Exercise 11

PLink Model Studies

Problem description
Outline Creation of a Spotweld connection between two shell part

Analysis type(s): Explicit, 3D analysis

Element type(s): Shell

Materials law(s): Elastic-Plastic

Model options: Boundary conditions, Nodal loads, Hourglass control

Key results: Displacements, Shear Force, Normal Force

Prepared by: Pierre Culiere, Wang Kunpeng

Date: February 2008
Background information
You can check this part’s detailed description through exercise 1.

Part 1: Using VCP to make Pink Spotwelds

Model

Preparing the mesh (Visual Mesh)

This exercise still use exercise10’s plate meshes; you can check exercise10 to create the
same plate.

Defining the Pink and model data (Visual-Crash PAM)

Preparation of the model(s) for analysis

This involves:

λ Starting Visual Crash PAM for creating

the Plink Model.

λ Plink Introduction

λ Using VCP for defining entities(Loads,

λ Application of boundary conditions on
boundary conditions, etc.,)—refer to
PART 2—refer to exercise 1
exercise 1
λ Definition of part (geometric) and material
λ Application of boundary conditions on
data.
PART 1—refer to exercise 1

Definition of the PAM-CRASH control data—refer to exercise 1

Starting the Visual-Crash PAM

1. It is recommended to make a backup file before you start to use VCP. If things go wrong
it is possible to go back to the mesh file and start things again.
2. Start the Visual-Crash PAM and read in the new file Plink_Elastic_Plastic.pc using
FILE > Open.

Introduction to Plink Spotwelds Interfaces

Definition

PLINK defines a line connection. Based on a bucket search, the two connected parts are
automatically set. For each Plink spotweld, connection points (spotwelds) are generated
and distributed regularly by the line defined by two nodes N1 and N2 specified in the input
or just by single point selection. The distance between 2 generated spotwelds is specified
by selections.
Generating the PLink Interface
λ Choose menu Weld Tools> Create PLINKs to get the PLINK creation card

λ Choose the tab Weld Point Utilities>Create by Line (highlighted in frame), the PID1 and
PID2 choose part 1 and part 2 respectively (click the sideward arrow firstly and then
choose the aim part)

λ Choose the spotwelds location: click the arrow which is highlighted in red circle; choose
the nodes which highlighted in blue circle and then a yellow line will appear automatically;
finally click the Create button

λ After clicking the Create button the spotwelds will

appear as the following image. Then set some
parameter as shown (highlighted in frame)

After inputting those parameter, click the Create button,

then the card will appear as shown
λ The finished PLink spotwelds should
appear as in the following image.

Until now it just appears as a series of red

points

Boundary conditions (fixing the built in end to the wall and other constraints)
Refer to the Exercise 10 in details.
Assigning the Material and Part data for
Plink
1. PLink Material data

Choose Type 302 for PLink material, then

assign this material to the PLink through
Part Card. Please consult the exact
parameter through the following image.

Set the PAM-CRASH Control Data

This controls the analysis and allows specific data like the problem analysis time (in ms in
this case), specific output information and output intervals for the results to be defined.
Assigning the Material and Part data for Plink
λ For example in the explorer panel, click on
the Explorer>Pam Controls>Title and
then open the title panel in edit mode by
clicking the right mouse key. A suitable
title can now be added. This title will
appear on all results plotted later using
Visual Viewer and is important to help identify the analysis undertaken (e.g.
PLink_Elastic_Plastic). Save this information with Apply and Close.

λ Similar steps are done for the RUNEND

control (open, edit and enter 10.0 for the
solution time).
λ For the control OCTRL select the
THPOUTPUT as INTERVAL, set the
value as 0.1

λ Select the DSYOUTPUT as INTERVAL

option, set the value as 0.5

Finally, special output options

By default only limited node and element
time history information is stored on
the .THP and .DSY files; for example, nodal
displacements and velocities, and element
local stresses. A wide range of additional
information is available, but this must be
specified.
λ In the explore option, Controls > Pam Controls > OCTRL click on the tab Advanced.
λ Click on SHLTHP > ALL > OK and click on SHLPLOT> ALL > OK to output all available
shell contour variables to the .DSY and .THP files.
λ Click the Apply Button.

Saving the dataset (as a .pc file)

Export the model in the required directory with a suitable name; e.g. overwrite the new
updated PLink_Elastic_Plastic.pc file. Click on File > Export and save the dataset. Be
careful to make sure the directory location for the export is correct.

Part 2: Explicit analysis of the PLink Spotwelds

Running a PAM-CRASH Analysis

λ Start the simulation run from the PAM-SYSTEM folder on the Desktop. The dataset file
name and its location will be requested

λ If the dataset is valid it will proceed through the dataset initialization phase into the
solution phase

λ If there are data errors the run will stop with an abnormal termination message. Inspect
the output file for errors (search for ‘ERROR’ and investigate). Correct the dataset
preferably in VISUAL CRASH (or in the editor) and rerun the analysis

Running a PAM-CRASH analysis

λ Start the simulation run from the PAM-SYSTEM folder on the Desktop. The dataset file
name and its location will be requested

λ If the dataset is valid it will proceed through the dataset initialization phase into the
solution phase
λ If there are data errors the run will stop with an abnormal termination message. Inspect
the output file for errors (search for ‘ERROR’ and investigate). Correct the dataset;
preferably in VISUAL CRASH (or in the editor) and rerun the analysis

Evaluating the results (Visual Viewer)

λ filename.THP stores x-y time history plot information at selected points, elements, etc.

λ filename.DSY contains deformation and contour plots of the full structure.

Mesh plot results (.DSY file)

λ Start the Visual-Viewer program. First, you will see that the layout of the program and
most options to visualize and manipulate the part are the same as those used in
Visual-Mesh and Visual-Crash PAM.

λ Open the results files using File >Open. First open the DSY file (i.e.
PLink_Elastic_Plastic.DSY) which contains deformed state and contour plot information
for the complete structure. Alternatively, File > Open Project allows the files
filename.DSY, filename.THP and filename.pc to be opened simultaneously

Analysis Result
1. Click Results > Animation Control and you will be able to visualize the model and use the
adjacent panel to examine deformations, either at a certain time, or as a continuous
animation.

2. Use the Speed Control option to change the viewing speed in the animation option.
Additional tabs are available for overlaying the Initial Mesh or Simultaneous Display for
viewing selected states simultaneously.Click Close to exit this option.

3. Click Results > Contour and under Entity

types activate Node and select
Displacement_X to show the contour
distribution of nodal displacement
(component X) and information on the
max/min values.

You will see various display options are

available and the possibility to change the
contour limits if required.
4. In the Contour panel the entity type SHELL
can be selected and, for example, the
variable Membrane Stress First Princ.
selected to plot the maximum principle
stress distribution for the structure.

5. Time history results (.THP file)

In the Import panel that appears activate

NODE in under Entity Type and click
Displacement_X and PLOT. The red
curve plotted is the displacement time
history versus time for connected nodes.

6. Using similar steps time history information

for stress (and other) variables in the
selected element can be plotted.

In the Import panel activate SHELL in the

Entity Type and click: Membrane Stress
First Princ., then Membrane Stress
Second Princ. and PLOT.(here we choose
two shell elements as shown)

The two curves are plotted for the

principle stresses in the selected shell
element.
7. Wider part 1 and part 2 and don’t locate
the PLink spotweld on the nodes of the
element. Then, we can see the following
results.

8. Check the Normal Force of PLINK

9. Check the Shear Force of PLINK