1. Module 9
Solid Modeling

2. Solid Modeling Overview
Importing geometry is convenient, but sometimes you may need to create it in ANSYS. Some possible reasons:
You may need to build a parametric model — one defined in terms of variables for later use in design optimization or sensitivity studies.
The geometry may not be available in a format ANSYS can read.
The Connection product you need may not be available on your computer platform.
You may need to modify or add geometry to an imported part or assembly.
ANSYS has an extensive set of geometry creation tools, which we will discuss in this chapter.
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3. Solid Modeling ...Overview
Topics covered:
A. Definitions
B. Top-Down Modeling
Primitives
Working Plane
Boolean Operations
C. Workshop
D. Bottom-Up Modeling
Keypoints
Coordinate Systems
Lines, Areas, Volumes
Operations
E. Workshop
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4. Solid Modeling A. Definitions
Solid Modeling can be defined as the process of creating solid models.
Let’s review some earlier definitions:
A solid model is defined by volumes, areas, lines, and keypoints.
Volumes are bounded by areas, areas by lines, and lines by keypoints.
Hierarchy of entities from low to high: keypoints  lines  areas  volumes. You cannot delete an entity if a higher-order entity is attached to it.
Also, a model with just areas and below, such as a shell or 2-D plane model, is still considered a solid model in ANSYS terminology.
Volumes
Areas
Lines &
Keypoints
Keypoints
Lines
Areas
Volumes
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5. Solid Modeling ...Definitions
There are two approaches to creating a solid model:
Top-down
Bottom-up
Top-down modeling starts with a definition of volumes (or areas), which are then combined in some fashion to create the final shape.
add
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6. Solid Modeling ...Definitions
Bottom-up modeling starts with keypoints, from which you “build up” lines, areas, etc.
You may choose whichever approach best suits the shape of the model, and also freely combine both methods.
We will now discuss each modeling approach in detail.
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7. Solid Modeling B. Top-Down Modeling
Top-down modeling starts with a definition of volumes (or areas), which are then combined in some fashion to create the final shape.
The volumes or areas that you initially define are called primitives.
Primitives are located and oriented with the help of the working plane.
The combinations used to produce the final shape are called Boolean operations.
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8. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling Primitives
Primitives are predefined geometric shapes such as circles, polygons, and spheres.
2-D primitives include rectangles, circles, triangles, and other polygons.
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9. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Primitives
3-D primitives include blocks, cylinders, prisms, spheres, and cones.
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10. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Primitives
When you create a 2-D primitive, ANSYS defines an area, along with its underlying lines and keypoints.
When you create a 3-D primitive, ANSYS defines a volume, along with its underlying areas, lines and keypoints.
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11. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Primitives
You can create primitives by specifying their dimensions or by picking locations in the graphics window.
For example, to create a solid circle:
Preprocessor > -Modeling- Create > -Areas- Circle >
Instructions
By picking
Picker
Pick the center and radius
in graphics window...
...Or enter values here
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12. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Primitives
To create a block:
Preprocessor > -Modeling- Create > -Volumes- Block >
Instructions
By picking
Pick the
desired locations
in graphics window...
Picker
...Or enter values here
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13. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling Working Plane
The “WP” in the prompts and in the picker stands for Working Plane — a movable, 2-D reference plane used to locate and orient primitives.
By default, the WP origin coincides with the global origin, but you can move it and/or rotate it to any desired position.
By displaying a grid, you can use the WP as a “drawing tablet.”
WP is infinite despite the grid settings. WX WY
WP (X,Y)
width
height WX WY X2 X1 Y2 Y1
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14. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Working Plane
All working plane controls are in Utility Menu > WorkPlane.
The WP Settings menu controls the following:
WP display - triad only (default), grid only, or both.
Snap - allows you to pick locations on the WP easily by “snapping” the cursor to the nearest grid point.
Grid spacing - the distance between grid lines.
Grid size - how much of the (infinite) working plane is displayed.
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15. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Working Plane
You can move the working plane to any desired position using the Offset and Align menus.
Offset WP by Increments…
Use the push buttons (with increment set by slider).
Or type in the desired increments.
Or use dynamic mode (similar to pan-zoom-rotate).
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16. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Working Plane
Offset WP to >
This simply “translates” the WP, maintaining its current orientation, to the desired destination, which can be:
Existing keypoint(s). Picking multiple keypoints moves WP to their average location.
Existing node(s).
Coordinate location(s).
Global origin.
Origin of the active coordinate system (discussed later).
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17. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Working Plane
Align WP with >
This reorients the WP.
For example, Align WP with Keypoints prompts you to pick 3 keypoints - one at the origin, one to define the X-axis, and one to define the X-Y plane.
To return the WP to its default position (at global origin, on global X-Y plane), click on Align WP with > Global Cartesian.
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18. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Working Plane
Demo:
Clear the database
Display WP and create a few keypoints by picking. Note the coordinates displayed in the picker.
