CVSWUG February 2004

CosmosXpress
Lew Walton
Matt Ales
 CosmosXpress

•New CosmosXpress Features in SW2005

•Strengths & Limitations
•Tricks for Getting Around Some Limitations
•Wish List for Future Versions
New Features in SW2005

•Deflection Plots
•Max/Min Annotations in Results Plots

Examples of both will be shown

later in the presentation
 Strengths & Limitations
Strengths Limitations

•Easy to Use •Solid, Single-Body Parts

Only
•Near-Seamless Integration
into SolidWorks •Single Material

•Fast Running •Room Temperature

•Visually-Pleasing •Restraints (Fixed) Applied

Animated Output Plots with to Areas Only
Full SolidWorks View •Loads/Pressures Applied to
Orientation Capabilities Areas Only
•Limited Options for Hard-
Copy Documentation
 Tricks

•Simulating Point Loading

•Simulating Pinned Restraints
•Elevated Temperature or Cryogenic
Temperature Analysis
•Analyzing Assemblies
•Screen Capture
Example – Aluminum Box Beam
Box Beam Section Properties
Specify Material

Watch Out!
There is a bug in SW2005
(and earlier) that causes
CosmosXpress to sometimes
“forget” the component
material designation
Define Restraints

Both ends of beam

rigidly restrained.
Apply Load

1,000 lb load evenly

distributed along
top surface of beam
Stress Solution

Hand Calculation = 1,278 psi

Deflection Solution

Hand Calculation = 0.019 inches

Simulating Point Loading

Add
loading
pad
Apply Load

1,000 lb “point”
load applied at
center mid-span on
top face of beam
Stress Solution

Ignore local stress

concentration at load
application point

Hand Calculation = 1,917 psi

Deflection Solution

Hand Calculation = 0.038 inches

Simulating Pinned Restraints

Add restraint
“blocks” at each end
Apply Restraints

Restrain bottoms of
fictional end blocks
Stress Solution

Ignore local
stress
concentrations
at restrains

Hand Calculation = 3,834 psi

Deflection Solution

Hand Calculation = 0.153 inches

Evaluating Elevated or Cryo Temperatures

Material Editor
dialog box

Select “Create or
Edit Material”
 Custom
material
Create “New” Material
files can be
stored in
common
library for
multiple Custom
users or material
stored in names are
same folder arbitrary.
as model I try to
use names
that will
The custom help me
materials remember
library can what
have as conditions
many were
subfolders assumed
as you want
to sort the
data
 Edit Material Properties
Overwrite
built-in
library
values with
appropriate Note that
values for properties of
the 6061 Alloy
temperature in main
(400F in this SolidWorks
example) Material
Library
remain
unchanged
(and are
write
protected)
 Evaluate Thermal Effects

•Apply New Material & Complete Analysis

•Stresses & Temperatures Will be Correct for
Temperature Corresponding to Properties
•Create Additional Custom Material for Each
Temperature of Interest
•Thermal Expansion Effects are Not
Calculated
•Model Must be Scaled First if Thermal
Expansion Effects Have to be Considered
Analyzing Assemblies
Merge Components into One Part
 Assembly Analysis

•Apply Restraints & Loads and Complete

Analysis as Usual for Single Part
•Requires That All Components Are Made
From the Same Material (or at Least Have a
Similar Modulus of Elasticity)
•Assumes That Components Are Integrally
Bonded Together at Points of Contact (No
Sliding Interfaces)
Use Screen Capture (Alt + Prt Sc) to
Enhance Documentation Options
Figure 3.4.3-8 Vessel Stress Analysis
Use WORD
Picture Editing
Nb1Zr Long-Term Material Properties Tools to Crop
50.0
45.0 SolidWorks
1% Creep Stress (mPa)

40.0

Icons
35.0 10 hrs
30.0 100 hrs
25.0 1000 hrs
20.0 10000 hrs
15.0 100000 hrs
10.0
5.0
0.0
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Temperature (K)

Desired Design Values

50.0
45.0
40.0
35.0 10 hrs
30.0 100 hrs
25.0 1000 hrs
20.0 10000 hrs
Embed Stress 15.0
10.0
100000 hrs

& Deflection 5.0

0.0
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Plots Directly Temperature (K)

in WORD
The Pressure vessel was evaluated for both launch loads & long-term
operating stresses using a combination of finite element and classical stress
Documents
analysis techniques. Long-term creep data derived from the SP-100 program
 Wish List

•Fix Material “Bug”

•Permit “Reflection” Boundary Conditions
•Add Sliding/Pinned Restraints
•Add True Assembly Capability