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  • Set up your own cloud-native simulation in minutes.

    • Documentation

    SimScale DocumentationSimulation SetupConnectors

    Connectors

    Connectors help to reduce the complexity of a multipart structural analysis. This is achieved by defining the connection between multiple parts, without the need for a physical component.

    Connectors are supported in the following structural simulation types:

    The following connectors are available within SimScale

    • Pin connectors

    A new connector can be created by clicking the plus icon in the simulation tree as shown in Figure 1.

    Connectors Pin New Pin Connector
    Figure 1: Connectors can be found in the simulation tree below Contacts.

    Large Displacements

    Please be aware that SimScale only allows for small displacements within the connectors. For larger displacements or rotations it is necessary to use physical contacts, between all parts of a connection, including the connecting part.

    Pin Connectors

    Pin connectors allow the user to replace a shaft or a bolt within an assembly. Thus it is no longer needed to have these as a physical part. The pin connector allows for small rotational movements around the center axis of the connection. Axial translations can be allowed additionally, and an axial stiffness needs to be defined.

    Connectors Pin Connector Example
    Figure 2: Example of an assembly where a pin connector can be used to replace a bolt

    The default settings panel for the pin connectors can be seen in Figure 3.

    Connectors Pin Pin Connector Settings
    Figure 3: Default settings for Pin connectors
    • Interaction:
      • Body to Body: Hinge Connection between two bodies
      • Body to Ground: Connection between a single body on a fixed supported pin.

    Kinematic Behaviour

    • Rotation
      • Free Rotation: Allows for small free rotations.
      • Rigid: Allows for no ration on the pin.
      • With Torsion Spring: Define a Torsional spring stiffness for rotational movement.
    • Axial translation
      • Ridgid: Allows for no axial movement.
      • Free sliding: Allows for small axial movement.
      • With Axial Spring: Define an axial spring stiffness for axial movement.
    • Advanced Settings
      • Deformable: Allows for small deformation of the assigned faces
      • Undeformable: Allows for no deformation of the assigned faces

    Assigning Pin Connector Faces

    When assigning the faces of a pin connector please ensure that the faces are concentric. This means that the faces need to share the same rotational axis. If this condition isn’t fulfilled the simulation will result in an error warning.

    Last updated: January 9th, 2024

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