A Tutorial of Pro/MECHANICA

Objectives

Enhancing the Lecture on An Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA

Familiarizing Pro/MECHANICA Menus
Learning the Process of FEA Using Pro/M

Pro/M user interface, windows, menus, mouse buttons

Formation of A FEA Model:
1. Specification of part material
2. Specification of constraints
3. Specification of load conditions
Mesh Generation
FEA Analysis and Result Analysis
Post-processing and Plotting
Result Interpretation.

Introduction
Pro/MECHANICA is a powerful linear finite element analysis (FEA) package developed for
design engineers. This tutorial serves as an introduction to the three main functions provided by
Pro/MECHANICA. These are:

structural, thermal, and motion analysis;

design parameter sensitivity analysis; and
design optimization.

Pro/MECHANICA can work either as an independently FEA package, or as an integrated part of

Pro/Engineering. This tutorial will outline its use in conjunction with Pro/E. The example part
used in this tutorial will the same "base" part that we have used in the previous Pro/Engineer
tutorial, as shown in Figure B (a).
Assuming this part is part of a fixture for a milling machine. The part is tightened to the table of
the mill through the center step hole using a bolt through the T slot. A block is pushed in
horizontally to hold the part with the left arm of the dent. The left dent arm is then going to bear
the holding force. The task of FEA is to calculate the maximum stress, verify the structural
integrity, identify the week area and design the part with a minimum volume (weight) while
satisfying the strength and deformation requirements.
The FEA of the part is carried through the following process, illustrated in Figure A and
discussed in the following.

Figure A Pro/M Process [4]

(a) Design Model

(b) Geometric Model for FEA

(c) FEA Model

Figure B Pro/E Models
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Preparation of the Model

1. Copy the BASE.PRT, as shown in Figure B (a), to a new file for finite element analysis.
Start Pro/E 20.
Choose File -> Open, select BASE.PRT, then File -> Save As, enter the new name as
BASE_FEM.PRT. Choose File -> Erase, Current to clear the window, then File -> Open,
select BASE_FEM.PRT.
2. Create a groove at the intersection of the two plane surfaces
When the base part is used as a fixture, the sharp corner will produce high stress
concentration. A groove is usually created to reduce stress concentration. Given the
previous experience in Pro/Engineer, you can create the feature without referring to the
following description.
Choose FEAT -> Create, FEAT CLASS -> Solid, SOLID -> Cut, SOLID OPTS -> Extrude,
Solid, Done, ATTRIBUTES -> One Side, Done. SETUP SKPLN -> Setup New, SETUP
PLANE -> Plane, GET SELECT -> Pick, click DTM3, DIRECTION -> Okay, SKET VIEW
-> Right, SETUP PLANE -> Plane, GET SELECT -> Pick, left click DTM1, close the Intent
Manager Window.
Choose Sketcher -> Sketch, draw the square around the left dent corner of the base, align
the four vertexes to the edges of the base part, respectively. Then dimension the part as
shown in Figure 1. Modify the half-diagonal length of the square to be 0.1. For simplicity,
this dimension will be called necking size later in this tutorial.
DTM1
0.1

45o
DTM2

Figure 1 Cross-section of the groove

3. Delete unnecessary features
A finite element analysis process divides part geometry into many small elements. A
complex part model requires extensive computational effort. In this analysis, we assume the
bottom surface of the part is completely fixed to the table, and only the left inner surface of
the dent arm bears the holding load. The step hole and the right portion of the part have no
influence to the analysis. For simplicity, these portions of the part are erased. A simplified
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geometric model is thus produced as shown in Figure B (b). To remove the right part of the
fixture model, we need to redefine the protrusion feature.
4. Redefine the protrusion feature
Choose PART -> Feature, FEAT -> Redefine, pick up the protrusion feature. In the
PROTRUSION: Extrude window, select Section, Define. Choose SAME/NEW -> Same Ref
twice to accept the previous 2-D setup. In the sketch view, delete the right half part, align
the two right corner points to DTM1, and re-dimension the part as shown in Figure 2.
Choose SKETCHER -> Regenerate, FEAT -> OK.

Figure 2 The Redefined Base Part

Start Pro/MECHANICA
1. Go to the Pro/E Pull-down Menu Application, select MECHANICA
2. Go to the Pro/MECHANICA Screen Menu MECHANICA, select Structure
The system will first confirm the user with the default unit system of the program by displaying
an information window, and then ask the user to specify the material of the part. The constraints
and loads will be applied onto the simplified geometric model of the dent as illustrated in Figure
B (c).
The Pro/MECHANICA windows and the Screen Menus are illustrated in Figure C.

