Chapter 1

ANSYS Workbench

Introduction to ANSYS
Meshing

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ANSYS Workbench
Overview Training Manual

ANSYS Workbench Environment

Toolbox
Workbench Project Schematic
Linking Items in the Project Schematic
Workbench File Management
Archiving your Workbench 12.0 project
Importing
I ti Models
M d l
Exporting Project Components

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ANSYS Workbench
The Workbench Environment Training Manual

For most situations the Workbench GUI is divided into 2 primary sections
(there are other optional sections well see in a moment):

The Toolbox The Project Schematic

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ANSYS Workbench
The Toolbox Training Manual

The toolbox contains 4 subgroups:

Analysis systems: predefined
templates that can be placed in the
schematic.
Component systems: various
applications that can be accessed
to build, or expand, analysis
systems.
Custom Systems: predefined
analysis systems for coupled
applications (FSI, thermal-stress,
etc.). Users can also create their
own predefined
d fi d systems.
t
Design Exploration: Parametric
management and optimization
t l
tools.

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ANSYS Workbench
The Toolbox Training Manual

The systems and components

displayed in the toolbox will
depend on the installed
products.
Using the check boxes in the
View All / Customize window,
the
h iitems di
displayed
l d iin the
h
toolbox can be toggled on or off.
The toolbox customization
window
i d iis normally
ll lleft
ft closed
l d
when not in use.

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ANSYS Workbench
The Project Schematic Training Manual

The Workbench project schematic is a graphical representation of the

workflow defining a system or group of systems.
The workflow in the project schematic is always left to right.
There are currently several applications which are native to Workbench,
meaning they run entirely in the Workbench window:
Project
j Schematic, Engineering
g g Data and Design
g Exploration
p
Non-native applications (called data-integrated) run in their own window:
Mechanical (formerly Simulation), Mechanical APDL (formerly ANSYS),
ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX, Etc . . .
Blocks of cells can be deleted by RMB menu selection.

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ANSYS Workbench
The Project Schematic Training Manual

In this example a Fluid Flow

(FLUENT) analysis type is
selected for the project
schematic.
From the toolbox the selection
can be dragged and dropped
onto the
h schematic
h i or simply
i l
double clicked.
Note that a Mesh item
appears ini th
the Fl
Fluid
id Fl
Flow
block

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ANSYS Workbench
Meshing as a Component System Training Manual

Note that you can also create

an entry on the Project
Schematic that is a standalone
instance off the ANSYS
S S Meshing
Application

IIn the
h examplel shown,
h the
h
Meshing entry in the Component
Systems toolbox is dragged onto
the Project Schematic

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ANSYS Workbench
The Project Schematic Training Manual

Linkages between different entries in the schematic can be established in

a number of ways
The RMB will reveal various choices to you

Linkage

RMB

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

Workbench creates a project file and a series of subdirectories to manage

all associated files.
Users should allow Workbench to manage the content of these directories.
Please do NOT manually modify the content or structure of the project
directories.
When a project is saved a project file is created (.wbpj), using the user
specified file name (e.g. MyFile.wbpj).
A project directory will be created using the project name. In the above
example the directory would be MyFile_files.
A number of subdirectories will be created in the project directory
(explained next).

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

Directory Structure:
dpn: this is the design point directory. This essentially is
the state of all parameters for a particular analysis. In
th case off a single
the i l analysis
l i there
th will
ill b
be only l one d
dp0
0
directory.
global: contains subdirectories for each application in
the analysis.
analysis In the example at right the Mech Mech
directory will contain the database, and other associated
files from the Mechanical application.
SYS: the SYS directory will contain subdirectories for
each system type in the project (e.g. Mechanical, Fluent,
CFX, etc.). Each system subdirectory contains solver
specific files. For example the MECH subdirectory
would contain the results file
file, the ds
ds.dat
dat file
file, solve
solve.out
out
file and so on.
user_files: contains input files, user macro files etc. that
mayy be associated with a project.
p j

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

From the Workbench View menu activate the Files

option to display a window containing file details and
locations.

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ANSYS Workbench
Workbench File Management Training Manual

Archive: quickly generates a single compressed

file containing all pertinent files.

File is zip format and can be opened using the

Restore Archive . . . utility in WB2 or any unzip
program.

Several options are available when archiving

systems as shown here.
here

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ANSYS Workbench
Importing Models Training Manual

Models developed before Release 12.0 of Workbench can be imported

using the Import icon. They will be converted to a WB 12.0 version

(V 11.0)
11 0)

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ANSYS Workbench
Exporting Project Components Training Manual

Project components can be exported from within the particular application.

This is similar to saving from within an 11.0 Workbench App:
File/Export

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