Point-based Connection Properties

Point-based connection properties are used to specify the boundary interaction between two bodies in an assembled product using connections between a point on each body. The following sections discuss the point-based connection properties available in Nonlinear Structural Analysis:

Creating Nodes to Nodes Connection Properties: Models rigid connections between two points.

Creating Node Interface Properties: Models spring connections between two points.

Creating Nodes to Nodes Connection Properties

A nodes to nodes connection property defines the degrees of freedom of a points to points analysis connection. The connection can be rigid or coincident. You can request history output of relative displacements and rotations and of total, elastic, viscous, and reaction forces and moments from a nodes to nodes connection property. The support for the history output request is the connection mesh.

This task shows you how to create a nodes to nodes connection property between two parts.

  1. Click the Nodes to Nodes Connection Property icon .

    The Nodes to Nodes Connection Property dialog box appears, and a Nodes to Nodes Connection Property object appears in the specification tree under the Properties objects set.

  2. You can change the identifier of the nodes to nodes connection property by editing the Name field.

  3. In the specification tree, select a Points to Points Analysis Connection object created previously in the Nonlinear Structural Analysis workbench.

    The Supports field is updated to reflect your selection.

  4. Select either type of connection. Nonlinear Structural Analysis treats Rigid and Coincidence connectors identically.

  5. By default, nodes to nodes connection properties constrain all degrees of freedom and are associated with the global, rectangular Cartesian axis system. To change the default behavior, click the Component Editor icon and do the following from the Definition dialog box that appears:

    1. Toggle off the degrees of freedom from which you want to remove the connection property.

    2. Specify a local coordinate system for the degrees of freedom. Local coordinate systems are defined in the CATIA Part Design workbench.

    3. Click OK to accept your changes and to close the Definition dialog box.

  6. Click OK in the Nodes to Nodes Connection Property dialog box.

Creating Node Interface Properties

A node interface property defines the properties of the spring of an existing point analysis connection. You can request history output of relative displacements and rotations and of total, elastic, viscous, and reaction forces and moments from a node interface property. The support for the history output request is the connection mesh.

This task shows you how to create a node interface property between two parts.

  1. Click the Node Interface Property icon .

    The Node Interface Property dialog box appears. A Node Interface Property object appears in the specification tree under the Properties objects set, and a Node Interface Mesh appears under the Nodes and Elements set.

  2. You can change the identifier of the node interface property by editing the Name field.

  3. In the specification tree, select a Points to Points Analysis Connection created previously in the Nonlinear Structural Analysis workbench.

    The Supports field is updated to reflect your selection.

  4. Nonlinear Structural Analysis supports only Spring type node interface properties.

  5. By default, a node interface property has a stiffness of 10 N/m in the three translational degrees of freedom and a stiffness of 0 Nm/rad in the three rotational degrees of freedom. In addition, by default a node interface property is associated with the global, rectangular Cartesian axis system. To change the default behavior, click the Component Editor icon and do the following from the Definition dialog box that appears:

    1. Change the translational and rotational stiffness.

    2. Specify a local coordinate system for the degrees of freedom. Local coordinate systems are defined in the CATIA Part Design workbench.

    3. Click OK to accept your changes and to close the Definition dialog box.

  6. Click OK in the Node Interface Property dialog box.