Pressure Vessels:

Automatic Paths & Linearized

Stress Results Creation

Pressure_Vessels_Automatic_Paths_
Creation_ ACTx R150
1

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

ACT: Application Customization Toolkit

ACT allows customization in the Mechanical application :
Replace command snippets with interactive objects
Create customized Loads / BCs
Create customized Results
Ability to connect a third party solver in a standard Workbench process

ACT Pressure Vessels: Automatic Paths Creation extension is a

customization made with ACT to automate paths & linearized stress results
inspired from pressure vessels regulation norms. The extension consists of
one XML file (Configures the UI content) and one python script
(Implements the extension functionality).
If you need more information about ACT please contact your sales
representative.
2

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

ACT Extension Library

ANSYS Customer Portal
support.ansys.com
A library of helpful ACT extensions
available to any ANSYS customer
Roughly one dozen available
More being added continually

Great place to get started

Extensions made available in either
binary format (.wbex file) or binary plus
scripted format (python and XML files)
Scripted extensions are great examples
Links to ACT documentation and training
material
Goals for an ACT developers forum
3

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Download the Pressure Vessels ACTx

The Pressure Vessels: Automatic Paths Creation ACT Extension
for ANSYS 15.0 is available for download on the ACT Extension
Library of the Customer Portal:
https://support.ansys.com/AnsysCustomerPortal/en_us/Downloads/Extension
+Library/15.0+ACT+Library

Please pay attention to paragraph 9 of the CLICKWRAP

SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR ACS EXTENSIONS regarding
TECHNICAL ENHANCEMENTS AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT (TECS):
TECS is not included with the Program(s).
So to report an issue or provide your feedback in regards to this
extension please contact:
David Roche:
4

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

david.roche@ansys.com

Installing ACT Extensions

Installing from WB Project page:
1. Select the Install Extension option
2. It will open a file dialog to select a *.wbex file
3. The extension is installed

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Pressure Vessels Extension

This ACT extensions provides several ways to create paths
and linearized stress results:

Create a path between two

selected nodes or vertices
(for instance visualizing a
stress contour plot)

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Create a path starting at a

selected node and normal
to the node face

Create paths starting at the

maximum stress over a
named selection and
normal to the face at the
maximum location

Path Between Two Nodes or Vertices

This options allows you to create a path between
two selected nodes or vertices.
You can for instance select two nodes while
visualizing a stress contour plot and select one of
the toolbar buttons to create the corresponding
path and a given linearized stress result.

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Normal Paths Creation at Node

This option creates a path starting from the selected
node to going through the body using the direction
normal to the face at the node location.

1) Create a path starting from the node and going

through the structure thickness following the
direction normal to the surface at the first extremity
of the path,
2) Calculate the location where the path goes out
the structural component,
3) Create the path,

4) Create the corresponding linearized stress result

scoped to the created path for the selected Stress
Criterion.

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Normal Paths Creation at Node

Snap to mesh nodes option isnt used in
this case so the second extremity of the path
can not exactly lie on the surface where the
path goes out the structure.

In such case right click on the created path

and manually use Snap to mesh nodes.

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Normal Paths Creation at Max Stress

The Pressure Vessels: Automatic Paths Creation ACT extension
allows to automate the creation of paths and linearized stress
results following the stress analysis method inspired from
regulation norms like CODAP or ASME.
Indeed the path needs to start from the location of a maximum
stress criterion (Equivalent Stress, Stress Intensity) and have to
pass through the structure thickness following a direction
normal to the starting surface point.

The path starts from the

location of the maximum
stress criterion and is normal
to the surface on this point.

10

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Normal Paths Creation at Max Stress

Pressing the toolbar button will display a dialog box allowing to
enter user inputs and to launch the paths & linearized stress results
creation.

11

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Currently Selected Analysis

Named Selection Key
Activate Snap to Mesh Node Option
Choose Stress Criterion
Choose Load Step

Run Paths & Linearized Stress Results

Creation

Normal Paths Creation at Max Stress

When Create Paths And Results button is clicked
the following steps are performed:
1) Loop over the named selections (containing
edges in 2D or faces in 3D analyses),
2) Check if the Named Selection Key is present in
the named selection name,
3) If yes, find the location of the maximum value
of the chosen Stress Criterion on this named
selection for a selected Load Step End Time,

Note: The selected analysis has to be resolved.

12

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Normal Paths Creation at Max Stress

4) Create a path starting from this location and
going through the structure thickness following the
direction normal to the surface at the first extremity
of the path,

5) Calculate the location where the path goes out

the structural component,
6) Create the path and use Snap To Mesh Node
option to tie the second extremity of the path to the
closest node if requested,
7) Create the corresponding linearized stress result
scoped to the created path for the selected Stress
Criterion and Load Step End Time.

13

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014

Normal Paths Creation:

Tips & Limitations
The extension works in 2D and 3D with linear
or quadratic elements (midside nodes).
Snap To Mesh Node option is recommended
if you want to avoid that the second extremity
to not exactly lie on the surface where the
path goes out the structure. If the mesh isnt
too coarse the path orientation shouldnt
really be impacted.
If the maximum value of the selected criterion
is located on a sharp edge, the evaluation of
the path orientation will be incorrect.

14

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

May 5, 2014