Hello all.
I´m simulating a bellow (optimizing some parameters) and it was constructed as "surface" in Creo - meaning that it has no thickness.
So when I enter Simulate I can select all the faces and define them as "shell".
The problem is - I think - there is not command for creating shells automatically in a component - you must select the surfaces.
But my bellow was created as a pattern! This means when I update the number of convolutions, they will not became shells automatically. The optimization will fail.
Is any work around? How to make Simulate to set automatically that the entire model is shell?
I´ll have the same problem later when using pressure - if I create new surfaces the pressure over the new surfaces will not be automatically updated - but currently I don´t need to use pressure. One problem each time...
Yes, I could use 3D elements and not shells. But is a lot quicker to use shells and I would like to keep it for this optimization stage.
Thank you in advance
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Accepted Solutions
Ok, meanwhile I found some ways to overcome this situation including the "official" way using intent – that even open the possibility to pattern forces or contains in a simulation (everything that can be selected via intent).
One work around is to create a long bellow (more than you will need) by increasing the pattern. After I select all surfaces and define everything as "shell". They are now ready to mesh.
Now I can update the pattern to create a "shorter" bellow changing the number of convolutions. There will be a warning and the suppressed convolutions surfaces will have the yellow point - but I still have the remaining convolutions defined as shells and meshed.
The main problem comes when you will try to increase the number of convolutions again (what can be part of an optimization). Simulate do not "see" that the surfaces are back and do not update the shell table. The simulation will fail.
This type of problem can be behind several type of failed simulations. Especially if the model is edited and somehow a feature gets suppressed and after comes back or a pattern that is modified and comes back.
So, it can be a contact region for example - or any other feature (as here a shell) will not be updated.
The CAD model is updated but not the features previously defined in Simulate. You will end have simulation errors and spend hours to see why some elements fails during simulation and you get the “underconstrained element” error.
Especially for this case would be nice to have more "robust" options to pick the shell elements or make other definitions. like to define a part as shell or at least a volume. This one would be easy to use. Shells accept only individual, quilt or intent selection.
But how many people really know what are and how to use quilt and intent? I´m one that have never used them but searching about it was when I found the solution.
Creating Intent Surfaces from Patterned Geometry - The official solution
You must follow the help file with the above title - but in Creo - not in Simulate. You cannot pattern inside Simulate!
I did not follow the entire help file – especially the part after using the “search tool” because was getting confuse and I was not finding the explained commands. Instead I went back to my original idea – to make more pattern than I need.
The difference now is that I define the shell I using “intent” and selecting everything from the patterned intent. This is now more robust. If I increase or decrease the pattern the shell definition actualizes the selection.
With this approach there is no failure in the simulation after updating the number of convolutions (or any patterned feature) – But please do not forget to define also the remaining features that do belong to the patterns!
Hopefully this can help more people.
Ok, meanwhile I found some ways to overcome this situation including the "official" way using intent – that even open the possibility to pattern forces or contains in a simulation (everything that can be selected via intent).
One work around is to create a long bellow (more than you will need) by increasing the pattern. After I select all surfaces and define everything as "shell". They are now ready to mesh.
Now I can update the pattern to create a "shorter" bellow changing the number of convolutions. There will be a warning and the suppressed convolutions surfaces will have the yellow point - but I still have the remaining convolutions defined as shells and meshed.
The main problem comes when you will try to increase the number of convolutions again (what can be part of an optimization). Simulate do not "see" that the surfaces are back and do not update the shell table. The simulation will fail.
This type of problem can be behind several type of failed simulations. Especially if the model is edited and somehow a feature gets suppressed and after comes back or a pattern that is modified and comes back.
So, it can be a contact region for example - or any other feature (as here a shell) will not be updated.
The CAD model is updated but not the features previously defined in Simulate. You will end have simulation errors and spend hours to see why some elements fails during simulation and you get the “underconstrained element” error.
Especially for this case would be nice to have more "robust" options to pick the shell elements or make other definitions. like to define a part as shell or at least a volume. This one would be easy to use. Shells accept only individual, quilt or intent selection.
But how many people really know what are and how to use quilt and intent? I´m one that have never used them but searching about it was when I found the solution.
Creating Intent Surfaces from Patterned Geometry - The official solution
You must follow the help file with the above title - but in Creo - not in Simulate. You cannot pattern inside Simulate!
I did not follow the entire help file – especially the part after using the “search tool” because was getting confuse and I was not finding the explained commands. Instead I went back to my original idea – to make more pattern than I need.
The difference now is that I define the shell I using “intent” and selecting everything from the patterned intent. This is now more robust. If I increase or decrease the pattern the shell definition actualizes the selection.
With this approach there is no failure in the simulation after updating the number of convolutions (or any patterned feature) – But please do not forget to define also the remaining features that do belong to the patterns!
Hopefully this can help more people.
