]

Two parts are physically going to be welded together from the edges. however, one sits on top of the other. now in solidworks simulation, should i make them component bonded (which will make them bonded from the faces) or edge bonded.


I am concerned regarding the transfer of forces. will the weight and force from the top component only get transferred to the bottom one through the edges if I bond the edges only. this won't be realistic as in reality forces will be transferred through the faces as well. right?

so i guess i should bond the faces.?

what about for a component that is held in between two other from the side faces?

 

[LightHi]

does a force get applied to the bottom component face due to the presence of the component above it (no penetration contact)? in solidworks

 

[LightHi]

for a component that is held in between two other, there will be some force acting on the inside component due to the outside ones. however, this may not be the same as if all were one material, so where there is physically going to be no weld, is it appropriate to bond the parts together?

thanks

 

[CRG]

Bond the edges and define surface contact for the faces. If SolidWorks Simulation cannot do this, then you cannot simulate the interface.

 

[ShaggyPE]

CRG is correct. For future reference, there is a sub-forum specifically dedicated to SolidWorks Simulation:

SolidWorks: Simulation/FEA (COSMOS)


-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Pretty good with SolidWorks

 

[dhengr]

LightHi:

It might be helpful if you provided a sketch with a plan view and sections showing the welds and the pieces being joined, along with dimensions and loads, etc. And, if you don’t have some vague idea how the welds work and the forces/stresses flow through them and into the pieces, I’m hard pressed to know how you will ever simulate this correctly, no matter what computer software you use to do your fundamental thinking for you. The computer and some software may help you with the magnitude of the stresses at different points, or a more accurate deformation picture, etc., but you have to model the structure correctly. It can not do this kind of basic thinking for you, no matter how much you are “concerned regarding the transfer of forces” or “i guess i should bond the faces.?” You have got to know the general picture and load transfer situation or how will you ever simulate it anywhere near correctly?

It sounds like you might have two pieces (plates) with a lap joint. The faces may be touching but they are not bonded, which would produce some sort of shear flow at the faying surface btwn. the two plates, in lbs./sq.inch of the contact surfaces, equal to the total force. The load transfer more likely happens through fillet welds on the edge of one plate and onto the face of the other plate. What is the orientation of the weld to the force, parallel to or perpendicular to it? How does this work on the welds? Can the plates deform in this load transfer process and adversely affect the weld or its root?

Why don’t you ask your boss how to do this problem, or how your exact detail works, so he knows what you know and what you don’t know, and so he can keep you and the company out of trouble. He has a vested interest in your doing things correctly, and might be a good mentor, as long as you haven’t oversold yourself. Do the problem both ways, edges bonded (fillet welds) or faces bonded (epoxy glue, many spot welds or some such), and study the output of the two different approaches with your boss and you both might learn something. He may not know SolidWorks as well as you should, but he probably understands the detail or structure better. Remember, a fancy software package does not an engineer make.

 

[LightHi]

dhengr:

My question was regarding how the software package solidworks simulated the no penetration option. and shaggy PE and CRG have been helpful in answering my query that it does allow load transfer through a surface to surface contact.

my aim was to learn how the software package simulates the different contact options it provides. i am not asking it to do any thinking for me - only computation and i can do this knowing what option in solidworks simulate the contact I want.

I think you have misunderstood my question - i know where all the wleds are and what they are . i was trying to find the best way to 'model' my problem in solidworks. my question was regarding how solidworks works and not regarding mechanics, properties of welds or such.

 

[LightHi]

dhengr:

We should not take it for certain that an engineering boss would be a he and not she