Learning Forum

[jonnyflowers]

I am attempting to run a simulation that has 6636 nodes, It will not run no matter what I do because it has the error "The version size limits( NODES )have been exceeded."

Can someone please help me out with this?

Thanks

[vganore]

If you are using our ANSYS student product or teaching product then it has a nodes/elements limit of 32k for structural. Could you please post screenshot of your error + statistics area which shows nodes and elements?

[jonnyflowers]

Hi,

Screenshots attached below

 

[vganore]

Looks like you have meshing elements/nodes under control. What about geometry? How many bodies have you generated? How many systems are you using under workbench?

[Sergey]

I have few requests from students facing the similar "numerical limit" issue. The most simple way to reproduce the problem is to exceed the specified limit (32k) at least once, and in the following runs the numerical limit error will pop up with no respect to the actual size of the model. Duplicating the project or clearing generated data or closing the workbench or restarting the pc do not solve the problem. However, if you duplicate the Model cell and make a new Setup cell, it works fine. So the issue seems to be seat somewhere in the Setup cell of the project. Still have no idea how to avoid the error without redefining loads and supports. I also have requests regarding the error about geometry size limits in DM. However, I found no info regarding the limits existing for student version of DM.

[vganore]

Strange. Let me find out. About Design modeler (DM) geometrical limit, it can handle-

Maximum number of bodies=50,

maximum number of faces=300

[Dbendix]

i am having the same problem

 

[jonnyflowers]

The issue definitely has nothing to do with anything exceeding limits at the moment, I may have exceeded this during an initial run, so what Sergey said seems likely, it could be as simple as a variable not being reset in the setup cell.

[Finch8]

Hi! Have someone find a solution for this problem? 

[vganore]

Which version are you using? I am using 18,2 and it is working fine even after I exceeded the limit and readjusted mesh to bring the node count within limit. 

[Naji]

I already have meshed in Design modeler (DM), and everything is well, I have no problems in my mesh with ansys 18, I have about (10M) elements in my project.. you can try with Design modeler (DM)

[Naji]

[jonnyflowers]

I still seem to be having this issue,  It is driving me absolutely nuts!

My mesh is currently on 2600 elements and I cant solve it.  This is a nightmare.  I literally have to start everything again everytime this happens!

[Mr Berg]

i have this exact problem in ANSYS Student 18.2, i have to rebuild the simulation when i exceed the limits to get the simulation to run. I have tried to use symmetry to minimize the problem but with fillets (that are taking up much of the stress in the material) the licence limits are often exceeded. This is a problem that persists when i try to create a second system and sharing the information from engineering data and up to model.

[peteroznewman]

Mr Berg,

It sounds like your Student license is working as it should. When the count of nodes+elements > 32,000 the solver will not run, and when the count is < 32,000 the solver will run.

Jonnyflowers is on ANSYS Student 17.2, which has a defect where once a model exceeds a count of 32,000 and the solver refused to run, simply changing the mesh to a lower density to get the count below 32,000 does not allow the solver to run. The model is "stuck" in the "over-the-limit" state, and the model has to be rebuilt before it will solve again.

For version 18.2, if you exceed the limit, you can simply change the mesh density to get below the limit and the solver will run. It doesn't get stuck.

[jonnyflowers]

I am using 18.2 and I am still having this issue.

[peteroznewman]

Vishal could not reproduce the issue on his Student 18.2.  
I will try my Student 18.2 tonight and update this post with my results.

[jonnyflowers]

I can provide my files if you would like

To reduce it to under the student limit, just change the mesh sizing control from fine to coarse

[peteroznewman]

I tested ANSYS Student 18.2 using both the Iterative and Direct Solvers with a mesh that was first over and then under the Student node+element limit. In both cases, I got the refusal to solve, then reduced the mesh density and had a successful solve without changing anything but the default element size. I could not reproduce the problem jonnyflowers experienced.

[jonnyflowers]

Hi, Sorry didnt have access to my workstation last night.  I have just uploaded the files

[peteroznewman]

Hi Jonny, I feel your pain; I was able to reproduce this defect on your file, but...

       I found a way to reset the defect!

In Mechanical, right click on Geometry and select Update from Source. After the update completes, the solver will run if the mesh is below the limit.

Hopefully, this thread will help everyone with this defect.

I have some suggestions about your model that I will put in a new thread with a new title.

[jonnyflowers]

Thank you. I will have a go tomorrow.

Where is the new thread?

[peteroznewman]

I have put the suggestions in this new thread.

[Fabricio.Urquhart]

I have the same problem and the number of nodes and elements is not over 32k. Can anybody help me?

 

Thank you!

 

The model is attached.

[Fabricio.Urquhart]

Peter, firs of all thank you very much!

 

Then I have some doubts:

When you said: "You should always have a minimum of two solid elements through the thickness of any part", I did not understand what you mean to say?

And another doubt that I always have, is how to derminate the number of substeps.

 

Thank you

[peteroznewman]

Dear Fabricio,

With only one solid element through the thickness of a thin solid body that is subject to compression or bending, there is an invalid solution that is called the "hourglass" mode. You don't want that to happen. That is why we use shell elements, they have extra degrees of freedom at each node: rotations, and equations to model bending behavior that solid elements don't have. If you put several solid elements through the thickness, you can reduce the likelihood of having an hourglass mode and the extra elements can more accurately represent the bending than a single layer of solid elements. I refer you to this page for more info. That page is in reference to the warning message you will sometimes see from the solver that it detected only 1 solid element in two directions.

