πŸ’₯πŸ’₯πŸ’₯ How to select computer parameters for structural calculations in Ansys?

Ansys is a software that allows you to perform various types of engineering simulations, such as static structural, fluid dynamics, thermal, electromagnetic, and more. To perform these simulations, you need to specify some computer parameters that affect the accuracy, speed, and memory usage of the analysis.

Some of the computer parameters that you can adjust in Ansys are:

- **Meshing**: This is the process of dividing the geometry into small elements that represent the physical domain. The quality and size of the mesh affect the accuracy and speed of the solution. You can control the meshing parameters in Ansys Workbench by using the Mesh Control feature or by defining Named Selections and Parameters in your CAD software¹².

- **Solver**: This is the algorithm that solves the system of equations that represent the physics of the problem. Ansys offers different types of solvers for different types of problems, such as direct, iterative, sparse, or dense solvers. You can select the solver type and settings in Ansys Workbench by using the Analysis Settings feature or by defining Parameters in your CAD software³.

- **Material Model**: This is the mathematical representation of the material behavior under different loading conditions. Ansys provides a library of material models for different types of materials, such as linear, nonlinear, elastic, plastic, viscoelastic, etc. You can select the material model and properties in Ansys Workbench by using the Engineering Data feature or by defining Parameters in your CAD software⁴. You can also calibrate your material model using experimental data with the Material Calibration app⁵.

These are some of the main computer parameters that you can adjust in Ansys to perform structural calculations. 

Source: 

(1) ANSYS Workbench CAD Interface for NX: How To Create ... - Ansys Knowledge. https://ansyskm.ansys.com/forums/topic/ansys-workbench-cad-interface-for-nx-how-to-create-named-selections-and-parameters/.

(2) ANSYS Workbench Tutorial - Introduction to Static Structural. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnpq5zzOS48.

(3) Multiple Simulations with Different Engineering Data - Ansys Learning Forum. https://forum.ansys.com/forums/topic/multiple-simulations-with-different-engineering-data/.

(4) Static Structural Analysis In ANSYS - ML - Best Engineering Blog. https://mechanicalland.com/static-structural-analysis-in-ansys/.

(5) A New Way to Calibrate Material Models for Simulation - Ansys. https://www.ansys.com/blog/calibrate-material-models.

What hardware parameters are important for Structural Analysis in Ansys?

The hardware parameters that are important for Structural Analysis in Ansys are:

- **Processor**: You should choose a processor that supports AVX512 instruction set, such as Intel Xeon Scalable processors from the Cascade Lake SP 62xx and AP 92xx families¹. You should also consider the core frequency, the number of cores, and the cooling system of the processor¹².

- **Memory**: You should have enough memory capacity to avoid paging to the hard drive, which can slow down the solution. For Ansys Mechanical, you need about 15 GB of RAM per million degrees of freedom². You should also use the fastest memory available and populate all memory channels in both processors with equal amounts of memory¹².

- **Storage**: You should use an SSD for your simulation work, preferably an NVMe SSD with intermediate endurance levels¹. This will reduce the seek time and improve the performance of reading and writing results files².

- **Graphics**: You should use a mid-range graphics card that is supported by Ansys, such as Nvidia Quadro P2000 or AMD Radeon Pro WX5100². These cards will not affect the solution time, but only display the graphics².

These are some of the hardware parameters that you should consider for Structural Analysis in Ansys. 

Source: 

(1) Hardware Tips to Accelerate Simulation | Ansys. https://www.ansys.com/blog/hardware-tips-to-accelerate-simulation.

(2) Ansys Hardware Recommendations | Maximize Ansys Performance. https://simutechgroup.com/resources/ansys-installation/ansys-hardware-information/.

(3) ANSYS Mechanical Workbench Scripting - Accessing Parameters. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/73244840/ansys-mechanical-workbench-scripting-accessing-parameters.

(4) Static Structural Analysis In ANSYS - Best Engineering Blog. https://mechanicalland.com/static-structural-analysis-in-ansys/.

(5) https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/in-this-photo-illustration-the-ansys-logo-seen-displayed-on-news-photo/1212478964.

How can I check if my hardware meets Ansys requirements?

To check if your hardware meets Ansys requirements, you can use the following steps:

- Visit the Ansys Platform Support page¹ and download the PDF file that corresponds to your Ansys version and product. For example, if you are using Ansys 2023 R2 Mechanical, you can download the file named "Ansys 2023 R2 - Platform Support by Application / Product (PDF)".

- Open the PDF file and look for the section that lists the minimum and recommended hardware specifications for your product. For example, for Ansys 2023 R2 Mechanical, you can find the table on page 5 of the PDF file.

- Compare your hardware specifications with the ones listed in the table and see if they meet or exceed the minimum or recommended values. For example, if you have a processor with 8 cores, 64 GB RAM, an SSD with 500 GB capacity, and a Nvidia Quadro P2000 graphics card, you can see that they meet or exceed the recommended values for Ansys 2023 R2 Mechanical.

