Contact Element Problem

[Edge13]

Running Cosmos 2008 on a relatively complex assy with 64 no penetration contact sets. Have run before with no problem. After making some unrelated modifications to the structure, the model will mesh but not run, citing "Improper or no target define (sic) for contact element xxxxxxx". All contact sets are properly defined. Any ideas? Thanks in advance ...

 

[Edge13]

OK, folks I figured it out, and maybe the solution will help some of you. The contact sets were between sliding members, a plate and a nylon slide pad. Although the analysis was static, I put the contact sets in so the program would not generate tensile reaction forces between two contacting parts that would be impossible in the real world. Because of some meshing issues (long story, won't go into it), I put a hole in the slide pad but not in the flat plate. Evidently node-to-surface no penetration contact sets can't handle a hole in one part and not in the other. As usual, the stellar online help was of absolutely no use, so after puzzling on it and trying different things, I stumbled on the solution and it seems to work now. Hopefully this will prevent someone else from losing 3 hours of their lives trying to figure out what the good folks at SW should put in the help files.

 

[kellnerp]

Did the hole create an extra face on one side or the other?



TOP
CSWP
BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

 

[Edge13]

No, the hole was in the middle of the part

 

[kellnerp]

Try changing the order you pick the faces in the contact definition.

TOP
CSWP
BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

 

[Edge13]

Yeh, I tried that too - didn't work