Hypermesh Week 9 Challenge - Creation of 1D Connectors

OBJECTIVE

To attach the parts of given model using specific connectors after clean up and meshing said parts.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Right_Rail_2 & Front_truss_1:- Seam-Quad(angled+capped+L)

2. Left_Rail_2 & Front_truss_1:- Quad elements

3. Front_truss_2, Front_truss_1 & Right_Rail_1:- Spot weld with 3 Layers and 5 mm Diameter

4. Front_truss_2, Front_truss_1 & Left_Rail_1:- Hexa (Adhesive)

5. Rear_truss_2 & Right_Rail_2:- Bolt Connector

6. Rear_truss_2 & Left_Rail_2:- Bolt Connector

7. Right_Rail_1 & Right_Rail_2:- Spot-weld with Rigid Elements

8. Left_Rail_1 & Left_Rail_2:- Spot-weld with Spring Elements

9. Join remaining components with suitable connectors

CAD MODEL IMAGE

PROCEDURE

1. The model is cleaned up and meshed with proper mesh flow. The mesh type is mixed and element size is taken as 5 mm. It is a 2D mesh since the entire model comprises of extracted midsurfaces.

2.
a. Right_Rail_2 & Front_truss_1:- Seam-Quad(angled+capped+L)

For this, we can isolate the Right_Rail_2 and Front_truss_1 surfaces and find the region of possible connection to add connectors.

The connectors options can be accessed from the 2D menu as seen here:

This is a seam connector so the seam option is selected. (2D > Connectors > seam)

Then we reach the following menu:

The location option lets us select which nodes will involve the connectors and the 'connect what' lets us select the components that need connecting. Furthermore, we need to specify the time of seam connector through 'type' where we can select 'seam-quad (angled+capped+L). If specified, we can alter other options like weld angle, cap angle and runoff angle. Furthermore, tolerance needs to be varied accordingly so the connector option can find the next part to connect and ensure realization.

b. Left_Rail_2 & Front_truss_1:- Quad elements

The same process is followed in isolating and picking the nodes to be connected. The quad connectors is under the same seam options. It just needs to be selected from the 'type' menu.

It's the same procedure again with picking the nodes and selecting the components and assigning the tolerance. Here's what it looks like when realized:

c. Front_truss_2, Front_truss_1 & Right_Rail_1:- Spot weld with 3 Layers and 5 mm Diameter

Again, the particular components are isolated. This connector will involve 3 layers (components).

The elements are selected along with the 3 layers. And the tolerance is assigned along with the diameter. The process is again, pretty straightforward.

Here's how it looks after the spot weld connectors are assigned:

d. Front_truss_2, Front_truss_1 & Left_Rail_1:- Hexa (Adhesive)

To access the adhesive connector, it is under the seam connector options. 2d > connectors > seam and the type needs to be hexa (adhesive). We again get to input the criteria and select the nodes and components. All this is done after isolating the three components of course.

And this is what it will look like after it is realized:

e. Rear_truss_2 & Right_Rail_2 & Rear_truss_2 & Left_Rail_2:- Bolt Connector

Similar process again. The two components to be connected are isolated and we pick the nodes through which the connectors will be placed. Since this is a bolt connector, two should be adequate. The bolt options can be accessed from the connectors menu (2D > connectors > bolt)

We can assign the tolerance, select the nodes and components. Also, the 'create hole, if none' option is selected. For type, I have gone for bolt (CBAR).


This is what it will look like after adding (The mesh has also been cleaned up after bolts were added):

f. Right_Rail_1 & Right_Rail_2:- Spot-weld with Rigid Elements & Left_Rail_1 & Left_Rail_2:- Spot-weld with Spring Elements

The elements are isolated and all the nodes along a single line of the entire components are selected for spot welding (on both sides). The only difference being the type in these cases. The first case will have 'rigid' for type and the second will have 'spring'.

3. The rest of the components are joined using suitable connectors based off information from previous connectors used in similar regions of other components.

FINAL MODEL IMAGE

The light green regions are the connectors.

RESULT

The given model was meshed and after meshing, the components included were connected using specified connectors and were realized. Accordingly, appropriate connectors were used on other components of the same model.