Workshop 1

Cylinder Impact
16.0 Release

Introduction to
ANSYS Explicit STR
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 Workshop Goal and Procedure
Goal:
Simulate the impact of cylinder into a plate (typically known as a Taylor Test)
Procedure:
Restore an Explicit Dynamics (ANSYS) Analysis System Project
Select the unit system and assign the material properties
Mesh the two parts and set the initial velocity condition of the rod
Define the analysis settings, boundary conditions, and applied loads
Solve and review the results

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 Step 1 Create the Project Schematic
Start ANSYS Workbench and follow the sequenced steps using the
abbreviations shown below:
DC = Double Click with Left Mouse Button
SC = Single Click with Left Mouse Button
RMB = Right Mouse Button Selection
D&D = Drag and Drop = Hold Left Mouse Button
down on item while dragging it to new location
and then release it (i.e., Copy or Move)

1. Restore the archived project

Taylor Basic.wbpz

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 Step 2 Verify the Project Units

2.a Verify MKS as the Project Units from

the Units List provided

2.b Verify that Native Applications in

Workbench have their values be
Displayed in the Project Units
Note:
Engineering Data is native in Workbench, but DesignModeler and Mechanical
are NOT currently (but will be in the future). Therefore, always check that the
local units system is as desired.

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 Step 3 Define Engineering Data Material
3.a Edit the Engineering Data cell to select pre-
defined material models from the data sources. DC
3.b Press the book icon to toggle the view from
project materials to engineering data sources
3.c Select the General Non-
linear Materials data
source. This data
source contains material
models that can be used
in both ANSYS implicit
and explicit analyses.
SC
Note: The material models
in the Explicit Materials
data source are generally
more complex and can
only be used in explicit
dynamic analyses

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 Step 3 Define Engineering Data Material
3.d Select the + sign to
the right of the
Aluminum Alloy NL
material model to add SC
it to the Engineering
Data library.

3.e Likewise, select the +

sign to the right of the
Structural Steel NL
material. (Note the SC
symbol of a book that
appears indicating the
material has been
selected).

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 Step 3 Define Engineering Data Material
3.f Press the book icon again to toggle the view back to project materials. Notice
that the two materials have been added
3.g Return to the Project Schematic
3.h Save the Project
SC

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 Step 4 Verify the Geometry

4.a The geometry database is already imported into the project. You can verify the
geometry in Design Modeler if you have the license.

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 Step 5 Edit the Model in Mechanical
5.a Edit the model in Workbench Mechanical.

RMB SC

5.b Select the MKS Units system

Recall that Mechanical is not native in Workbench, so the
Units here may not match the Project Units

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 Step 5 Edit the Model in Mechanical
5.c Assign the material Aluminum Alloy NL to the Cylinder and the material
Structural Steel NL to the Plate. To access the materials stored in the
Engineering Data library, click on the default material currently assigned to the
part, and a small fly-out arrow will appear. Clicking on that arrow lists the
materials available for use.

SC

SC SC

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 Step 5 Edit the Model in Mechanical

5.d Delete the automatically defined

Contact Region (we do not want the
cylinder initially bonded to the plate) RMB

5.e Notice that Penalty-based Trajectory

contact is the default interaction and the
type is Frictionless
SC

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 Step 6 Set Sizing Controls and Mesh Model
6.a Select the Mesh branch

6.b Specify the Mesh Details:

Physics Preference = Explicit
Element Size = 0.003 m

6.c Generate the mesh

RMB

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 Step 7 Define the Initial Conditions
7.a Apply an Initial Velocity Condition to the Cylinder as shown.

Note:
If the Body
SC selection filter
is not
RMB automatically
activated for
the initial
velocity
condition,
select it
manually.

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 Step 7 Define the Initial Conditions

7.b Choose to define the

Initial Velocity by
Components:
X = 0 m/sec
Y = 0 m/sec
Z = -300 m/sec

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 Step 8 Define the Analysis Settings
SC 8.a Select Analysis Settings in the tree and set the
End Time to be 7.0e-5 s in the Details View.

8.b Keep the remaining default settings.

8.c Twenty equally-spaced results sets should be

sufficient for the animations.

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 Step 9 Apply Boundary Conditions
9.a Pick the Face selection filter.
RMB
9.b Insert a Fixed Support
on the back face of the
Plate. Rotate the
geometry, as needed.

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 Step 10 Insert Result Items to Review Later
10.a Insert a Directional
RMB Deformation plot request
under the Solution branch
and set the Orientation to
the Z Axis in the Details
View.

RMB
10.b Insert an Equivalent
Plastic Strain plot request
under the Solution branch.

10.c Save the Project

(on the Project Page)

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 Step 11 Run the AUTODYN Simulation
11.a Select Solver Output under Solution
Information and RMB Solve to start the
simulation.
11.b You will see that the
model is submitted to
the AUTODYN solver
which performs the
solve

RMB

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 Step 11 Run the AUTODYN Simulation

11.c The Solver Output shows the run statistics. This problem will only take a few
minutes to solve and should terminate with the message wrapup time
reached (end cycle may be different depending on the version used).
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 Step 12 Review the Results
12.a Select Energy Summary under Solution Information. Note how the Kinetic
Energy of the projectile is converted into Internal Energy during impact. Also,
the Hourglass Energy is sufficiently small (about 10% of the Internal Energy).

Internal Energy
Kinetic Energy
Hourglass Energy

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 Step 12 Review the Results
12.b Select Directional Deformation (Z Axis) and Show the Elements at True
Scale

SC

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 Step 12 Review the Results
12.c Likewise, select Equivalent Plastic Strain

12.d Animate the results by setting the controls as shown

below and then pressing the Animation button. For
transient dynamics, the Result Sets mode is usually best

Plastic
strain is
constant
Pick these 2 first after rod
rebounds
Then pick this from plate

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 Step 12 Review the Results
12.e If desired, hide the Plate to get a better view of the remaining body. Re-
orient the animation as needed.

RMB

12.f Finally, Save the model and

then Exit Workbench
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