Workshop 8A

Transient Analysis
(Caster Wheel Test)

14.5 Release

ANSYS Mechanical
Linear and Nonlinear Dynamics
2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Goals
Our goal is to determine the dynamic
response of a caster wheel exposed to a
side impact such as hitting a curb.
This may be simulated in a physical test by
dropping a heavy Striker Tool on the
side of the wheel.

The dropped weight represents side impact on

the wheel.

Striker
Tool

The Wheel and Striker Tool are made of

Steel.

Assume the far face of the Wheel/Axle is

constrained.
Assume the sides of the Striker are constrained
to slide up and down vertical rails.
Assume a damping ratio of 0.02 (i.e. 2%)

Wheel

Constrain End
2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A Project Schematic

From the project schematic, insert a new
Transient Structural system.

Import the Geometry file

caster_test2.agdb

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Preprocessing
Edit the Model cell to open the Mechanical application.

verify that the material assignment is Structural Steel

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A Units
In Mechanical, set the following units system:

m, kg, N, s, V, A
Degrees
RPM
Celcius

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Preprocessing
Suppress the upper Striker.

Expand the geometry Branch, and determine

which part is the upper Striker.
>RMB>Suppress Body
We will incorporate the lower Striker in the
simulation only.
We will apply an initial velocity to the lower Striker
to account for its momentum due to the drop
height & force.

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Preprocessing
Define the contact between the bottom of
the Striker Tool and the top Edge of the
Caster Wheel

LMB on >Connections in the Outline Tree.

>Insert>Manual Contact Region
Use Face select
Change Update Stiffness to Each Equilibrium
Iteration

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Environment
Apply constraints on the end of the
bore to oppose loads on the
wheel.

Within the Flexible Dynamic Branch

>Insert>Fixed Support
Use Face Select, LMB and pick four
annular surfaces on the bottom of the
axle hole.

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Environment
The Striker Tool is guided on rails so it can
only travel up and down when dropped
on the wheel.

>Insert>Frictionless Support
Use LMB and pick all four sides of the Striker

Tool block.
Note: The four sides of the block may consist
of more than four total faces depending on
how the (CAD) geometry was originally
generated.

a Face
a Face
2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Environment
Apply a gravity inertial load

RMB >Insert>Standard Earth Gravity to

account for weight (mass) and to

accelerate the Striker downward towards
the Wheel.
In the Details window, change the
Direction in this case to +X (look at the
XYZ Triad to understand global
orientation)

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

10

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Environment
Apply an initial velocity on the Striker.

Use Body Select and pick and >Apply the Striker Part.
Enter 10 m/s for X
initial velocity is assigned to the picked Striker but not the Caster
Wheel

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

11

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A Solution Settings

Check on >Analysis Settings in the Outline
Tree

define the analysis settings in the time

domain
Verify 1 for Number of Steps
Verify 1 for Current Step Number
Verify 0.001 for Step end time
Enter 0.0001 for Initial Time Step
Enter 3e-5 for Minimum Time Step
Enter 2e-4 for Maximum Time Step

Solve the Transient analysis.

it may take some hand calculations and/or trial &
error to find values that are appropriate for the
scale and severity of your non-linear problem.

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

12

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Results
After the Solution is completed review the results.

Very important in many problems like this

Set Result Scale to 1.0 (True Scale)

>Insert additional solution objects of interest

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

13

Release 14.5

Workshop 8A - Results
To get an overall view of the Dynamic
(transient) results step thru the
TimeLine for each result plot of interest.

Evaluate any objects that have lost their Green

Checkmark (possibly because the Display time

has changed due to changes in the Timeline.
Remember to Animate (Play & Stop) the mode
from the Timeline window.
You can typically rotate the model during animation
too.

If time permits, make a note of your results, and

>Insert>Sizing (at the mesh object in the outline)
and enter a smaller Element Size (refer to the
Graphics Ruler). Then >Solve again and compare
results.

2012 ANSYS, Inc.

March 28, 2013

14

Release 14.5