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Exporting Data

Exporting Data

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Exporting Data Using Adams/Durability

Using Adams/Durability, you can export data from an Adams simulation to compare simulation results to a physical test, input data to durability analysis programs, or provide input to test equipment. You can store the exported data in either or format. With Adams/Durability, one of the first steps you take is to export data to validate your model against actual test data. You perform model validation by simulating the same system, load, and time interval, and then compare plots of physical test results to simulated results. Once youre satisfied that your model and loads adequately match physical test results, youll want to output simulation results of What-If scenarios for input to durability analysis programs and durability test machines.

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Exporting Data

Exporting Data for ANSYS

Using Adams/Durability, you can generate displacement mode shapes (in ASCII or binary format) that you can use to recreate mode substep results within ANSYS (when you need an ANSYS modal superposition, but dont have the results file). You can also directly apply the displacement time histories on the modal nodes (rather than use modal superposition) when you need finite-element (FE) stress recovery for an analysis with few time steps. You can generate an input file for the subsequent ANSYS analyses that consist of time domain impositions of flexible body node displacements. To export data for ANSYS: 1. From the Durability menu, point to FE Modal Export, and then select ANSYS. 2. Complete the dialog box as described in ANSYS Modal Export. 3. Select OK.

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Exporting Data for MSC.Fatigue

With MSC.Fatigue, you can predict the life or damage of your flexible components using service loads from an Adams simulation. Adams/Durability provides a convenient interface to transfer results between MSC.Fatigue and Adams for flexible bodies. Note that the modal neutral file (MNF) of the flexible body does not have to contain stress modes to use the MSC.Fatigue interface. You can import modal stresses from MSC.Nastran into MSC.Fatigue using MSC.Patran. These stresses or strains can come from the MSC.Nastran .out or .xdb file. These can also be grid- or element-based stresses or strains. The MSC.Fatigue interface in Adams/Durability relies on:
MSC.Nastran to provide the finite/super-element model of the flexible component. MSC.Patran to import the model and stress or strain from MSC.Nastran for MSC.Fatigue.

To export data for MSC.Fatigue: 1. From the Durability menu, point to MSC.Fatigue, and then select Export. 2. Complete the dialog box as described in MSC.Fatigue Export. 3. Select OK. Running MSC.Fatigue from Adams/Durability MSC.Fatigue with MSC.Patran can process MSC.Nastran .xdb .op2 files that contain element or gridpoint modal stresses. To complete the loading information in MSC.Fatigue from Adams/Durability: 1. In MSC.Patran, use the Group Modify menu to modify the default group of all grids and elements created in the MSC.Patran database. 2. Remove the members that are MPC-type (grids connected to RBE elements). Modal stresses are not available for those members. 3. In the MSC.Fatigue Loading Information window, select Time History Manager to create a PTIME database of the DAC files. 4. Load all of the DAC files with the Job Name prefix that was specified in the MSC.Fatigue Export dialog box. 5. In the PTIME - Load Time History window, set Load Type to Scalar. 6. Set Units to none. 7. Set Results Type to Static. 8. In the Number of Static Load Cases text box, enter the number of modes for the flexible body. 9. Set Fill Down to ON to complete the Load Case ID, Time History, and Load Magnitude columns in this window. The loading information section is now complete. You will also need to complete the material properties section before you can submit your MSC.Fatigue job.

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Exporting Data

Exporting Data for NASTRAN

NASTRAN Stress Recovery is the process of exporting the modal deformations of a flexible body from an Adams simulation to NASTRAN. A NASTRAN restart analysis is then performed to recover dynamic stresses or strains on the finite-element model of the flexible body. This process assumes that the flexible body originated from a finite-element model in NASTRAN (that is, a NASTRAN analysis was performed and the MNF of the flexible body was created using the Adams/Flex MSC2MNF translator). The FEMDATA and OUTPUT statements can also be used to export modal deformations to a NASTRAN formatted file for stress or strain recovery. Both NASTRAN formats, OUTPUT2 and PUNCH, are supported. By definition, the modal deformations (coordinates) are unitless quantities, so the modal stresses (or strains) will be recovered correctly in NASTRAN regardless of the unit settings in the Adams and NASTRAN models. Rigid body motion of the flexible body is also included in the modal deformation file. In addition, the unit of length in the Adams model must be consistent with that in the NASTRAN model for the overall displacement of the component to be recovered correctly. To export data for NASTRAN: 1. From the Durability menu, point to FE Modal Export, and then select NASTRAN. 2. Complete the dialog box as described in NASTRAN Modal Export. 3. Select OK.