Material Selection Menu

Pro/M Menus

Unit Confirmation Menu

Figure C Pro/MECHANICA Windows and Menus

Structure Analysis of the Base Part

3. Building the finite element model
To prepare a finite element model is to specify the properties of the product, the loading
condition, and the constraints.
(1) Specify the material
Choose MEC STRUCT -> Model, STRC MODEL -> Material, MATERIALS -> Assign,
ASSIGN -> Part, GET SELECT -> Pick, click the part BASE_FEM -> Don Sel. In the
material list, choose Steel. One can see the properties of steel shown in the window.
Then press Accept.
(2) Specify the constraints
Choose STRC MODEL -> Constraints, CONSTRAINTS -> Create, CREATE CNST ->
Face/Surface, GET SELECT -> Query Sel, click the area of the bottom surface, even
though is hidden on the screen. If a wrong surface is selected, choose Next until the
bottom surface is highlighted, then press Accept or click the middle mouse button.
Choose GET SELECT -> Don Sel. In the pop up window, make sure all six degrees of
freedom for the bottom surface are fixed, then Accept. A description can be added for
record. One should then be able to see a symbol of constraint as shown in Figure 3.
(3) Specify the load condition
Choose STRC MODEL -> Loads, LOADS -> Create, CREATE LDS -> Face/Surface,
GET SELECT -> Pick, pick up the left inner surface, GET SELECT ->Done Sel. In the
pop up window, accept the name Load1, the options Total Load, Uniform, Components,
enter force FX 5000. The description is optional. Then press Accept, choose STRC
MODEL -> Done/Return. The finished finite element model is shown in Figure 3.
4. Pre-processing/Mesh generation
The finite element method divides a finite element model to small elements. These small
elements form a mesh of the model. The mesh generation is called pre-processing for finite
element method. Different mesh generation scheme may result in considerately different
analysis results. Pro/MECHANICA, when integrated in Pro/Engineer, can automatically
generate finite element mesh. In advanced application of Pro/MECHANICA, one can
specify important regions on the model, in which more detailed mesh can be generated. In
the integrated mode of Pro/MECHANICA, the generated mesh is invisible to users.

Figure 3 The Finite Element Model of Part BASE_FEM

5. Performing analysis
Choose MEC STRUCT -> Analyses, Create. In the pop up window, accept the name as
anlys1, options Static, Constraint1, Load1, Convergence Method Single-pass
Adaptive, accept the others but deselect Rotations and Reactions, then press Accept. The
single-pass convergence allows a rough analysis result can be quickly obtained. This helps
an engineer check the finite element model, the mesh scheme, and prepare for a more
accurate analysis. In the Analyses window, choose Done. Choose MEC STRUCT -> Run,
in the Run window, select anlys1 (Standard/Static), then choose Start, select Yes to the
error detection, then choose Summary. One can see a pop up summary window that records
the process of analysis. Once the analysis is done, press Done. The analysis process takes
about 1.5 minutes on a Pentium III 500 MHz workstation.
6. Post-processing/Results
Choose MEC STRUCT -> Results, Create, accept the name Window1, then select
anlys1, Accept. In the pop up window, select Displacement as the quantity, accept
Magnitude, choose Fringe for the display, then select Deformed, and choose Accept.
In the Result Window, choose Show. In the result window, one can use Ctrl + middle mouse
button to rotate the object to an appropriate position for a better view.
7. Final analysis
From the quick analysis, the model is tested correct and the obtained result is meaningful,
then one can start the final analysis to obtain a more accurate result.
Create a new analysis called anlys2, repeat the same process as in Step 3 and 4, choose
Multi-pass Adaptive as the convergence method, and accept all the other default settings.
Run the analysis. This process takes about 1.5 minutes on a Pentium III 500 MHz
workstation.

8. Post-processing
(1) Displacement/Stress analysis result
Following the same procedure described in Step 4, one can create a displacement window
and a stress window and show the two windows at the same time as in Figure 4.
(2) Convergence Plot
The analysis method used in Pro/MECHANICA is called the p-element method. This
method uses high order elements and gradually increases the order of elements based on
the same mesh until the process converges. The best convergence criterion is the
structure strain energy. The maximum Von Mises stress of the structure is a value based
on local information and thus may generate singular value (freak value). To generate
the plots for the strain energy, choose Results, generate a new window, and select
anlys2. In the Quantity option, choose Measure, and select strain_energy from the
list. Accept the rest options. Follow the same procedure to create another window,
choose Measure, and select max_stress_vm from the list. Show the two created
windows at the same time, one will get the plots as in Figure 5. The plots indicate the
strain energy well converges after six iterations while the maximum Von Mises stress is
unstable.
(3) Plotting the results
Choose MECH RESULTS -> Print, choose the right Printer Name or enter a file name,
then choose Accept.
Displacement Mag
Max +1.6534E-06
Min +0.0000E+00
Deformed Original Model
Max Disp +1.6534E-06
Scale 3.0241E+05
Load: load1

