Importing Part Geometries and

Assembling in ABAQUS
Written by D. Mathis

Layout of Steps

1. Create Geometry in
desired CAD package
2. Save file format in .igs,
.sat (other formats
available)
3. Geometrically Assemble
in ABAQUS
4. Create tie constraints
between parts
 Creating Geometry in CAD
Package
• For this example, a simple box was
created in Pro-E
• This box was then saved as an .igs file,
but other file options are available
• Once the part has been created and
saved, select File in the ABAQUS toolbar,
and scroll down to Import, and select part
Importing Part
 Importing Part
• A window will now pop up that allows you
to locate your saved part
• Note the variety of file extensions
available, but for this example the .igs file
extension was used
• Choose your selected part file and
extension, and select ok
Choosing File & Extension
 Importing Part, .igs format
• After clicking ok, a new window will pop up
that allows further import options of the
chosen parts
• You can now choose whether you wish to
import the part in a solid, shell, or wire-
frame topology
– The solid topology was chosen here since it
was desired to model a solid part
• After having chosen your topology, click ok
Importing Part, .igs format
 Importing a Second Part
• For this example, a second box was
imported from the same saved part
• Repeat the previous steps of importing the
selected part, but on the “Create Part from
an Igs file” window, select the scale tab
• Click on the “Multiply all lengths option”
and type in 0.5. Now click ok.
• A smaller box will now be created
Scaling the Second Box
 Assembling the Parts
• Now click on the Assembly Module
• From the Assmbly Module, click on the instance
part option
• Choose your selected parts, and click on the
Auto-offset from other instances option. This
option will keep your parts from initially
overlapping.
• In order to be able to separately mesh the two
parts, choose the dependent option
• Click ok
Starting the Assembly
 Moving the Parts
• You should now see both of your parts in
the view-port window
• For this example, the smaller box will be
moved to the upper corner of the big box
• To do this, click on the Translate Instance
Button, and select the smaller box
• Then click done
Moving the part
 Moving Part
• Now, select a point on the corner of the smaller
box that you want to move to the upper corner of
the larger box
• Now select a point on the corner of your larger
box where you wish point of your smaller box to
move to
• The smaller box will now move to the selected
point
• Click ok, in the bottom of the view-port window
 Geometrically Constraining the
Parts
• The smaller box now has to be
geometrically constrained so that it is
correctly positioned on the larger box.
• Click on the Constraint option on the
Toolbar. Note the different constraint
options that are available
• Here, choose the face to face option
 Geometrically Constraining the
Parts
• Now, we need to choose the face on the
smaller box that is currently butted up
against the larger box. To choose this
face, select the Show/Hide Selection
Options that is located at the bottom of the
view-port.
• A options window will now pop up, click on
the “Select the Entity Closest to the
screen” to turn this option off
Face to Face Constraint
 Geometrically Constraining the
Parts
• Now, click on the part
• Further options will now appear at the
bottom of the view-port
• Cycle through the view options by clicking
on the next button, until the desired face is
selected, and press ok
• Now, turn the “Select the Entity Closest to
the screen” feature back on, and select the
face of the larger box
Face to Face Constraint
 Face to Face Constraint
• Arrows will now appear on the figure
• Use the flip option at the bottom of the
view-port to make sure the arrows are
pointing in the same direction
• Click ok
Face to Face Constraint
 Edge to Edge Constraint
• The edge of the smaller box now has to be constrained
to the larger box
• To do this, select Edge to edge in the Constraint Toolbar
pull-down
• Now choose one of the edges of the smaller box, and
then the respective edge of the larger box. Note that is
easier to select if you turn off the “Select the Entity
Closest to the screen” feature. Again, make sure the
arrows are pointing in the same direction
• Repeat this for the other edge. Note that the “The
instance "box_1-1-1" is fully constrained” message
appears in the lower text box once the box is fully
constrained
 Creating Tie Constraint
• Now that the parts have been assembled,
ABAQUS now needs to know how to
physically tie the two parts together
• This will be accomplished here by using
the Tie Constraint, which fuses the face of
the smaller box to the larger box
• To do this, click on Constraint in the file
library
 Creating Tie Constraint
• A new constraint window will pop up, and
choose the tie constraint. Note here there are
multiple options for these constraints
• Now, choose the Master surface, which is the
face of the larger box and click done
• Next, choose that the slave type be a surface
• Choose the face on the smaller box that is
butted up against the larger box.
• Click done
• A new window will be brought up to edit the
constraint select ok
Tie Constraint
 Note on Meshing and Parameter
Defining
• The Part has now been completely
assembled and tied together. It should
now be noted, however, that meshing of
the parts and section assignments should
now be done in the File library under the
respective parts.