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Exporting for nCode

You can generate a partial FES file (nCode FE-Fatigue file format) suitable for fatigue life prediction (FLP) analysis when stress or strain blocks are present in the MNF. You can also export modal coordinates for subsequent FE-Fatigue damage analysis or FE modal superposition. When exporting modal coordinates, Adams/Durability also creates an nCode load association file (LAF). To export data for nCode: 1. From the Durability menu, point to FE.Fatigue, and then select Export. 2. Complete the dialog box as described in FE-Fatigue Export. 3. Select OK. Note: The online help will not discuss the entire functionality of nCode, only those features that specifically apply to exporting data. For more detailed information on nCode, refer to your nCode documentation on FE-Fatigue.

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Exporting Data

Exporting to RPC III or DAC

You can export either or format request files from Adams/View after a simulation completes. This technique does not require you to set up requests before running the simulation. By definition, results output to an RPC III or DAC file must have constant time steps. If the results data being output includes non-constant time steps, Adams/View provides a warning and the time axis of the data will be warped so that the time interval is constant. To export a result set to DAC files: 1. From the File menu, select Export to display the File Export dialog box. 2. Set File Type to DAC File. 3. Enter the name of the DAC file in the File Name text box. 4. Right-click the Result Data text box to display the shortcut menu. Point to Result_Set_Component, and then select Browse to display the Database Navigator. 5. Select the result set from the Database Navigator, and then select OK. Result set components can come from results sets. You can only have one result set per DAC file. 6. Select OK in the File Export dialog box. To export a result sets to an RPC III file: 1. From the File menu, select Export to display the File Export dialog box. 2. Set File Type to RPC3 File. 3. Enter the name of the RPC III file in the File Name text box. 4. Right-click the Result Data text box to display the shortcut menu. Point to Result_Set_Component, and then select Browse to display the Database Navigator. 5. Select one or more result sets from the Database Navigator using Shift+click or Ctrl+click techniques. 6. Once youve selected all the result sets, select OK. Note: Result set components can come from result sets, measures, or requests.

7. Select OK in the File Export dialog box.

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Setting Up Requests
You can create to output or files. You do this before you execute the simulation. To set up a request: 1. Define desired requests. 2. From the Settings menu, point to Solver, and then select Output to display the Solver Settings dialog box. 3. Set Save Files to Yes. 4. Set Graphics File, Request File, and Results File to No if these files are not needed. 5. In the File Prefix text box, enter the name of the model or some other meaningful name. 6. Select More. 7. Set Output Category to Durability files. 8. Set either of the following to On:
DAC Files RPC File(s)

9. Select Close in the Solver Settings dialog box. After the simulation finishes, Adams/View creates the RPC III or DAC files for all defined requests. If youre running an interactive simulation, you need to reset the model before the files are created.Learn more about requests.

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Exporting Data

Simulating the Model

Using Adams/Durability you can access test data in two formats: or format. First you must validate your model, then you can perform what-if simulations. Performing Model Validation When simulating your model to compare it to physical test data, you need to follow the general steps listed below. To validate a model: 1. Input the forces or motions using spline data. Make sure you use the INTERP function for the RPC III or DAC files. 2. Set up requests that correspond to the physical data channels (learn how). 3. Set up Adams/View to output the results in the format you prefer (learn how). 4. When youre ready to simulate the model, make sure the End Time and number of Steps in the Simulation container correspond to the physical test data that you are using for model validation. 5. When the simulation completes, make sure you reset the model. 6. Import the virtual and physical test data. 7. Use Adams/PostProcessor to compare the virtual data to the physical test data. 8. Modify your model and repeat these steps as necessary until youre satisfied that the virtual test data correlates well with the physical test data. Performing Durability What-If Simulations Once youve validated your model, youre ready to make modifications to determine their impact on system response or component durability. To obtain data that lets you determine system sensitivity to various design changes, you should follow the general steps listed below. To perform durability what-if simulations: 1. Make simple model modifications, so that you can easily determine model sensitivity to each change. 2. Use the same input forces or motions that you used in the initial model validation. 3. Use the same requests that correspond to the physical data channels (learn how). 4. Set up Adams/View to output the results in the format that you prefer (learn how). 5. When youre ready to simulate the model, make sure the End Time and number of Steps in the Simulation container correspond to the physical test data that you used for model validation. 6. When the simulation completes, make sure you reset the model. 7. Import the new virtual and physical test data.

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8. Use Adams/PostProcessor to compare the virtual data to the physical test data. If system response looks better, you can input these data to durability analysis programs and compare them to the results you obtained from the physical test data. Otherwise, make further model modifications and simulate again.