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[Watch & Learn]

This example is taken from Cornell University’s ANSYS AIM Learning Modules

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Contents

1. Problem Specification
2. Geometry
3. Mesh
4. Physics Setup
5. Results Evaluation

Problem Specification

A simplified CubeSat is held in a rectangular box called a P-POD while being launched into orbit.  The 1U CubeSat with legs has dimensions of 10.5cm x 10cm x 10cm.  The structure is made of Aluminum 6061-T6.  The CubeSat also contains boxes and a cylinder, which represent simplified internal components such as a main flight computer and the attitude control system.

Find the first 6 modes of vibration using ANSYS Discovery AIM.

Mock CubeSat

P-Pod Launcher

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Geometry

Download the file here
In this video, you will learn how to import the geometry in Discovery AIM.

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Mesh

In this video, you will learn how to refine mesh and add mesh controls for generating a finer mesh on bodies.

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Physics Setup

The internal components of this satellite have been simplified to reduce modal analysis run time.  While this CubeSat structure is simple, larger satellites often have a more complex interior with a wide array of components and structural stiffeners.  Features such as small extrusions, fillets not in contact with the frame and holes may be omitted to reduce the computational load of the simulation.

In order to simulate the mass of the internal components, we must apply a specific density to each component based on its corresponding volume.  To do this, we must create a new material with a given density.  It is important to note that we will only be changing the density of the material, as other material properties have little to no effect on the resonant frequency of the satellite.

For the purposes of this tutorial, the densities for the components are:
Large Box Density = 1000 kg/m^3
Small Box Density = 900 kg/m^3
Cylinder Density = 1200 kg/m^3

The following video shows how to assign material, edit material properties, add support and displacement conditions to the model.

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Results Evaluation

The following video shows how to view the Displacement Magnitude contours for each mode and look at the calculated modal frequencies

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