Combining Pro/ENGINEER, Pro/MECHANICA, and Mathcad to Solve Real World Problems

Stephen Seymour, P.E.

Seymour Engineering & Consulting Group, LLC www.seymourecg.com

Presentation Outline

Introduction Problem description Analysis methodology Pro/Engineer, Pro/Mechanica,

and MathCAD integration Results Design optimization Conclusions

Introduction

Modern engineering and design problems require a

comprehensive approach in order to effectively and efficiently achieve a solution Many design/engineering tasks are compartmentalized

Pro/Engineer: CAD tool for model development Pro/Mechanica: Integrated FEA MathCAD: Engineering and scientific calculation All three software solutions can be combined within the
Pro/Engineer modeling environment

Example Problem

Goal: Determine the maximum

stresses and displacements of the door/hinge assembly Door is nylon, hinges are 6061 aluminum Initial angular velocity of door is known Forces due to impact are not known

Analysis Methodology

A force or acceleration is required for a

Pro/Mechanica static structural analysis Angular velocity is a load type and it is known, but will only simulate centrifugal loading. Will not simulate impact. Angular acceleration is a load type, but the value is unknown and is dependent on the structural response of the system

Knowns/Unknowns

How can the angular acceleration load

be determined?

Analysis Methodology

One possible approach: Energy

Methods Let kinetic energy (KE) = strain energy (SE)

Conceptual Solution

KE can be obtained from

Pro/Engineer and MathCAD SE can be obtained from Pro/Mechanica

We must determine the required

load so that KE = SE

Analysis Methodology

Use Pro/Engineer to determine inertia Apply arbitrary acceleration load to determine the initial
SE response Transfer inertia results and preliminary Mechanica results to MathCAD to determine KE and the multiplication factor Transfer multiplication factor from MathCAD to Pro/Mechanica

Procedure

Run analysis where KE will equal SE

Analysis Methodology
Flow Chart
Pro/Engineer MathCAD KE Arbitrary SE

Pro/Mech

MathCAD

Pro/Mech

Geometry

Set material properties within

Pro/Engineer Door to be nylon Hinges to be 6061 aluminum

Set units

Pro/Engineer MathCAD Integration

Create model analysis feature to get

inertia properties Select coordinate system where y axis passes through hinge axis

Inertia Properties

Pro/Engineer Pro/Mechanica Integration

Apply constraints Apply arbitrary angular acceleration

in LoadSet1 Define analysis

Define 1st Mechanica Analysis

Pro/Engineer Pro/Mechanica Integration

Create Mechanica Analysis feature in

Mechanica Results to Pro/Engineer

Pro/Engineer Select the newly created analysis Pro/Engineer will automatically import result parameters

MathCAD Worksheet

Create worksheet defining KE equation Create input variables for Iyy and SE
from 1st Mechanica analysis Create output variables for multiplication factor, KE, and SE Tag input variables with proe2mc and output variables with mc2proe

Pro/Engineer MathCAD Integration

Create MathCAD analysis feature Map the inertial parameter from ProE
to Iyy in MathCAD Map the SE from Mechanica analysis feature to the MathCAD SE variable

Pass Variables to MathCAD

MathCAD Pro/Mechanica Integration

Create second analysis in Mechanica with

angular acceleration load in LoadSet2 Create relations feature for Load2 value Create 2nd Mechanica Analysis feature

Results

Stress and displacement results

based on peak deceleration load Add annotation feature to present and double check results

Parametric Analysis

Subsequent design changes will automatically be

reanalyzed

Design Optimization

Due to parametric
relationship between the FEA analysis and model, design optimization and sensitivity studies can be performed.

Conclusion

Pro/Engineer, Pro/Mechanica, and MathCAD

can all be linked via the feature tree Parametric associatively allows for automatic updating

Subsequent behavioral modeler optimization

features can be added to further automate the design process