2 Replies Latest reply on Jul 21, 2014 5:02 AM by Rohit Choudhary

Changing thickness of CAD geometry in Solidworks 3D or Solidworks Simulation - does it matter?

Rohit Choudhary Jul 21, 2014 4:52 AM

Hi,

Firstly, this my first visit to the forum, so a small intro about me to start of with I am an enthusiast and hard core user of Solidworks 3D. From past 2 years I learning Solidworks Simulation at my workplace and executed quite a number of projects in the same. I am very much here to give and take a lot of SW knowledge, tips and tricks.

Moving strainght to the point of discussion - I have a housing of a gearbox made out of steel plates bent and welded, now there is need to change the wall thickness of the housing

and then perform a Static Analysis.(Have attached the images of the Housing for reference and visualisation). This leaves me with two configurations of the model with two different thickness values.

To perform the FEA in SOlidworks Simulation, we plan to apply shell elements as the mesh elements - where in there is an option to changing the thickness of the cross section in Simlation package itself. We plan to change the thickness of the cross - section by using this option.

We have team at customer end who is very much adamant on asking us to change the thickness of the geometry in 3D CAD software and then use it for FEA. They believe that changing the thickness in 3D CAD will work differently from option of changing the thickness while applying shell element in Solidworks simulation.

I would like to know about both the approach described above in changing the thickness of the housing does it matter so much?

Will be glad to know from the fraternity about it.

Thanks in advance.

regards

Rohit Choudhary

Housing1.jpg 290.1 KB

Re: Changing thickness of CAD geometry in Solidworks 3D or Solidworks Simulation - does it matter?

Jared Conway Jul 19, 2014 1:01 PM (in response to Rohit Choudhary)

if you are using shells defined by surfaces or based on faces, no need to change the 3d model thickness
if you are using sheetmetal, you need to change the 3d model because the sheetmetal shell inherits the thickness of the 3d model

there are 2 caveats
1. in the long run, you'll have to change the 3d geometry so that you have something for manufacturing. so changing it at the 3d model level could make sense before then updating/changing the shell.
2. remember that shells assumes you are choosing the center of the part (mid plane). usually we don't do this and have to account for this either with an assumption (that the part is thin enough that choosing inside or outside face doesn't matter) or by adjusting using the offset. so they may be suggesting changing the model for this.
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- Re: Changing thickness of CAD geometry in Solidworks 3D or Solidworks Simulation - does it matter?
  
  Rohit Choudhary Jul 21, 2014 5:02 AM (in response to Jared Conway)
  
  Hi James,
  Thanks a lot for your insight.
  
  Have a great day ahead!!!
  
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