InCAD Tutorial using SolidWorks

Motor Bracket Model

Part Number 4710.542

Revision 1.14
October 2003
October 31, 2003

ALGOR, Inc.
150 Beta Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15238-2932 USA
Phone: 1.412.967.2700
USA/Canada: 1.800.48.ALGOR
Fax: 1.412.967.2781
Product/Services e-mail:
info@ALGOR.com
Technical Support e-mail:
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Internet Address:
www.ALGOR.com

Copyright 2003 ALGOR, Inc.

All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in any form, by any method, for any purpose, either in part or in
its entirety, without the expressed written permission of ALGOR, Inc.

This publication describes the state of ALGOR software at the time of its printing and may not reflect the software at all
times in the future. This publication may be changed without notice. This publication is not designed to transmit any
engineering knowledge relating specifically to any company or individual engineering project. In providing this publication,
ALGOR does not assume the role of engineering consultant to any user of this publication and hereby disclaims any and all
responsibility for any errors or omissions arising out of any engineering activity in which this publication may be utilized.

This document has been designed to be printed on the customer's local computer and printer. ALGOR cannot be held
responsible for any errors incurred in the printing of this document.

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Files List for this Tutorial
In addition to this document file, the following files are referenced in the tutorial:

KnuckleShaft.SLDPRT
LeftBracket.SLDPRT
RightBracket.SLDPRT
MotorMount.SLDASM

These files are in the Tutorials\Models subdirectory of the installation directory.

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Tutorial Conventions
To make this tutorial easy to use, the following conventions will be employed. For the command conventions, the item (or an
example of one) that you need to perform is noted in bold on the left. To the right of the item is a short description of the
action and/or results of the action.

User Input Notation Conventions

algframe Type "algframe" using the keyboard. Text that you need to type is noted in bold type using a Courier
font.

<Esc> Press the <Esc> key. Some of the other keys expressed in this manner are <Enter>, <Tab> and the
function keys, for example <F9>.

<Ctrl>-c Press <Ctrl> and the letter "c" simultaneously. Keys to be pressed at the same time are shown with a
hyphen between them.

"Enclose" Select the "Enclose" command. The names of pop-up menus, options and buttons are bold-faced,
enclosed in quotation marks and shown as they are on the screen.

"Selection: Access the SELECTION pull-down menu and select the "Shape" pull-out menu. Select the "Point"
Shape:Point" command. Commands in sequences are separated by colons.

Mouse Use the mouse to click on the specified location. FEMPRO is designed for a two-button mouse. Where
"click" or "left-click" is used, you should press the left mouse button. "Right-click" means you should
press the right mouse button. If you have a three-button mouse, you will not use your middle button
for ALGOR software.

In the tables throughout this tutorial, input instructions for using toolbars and pull-down menus are in the two left columns.
Descriptions or more detailed instructions are given in the right column. For example:

"Selection: Shape: Point" Access the SELECTION pull-down menu and select the "Shape"
pull-out menu. Select the "Point" command to enter point
selection mode.

Other Notation Conventions

sd3.dmit, an .esx file Filenames and file extensions are lowercase with the filename in italic.

filename.doc Filenames that are user-supplied are in bold, lowercase italics.

\model directory Directory names will appear in Courier type and be followed by the term "directory". (The directory
where the ALGOR software is stored is usually referred to as the installation directory).

FILE pull-down menu Pull-down menu names are shown in uppercase characters.

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3-D Motor Mount Assembly Model
In this tutorial, we will introduce you to FEMPRO's CAD Solid Model environment and InCAD capabilities. The tutorial
will go through meshing. Further work can be done in the setting up, analyzing and reviewing the results areas through later
tutorials.

You will perform the following steps:

I. Meshing the Model – Retrieve assembly and part files and bring them into the CAD Solid Model environment.
From the CAD Solid Model environment, we will go through ALGOR’s meshing process. Also there will be added
keystrokes to demonstrate the steps to refine the meshed model.

