SIMSOLID analysis of a leafspring

KenWelch

This is an example of what is possible using SIMSOLID with Onshape.  The model is a leaf spring assembly with full geometry detail, including threads on the bolt, etc. The analysis uses pin joints and sliding contact.  SIMSOLID does not use FE meshing, so the geometry is solved directly. The simulation is solved adaptively with 3 solution passes.  With each pass, the absolute errors in the model are evaluated and the equations are locally enriched to improve the solution quality.  Total time for the entire solution process (to create the equations and solve them adaptively) is under 20-seconds. Total time CAD-to-results is about a minute or two.

SIMSOLID is intended to do rapid design-analysis of real world assemblies and complex parts. Attributes of SIMSOLID are:

1. can solve the original design geometry without laborious simplification.
2. can handle multi-scale geometries with both big and small or thick and thin geometries.
3. does not require a mesh
4. can handle complex connection types such as bolts, spot, laser and fillet welds
5. can do linear static, modal, thermal, thermal-stress and geometric non-linear static analyses
6. best of all, it will automatically update all analysis definitions to accommodate Onshape design changes. No more starting over with each design modification.

SIMSOLID's licensing is subscription based and both monthly and annual plans are available. SIMSOLID comes with a 30-day evaluation. Those looking for a serious simulation tool which works directly with Onshape should check it out.
 

billy2

I've been using SIMSOLID for over a year with amazing results. 

If you've done analysis before, you'll pick it up fast and you'll begin to appreciate how easy a meshless FEA is to use. If you haven't used FEA before this is the place to start because you don't have the get things to mesh.

I'm starting realize how revolutionary this new analytic tool is to the engineering community. 

brian_brady

KenWelch said:

SIMSOLID's licensing is subscription based and both monthly and annual plans are available. SIMSOLID comes with a 30-day evaluation. Those looking for a serious simulation tool which works directly with Onshape should check it out.
 

@KenWelch any chance that a student/faculty license will be added before the end of summer? I would love to use SIMSOLID along side Onshape in my solid modeling class in the fall, but cannot ask students to buy a subscription for the this class and for future projects in other classes. We already have access to a Creo Simulate license and cannot justify using SIMSOLID if there is an associated cost. I emailed you about this back in August. 

Thanks,
Brian

KenWelch

Brian, nothing to announce today, but exciting things in the works. That said, many schools do use SIMSOLID with Onshape today. I have been told that the 30-day eval is adequate to do an introductory assignment of structural analysis in a product design class. And since we are completely integrated with Onshape, any design change is updated automatically in our design studies. To my knowledge, Creo Simulate does not integrate with Onshape like this today. Best of all, our mesh adaptive approach, means that the students can focus more on product design and less on learning geometry simplification and meshing techniques.

brian_brady

KenWelch said:

Brian, nothing to announce today, but exciting things in the works. That said, many schools do use SIMSOLID with Onshape today. I have been told that the 30-day eval is adequate to do an introductory assignment of structural analysis in a product design class. And since we are completely integrated with Onshape, any design change is updated automatically in our design studies. To my knowledge, Creo Simulate does not integrate with Onshape like this today. Best of all, our mesh adaptive approach, means that the students can focus more on product design and less on learning geometry simplification and meshing techniques.

A 30-day eval may work for a month of analysis in the class, but what about their next semester or semester after than when they have a class project where they could showcase what they learned? What about the faculty teaching the class? I don't do structural analysis outside of class as I am at a teaching institution and don't do any research. I cannot live with a 30-day license and it does not make sense to pay for a license for a couple months a year. Our entire Creo license for 200+ installs on student laptops and all faculty computers is less for a year than one year of SIMSOLID for just me. There is no way I could justify that expense.