- If your hardware does not meet the minimum or recommended values, you may need to upgrade your hardware or consider using a different product that has lower requirements. You can also consult some of the resources provided by Ansys partners for guidance on hardware selection⁴⁵.

Source: 

(1) Platform Support and Recommendations | Ansys. https://www.ansys.com/it-solutions/platform-support.

(2) Hardware Recommendations for Running Ansys Software - r and Sim. https://resources.randsim.com/rand-simulation-solutions-blog/hardware-recommendations-for-running-ansys-software.

(3) Ansys Recommended Hardware | DRD Technology. https://www.drd.com/support/recommended-windows-hardware/.

(4) Download Ansys Student | Workbench-based Simulation Tools. https://www.ansys.com/academic/students/ansys-student.

(5) Ansys System Hardware Requirements - Ozen Engineering, Inc. https://support.ozeninc.com/help-center/what-are-the-system-hardware-requirements-for-ansys.



The difference between minimum and recommended hardware specifications is that:


- Minimum hardware specifications are the lowest level of hardware components that are required to run a software or an operating system. If your hardware does not meet the minimum specifications, you will not be able to install or use the software or the operating system at all.

- Recommended hardware specifications are the optimal level of hardware components that are suggested to run a software or an operating system smoothly and efficiently. If your hardware meets or exceeds the recommended specifications, you will have a better performance and user experience with the software or the operating system. 

Source: 

(1) Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications.

(2) Photoshop system requirements - Adobe Inc.. https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements.html.

(3) Windows 10 system requirements - Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-system-requirements-6d4e9a79-66bf-7950-467c-795cf0386715.

(4) Blizzard Support - Diablo® IV System Requirements. https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/251518.

(5) Recommended specifications for new personal computer purchases. https://sites.udel.edu/computing-purchases/personal-specs/.

How can I optimize my simulation performance in Ansys?

Simulation performance in Ansys depends on various factors, such as the type and size of the problem, the solver settings, the mesh quality, and the hardware configuration. There are some general tips and guidelines that can help you optimize your simulation performance in Ansys. Here are some of them:

- Optimize the mesh: The mesh is the discretization of the geometry into small elements that represent the physical domain. The quality and size of the mesh affect the accuracy and speed of the solution. You can control the meshing parameters in Ansys Workbench by using the Mesh Control feature or by defining Named Selections and Parameters in your CAD software¹². You should aim for a mesh that is fine enough to capture the physics of interest, but not too fine to cause excessive computational cost. You can use mesh metrics, such as aspect ratio, skewness, and orthogonality, to check the quality of your mesh².

- Select the appropriate solver: The solver is the algorithm that solves the system of equations that represent the physics of the problem. Ansys offers different types of solvers for different types of problems, such as direct, iterative, sparse, or dense solvers. You can select the solver type and settings in Ansys Workbench by using the Analysis Settings feature or by defining Parameters in your CAD software³. You should choose a solver that is suitable for your problem characteristics, such as linear or nonlinear, static or dynamic, symmetric or asymmetric, etc. You can also use solver options, such as preconditioning, convergence criteria, and parallel processing, to improve the efficiency and robustness of your solver³.

- Use high-performance computing (HPC) technologies: HPC is a key enabler of large-scale simulations. Matched with Ansys solvers, HPC significantly maximizes simulation value, enabling you to increase the number of design iterations for study of larger and more complex models at faster speeds. There are several HPC technologies that can maximize Ansys simulation speeds, such as matrix multi-processing (MP), graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration, distributed memory matrix solver (DMM), and cloud computing⁴ . You should use these technologies according to your hardware availability and simulation needs.

- Use design optimization tools: Design optimization is a process of finding the best design parameters that satisfy certain objectives and constraints. Ansys provides various design optimization tools, such as Ansys optiSLang, Ansys DesignXplorer, and Ansys DesignPoints, that can help you automate and streamline your design exploration and optimization process. You can use these tools to define your design variables, objectives, constraints, and response surfaces, and then apply different optimization algorithms, such as gradient-based, evolutionary, or robust design optimization (RDO), to find the optimal design configuration.

These are some of the main tips and guidelines that can help you optimize your simulation performance in Ansys.

Source: 

(1) Hardware Tips to Accelerate Simulation | Ansys. https://www.ansys.com/blog/hardware-tips-to-accelerate-simulation.

(2) How to Optimize the Speed and Scalability of Ansys HFSS with Ansys HPC. https://www.ansys.com/blog/how-to-optimize-speed-scalability-ansys-hfss-hpc.

(3) How to speed up your ANSYS runs - FEA Tips. https://featips.com/2022/09/14/how-to-speed-up-your-ansys-runs/.

(4) Optimizing Design Optimization Efforts - Ansys. https://www.ansys.com/blog/optimizing-design-optimization-efforts.

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