Workshop 5.

Prestressed Modal Analysis

Prestressed Modal Analysis
Workshop 5.2 - Goals Workshop Supplement

• Our goal is to simulate the modal response of the tension

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

link (shown below) in both a stressed and unstressed state.
• Specifically, we will load the link with a 4000 N tensile load
and compare the natural frequency to that of the unloaded
component.

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Prestressed Modal Analysis
Workshop 5.2 - Start Page Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

From the launcher start Simulation.
• Choose “Geometry > From File . . . “
and browse to the file
“tension_link.x_t”.

• When DS starts, close the Template

menu by clicking the ‘X’ in the corner
of the window.

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Workshop 5.2 - Preprocessing Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

1. When the DS GUI opens choose the Metric mm unit system.
– “Units > Metric (mm, kg, MPa, C, s)

2. Highlight the Environment branch, RMB and “Duplicate”.

3. Rename the 2 environment branches as shown. 3

• RMB > Rename
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Prestressed Modal Analysis
. . . Workshop 5.2 - Preprocessing Workshop Supplement

• In the “Unstressed” environment:

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

4. Highlight one of the inside faces of
one washer “RMB > Insert > Fixed
4
Support”.

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5. Highlight the face on the rim of the
other washer “RMB > Insert >
Frictionless Support”.

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Workshop 5.2 - Preprocessing Workshop Supplement

6. Highlight the Solution branch, “RMB >

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

Insert > Frequency Finder”.
• Note: we will accept the default six (6)
modes for the Frequency Finder.
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7. Using the shift key, highlight the 2

boundary conditions just applied in the
Unstressed branch: 7
– “RMB > Copy”.

8. Highlight the Prestressed branch:

– “RMB > Paste”.
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Workshop 5.2 - Environment Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

9. Reorient the model as necessary and
zoom in on the inside face of the
washer where the frictionless support
is applied to the rim.
10. “RMB > Insert > Force”.
11. Enter “4000” in the Magnitude field. 9
• Note use the “Direction” field to
modify the force direction if
necessary to insure the load is tensile
(see below).

10

11

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Prestressed Modal Analysis
. . . Workshop 5.2 - Environment Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

12. Highlight the solution branch in the Prestressed
environment, “RMB > Insert > Frequency Finder”.

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13. Highlight the Model branch and Solve (note solving from the
Model branch will cause both environments to solve
sequentially).

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Workshop 5.2 – Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

• When the solutions are complete expand the Frequency

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

finders and review the results from each.

Unstressed

Prestressed

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Workshop 5.2 – Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

As shown below the prestressed results should show an
increase in frequencies.
– Note: the actual frequencies may vary slightly from those
shown due to meshing and machine differences.

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. . . Workshop 5.2 – Posprocessing Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

Although not a requirement, good practice recommends that we
include a stress calculation in our prestressed branch to insure
that the component does not fail due to the applied load.
14. Highlight the solution branch in the Prestressed environment,
“RMB > Insert > Stress > Equivalent (von-Mises)”.

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15. Once again issue a solve from this branch to update the new
result.

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Workshop 5.2 - Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

• By comparing the reported stresses to the material’s yield

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

values (Engineering Data) we can assess the component’s
performance with respect to the applied load.
– Note, it may be necessary to calculate other results
(deformation, strain, etc.) depending on the application in which
the part is used.

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