Learning Forum

[Rameez_ul_Haq]

,so what I understood from your reply is that either I use linear or non-linear contacts, the total number of contact elements built by solver are still going to be somewhat the same (for the same contact and target faces). I cannot do much to modify (infact decrease) these number of contact elements, unless I decrease the size of the mesh by my own on the bodies between which I applied contact. Moreover, the formulation and detection method still won't provide that much of a help in decreasing the number of contact elements built by solver.
Plus, I also got to know that symmetric will indeed kinda double the total number of contact elements within my model, hence requiring more RAM. So what is the default program controlled option for contact behavior?
Now, as you just informed me, we know that MPC formulation will allow me to use Iterative solver. What other contact formulations will allow and prevent me to use the Iterative solver?
So yes, that is something which I was also experiencing. Even though by adding that APDL command under all my joints (fixed, revolute, cylinderical, spherical, etc) to switch to Penalty Method and avoid using the Largrange Multiplier, it was still not giving up using the Sparse solver. I thought I was doing a mistake in writing the command but apparently its also not working for you. So it means that even if we are using the the contact formulation which allows the use of Iterative solver, we won't still be able to use the Iterative solver if the model also involves joints Yes, I hope too that if any ANSYS Employee could address this issue on how can we actually switch any joints' formulation of MPC184 elements from Largange Multiplier to Penalty Based so that we could be able to implement Iterative (PCG) solver only.