Support and contact boundary conditions are defined to surface of part.

Set the coordinate system of the surface

  1. Select surfaces.
  2. Press Local Coordinate System checkbox from the ribbon tab.
    • When the checkbox is checked, the coordinate system of the surfaces is the local coordinate system of the surface.
    • When unchecked, the coordinate system is the global coordinate system of 3d model.

The degrees of freedom are defined in the coordinate system of the surface.


Local coordinate system is denoted by letter L in the Supports branch of study tree.


Define contact surface

  1. Select surfaces.
  2. Set Local Coordinate System for surfaces.  
  3. Select Contact from contextual ribbon tab.

Set the degrees of freedom for surfaces

  1. Select surfaces.
  2. Press X-translation, Y tai Z to change the support definition of certain degree of freedom.
    • Boundary condition definitions are set always in the selected coordinate system of the surface.
    • Boundary condition options and their descriptions for non-contact surface are listed in the table below.

Symbol in ribbon tab

Symbol in study treeBoundary condition definitionDescription

0Fixed to connecting faces (default)

The degree of freedom for surface is fixed to connecting faces. The connecting faces must belong to active study.

If connecting faces do not exist the degree of freedom is free.

1Fixed at location

The degree of freedom for surface is fixed at location. Its displacement is zero in the solution.

2Free

The degree of freedom surface is freed from connecting faces and location.


    • Boundary condition options and their descriptions for contact surface are listed in the table below.
Symbol in ribbon tabSymbol in study tree

Boundary condition definition

Description

0

Fixed to connecting faces

For X and Y coordinate

  • The degree of freedom for surface is fixed to connecting faces

For Z coordinate (The surface normal)

  • The degree of freedom for surface is fixed to connecting faces in the initial state of contact iteration

2

Free

For X and Y coordinate

  • The degree of freedom for surface is freed from connecting faces

For Z coordinate (The surface normal)

  • The degree of freedom for surface is freed from connecting faces in the initial state of contact iteration


The boundary condition definition for Z coordinate of contact surface should not have effect on results. It only modifies the initial state of contact iteration.

Define boundary conditions with preset

  1. Select surfaces from 3d model.
  2. Select preset from  Presets drop-down menu of contextual ribbon tab.
    • The preset function changes boundary condition definitions for all coordinate system directions (X, Y and Z) simultaneously.