SOLIDWORKS Simulation - Shell Elements for Frames Tutorial

Learn about "CAD Conditioning" process you can use to modify frame components to accept shell elements. Sometimes frame assemblies can be so large that meshing with beams or solids is not practical on typical PC's. This tutorial suggests ways you can create special surfaces with "Offset", and "Extend" and "Split Line" commands for shell elements, which mesh and solve quite fast.
QuickTips video presented by Tony Botting of GoEngineer (www.goengineer.com).

[@Nigel5uk]

Thank you so much for this! I am currently designing an impact attenuator for a FS car, made from aluminium honeycomb which is just impossible to mesh. Shell elements seem like the way forward.

[@matteocalzaferri6414]

Hi, very nice video. thank you for posting.
I have a question:
I'm trying to mesh a recumbent frame with shell elements. I split the intersecting surfaces, how you recommended but my mesh doesn't joint well. I tried two different solutions: in one case I removed the inner split surfaces and in the other I left the surfaces but the problem is still present. Can you suggest me how to solve the problem?
Thank you,
regards
Matteo
(I'm sorry if my english isn't perfcet, I'm not native speaker)

[@Sigsite723]

In the assembly, insert a new part (which is empty) and copy the surfaces from the other parts into the new part (while still in "edit part mode"). Then, close the assembly and open only the new part. That will save a lot of memory and confusion. For the round you will probably want to make a solid hemisphere. Mesh it then fix the whole thing and push the sheet metal into the round with a "no penetration' contact between sheet metal and round.

[@arianrmb]

hi, excellent video. for something im working on i need to apply torsion to a shell cylinder on its edge but solidworks won't allow it unless i work with the solid element. what can i do?

[@goengineer]

arian martin, while SOLIDWORKS Simulation does not allow you apply a normal force or torque to a shell element edge or vertices. You can still apply a torque to a shell element face. My suggestion is that you make a split line on the face of your cylinder very close to the edge that you want to apply the torque force to, and then use this very small face as the definition to apply the torque. Thank you for watching and your comment.

[@arianrmb]

thank you very much

[@00Mass00]

How do I do this when I would have 500 profiles?
There must be a quicker way

[@goengineer]

Hi 00Mass00,
There isn't really a shortcut on this particular method of using shell elements to analyze beams. In my experience, putting the time into making the mesh like this pays back 10x in saved solver time though.

[@00Mass00]

GoEngineer Thank you for your answer. I have ship model of 100m where I want to do this with a lot of profiles :) But I think only option for now will be creating the profiles from scratch as surfaces. I thought maybe there is an option that would have the intelligence to place the surface in the center of the solid because it represents the thickness.

[@goengineer]

Right now the only features that intelligently place shell mesh at the midplane of an object come from the Sheet Metal features. Other solid features do not have a way to automatically recognize the midplane and place a shell there.