Workshop 3.

1
DesignModeler Basics
15.0 Release

Introduction to ANSYS
DesignModeler
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2013 ANSYS, Inc.

February 7, 2014

ANSYS Confidential

Introduction
Background
This workshop assumes little or no prior
experience of DesignModeler. Basic principles
will be demonstrated through the creation of a
simple pipe intersection.

Objectives

Creating a Workbench project

Starting DesignModeler
Creating a sketch
Creating 3d geometry
Updating and modifying geometry
GUI navigation

Saving the project

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February 7, 2014

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Project Startup

Create the Project

Start Workbench.
Start All Programs ANSYS
15.0 Workbench 15.0
Expand Component Systems and drag
and drop a Geometry component
system into the Project Schematic.
Double click on the Geometry cell
(A2) to start DesignModeler.

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February 7, 2014

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Preparation
Planning

Before starting its a good idea to think about

how the geometry can be defined in terms of
sketches and modelling operations.
Sketches are 2D entities. 3D Geometry is created by
applying modelling operations using the sketches as
input.

This basic geometry can be defined by two simple

sketches centred about the global origin.

The larger of the two can then be extruded

vertically whilst the smaller extruded
horizontally.

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February 7, 2014

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Set Dimensions
Set Units

In this session we will be using inches.

Go to Units tab and select Inch.

Units Inch

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1st Sketch Creation

Create a Sketch
In the Tree Outline, select the XY Plane.

Click the Look At button in the toolbar.

Select the Sketching Mode Tab.

This will display the Sketching Toolboxes

Each toolbox expands by clicking on it and

display the available tools.

Select the Draw Toolbox.

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February 7, 2014

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Tips and Tricks : You can directly click to Look At

button for 1st sketch creation of any plane and jump
to Sketching mode
For 2nd sketch creation on same plane you have click
on new sketch icon

Sketch Creation
Create a Sketch (Continued)

Select the Circle Tool.

When any sketching tool is selected the
information bar provides instructions.

Move the cursor over the origin until a letter

P appears then click once (P is a point
constraint).

Move the cursor away from the origin to

define the radius and click once again.

Dont worry about the exact size, dimensions

are added in a separate step.

You can use the Undo button if you make a

mistake.

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February 7, 2014

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Sketch Creation
Adding Dimensions

Select the Dimensions Toolbox

Make sure the General tool is selected.

Following the sequence shown below.

1. Click once on the circle edge.
2. Move the cursor away and click once again
to set the position of the dimension.

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Add on Info : The General dimension tool
automatically selects the most appropriate
dimension type based on the selected sketch
entity in this case, diameter

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February 7, 2014

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Sketch Creation
Adding Dimensions

When working with a sketch, dimensions

are displayed in the details view.

Enter 4 in the Sketch Details View in the

field next to the newly created dimension
(D1) and press enter. There is no need to
type the units
The sketch will update.

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February 7, 2014

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Sketch Creation
Create the Second Sketch

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Click the ISO ball on the axis triad to

snap to the isometric view.

We can see that the larger circle must

be created on the ZX Plane.

Change the Active Plane to the ZX

Plane using the drop down box.
The view will automatically
orientate.

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Sketch Creation
Create the Second Sketch

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Create a circle centred on the ZX Plane origin and add a

dimension using the same procedure as before. As a
reminder;
Select the Draw Toolbox.
Select the Circle tool.
Click on the origin, then click to define the radius.
Select the Dimension Toolbox.
Select the General tool.
Click on the circle then click to position the dimension.
Set the Dimension to 6 and select the Modeling Mode
tab.

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Modeling Operations
View Both Sketches

Expand both the XY and ZX Planes in the Tree

Outline as shown.

The two sketches you have just created are

listed below their respective planes.

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By default only the last active sketch is

displayed. Right click on each sketch in the
Outline Tree and select Always Show Sketch to
ensure both are displayed.

Select the isometric view by clicking the iso

ball.

Check you have two sketches orientated as

shown.

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February 7, 2014

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Modeling Operations
Add a Modeling Feature

Click on Sketch 1 in the Tree Outline and select

the Extrude feature from the Create menu.
The Extrude command will be inserted into the
Tree Outline.
Commonly used features also have shortcut
buttons in the toolbar.

2
3

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Modeling Operations
Add a Modeling Feature (Continued)

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In the Details View set the extrusion depth to

14.75

other fields set at default values.

Click Generate.

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Modeling Operations
Add a Modeling Feature (Continued)

Now well create remaining section by extruding the second sketch.

Click on Sketch 2 in the tree and select the Extrude feature again from the create menu or toolbar.

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Because the sketch lies in the middle of

the required geometry well need to
extrude it symmetrically by an equal
distance.

In the Details View set Direction to

Both Symmetric by clicking in the
field and using the drop down box.

Set the extrusion depth to 14.

Click Generate.

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Review
Notes

The geometry is now complete

The following slides will demonstrate how DesignModeler
processes changes to sketch dimensions and general GUI
operations.

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Save the Project

This completes the workshop.
From the main menu select File Close DesignModeler
Workbench will save any application data.

From the Workbench Project Page use the file menu and save the
project as DMWS3.1.wbpj to your working folder.

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Additional Tasks

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Modifying the Geometry

Edit a Sketch Dimension

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Select Sketch 1 in the Tree Outline.

In the Details View change the dimension to

2, press enter.
Note that the sketch updates in the
Graphics Window but the Geometry
remains the same.
When a change is made like this any
dependent features downstream in the
Tree Outline will require regeneration
denoted by the generate symbol.

Click Generate.

Reset the dimension to 4 and Generate to

restore the geometry.

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Using the GUI

Controling the View

Use the Axis Triad to quickly align views.

Select +Z.

Selecting the opposite side of the any axis

will align the view to the reverse normal
select Y as shown.
Click the View Back button.

+Z view

-Y view

This will restore the previous view.

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Restore isometric by click the iso ball.

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Using the GUI (2)

Rotating & Zooming

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Set the cursor to Rotate.

Click once on the geometry surface

approximately where indicated.
The red ball indicates the new rotation
origin location.

The model will now rotate around this point.

Use the box zoom button to zoom in as

shown.

Right click in the Graphics Window, select

Zoom to Fit to restore the default zoom level.
Use the iso ball to set the view to isometric.

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Using the GUI (3)

Hiding Faces

Set the Selection Filter to Faces.

Select the face as shown.
Right click, Hide Face(s).
To restore, right click, Show all Faces.
Spend some time practising using the

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view manipulation tools

demonstrated over the last few slides.
With larger, complex models
proficiency with the viewing controls
will make tasks much easier.

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

February 7, 2014

ANSYS Confidential