Learning Forum

[mariannebassil]

hello if i have an abaqus geometry .inp and .odb how can i import them into design modeler

[Aniket]

If you want to take the mesh to Mechanical, then you can use "External Model" system and connect it to the model cell of the Static structural (assuming you are using one), and then transfer mesh from Model to Geometry.

 

There is no supported way to translate the odb file to a geometry file as per my knowledge.

[mariannebassil]

no in fact i am using fluent for fluids simulations so i need a deformed geometry that i import then i draw the fluid domain and transfer them to ansys mesh then ansys fluent

[Aniket]

then your project schematic would look something like this:

 

You should be able to connect Fluent system to System C shown in the image above.

[mariannebassil]

can you tell me how to put the abaqus data ( .inp and .odb) in systems A and B? i didn't understand how to do it!

[Rob]

If you right click on the External Model (A) you should be able to browse to open the odb file.  If that doesn't work, you should be able to export something from Abaqus that'll read into either External Model or Fluent Meshing.  The problem you may find is the model size (number of faces, facets or cells) on the Student version: this can be avoided by using a research licence. 

[mariannebassil]

I don't find the external model neither the  mechanical model... Maybe because i am using Fluids package to use Fluent CFD . DO i have to install another packages ? on the other hand i tried to export the mesh from abaqus to Step format but it didn't work ...

[Rob]

Which licence are you using? The Student version should have everything.

[mariannebassil]

i attached workbench page above. The license for academic package

[Aniket]

I believe that you have not installed ANSYS structural products.

Please try to install these as highlighted in the image below:

Please note that you can add the highlighted module over the existing installation, which means you do not need to uninstall and install everything again.

 

[mariannebassil]

i did this but still the mechanical products don't appear (External Model,mechanical model)

[peteroznewman]

Marianne's ABAQUS inp file was read into an External Model in this post.

[peteroznewman]

@rwoolhou,  External Model does not read ABAQUS .odb files, only .inp files.

[mariannebassil]

yes that is why we exported the odb into an inp file and got the file that i attached but it is weird why the deformed part wasn't included! But it is shown when u plotted the .txt file ( the .txt file was obtained by copying only the nodes part from the whole inp file and i arranged the file in order to be read by design modeler)

[peteroznewman]

One theory may be that ANSYS only shows the first part in the file.

I looked in the inp file and see it has only one part, so that is not the problem.

[mariannebassil]

ok then ... i will wait if you can help me find the solution for this problem! Thank you ( before asking ANSYS a test license for mechanical , i have to be sure that the file will be read properly)

[mariannebassil]

hey Peter! I contacted ANSYS mechanical. He found that the problem was with the type of the elements in the inp file ( he replaced CCL 12 by C3D8H and removed the 4 last columns of these elements (i attached the corrected inp file). He sent us a screenshot of the geometry that looks good ( we can see the complete tyre however i don't have the mechanical license in order to check in detail if this is the needed geormetry). So please can you try now with the new inp file (attached) and send me the generated geometry ( design modeler format or any format that i can import through design modeler in order to open it and see it )

Thank you in advance

[peteroznewman]

 Marianne,

I can see the Geometry and Mesh in ANSYS Mechanical using a Mechanical Model component.

If I open Model B3, this is what I can see in Mechanical under Geometry...

Click on Mesh...

If I RMB on the Mesh I can export an STL file.

If I RMB on the Solid Body an Export menus shows up...

I saved it as tyre.pmdb.

If I open the Geometry component at C2, SpaceClaim opens but is empty.

If I create a new Geometry component D, I can import tyre.pmdb, but again, SpaceClaim opens and it is empty.

I can open SpaceClaim and read in the STL file. 

This is the at least Geometry that can be edited.

RMB on Facets and Convert to Solid, with Merge Faces = Yes.

Section view of the solid in SpaceClaim.

Maybe someone has a better idea?

Regards,
Peter

[mariannebassil]

if i can have the geometry as a single surface rather than the mesh format ( it means like the green solid body above like it appears in the external model)

[peteroznewman]

Yes, the green body in the top image is the same solid shown below, just without the facets being rendered, but they are there all the same.

[mariannebassil]

yes, but is there a way to obtain a clean surface solid body? without the mesh

[Rob]

There is, but it's not necessarily a simple process: you can reduce the level of faceting or patch the surfaces to return to traditional CAD. The former is still faceted but may open on a student licence: the latter is traditional CAD but very manual. 

[mariannebassil]

I didn't understand what is the procedure to do in order to transform the stl geometry into a solid body surface

[peteroznewman]

In Mechanical, RMB on Mesh and Export STL File. Open SpaceClaim, then open the STL file just saved.  It shows a Facet in the Structure. RMB on Facet and Convert to Solid. You have a choice to Merge Faces.

[Sandeep Medikonda]

You might find this discussion helpful in converting STLs to solids.

[mariannebassil]

Hey peter!

Can i bother you a second time with my inp file! i have another inp file which i need to convert to stl file like you did in the previous example! you can find here attached the inp file. Thank you for sending me the stl file accordingly

[peteroznewman]

 Hi Marianne,

This is a half model. Attached is the stl file inside a zip file.  Next time I'll have to charge you : )

Regards,
Peter

[mariannebassil]

Peter! I am sorry for the inconvenience! I need for a new time the file stl from the attached inp and maybe for an additional time also in the future! Can i have your mail for future help?

[peteroznewman]

Hi Marianne,

Please try again to get the necessary components installed on your system, that way you can be self-sufficient!  

I do all my communication on the site and don't share my email.

[mariannebassil]

Hi Peter

In fact i cannot have the license to use the external and mechanical model in Workbench that is why i asked you to generate the stl file from the above inp file.

Regards

[peteroznewman]

Hi Marianne,

If your Academic license file does not include the Mechanical products, the free Student license does. Find a second computer to install the Student license on.

Regards