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Concept: Using Interfaces

Using Interfaces
Interfaces are used to connect or disconnect components or surfaces in a model, especially in assemblies.
When you create an interface, you specify how Simulate treats a particular pair of mated, nearly touching, or
overlapping surfaces during meshing and analysis. For Bonded or Free Interfaces, a linear analysis is
sufficient since the system still behaves linear. A Contact interface needs a nonlinear static analysis including
contacts for solution, which may need a lot of calculation resources. If you deactivate including contacts in
the Static Analysis Definition dialog box, it is treated as a free interface.

The following interfaces can be used in Simulate Structure:

• Bonded – In this interface, mating surfaces and element faces are merged.

• Free – In this interface, mating surfaces can move free or interfere.

Figure 1 – Default Interface: Bonded or Free

• Contact – Mating surfaces can lift off, but not interfere. Using contact as a default interface is usually not
recommended, since no control, measures, exists for all the contacts to check nonlinear analysis
accuracy.The interfaces can be defined in the Creo Simulate Model Setup dialog box.

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Figure 2 – Default Interface: Contact

The following interfaces are used in Simulate Thermal:

• Bonded

• Adiabatic

• Thermal Resistance

You can create an individual interface using the Interface Definition dialog box.

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Figure 3 – Creating an Individual Interface

An individually created interface overrides the model default interface.

Do not check Split Surfaces for free or contact interfaces if this creates small sliver surfaces in case of mating
surfaces with unequal size or geometry. Otherwise, AutoGEM creates many elements there or fails. This is
very helpful for milled casted parts with rounds and bevels, since there the mating surfaces usually never
have exactly the same geometry and size. If both default or individual interfaces have to be defined in a
model, take the default interface type that has the most prevailing number of mating surfaces.

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