ANSYS Tutorial for M-Fly

Written by: Christopher Reynolds

Summary: ANSYS is a powerful tool and is utilized on the team to complete structural analysis.
The type of analysis that ANSYS uses is Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
FEA: FEA consists of a computer model of a material or design that is stressed and
analyzed for specific results.
Courtesy of Virginia Tech: http://www.sv.vt.edu/classes/MSE2094_NoteBook/97ClassProj/num/widas/history.html

FEA uses a mesh analysis method that breaks a model into small pieces (called a mesh).
This mesh is made by connect points called nodes. These nodes are placed unique for each
model, concentrating more nodes in areas where more analysis is needed based on anticipated
stress (i.e. connections, corners, etc.) It then analyzes the stresses, strains, and displacements of
these small meshes. Then, it uses the Finite Element Method (FEM) that works with boundaries
to piece together the mesh to discover total stresses, strains, and displacements.
There are a multitude of ways to simulate stresses on models including point forces,
pressures, torsion/torque, heat flux/convection (especially useful for satellites), enforced
displacements and more. FEA can be used for structural and vibrational analysis. Structural
analysis is used to check for maximum stresses/strains based upon what the material can handle.
Vibrational analysis is not often used on M-Fly, but can be useful to determine resonant
frequencies on structures.
On M-Fly, we often use ANSYS FEA as a first round of testing on new structures such as
wing spars, landing gears, tail structures, in addition to new internal structural designs. We
design structures and apply worst case scenario loading (based on data from AVL on expected
loads during flight). We will then load the model to its breaking point to determine the static
margin.
Two types of factors for analysis:
Factor of Safety: A term to describe the structural capacity of a system beyond the
expected loads.

Margin of Safety: A ratio used to relate the strength of the structure to the
requirements of the structure.

Tutorial:
1.) Open ANSYS. Search for Workbench in the start bar

2.) Once ANSYS Workbench is open, go to the left hand Toolbox and double click on static
structural. A static structural window will appear in the Project Schematic
The 1 row indicates the type of analysis, which for us will mostly be static structural.
3.) From C-Tools, download the file Final_TailBoom_Spars_Assem_Ansys.SLDASM. Save
it to an M-Fly folder on your personal drive or desktop. (ANSYS can import SolidWorks
CAD for analysis)
4.) Back on ANSYS Workbench, right click on Geometry (Row 3) and select import
geometry. Select the downloaded Final_TailBoom_Spars_Assem_Ansys.SDLASM file
and select open.
5.) Going back to Row 2, Engineering Data, right click and select edit. This will open a tab
called A2: Engineering Data.
a. Here, you can go through and adjust the material properties that can be included
in the model. As you see, the default is structural steel. Lets go ahead and add
aluminum.
b. In the Engineering Data Sources Window, click once on the box labeled General
Materials.

c. Now go into the box below Engineering Data Sources (labeled Outline of General
Materials) and select the little yellow plus sign (add) next to Aluminum Alloy.

6.) We will now move to row 4, Model. Right click and select edit, next the red icon with the
white M logo. This opens up Mechanical, a program used to view the results and model
of the Finite Element Analysis.
7.) Your window should look like so when Mechanical opens:

8.) The first thing we want to do in Mechanical is apply our mesh. In most cases, the
standard mesh that ANSYS creates will work for our applications. This standard mesh
places more nodes around contact areas and other miscellaneous sections where needed,
and less is simpler pieces for computational efficiency (more nodes = more
complicated mesh = more computer power needed to solve).
9.) The first thing we want to do in Mechanical is apply our mesh. In most cases, the
standard mesh that ANSYS creates will work for our applications. This standard mesh
places more nodes around contact areas and other miscellaneous sections where needed,
and less is simpler pieces for computational efficiency (more nodes = more
complicated mesh = more computer power needed to solve).
10.) In the left hand tree, under Model, under Connections, right click on mesh. Select update,
or generate mesh (both will create/update the mesh

11.)
Now we will apply our boundary conditions. In FEA, boundary conditions can
range from simple fixed supports such as a bolted surface, to objects as complex as unidirectional slides (only translating in one direction), frictions supports, elastics supports,
and even to a set displacement support.

12.)
For this study, we will use a set of simple fixed supports to VERY CRUDELY
model the tail boom. Right click on static structural under Model in the left hand tree.
Then select insert -> fixed support.

13.)
Going down to the details boxed as shown above, click on the box that is
highlighted in yellow saying No Selection
14.)
Now, in your model view screen to the right, click on the main spar (it should
highlight in green) and then select apply in the geometry box where the No selection
sign was. It should now say 1 Face

15.)
Verify that this worked by matching it with the picture below. The main spar
should now be highlight purple with a purple tag.

16.)
Now go ahead and apply two more fixed supports by following steps 11-15 for
both sides of the secondary spar (it consists of two CAD pieces joined in the center).
17.)
Your tree should now have fixed support, fixed support 2, and fixed support 3
under the Static Structural branch, under Model.
18.)
We will now apply static loads to the model. In general, we use loads that are
simple forces and moments, but there is a wide variety of other loads such as pressure,
thermal, joint, bolt, hydrostatic, and much more.
19.)
Right click on Static Structural -> Insert -> Force. You should see a Force branch
appear under the Static Structural branch in the tree.
20.)
Once again, we will select an object to apply this condition. Go ahead and click
on the tail boom.

21.)
Once selected, select apply. It should now read 1 Face and the tail boom should
be highlighted in red.
22.)
In the Details of Force box shown above, click on the box labeled Vector to
the right of Define by.

23.)
A drop down box should appear, go ahead select Components. This will allow
us to define our force by components of a vector, rather than simply a vector from
clicking.
24.)
In the Y Component box, type in 40 N. This is a worst case scenario tail loading
for our aircraft. Your screen should look like so:

25.)
We will now apply a second loading condition, a Moment. Moments are key
especially for this tail boom since twisting can occur from flutter, deflections of the
elevator and rudder, gusts, and drafts from the wing.

26.)
Once again, right click on Static Structural -> Insert -> Moment. In the geometry
row of the Details of Moment box to the left, select the tail boom and hit apply. The
tail boom should highlight green, then highlight red once apply is selected.
27.)
To apply the moment, we will give it a magnitude of 30 N*m, an approximation.
To do so, click on the box to the right of Magnitude in the Details box below the tree.
Type in 30 and hit enter. Your figure should look like the following:

28.)
We are now all set with 3 fixed supports, one applied force, and one applied
moment. We can now run the simulation!
29.)
To start, we need to set-up the analysis in which we will look at. To do so, right
click on Solution in the tree under Mode.
30.)
Solution -> Insert -> Stress -> Equivalent (von-Mises)
31.)
Also, right click Solution -> Insert -> Stress Tool -> Max Equivalent Stress
32.)
Also, right click Solution -> Insert -> Deformation -> Total
33.)
These two plots will show us the stress distribution, the safety factors of the piece,
and the deformations encountered.
34.)
Finally, right click on Solution -> Solve. This will run the solver and this can take
up to 5 to 10 minutes!
35.)

Bacteria
Lead
Pesticides
pH
Total Chlorine
Nitrate/nitrite

EPA
Maximum
Standards
None
Negative
Negative
6.5 8.5
4.0 ppm
10.0 ppm

Test
Results
None
Negative
Negative
7.5
0.0 ppm
0.5 ppm

Total Hardness

50.0 ppm

25.0 ppm