FE Absorb Tool
Use the FE Absorb tool to add (absorb) certain FE information into connectors. FE weld entities or specific FE group definitions can be considered.
Location: Connectors module
The FE absorb functionality is useful in creating connectors for legacy FE solver models, allowing you to convert between various realization types or use any other connector functionality.
- For welds, all FE entities that belong to the selected weld type (such as bar2, ACM, and so on) will be identified as spots.
- For bonds, all FE entities that belong to the selected bond type (such as adhesive) will be identified as adhesives. The adhesive is represented by solids (hexas, pentas) with attached 1D elements.
- Currently mass absorption works only for non structural masses organized via group definitions. One connector is absorbed per NSM group.
Once the appropriate FE is identified, the absorb function creates a new connector for each cluster and associates the existing FE entities as realization of the connector. The newly created connector also holds any relevant information about links.
Spot Options
Option | Action |
---|---|
FE configs | Select the type of FE realization (one or more entities) that
needs to be converted to connectors. For example, rigid identifies all rigid elements in the model and creates connectors for each one of them. The FE config can be a simple type (weld, rigids, spring, and so on) or custom types defined in the FE config file (ACM, LS-DYNA MAT100, and so on). For custom types, the FE type can be chosen in an additional line. |
Elem filter | Choose between selecting the displayed elements or a smaller
selection from which you can identify and create connectors.
|
Elements | Select the elements from which the FE corresponding to the chosen FE config are determined and converted to connectors. |
FE connectivity | Choose how the selected FE config is connected to the
connecting parts (links). For many FE config types, this
option is predetermined. But for some types of weld
representations, multiple configurations of connectivity are
valid. In such cases, you should select the type that is
best for the model. For example, a Nastran CWELD element is a
mesh-independent weld, which does not directly connect to
the shell elements; depending on how it was generated, plot
elements are sometimes used to connect the CWELD to the
shells. In such situations, you should select option 2 -
mesh independent (head), rather than option 3. Depending on
the FE config selected, one or more connectivity types are
valid.
|
Combine in case of equivalent body nodes | FE Absorption logic enhancement while absorbing connectors if body is separated on both sides of the layer. Even if body has coincident nodes on both sides of a layer, instead of absorbing as multiple connectors, it is absorbed as one single connector. |
Maximum link distance | Consider only connections in which the link distance is
smaller than this value for absorption. Depending on the unit system used, it may be useful to increase or decrease the value. Very large values can affect performance. |
Re-connect rule | While realizing the connector, HyperLife Weld Certification
looks for link entities based on the re-connect rule. Tip: Useful in situations where the parts to be
connected have been changed/replaced.
|
Move connectors to FE component | Save connector entities into the component of the mesh that they are linked to. |
Save MCF | Export all of the connectors that have been created from FE to a master connection file. Enter a new file name, or click Open and select the file name for the master connection file. If this field is left blank, the master connection file is not created. |
Absorb | Perform the FE absorb process. In this process, all of the entities that comprise an FE config are identified. A connector is created at each such location and all the FE entities are added to the realization of the connector. This process does not (re-)create or
renumber any new FE entities; it simply takes the identified
group of existing FE that forms a connector and marks it as
the realization of the connector. For example, if you choose
to absorb all the ACMs in a model, it identifies the hexa
elements and the attached RBE3 elements; creates a new
connector at the center of the hexa elements; then adds the
hexa elements and all the RBE3 elements as the FE
realization of the connector (marking the connector as
realized/green).
Note: The absorbed FE may not be the
same as the ones realized by HyperLife Weld Certification; the absorbed FE behaves similar to the FE created
within HyperLife Weld Certification as part of the
connector realization. If you choose to unrealize that
connector, or realize it with a new FE type, these
absorbed FE are deleted.
|
Solid Seams and Areas Options
Option | Action |
---|---|
Elem filter | Choose between selecting the displayed elements or a smaller
selection from which you can identify and create connectors.
|
Elements | Select the elements from which the FE corresponding to bonds are determined and converted to connectors. |
Enhanced approach | The absorption of solid seams and area connectors can be
performed on all elements in a model. In order to identify
valid connector elements from such a selection, instead of
identifying regular solid parts as connections, certain
characteristics need to be true.
Note: The pre-selection of
valid connection elements helps to absorb connectors
faster.
Select this checkbox when some of the characteristics the tool is looking for might be too strict for certain connections, thus preventing them from being absorbed, even though they represent solid connections. The enhanced approach requires a pre-selection of only connection elements. The complete selection is treated as valid connection elements, and only connector creation and link detection is performed. |
Seam | Absorb hexa adhesives and Penta (Mig) as seam connectors as
long as they have a regular pattern. Regular means that the
section does not change along the seam. If the hexa adhesive does not have a regular pattern, it might be absorbed as area connectors, if the check for area is marked. This will also happen for adhesives with regular patterns, if the seam checkbox is not marked. During absorption the element pattern, dimensions, and tolerance will be detected and stored on the connector. |
With head only | Only consider solid connections with head elements for
absorption. Tip: It is recommended that you use
this option in case you have connections with heads, because
it will lead to a better performance and a safer link
detection.