+1.47E-06

Stress Von Mises (Maximum)

Avg. Max +1.2940E+04
Avg. Min +1.9579E+01
Deformed Original Model
Max Disp +1.6534E-06
Scale 3.0241E+05
Load: load1

+1.15E+04

+1.29E-06

+1.01E+04

+1.10E-06

+8.63E+03

+9.19E-07

+7.20E+03

+7.35E-07

+5.76E+03

+5.51E-07

+4.33E+03

+3.67E-07

+2.89E+03

+1.84E-07

+1.46E+03

Figure 4 Stress and Displacement Analysis Result of Part BASE_FEM

max_stress_vm
P-Pass
Load: load1

strain_energy
P-Pass
Load: load1

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2.6

m
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3

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10

2.2

2.0

1.8

X
1
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0
0
3

4
1

2.4

1.6

1.4

1.2
2

P Loop Pass

P Loop Pass

Figure 5 Convergence Plots for Strain Energy and Maximum Von Mises Stress

Parameter Sensitivity Study

Pro/MECHANICA also can help a designer to study the parameter sensitivity to a certain
criterion. In this example, wed study the sensitivity of the necking size to the maximum Von
Mises stress and maximum displacement.
1. Defining design parameter
Choose MECHANICA -> Dsgn Controls, DSGN CONTROL -> Design Parameters, choose
Create in the dialog window, accept dimension as the parameter type, choose Select, GET
SELECT -> Pick, click the part, dimensions will show up on the screen, then pick the necking
size dimension (0.1 is the current value). The symbolic name of the dimension will then
appear in the dialog window (in this tutorial, its name is d44, as shown in Figure 6). Enter
the minimum value as 0.08, maximum 0.15. Choose Accept, Done.
2. Defining a design study
Choose MECHANICA -> Structure, MEC STRUCT -> DesignStudies, Create, accept the
name as study1. Choose the type as Global Sensitivity, choose anlys1 (Static). Select
the design parameter. Choose the Number of Interval as 10. (Note: A smaller number will
lead to shorter time.) Make sure the Repeat P-loop Convergence is deselected to shorten the
process time. Choose Accept, Done.

3. Performing the study

Choose MEC STRUCT -> Run, select study1 (Global Sensitivity), choose Start, Yes to
error detection, then choose Summary. If 10 is chosen as the Number of Intervals, the study
will take about 22 minutes on a Pentium III 500 MHz workstation.
max_disp_x
Design Var
Load: load1

M
e
a
s
u
r
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m
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x
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d
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p
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max_stress_vm
Design Var
Load: load1

-1.02

9700

M
e
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-1.04

-1.06

m
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t
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-1.08

X
1
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0
0
6

-1.10

-1.12
0.08

0.09

0.10

0.11

0.12
d44

0.13

0.14

0.15

9650

9600

9550

9500

9450
0.08

0.09

0.10

0.11

0.12

0.13

0.14

0.15

d44

Figure 6 The Sensitivities of the Necking Dimension to the Maximum Displacement along X Direction
and Maximum Von Mises Stress

4. Results
Refer to Step 6 in the structure analysis part, choose Measure for the Quantity option,
select max_stress_vm, select the necking size dimension for the Location option, and
accept the other default values. Choose Accept. Follow the same procedure, and create
another window for max_displ_x. Show the results as in Figure 6. One can see as the
necking size increases, the maximum displacement increases along the X direction, while the
maximum Von Mises stress achieves the lowest when the necking size equals to 0.14. Thus a
designer can choose 0.14 as the ideal value for the necking size if to lower the maximum Von
Mises stress is the only concern.

Design Optimization
For the base part functioning as a fixture, the goal of the design optimization is to minimize the
total mass, which usually associates with the cost. As a fixture, the part has to sustain certain
load and the maximum deformation has to be controlled.

