Loads and Restraints
Loads and restraints are necessary to define the service environment
of the model. The results of analysis directly depend on the specified
loads and restraints. Loads and restraints are applied to geometric entities
as features that are fully associative to geometry and automatically adjust
to geometric changes.
For example, if you apply a pressure P
to a face of area A1,
the equivalent force applied to the face is PA1. If you modify
the geometry such that the area of the face changes to A2, then the equivalent
force automatically changes to PA2. Remeshing the
model is required after any change in geometry to update loads and restraints.
When you create a study, the program creates a Fixtures
and External Loads folder in the
Simulation study tree. The software adds an item in the Fixtures
or External Loads folder for each
restraint or load you define on one or more entities.
The types of loads and restraints available depend on the type of the
study. A load or restraint is applied by the corresponding PropertyManager
accessible by right-clicking the Fixtures
or External Loads folder in the
Simulation study tree, or by clicking Simulation,
Loads/Fixture. Other types of
structural loads are available via special functions like importing loads
from SolidWorks Flow Simulation or SolidWorks Motion.
You can also apply loads or restraints by selecting the desired feature
from the Simulation CommandManager or Simulation toolbar.
To help you define studies faster, you can
drag and drop Fixtures and External Loads folders from one study
to another compatible Simulation study tab. You can also duplicate studies.
The following topics are discussed in this section: