Week - 8 - Morphing
OBJECTIVE:
- To practice basic Morphing techniques in the ansa
- To discuss Morphing and its use cases in various industries.
MORPHING
ANSA encompasses a full-fledged Morphing menu that is completely integrated with ANSA’s interface and doesn’t require any additional module installations or licenses. The functions of the Morphing menu can be used to efficiently re-shape both FE and/or Geometry based models.
Domain (Box) Morphing
Domain or Box Morphing is performed via boxes that are created around a particular part or assembly that the user intends to morph. The movement of the Morphing boxes control points defines the morphing operations on the entities inside the Morph box. This type of Morphing can be applied to both FE and Geometry based models.
Direct Morphing
ANSA’s Direct morphing features gives the user the ability to efficiently modify a part locally without having to create Morphing boxes. This method is extremely useful in creating local modifications on single parts. Creation of depressions, surface fitting certain FE part features to new target geometry, moving selected features along the contour of a surface and also the ability to freeze (rigid) elements during the morphing process are some of the direct morphing abilities.
Parametric Morphing
The desired morphing actions can be saved as parameters that can be accessed in batch mode. Users can enforce desired shape changes by changing the numerical input values for the appropriate parameter. This method of morphing is highly utilized for coupling of the morphing operations to an external optimizer. The scripting capability can be used in conjunction with ANSA’s parametric morphing functionality to deliver faster DOE models.
Geometry Morphing
ANSA brings to the CAE world, it's one of a kind tool for CAD geometry morphing. This pioneering concept allows the user to utilize the inventory of all the familiar FE morphing functions to perform equivalent operations in a CAD environment on geometric entities.
Model Images
Model 1:
Model 2: Hand Rest
PROCEDURE
MODEL-1
1. Before working on morphing the component, we need to 'prepare' the component and that involves getting rid of deformities, stray single cons, hot points, etc. This model requires a topological cleanup so we can make use of the topo tool via Faces > Topo from the topo deck. With the tool activated, we can highlight the entire component and proceed. This fixes all the single cons, which are now correctly portrayed as double cons since it is supposed to be a closed volume.
2. The model is also oriented properly using the orient tool, accessible via Faces > Orient.
3. Then, a geometry check and cleanup need to be carried out and ANSA has a tool that takes care of that. The checks tool can be accessed from the upper toolbar: Checks > Geometry. With all components visible, the checks can be 'executed'. The geometric discrepancies will be highlighted by the tool and they can all be selected, right clicked and fixed by clicking 'fix'
4. Now that the geometry cleanup has been carried out, we can begin with the morphing process.
5. Then, we shall go to the ‘Morph’ deck and there we need to go to Boxes > New > Ortho and then Geometry is selected (since we are working on the actual geometry and not a mesh).
Fig 5(a) Morphed box
Fig 5(a) Morphed box
Fig 5(a) Morphed box
6. Now we can select Box Morphing > Move to move these control grids on the morph box. This is essentially ‘morphing’. After accessing the tool and selecting the nodes of the grid(s), we can move them based on the coordinate system. By right-clicking one of the nodes on the grid, the tool uses the local coordinate system, which makes the morphing process more intuitive, personally.
Fig 6(a) Morphed ribs
Fig 6(b) Morphed region
Fig 6(c) Morphed Model
MODEL-2
1. The requirement in the case of Model-2 is to increase the height of the dog houses and ribs as shown in the following picture.
2. As we did in the previous component, we are to highlight the particular doghouse & ribs using Boxes > New > Ortho. Since this is not a mesh and is a geometry, the geometry option is selected. After highlighting the doghouse and ribs, the middle mouse is clicked and the morph box is formed as shown:
Fig 2(a) Dog House Morphed Box
Fig 2(b) Ribs Morphed Box
3. Now, To increase the height of the RIBS and Doug house. Here I go with the offset option to increase the height of ribs and dog house
Select the Top face of the Morphed box and increase the height as per given.
As shown in the above figure, We use the min volume option to create a Morphed box.
Do the same process for all Dog houses and Ribs.
Fig 3(a) Dog House
Fig 3(b) Ribs
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Learned the concept of morphing and morph tools available in the morph deck.
2. Learned about the applications of morphing.
RESULT
Both the given models were morphed as per requirements - the first model was morphed as per the Week 8 video on morphing and the second model’s ribs and doghouses were morphed as specified in the given screenshot.