There are two exceptions I know of regarding the guidance for putting at least two solid elements through the thickness of a solid body.

1) When you have a thin solid and mesh it with solsh190 elements. They have extra degrees of freedom to model the bending behavior accurately with a single layer of solid elements. Read this post for an example of the mesh control needed in Mechanical to deploy those elements.

2) When you assign a solid body the property of Gasket and assign a Gasket material, then the mesher knows to put only one element through the thickness of a thin planar solid body.

SUBSTEPS
Initial Substeps
Make this number large enough so the substep converges in less than 26 iterations and ideally less than 6 or 7 iterations.
Minimum Substeps
Make this number 1 if the solution converges to the end of the step without issues. Sometimes, the solver gets into trouble not at the start of the step, but near the end of the step. For example when using a material model with plasticity, there is no plastic strain at the beginning of the step, but there is near the end of the step, and if the solver takes too large an increment, it gets into trouble with distorted elements. Setting a high number for Minimum substeps forces the solver to take small sized load increments and makes it more likely to find convergence in less than 26 iterations. Another reason to use a high number is if you are plotting out a graph and want plenty of points on the curve.

[Abdul Malik]

Hello Peteroznewman,

I am facing the same problem while solving i accidentally exceed the element size. I am using the ansys 19.1 and followed the steps you mentioned in the above post but it didn't work for me. when i updated geometry from the source the error appears "One or more parts were found to be unmodified so smart updated". Is there any solution to overcome this problem? other then restarting the software.

Many Thanks,

Abdul Malik

[Aidan]

Hi Peter. I'm using the student version of ANSYS 19.2 and I'm not sure why but 'updating geometry from source' in Mechanical, didn't reset the defect for me, like it did for you. I checked the 'solution information' text file and at one point in the file it says that the number of nodes is 5794 but then later says that 'the version size limit ( NODES ) have been exceeded' (which doesn't make sense as my version's size limit is 32k nodes). I tried clearing all generated data, restarting ANSYS and updating geometry from source but nothing worked. Any idea what's going on?

[tsiriaks]

Hi Aidan,

Please create a new thread for your issue, so you get proper attention.

Thanks,

Win

[Sergey]

Hi Aidan,

 

This happens due to some auxiliary nodes or elements getting the IDs above 32k limits if you create them after the mesh with more than 32k nodes or elements was built. We are talking about nodes and elements representing Remote Points, Contacts, Joints, etc. For some reason, they are not renumbered automatically when mesh is rebuilt to satisfy 32k limit. 

 

The solution is to use "Compress Node Numbers" option in the Mesh Numbering object (you can access it from the context panel at Model level). You can also refer to the screenshot posted by Sandeep in another thread. 

 

Regards,

Sergey

[nima_nzm]

I have had this problem before. If you are sure that your model has not exceeded the element limit, it might be b/c of the error flag in the solution logs that were set to on, the first time your model exceeded the element limit, and after that even if you modify the mesh to stay below the limit, you will see the same error message. The solution is simple and you have to reset the error flag which can be done by resetting the model cell in the project schematic. or starting everything over from importing the CAD. I haven't tried the reopening the whole ANSYS project, it might work as well. 

[sophieherz]

Hi Jonny, I feel your pain; I was able to reproduce this defect on your file, but...

       I found a way to reset the defect!

In Mechanical, right click on Geometry and select Update from Source. After the update completes, the solver will run if the mesh is below the limit.

Hopefully, this thread will help everyone with this defect.

Hey guys, 

I'm encountering the same problem working with WB 2020 R1. The error is: "Your product license has numerical problem size limits, ou have exceeded these problem size limints and the solver cannot proceed."

I work in a static structural with a simple beam structure and a shape memory component. The mesh has 26185 Nodes and 11758 elements. In the first mesh, the node count was too high, so I received the first error. After the mesh had been adapted, the error kept popping up.

I've tried inserting Mesh Numbering, dublicating the component in WB, refreshing the project, clearing and generating data, shrinking the mesh etc. 

Any help is much appreciated

 

Kind regards,

Sophie

[peteroznewman]

Hey Sophie,

If your model includes contact, remote displacements or remote force, surface effects, etc, then you can't go by the Mesh Statistics for the node and element count that the Solver license limit uses. This is because the Mesh Statistics don't include the nodes and elements created at the time of solution for Contact Elements which are added to the mesh count.   26,185 nodes is too close to the 32,000 node limit if you have contact or other items that add to the node or element count.

[sophieherz]

That worked, that you

[IgorArroio25]

Hello Peter,

 

I had the same problem that Sophie, but I don't understood where I can found the total number of nodes and elements of my model that includes all of this things that you talked about. Where can I see the number total os elements and nodes to adjust my model to the 32K nodes+elements?

Best regards, 

 

Igor.  

[AJKINGE121]

Still has same problem in 2020 R2nThanks, peteroznewman your solution works nn

[Trần Minh]

I'm from 2023 and i have same problem too :D 

I tried all the solution in this post and not thing work :( can some one help me pls

[Rob]

How many nodes have you got? The maximum has been increased but remember contact regions etc also add nodes to the problem.