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1. Defining design parameters and parameter relations

Figure 7 Symbolic Names of Dimensions

To simplify the problem, we want to limit the number of parameters. Choose pull down menu
Applications -> Standard. The Pro/MECHANICA working environment is switched to the
Pro/Engineer modeling mode. Choose PART -> Relations, RELATIONS -> Switch Dim,
GET SELECT -> Pick, click on the part. Dimensions with symbolic names will show up.
Then choose RELATIONS -> Add, type the following relations (varies according to the
name of your dimensions, see Figure 7):
D0=0.5*D48
D6=D0
D1=D0
D49=D1
and then press Enter key to finish. Choose RELATIONS -> Sort Rel, MODEL REL ->
Done, PART -> Regenerate. We define the dimension d48 as the control dimension as shown
in Figure 7, other dimensions will change accordingly as constrained by the relations. Then
we add d48 to the design control parameter list.
Choose MECHANICA -> Dsgn Controls, DSGN CONTROL -> Design Parameters, choose
Create in the dialog window, accept dimension as the parameter type, choose Select, GET
SELECT -> Pick, click the part, dimensions will show up on the screen, then pick d48 (2.5 is
the current value). The symbolic name of the dimension will then appear in the dialog
window. Enter the minimum value as 1 and maximum 3. Choose Accept, Done.
2. Defining a design study
Thus far, we have defined two design parameters. The first is the necking dimension, d44,
which is defined in the sensitivity study; the second is d48 as shown in Figure 7. The
following step is to define a design study to specify the design optimization goal and
constraints.

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Choose MEC STRUCT -> DesignStudies, Create, accept the name Study2. In the Design
Study Definition window, select Type as Optimization. Select Goal as Minimize,
Measure: total_mass. Select Limits on Measures, Create, make two constraints:
max_disp_x > -1.2e-6 and max_stress_vm < 30000. Select anlys1, load1, and the two
design parameters. The range of design parameters is from the minimum to maximum. The
initial value for d48 is chosen as 2.5 for an initial guess; the initial value of the necking
dimension is chosen as the minimum, 0.08. Accept the default Optim Convergence 1% and
Max Iterations 20. Select Repeat P-Loop Convergence for a more accurate solution. Then
choose Accept, Done.
3. Performing the design optimization
Choose MEC STRUCT -> Run, select Study2 (Optimization), then choose Start, Yes to the
error detection, choose Summary. One can monitor the optimization process. If no error
exists, the optimization process will take about 15 minutes on a Pentium III 500 MHz
workstation. The optimal design is at d44 = 0.096 inch and d48 = 1 inch. The maximum Von
Mises stress is 1e4 psi, which is far less than the constraint value 3e4 psi. The maximum
displacement along X direction is 1.256e-6 in. The total mass is 6.87 lbm.
4. Results plotting
One can generate the plots as shown in
Figure 8 as before for the optimal design. To generate the plots in Figure 10, use
Measure, and choose total_mass and stain_energy, respectively, and accept the other
options. The convergence plots tells us the history of optimization. The optimization takes
three passes to converge. As the total mass keeps decreasing, the strain energy increases. At
the pass three, the increase in strain energy is negligible and the optimization converges.
One can print out the plots by choosing MECH RESULTS -> Print, choose the right Printer
Name or enter a file name, then choose Accept.
D is plac emen t Mag
M ax
+1 .255 9 E-06
M in
+0 .000 0 E+00
D ef orme d Op t imiz ed Mod el
M ax Dis p + 1 .255 9E- 06
S ca le
3.31 5 7E+0 5
L oa d: l oad1

+1.12E-06

Stre s s Vo n Mi se s (M axi mum )

Avg. Max
+1. 00 46E+ 04
Avg. Min
+2. 59 86E+ 01
Defo r med Opti mi zed Mod el
Max D isp
+1. 25 59E- 06
Scal e
3. 3157 E+ 05
Load : loa d1

+8.93E+03

+9.77E-07

+7.82E+03

+8.37E-07

+6.71E+03

+6.98E-07

+5.59E+03

+5.58E-07

+4.48E+03

+4.19E-07

+3.37E+03

+2.79E-07

+2.25E+03

+1.40E-07

+1.14E+03

Figure 8 The Maximum Displacement and Stress Plots for the Optimal Design

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30

2.1
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1.9

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1.7

1.6
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2
Optimization Pass

Optimization Pass

Figure 10 The Total Mass and Strain Energy Convergence Plots in the Optimization

References
1. Parametric technology Corp, Pro/MECHANICA Using Structure with Pro/ENGINEER,
Release 20.0. DOC-U0108-EN-200, 1999.
2. Kurowski, P. M., When Good Engineers Deliver Bad FEA, Machine Design, November 9,
1995, pp. 61-66.
3. Kurowski, P. M., Avoiding Pitfalls in FEA, Machine Design, November 7, 1994, pp. 7886.
4. Toogood, R., Pro/MECHANICA Structure Tutorial Release 20, 2nd Edition, SDC
Publications, 1999.

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