Clear this checkbox to also consider connections without head elements. Link detection will rely on projections. |
Area | Absorb hexa adhesive with irregular patterns as area connectors as long as they have a clear number of coats. During absorption the number of coats and tolerance will be detected and stored on the connector. |
Area connector mid-position | Position and absorb area connectors into the middle of the hexa adhesive realization. By default, this option is activated. |
Consider single element cluster | Identify element clusters using certain rules during
absorption. This approach finds plane solid (hexas, pentas)
element constellations which are connected to 1D elements on two
opposite sides. This option provides better control of the identification of adhesives. The general identification approach allows the creation of adhesive connectors even from single elements, if all other rules are observed. Normally these single elements should be absorbed into spots; this checkbox allows you to also absorb single elements into an adhesive connector. However, to prevent you from doing this by mistake, even when this option is selected, it only becomes activated if all of the selected 3D elements belong to a unique component. |
With tie contact | Determine links by investigating tie contacts. Only entities that are part of a tie contact will be considered for links. |
Group links | During absorption the top and bottom side of the solid
connection is identified. Combine all found links connected to
the top side of the solid connection into one group link and
combine all found links connected to the bottom side into a
second group link. When realizing a connector that is defined with group links it is guaranteed that at each test point valid projections for both group links have to be found in order to have a successful connection. That behavior encourages more reproducible results. |
Maximum link distance = | Consider only connections in which the link distance is
smaller than this value for absorption. Depending on the unit system used, it may be useful to increase or decrease the value. Very large values can affect performance. |
Re-connect rule | While realizing the connector, HyperLife Weld Certification
looks for link entities based on the re-connect rule. Tip: Useful in situations where the parts to be
connected have been changed/replaced.
|
Move connectors to FE component | Save connector entities into the component of the mesh that they are linked to. |
Save MCF | Export all of the connectors that have been created from FE to a master connection file. Enter a new file name, or click Open and select the file name for the master connection file. If this field is left blank, the master connection file is not created. |
Absorb | Perform the FE absorb process. In this process, all of the entities that comprise an FE config are identified. A connector is created at each such location and all the FE entities are added to the realization of the connector. This process does not (re-)create or
renumber any new FE entities; it simply takes the identified
group of existing FE that forms a connector and marks it as
the realization of the connector.
Note: The absorbed FE may
not be the same as the ones realized by HyperLife Weld Certification; the absorbed FE behaves similar
to the FE created within HyperLife Weld Certification as
part of the connector realization. If you choose to
unrealize that connector, or realize it with a new FE
type, these absorbed FE are deleted.
|
Apply Mass Options
Option | Action |
---|---|
Group filter | Choose between selecting the all groups or a smaller
selection from which you can identify and create connectors.
|
Groups | Select groups. |
NSM entity type | The connector created during NSM absorption gets a NSM entity
type attribute. It is written into the connector and is
considered during the next realization. It also influences the
state of the absorbed connector (see below). Upon creation of nsm connectors, the FE data (nsm group entity) is realized and a new component (CE_Mass_inc_<include name>) is created inside the current include. The newly created connectors will reside in this new component. Each include is meant to host its own CE_Mass_inc_<include name> component. A warning will display if the component name already exists in a different include. This helps ensure that unrealizing and rerealizing nsm connectors will keep the FE data in its original include. The absorption routine always looks for elements which exclusively reference to the same property (directly or indirectly) and can be combined into one or more component links. If this is not possible, the single elements are linked in the connector individually. Thus, the links created during the absorption look the same independent of the settings for the NSM entity type attribute. Select an attribute to set
to the absorbed connectors.
|
Re-connect rule |
While realizing the connector, HyperLife Weld Certification
looks for link entities based on the re-connect rule.
Tip: This option is
useful in situations where the parts to be connected have been
changed/replaced.
|
Save MCF | Export all of the connectors that have been created from FE to a master connection file. Enter a new file name, or click Open and select the file name for the master connection file. If this field is left blank, the master connection file is not created. |
Absorb | Perform the FE absorb process. In this process all selected non structural mass groups are identified and a mass connector is created for each of these groups. The group is then referenced to the appropriate connector. The connector position is in the middle of a virtual box surrounding all referenced group elements. This process does not
(re-)create or renumber any new FE entities; it simply marks
groups as realizations of connectors.
Note: The absorbed non
structural mass may not be the same as the ones realized
by HyperLife Weld Certification. This strongly depends on
the defined NSM entity type attribute.
If you choose to unrealize that connector, the referenced group is deleted. |