Types of Interactions

Interaction conditions control the behavior of components during simulations. You can specify interactions between geometric entities at the global-level, component-level, or local-level.

Contact Available for static, drop test, and nonlinear studies. Contact prevents interference between entities, but allows gaps to form. This is the most time-consuming option to solve.

Video: Contact Interaction

Bonded Available for all types of studies that require meshing. Bonded entities behave as if they are welded. See Bonded Interaction.

For a study with mixed mesh (used automatically by program), you can bond Set 1 entities (vertices, edges, faces, beam joints, and beams) to Set 2 faces. Vertices, edges, and faces can belong to shells or solids. The behavior of the bond depends on whether the source entity belongs to a solid, shell, or beam. If the source entity belongs to a shell or beam, the bond acts like a rigid connection where the original angle between the shell or beam and the solid is maintained during deformation. If the source entity belongs to a solid, the bond acts like a hinge, where the original angle between the shell and the solid is not necessarily maintained.

For drop test studies, you can only bond touching faces. Bonding is enforced by common mesh nodes at the touching boundaries at the component-level or global-level.
Free Available for static, nonlinear, frequency, buckling, and drop test studies. The program treats Set 1 and Set 2 (source and target) faces as disjointed. Using this option can save solution time if the applied loads do not cause interference. Do not use this option unless you are sure that loads will not cause interference during simulations. Plot the deformed shape with a scale factor of 1.0 to check for interference.

See Free Interaction.

Shrink Fit Available for static and nonlinear studies only. You select faces from two components that are initially interfering with each other. Click Tools > Evaluate > Interference Detection to make sure that the faces are interfering.
Virtual Wall Available for static studies only. This contact type defines contact between the Set 1 entities and a virtual wall defined by a target plane. The target plane may be rigid or flexible. You can define friction between the Set 1 entities and the target plane by assigning a non-zero value for the friction coefficient.
Insulated Available for thermal studies only. This option is similar to the Free option for structural studies. The program treats Set 1 and Set 2 as disjointed. The program prevents heat flow due to conduction through the Set 1 and Set 2 entities.
Thermal Resistance Available for thermal studies only. This option allows you to specify thermal resistance between Set 1 and Set 2 faces.