I. Meshing the Model

In the meshing phase, the CAD model can be retrieved from the Tutorials\Models subdirectory of the installation
directory. From here, the model will be opened in FEMPRO. The part then will be loaded to the CAD Solid model
environment. From the CAD Solid Model environment various meshing sequences will be performed.

1. Problem Description

A motor mount assembly is designed to hold a 15-pound motor. The assembly consists of a left bracket, a right bracket and a
knuckle shaft. The brackets are made of aluminum (6061-T6) and the shaft is made of steel (ASTM-A36). The motor is
mounted to the brackets with bolts. The assembly has a tension force due to the output of the motor.

For the meshing tutorial, the model will first be meshed taking the default values. Once this has been completed, the model
will be meshed again taking into account the thickness of the brackets and the number of elements generated.

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Starting FEMPRO

Start FEMPRO from the Windows taskbar.

"Start: Programs: ALGOR V14: In the Windows taskbar, press the "Start" button. Select the
FEMPRO" "Programs" pull-out menu and select the "ALGOR V14" pull-
out menu. Select the "FEMPRO" command.

FEMPRO will now appear with the "Open" screen active.

Mouse Click on the "Open" icon in the "What to do" section on the left
side of the "Open" screen.
"Solidworks Assemblies (*.sldasm, In the "Files of type:" drop-down box, select the "Solidworks
*.asm)" Assemblies (*.sldasm, *.asm)"option. See Figure 1.

Figure 1: Choosing to Open SolidWorks Files In FEMPRO

Mouse Navigate to the Tutorials\Models subdirectory of the ALGOR

installation directory in the "Look in:" drop-down box.
MotorMount.SLDASM Click on the "MotorMount.SLDASM" file.

"Open" Press the "Open" button. (Alternatively, you could double-click

on the file name).

When you click to open the drawing file, FEMPRO will automatically open Solidworks, and access the file you selected.
FEMPRO will then perform a Direct Memory Image Transfer, and create a Direct Memory Image Transfer File
(filename.dmit), which will import the model’s geometry without the need to translate the file into a neutral file format.
Once the file is imported directly into FEMPRO, the model is displayed in the CAD Solid Model environment, and
Solidworks is closed.

"OK" Press the "OK" button in the "Choose Design Scenario" screen.

If it is necessary, access the VIEW pull-down menu and select the "Enclose" command to adjust the size of the part to the
screen. The solid model should be displayed as shown in Figure 2.

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 Figure 2: Model in CAD Solid Model Environment

Generating a Mesh

"Mesh" Press the "Mesh" button in the "Create Mesh" screen. A surface
mesh will be generated at this time. Since the "Solid" radio
button is selected in the "Mesh type" section, the solid mesh will
be generated when you perform the analysis. See Figure 3.

Figure 3: Meshed Model

These mesh results are coarse for a first pass. Now we would like to refine our mesh in the areas with small features.

"Mesh: Refinement Points: Access the MESH pull-down menu and select the "Refinement
Automatic…" Points" pull-out menu. Select the "Automatic…" command.
"Generate" Press the "Generate" button in the "Automatic Refinement
Points" screen. We will try the default refinement setting and will
determine if we need to perform further refinement
"Done" Press the "Done" button.

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After the generation process is complete, black dots will appear on the model. These represent refinement points that have
been added based on the features in that area. Approximately 18 refinement points have been added.

"Mesh" Press the "Mesh" button. The refined mesh will appear on the
model. More refinement is most likely necessary to get accurate
results.
"Mesh: Refinement Points: Access the MESH pull-down menu and select the "Refinement
Automatic…" Points" pull-out menu. Select the "Automatic…" command.
Mouse Move the slider to approximately the last tick mark to the right.
See Figure 4.

Figure 4: Move the Slider to a Finer Setting

"Generate" Press the "Generate" button in the "Automatic Refinement

Points" screen.
"Done" Press the "Done" button.
"Mesh" Press the "Mesh" button. The refined mesh will appear on the
model. This mesh appears to be adequately refined to provide
accurate results. The model will appear as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Model with Refined Mesh

Congratulations! You have finished the InCAD Tutorial using SolidWorks.

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