Turn on the grid, change spacing, and activate snap.
Create more keypoints. Note how the cursor snaps to grid points.
Define 2 rectangles — one by picking corners and one by dimensions.
Now offset WP to average of a few keypoints, then rotate in-plane by 30º.
Define 2 more rectangles by picking and by dimensions. Note the change in rectangle orientation.
Align WP with global origin, then define some 3-D primitives. Use picking as well as “By dimensions.”
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19. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling Boolean Operations
Boolean operations are computations involving combinations of geometric entities. ANSYS Boolean operations include add, subtract, intersect, divide, glue, and overlap.
The “input” to Boolean operations can be any geometric entity, ranging from simple primitives to complicated volumes imported from a CAD system.
add
Input entities
Boolean operation
Output entity(ies)
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20. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
All Boolean operations are available in the GUI under Preprocessor > -Modeling- Operate.
By default, input entities of a Boolean operation are deleted after the operation.
Deleted entity numbers become “free” (i.e., they will be assigned to a new entity created, starting with the lowest available number).
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21. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Add
Combines two or more entities into one.
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22. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Glue
Attaches two or more entities by creating a common boundary between them.
Useful when you want to maintain the distinction between entities (such as for different materials).
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23. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Overlap
Same as glue, except that the input entities overlap each other.
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24. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Subtract
Removes the overlapping portion of one or more entities from a set of “base” entities.
Useful for creating holes or trimming off portions of an entity.
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25. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Divide
Cuts an entity into two or more pieces that are still connected to each other by common boundaries.
The “cutting tool” may be the working plane, an area, a line, or even a volume.
Useful for “slicing and dicing” a complicated volume into simpler volumes for brick meshing.
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26. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Intersect
Keeps only the overlapping portion of two or more entities.
If there are more than two input entities, you have two choices: common intersection and pairwise intersection
Common intersection finds the common overlapping region among all input entities.
Pairwise intersection finds the overlapping region for each pair of entities and may produce more than one output entity.
Common
Intersection
Pairwise
Intersection
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27. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Partition
Cuts two or more intersecting entities into multiple pieces that are still connected to each other by common boundaries.
Useful, for example, to find the intersection point of two lines and still retain all four line segments, as shown below. (An intersection operation would return the common keypoint and delete both lines.) L1 L2 L3 L6 L5 L4
Partition
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28. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling ...Boolean Operations
Demo:
“Drill” a hole by subtracting a circle from a rectangle (or a cylinder from a block)
Create two overlapping entities, save db, and do the overlap operation. Now resume db and add the entities. Note the difference between the two operations. (Glue is similar to overlap.)
Interesting model:
block,-2,2, 0,2, -2,2
sphere,2.5,2.7
vinv,all ! intersection
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29. Solid Modeling - Top-Down Modeling C. Workshop
Refer to your Workshop Supplement for instructions on:
W6. Pillow Block
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30. Solid Modeling D. Bottom-Up Modeling
Bottom-up modeling begins with a definition of keypoints, from which other entities are “built up.”
To build an L-shaped object, for example, you could start by defining the corner keypoints as shown below. You can then create the area by simply “connecting the dots” or by first defining lines and then defining the area by lines.
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31. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling Keypoints
To define keypoints:
Preprocessor > -Modeling- Create > Keypoints
Or use the K family of commands: K, KFILL, KNODE, etc.
The only data needed to create a keypoint is the keypoint number and the coordinate location.
Keypoint number defaults to the next available number.
The coordinate location may be provided by simply picking locations on the working plane or by entering the X,Y,Z values.
How are the X,Y,Z values interpreted? It depends on the active coordinate system.
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32. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling Coordinate Systems
Active Coordinate System
Defaults to global Cartesian.
Use CSYS command (or Utility Menu > WorkPlane > Change Active CS to) to change it to
global Cartesian [csys,0]
global cylindrical [csys,1]
global spherical [csys,2]
working plane [csys,4]
or a user-defined local coordinate system [csys, n]
Each of these systems is explained next.
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33. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Coordinate Systems
Global Coordinate System
The global reference system for the model.
May be Cartesian (system 0), cylindrical (1), or spherical (2).
For example, location (0,10,0) in global Cartesian is the same as (10,90,0) in global Cylindrical.
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34. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Coordinate Systems
Local Coordinate System
A user-defined system at a desired location, with ID number 11 or greater. The location may be:
At WP origin [CSWP]
At specified coordinates [LOCAL]
At existing keypoints [CSKP] or nodes [CS]
May be Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical.
May be rotated about X, Y, Z axes.
X12
Y12 X Y
X11
Y11
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35. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Coordinate Systems
Working Plane Coordinate System
Attached to the working plane.
Used mainly to locate and orient solid model primitives.
You can also use the working plane to define keypoints by picking.
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36. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Coordinate Systems
You can define any number of coordinate systems, but only one may be active at any given time.
