Learning Forum

[venugopal4048]

Dear all,

I want to change the element type and I want to assign the element different elements in ANSYS workbench. What is the procedure to change the element type?

Thank you very much,

Venugopalb

[Rameez_ul_Haq]

Right click Mesh, select Method, and then select the type of element you want to use.

[venugopal4048]

Thank you for your response.
However, In general, it is okay. I want to choose specific elements (such as SHELL181, SOLID186,...). In this case, what is the procedure to assign a particular element?

regards
Venugopalb

[Rameez_ul_Haq]

you wrote ANSYS Workbench so I thought you are referring to assigning the element types by mouse clicks. But manually inputting the element type I guess will require an APDL command but I don't use it so I am not aware.

[venugopal4048]

Thank you

[mrife]

WB Mechanical decides on the specific element type to write to the input file based on the shape & order of the mesh, along with the types of loading and boundary conditions. Normally there are not multiple element types that meet the specific criteria. So can I ask why you want to change the element type?
For example some of the much older, original element types still exist in the Mechanical APDL solver like Beam4 and Shell63. However they require real constant data instead of section data. So if you manually change say a Beam188 model to Beam4 the solver will throw an error, as there is no real constant data defined.
If you can explain why you need to change them I'll probably have a much better answer.
Mike

[venugopal4048]

Thank you very much for your response.
Actually, I am working on composites shell buckling. By default, ANSYS WB assigns the SHELL181 element for the structure. However, another shell element SHELL281 is also available and a Solid element, SOLID86 also available. So, I want to compare the accuracy and computational time of the analysis. So, that I need to assign various elements.
regards Venugopalb

[Erik Kostson]

Shell281 you can simply get without any apdl command snippets, and just by setting in the mesh details, defaults, element order, and set it to quadratic.

---

The other option for solid86 one puts a command snippet under the body et,typeids(1),86
or
et,matid,86

Which changes it to solid86.
There are many links on this see:
/forum/discussion/2046/check-element-type
All the best

Erik

[venugopal4048]

Thank you very much

[mrife]

Hi Venugopalb there is no Solid86 element. Do you mean Solid186? Mike

[venugopal4048]

.
Yes. It is SOLID186 element
Thank you
regards
Venugopalb

[Erik Kostson]

HI

Solid186 you can simply get without any apdl command snippets, and just by setting in the mesh details, defaults, element order, and set it to quadratic.

It is also the default element used by the mesher (if we do not change anything here and leave it to program default) for 3D solid parts.

So the command snippet I show say: et,matid,beam4 - in this case to change a beam188 element which is the default for line bodies, to a legacy beam4 element - so no need to use snippets on the elements that we already get by default (solid186) or by changing the element order setting (mentioned for getting shell281 elements).
All the best

Erik

[venugopal4048]

Thank you sir

[Nagarajan Rajendran]

Hi,

Check the ds.dat file and find for "ET, " and verify the no. of element types the model/region has been assigned. For the element type to be change, please use the following snippet;

 

*do,i,1,14
*do,j,15,28
et,j,223
esel,,type,,i
emodif,all,type,j
keyo,j,1,11    !  structural-thermal
keyo,j,2,0       ! Strong coupling
keyo,j,9,1       ! Thermoelastic damping suppressed
keyo,j,3,1                ! Axisymmetric
*ENDDO
*ENDDO
alls
etdele,1,14
alls

In the above example of the snippet, I am trying to change the element type " Plane 293" to "Plane 223".  Default element type was Plane 293 was assigned to "1 to 14" element type no., I try to reassign it to "15 to 28" element type no. Prior to that, define the element type with Plane 223. Don't forget to set the Keypoint option relevant to the new element type...thanks

Regards

Nagarajan