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Get and Set Beams and Joints Example (VBA)

This example shows how to get and set beams and joints.

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Preconditions:

' 1. Add the SOLIDWORKS Simulation as an add-in

'    (in SOLIDWORKS, click Tools > Add-ins > SOLIDWORKS Simulation).

' 2. Add the SOLIDWORKS Simulation type library as a reference

'    (in the IDE, click Tools > References > SOLIDWORKS

'    Simulation version type library).

' 3. Open the Immediate window.

' 4. Run the macro.

'

' Postconditions:

' 1. A static study, frame, is created.

' 2. Beam information is printed to the Immediate window.

' 3. Plain Carbon Steel material is applied to all beams.

' 4. Joints are calculated for all beams, and

'    a neutral axis is shown for each beam. Pinball tolerance

'    value and unit are printed to the Immediate window.

' 5. Mixed mesh is created, and type and state printed to Immediate window.

'

' NOTES:

' *  Beam elements are created by default for parts with

'    structural members.

' *  Because the part document is used with

'    a SOLIDWORKS Simulation online tutorial, do not save any

'    changes when closing the document.

'-------------------------------

Option Explicit

 

Sub main()

   Dim SwApp As SldWorks.SldWorks

   Dim COSMOSWORKS As CosmosWorksLib.COSMOSWORKS

   Dim COSMOSObject As CosmosWorksLib.CwAddincallback

   Dim ActDoc As CosmosWorksLib.CWModelDoc

   Dim StudyMngr As CosmosWorksLib.CWStudyManager

   Dim Study As CosmosWorksLib.CWStudy

   Dim BeamMgr As CosmosWorksLib.CWBeamManager

   Dim BeamBody As CosmosWorksLib.CWBeamBody

   Dim Joints As CosmosWorksLib.CWJoints

   Dim Mesh As CosmosWorksLib.CWMesh

   Dim nbrBeamBodies As Long

   Dim beamBodyType As Long

   Dim ElementSize As Double

   Dim Tolerance As Double

   Dim errors As Long, warnings As Long

   Dim errCode As Long

   Dim j As Integer

   Dim bApp As Boolean

   Dim keepJointUpdates As Boolean

 

    ' Connect to SOLIDWORKS

    If SwApp Is Nothing Then Set SwApp = Application.SldWorks

    

    ' Get the SOLIDWORKS Simulation object

    Set COSMOSObject = SwApp.GetAddInObject("SldWorks.Simulation")

    If COSMOSObject Is Nothing Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "COSMOSObject object not found.", True

    Set COSMOSWORKS = COSMOSObject.COSMOSWORKS

    If COSMOSWORKS Is Nothing Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "COSMOSWORKS object not found.", True

    

    'Open and get the active document

    SwApp.OpenDoc6 "c:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\samples\tutorial\weldments\weldment_box2.sldprt", swDocPART, swOpenDocOptions_Silent, "", errors, warnings

    Set ActDoc = COSMOSWORKS.ActiveDoc()

    If ActDoc Is Nothing Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "No active document.", True

 

    'Create new static study named frame

    Set StudyMngr = ActDoc.StudyManager()

    If StudyMngr Is Nothing Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "StudyMngr object not there.", True

    Set Study = StudyMngr.CreateNewStudy("frame", swsAnalysisStudyTypeStatic, swsMeshTypeMixed, errCode)

    If Study Is Nothing Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "Study not created.", True

 

    ' Get and set beam info

    Set BeamMgr = Study.BeamManager

    nbrBeamBodies = BeamMgr.BeamCount

    Debug.Print "Beams..."

    Debug.Print "  Number of beams: " & nbrBeamBodies

    Set BeamBody = Nothing

    For j = 0 To (nbrBeamBodies - 1)

        Set BeamBody = BeamMgr.GetBeamBodyAt(j, errCode)

        If errCode <> 0 Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "No beam body.", True

        Debug.Print "    Name of beam body: " & BeamBody.BeamBodyName

        beamBodyType = BeamBody.BeamType

        If beamBodyType = 0 Then

            Debug.Print "      Type of beam body: beam"

        Else

            Debug.Print "      Type of beam body: truss"

        End If

        bApp = BeamBody.SetLibraryMaterial("C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\lang\english\sldmaterials\solidworks materials.sldmat", "Plain Carbon Steel")

        If bApp = False Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "No material applied.", True

        Set BeamBody = Nothing

    Next j

        

    ' Calculate joints

    Set Joints = BeamMgr.GetJointGroup(errCode)

    Debug.Print " "

    Debug.Print "Joints..."

    If errCode <> 0 Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "No joint group.", True

    Joints.JointsBeginEdit

    Joints.IncludeAllSelectedBeam = True

    Joints.IncludeDisplayNeutralAxis = True

    Joints.CalculateJoints

    Joints.JointsEndEdit

    keepJointUpdates = Joints.IncludeKeepModifiedJointOnUpdate   

    If (keepJointUpdates = True) Then
       Debug.Print (" Keep joint updates? yes")
    Else
       Debug.Print (" Keep joint updates? no")
    End If
    Debug.Print " Overwrite the pinball value: " & Joints.IncludeTreatAsJointForClearanceLessThan

    Debug.Print "  Pinball radius: " & Joints.PinBallRadius * 0.001

    Select Case Joints.PinBallRadiusUnit

        Case 0

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: mm"

        Case 1

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: cm"

        Case 2

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: m"

        Case 3

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: in"

        Case 4

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: ft"

        Case 5

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: ft-in"

        Case 6

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: am"

        Case 7

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: nm"

        Case 8

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: micron"

        Case 9

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: mil"

        Case 10

            Debug.Print "  Pinball radius unit: MicroIn"

    End Select

    

    ' Mesh the part

    Set Mesh = Study.Mesh

    If Mesh Is Nothing Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "No mesh object.", False

    Mesh.Quality = swsMeshQualityHigh

    Mesh.GetDefaultElementSizeAndTolerance swsLinearUnitMillimeters, ElementSize, Tolerance

    errCode = Study.CreateMesh(swsLinearUnitMillimeters, ElementSize, Tolerance)

    If errCode <> 0 Then ErrorMsg SwApp, "Mesh failed.", True

    Debug.Print " "

    Debug.Print "Mesh..."

    Debug.Print "  Time to create mesh: " & Mesh.TimeToCompleteMesh

    Select Case Mesh.MeshType

        Case 0

            Debug.Print "  Mesh type: solid"

        Case 1

            Debug.Print "  Mesh type: midsurface"

        Case 2

            Debug.Print "  Mesh type: surface"

        Case 3

            Debug.Print "  Mesh type: mixed"

        Case 4

            Debug.Print "  Mesh type: beam"

    End Select

    Debug.Print "  Number of mesh controls: " & Mesh.MeshControlCount

    Select Case Mesh.MeshState

        Case 0

            Debug.Print "  Mesh state: no mesh"

        Case 1

            Debug.Print "  Mesh state: exists and is current"

        Case 2

            Debug.Print "  Mesh state: exists and is not current"

        Case 3

            Debug.Print "  Mesh state: failed"

        Case 4

            Debug.Print "  Mesh state: interrupted"

    End Select

End Sub

 

'Error function

Function ErrorMsg(SwApp As Object, Message As String, EndTest As Boolean)

    SwApp.SendMsgToUser2 Message, 0, 0

    SwApp.RecordLine "'*** WARNING - General"

    SwApp.RecordLine "'*** " & Message

    SwApp.RecordLine ""

    If EndTest Then

    End If

End Function



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