Several geometry items are affected by the coordinate system [CSYS] that is active at the time they are defined:
Keypoint and node locations
Line curvature
Area curvature
Generation and “filling” of keypoints and nodes
Etc.
The graphics window title shows the active system.
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37. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling Lines
There are many ways to create lines, as shown here.
If you define areas or volumes, ANSYS will automatically generate any undefined lines, with the curvature determined by the active CS.
Keypoints must be available in order to create lines.
Create >
-Lines- Lines
Create >
-Lines- Arcs
Create >
-Lines- Splines
Operate >
Extrude / Sweep
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38. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling Areas
Creating areas using bottom-up method requires keypoints or lines to be already defined.
If you define volumes, ANSYS will automatically generate any undefined areas and lines, with the curvature determined by the active CS.
Create >
-Areas- Arbitrary
Operate > Extrude
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39. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling Volumes
Creating volumes using bottom-up method requires keypoints or lines or areas to be already defined.
Create >
-Volumes- Arbitrary
Operate > Extrude
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40. Solid Modeling Bottom-Up Modeling
Demo:
Clear the database
Create 5 keypoints at (1,2), (3,2), (4,0), (1,1.5), (2.5,0)
Switch to CSYS,1 and create a line “in active CS” between KP4 & KP5
Switch back to CSYS,0 and create an area “through KP’s.” Notice that the remaining lines were automatically generated lines, all of them straight.
Define two circles:
0.3R, centered at (2.25,1.5)
0.35R, centered at (3.0,0.6)
Subtract the two circles from base area. (We have used a combination of bottom-up and top-down modeling.)
Save as r.db
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41. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling Operations
Boolean operations are available for entities created by both top-down and bottom-up modeling approaches.
Besides Booleans, many other operations are available:
Extrude
Scale
Move
Copy
Reflect
Merge
Fillet
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42. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Extrude
To quickly create volumes from existing areas (or areas from lines, and lines from keypoints).
If the area is meshed, you can extrude the elements along with the areas.
Four ways to extrude areas:
Along normal — creates volume by normal offset of areas [VOFFST] .
By XYZ offset — creates volume by a general x-y-z offset [VEXT]. Allows tapered extrusion.
About axis — creates volume by revolving areas about an axis (specified by two keypoints) [VROTAT].
Along lines — creates volume by “dragging” areas along a line or a set of contiguous lines [VDRAG].
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43. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Scale
Useful for conversion from one units system to another.
Discussed in Chapter 4.
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44. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Move
To translate or rotate an entity by specifying DX,DY,DZ offsets.
DX,DY,DZ are interpreted in the active CS.
To translate an entity, make the active CS Cartesian.
To rotate an entity, make the active CS cylindrical or spherical.
Or use the commands
VGEN, AGEN, LGEN, KGEN
Another option is to transfer coordinates to a different system.
Transfer occurs from the active CS to a specified CS.
This operation is useful when you need to move and rotate an entity at the same time.
VTRAN, ATRAN, LTRAN, KTRAN
Transfer from csys,0 to csys,11
Rotate -30°
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45. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Copy
To generate multiple copies of an entity.
Specify the number of copies (2 or greater) and the DX,DY,DZ offset for each copy. DX,DY,DZ are interpreted in the active CS.
Useful to create multiple holes, ribs, protrusions, etc.
Copy in
local
cylindrical CS
Create outer
areas by
skinning
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46. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Reflect
To reflect entities about a plane.
Specify the direction of reflection:
X for reflection about the YZ plane
Y for XZ plane
Z for XY plane
All directions are interpreted in the active CS, which must be a Cartesian system.
What is the direction of reflection in this case?
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47. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Merge
To attach two entities together by removing coincident keypoints.
Merging keypoints will automatically merge coincident higher-order entities, if any.
Usually required after a reflect, copy, or other operation that causes coincident entities.
Reflect
Merge or glue
required
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48. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Fillet
Line fillet requires two intersecting lines with a common keypoint at the intersection.
If the common keypoint does not exist, do a partition operation first.
ANSYS does not update the underlying area (if any), so you need to either add or subtract the fillet region.
Area filleting is similar.
Create
fillet
Create
area
Subtract from
base area
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49. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling ...Operations
Demo:
Resume r.db (if necessary)
Create two keypoints for the axis, at (0,0) and (0,1), then extrude the area by revolving about the axis 60º
Resume r.db
Make copies of the rib radially about the Y-axis:
Create a local cylindrical CS at global origin, with THYZ = -90
Generate 7 total copies (6 new ones) with DY=15
Create the three outer “skin” areas using ASKIN,P
Create a 0.5R fillet between the top and right lines. (Notice that the lines attached to the area have been modified. This is allowed in some cases.)
Create the triangular fillet area by lines (AL,P), then subtract it from the main area.
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50. Solid Modeling - Bottom-Up Modeling E. Workshop
Refer to your Workshop Supplement for instructions on:
W7. Connecting Rod
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