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Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

(OP)
I  have created a solid model of a wing. It is a NACA 0012 airfoil simply extruded along a certain length. When I imported the model into FEMAP as a parasolid, the results of the analysis do not seem to be correct. I believe it is because I meshed it incorrectly. I am getting a unit load deflection of 1.3 inches at the tip, when it is fully constrained at the root, wing material is carbon steel by the way. I have tried several ways to mesh the wing, and the only one that I found that works is by:

-Importing as a parasolid
-Mapped subdivisions on surface
-Hex mesh solids

any ideas on what might be going on here?  

RE: Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

why do you think it's a meshing problem ?  
what load ? what span ? what chord ?

if you want to 2nd guess yourself, you could replace the airfoil with a "representative" rectangular section (same I, which you should be able to get from CAD).

RE: Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

(OP)
span: 10 inches
chord: 1.5 inches

I will try and represent it with a simple rectangular solid section and compare the results. By the way, when I select the property on the mesh it asks me to select a plate,shear panel, panel, rod, beam, etc for the element type. I have always selected a volumetric solid because I always figured that the FEMAP would somehow translate my mesh/solid model into an empty shell, perhaps this was the reason as why the deflections were so large.     

RE: Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

i wonder if you've created a volume in FeMap (from your imported surface).

if you have a volume then you mesh it first (make sure the default size is right for what you want), then assign 3D elements to it (and you should be asked which, TETs or HEXs.  you can add mid-side nodes now or later (modify element, ...)  i'd've thought you'd've used TET10s.

maybe the FeMap forum (under Engineering Computing Programs) can help better.   

RE: Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

(OP)
I went ahead and created a 10 inch span rectagular solid with a 1.5 chord in solidworks and imported that into femap. I created the mesh, making sure I selectede midside nodes. This time the deflection was 0.61 inches at the tip with a unit load. I did a rough estimate on paper and the theoretical deflection should have been 0.0015767 inches when AISI Steel is used. Its still not making sense...

RE: Solidworks importing into FEMAP troubles

(OP)
by the way, I forgot to mention it is 1.5 inches wide, 0.18 inches thick, and 10 inches spanwise

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