Using LS-DYNA® from ANSYS Workbench Environment

Numerical simulations as integral part in the virtual product development process exhibit a huge spectrum. Ranging from simple modal analyses over linear and nonlinear stiffness and strength based problems up to coupled multi- physic analyses, where different physical disciplines interact with each other. Thereby simulation tools in combination with preprocessors must enable users to perform product development tasks faster and therefore more efficient. One essential part is hereby the seamless model file transfer from and to 3D CAD systems. Additionally model and assembly handling in-between the different simulation disciplines in combination with an automatic mesh generation and automatic contact detection is also important to speed up development time. With the Workbench environment, ANSYS took a quantum leap into model analysis and handling different simulation disciplines in one standard user interface in combination with a tight interface from and to almost all common 3D CAD systems. An interface between ANSYS Workbench and LS-DYNA therefore provides the opportunity to use Workbench preprocessing functionalities for LS-DYNA simulations. The German ANSYS and LS-DYNA distributor CADFEM has thus created a unidirectional, interactive graphic interface “Workbench LS-DYNA“ for the transfer of data from ANSYS Workbench to LS-DYNA. This not only enables users to transfer the pure structure in form of nodes and elements, but also sections, materials, contact definitions and boundary conditions, including prescribed motions and force loading. LS-DYNA specific control and database options are included from a template file, which can be customized by the user. Moreover any LS-DYNA keyword command can be defined within the Workbench GUI and will be added into the LS-DYNA input file. Besides using CAD interfaces, automatic mesh generation and contact detection of Workbench, LS-DYNA users will benefit from this interface. With an existing ANSYS Workbench license and LSTC’s free of charge LS-PrePost an additional preprocessor causing cost and training effort may no longer be necessary. Even more important, the interface enables easier data exchange with other analysis departments using already ANSYS Workbench. Moreover the CAD interfaces in ANSYS Workbench also allow a closer link to construction departments.