Customer Training Material

Workshop 6.1
Free Vibration Analysis

Introduction to ANSYS
Mechanical
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2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

WS6.1-1

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November 2010

Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Goals

Customer Training Material

Our goal is to investigate the vibration characteristics of a motor

cover manufactured from 18 gage steel (0.0478in/1.2141mm). The
cover is to be fastened to a device operating at 1000 Hz.

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2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

WS6.1-2

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November 2010

Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Assumptions

Customer Training Material

The cover is meant to slip over a cylinder and be constrained at the

bolt hole locations. To simulate the area contacting the cylinder the
surface has been split (see below). We will use a frictionless support
on this surface to simulate the contact area. The frictionless support
type applies a constraint that is normal to the surface, thus axial and
tangential movement is allowed while radial motion is not.

To simulate the bolted connections a

fixed support type will be used on the
edges of the bolt holes.

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2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

WS6.1-3

Release 13.0
November 2010

Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Units

Customer Training Material

Open the Project page.

From the Units menu verify:
Project units are set to US Customary (lbm, in, s, F, A, lbf, V).
Display Values in Project Units is checked (on).

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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Project Schematic

Customer Training Material

1. From the Toolbox double click

Modal to create a new system.

1.

2. RMB the Geometry cell and

browse to Motor_cover_5.stp.
3. Double click Model to open the
Mechanical application.

2.
3.

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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Setup

Customer Training Material

4. Set the working Unit System:

Units > U.S Customary (in, lbm, lbf, F, s, V, A)

4.

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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Preprocessing

Customer Training Material

Since the model consists of surface geometry the

part will be meshed with shell elements. Surface
geometry requires input for thickness in the details.

a.
5. Specify Part thickness:
a. Highlight the 1 branch.

Note : The Thickness field is currently displayed in

yellow to indicate it is undefined. Also, the Part has a
question mark next to it which means that it is not fully
defined

b. Click in the Thickness field and set

Thickness = 0.05 in.

Note : Entering a thickness for the part changes the status

icon from a question mark to a check mark meaning that it
is now fully defined.

b.

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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Environment

Customer Training Material

6. Apply supports to model (highlight the

Modal branch (A5):

a.

a. Make sure that you are in Face Select Mode.

Select the cylindrical split face, RMB > Insert >
Frictionless Support

b. Switch to Edge Select mode and select the

edges for each of the 5 holes, RMB > Insert >
Fixed Support

b.

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Release 13.0
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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Analysis Settings

Customer Training Material

7. Set Options for Modal Analysis:

a. Highlight Analysis Settings to set the Max
modes to Find (defaults to 6 modes).

a.

As a final check verify the status symbols next

to the branches. All branches should have
either:
Yellow Lightening bolt (ready to be solved).
Green check mark (fully defined).

8. Solve the model.

9.
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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

Results

Customer Training Material

9. Select Mode shapes to view:

a. Click on the Solution branch (A6). This will display the Timeline
and the Tabular Data showing a summary of the frequencies at which
the modes occur.
b. In the Timeline RMB > Select All to select all modes.

Note : This can be done from the Tabular Data as well.

d.

c. RMB > Create Mode Shape Results.

d. Click Solve to view the results.

c.
a.
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b.
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Introduction to ANSYS Mechanical

. . . Results

Customer Training Material

View Results (highlight the desired mode):

Note : Displacements reported in mode shapes do not reflect the actual displacements. Actual
displacements will depend on the energy input to the system.

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2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

WS6.1-11

Release 13.0
November 2010