[Marabelle]

I started a student work where I have to built an simulate a model in ANSYS Workbench to solve the air and energy flow in FLUENT. Since they changed here recently from the old version with building the model in GambiT to the new version of the WB, nobody really can help me with my work. I worked in ANSYS APDL Mechanics before and got along with it quite good, (because you can define everything exactly by the commands and you know exactly the names of every component) and a lot better than with the DESIGN MODELER (not really... ) I googeled and found out, that you can combine both:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3c_H_sAzZ8
In my menu, the APDL Mechanics doesn't show up...
So here is my question: Do I need to have a full licence (I only have a student/campus licence) respectively also a licence of the APDL MECHANICS on the same Computer as the one where I have the WB installed? Or is it just a button I have to activate in the workbench, so I can use an APDL code to create the geometry? And if I need an extra license for the APDL MECHANICS, where can I get it? There are other computers in another building where there is installed the APDL MECHANICS, but not ANSYS FLUENT. Does this mean we (the university) already have a licence? Or are they only for several computers?
Thanks for your help!

[mvoss]

check the output from the licence manager (CLIENT_ANSLIC from the windows start menu - if you can reach it with your user settings).
From there you can tell which lic. you´re using. I guess for multiphysics (fluent/Cfx + FEM) you need a research lic.
Which version are you running? Is the Mechanicl APDL Component System active in the Toolbox?

Btw: you can build a full parametric model in DM an hand that over to the mechanical. So no need for scripting in APDL as long as you don´t have to build a very large repeating geometry (e.g. a city).

[Marabelle]

Thanks a lot for your answer!

Originally Posted by mvoss

check the output from the licence manager (CLIENT_ANSLIC from the windows start menu - if you can reach it with your user settings).
From there you can tell which lic. you´re using. I guess for multiphysics (fluent/Cfx + FEM) you need a research lic. Which version are you running?

ANSYS Academic Research CFD (version 14.0)

Originally Posted by mvoss

Is the Mechanicl APDL Component System active in the Toolbox?

How can I activate it?

Originally Posted by mvoss

Btw: you can build a full parametric model in DM an hand that over to the mechanical. So no need for scripting in APDL as long as you don´t have to build a very large repeating geometry (e.g. a city).

It is the other way round... I have problems with creating the geometries in the WB esp. when trying to change something after the whole geometry is finished. And because I will have to do parametric variations, it would be easier to write it in the APDL code (which I aalready did a lot in my B.Sc. thesis, it is the first time now I work with the WB) and just change the coordinates of the construction points.

[mvoss]

Originally Posted by Marabelle

How can I activate it?

On the lower right corner of the toolbox are the settings.
Can you start MAPDL standalone?

[Marabelle]

Originally Posted by mvoss

On the lower right corner of the toolbox are the settings.

You mean here?Options.jpg
I cannot find it...

Originally Posted by mvoss

Can you start MAPDL standalone?

No, I can't... That was part of my question, if it is usually included in this version or if I need an extra licence for APDL Mechanics. If it is usually included, maybe when ANSYS was installed, the person who installed it unselectected the APDL Mechanics because he thought, that it wasn't necessary. I try to fin the person who installed it...

[mvoss]

search for it @ the wb-schematic "View All/Cutomize...
If you cannot start it standalone... then you´re probably right and the installation is missing smth. but on the other hand.. can you use wb without the APDL in the background anyway .. makes no sense to me. Can u use ANY mechanical container (steady/transient mechanical)?

[Marabelle]

I didn't try anything else yet, since I only have to simulate aerodynmical (Air flow)/ thermodynamical (Heat transfer) calculations and still having problems building up the geometry...
With

Originally Posted by Marabelle

In my menu, the APDL Mechanics doesn't show up...

I meant, that it is not in my toolbox
Toolbox1.jpg
And "View All/Customize" also doesn't show it...

[mvoss]

Originally Posted by Marabelle

I didn't try anything else yet, since I only have to simulate aerodynmical (Air flow)/ thermodynamical (Heat transfer) calculations and still having problems building up the geometry...

Just a tip: you can simply use the CFX-standalone container and calculate the temp. distribution in the solid too.
But this is not going to make your life easier "on the geometry".

[Marabelle]

seems like the mechanical part and thus the APDL mechanics is not included in our version... At the support they told my tutor that it costs extra... Although I read somewhere (in a presentation) that APDL Mechanics it is included in every version higher than version 12.0...
Thus, I will have to get along with the workbench or create the geometry at a computer in the other building where the the Mechanics Part version 12 (and thus APDL MECHANICS) is installed and import it to the computer with the CFD/FLUENT installed...

[mvoss]

just to recall:
1#you can solve for temp. distribution in a solid also in CFX so there is no need for mechanical solvers.
2# for scripting you could easily also use ICEM, if available (TCL/TK via the replay function)
3# don´t know about your task but i would guess building a parametric geometry is easier in DM than in MAPDL
4# you can also script the DM (via JScript i guess)

[Marabelle]

Originally Posted by mvoss

just to recall:
1#you can solve for temp. distribution in a solid also in CFX so there is no need for mechanical solvers.

I don't need the mechanical solver, I just wanted to be able to "build" the geometry with an APDL code.

Originally Posted by mvoss

2# for scripting you could easily also use ICEM, if available (TCL/TK via the replay function)

As far as I know, this was not installed because of some compatibility problems... And also I don't know anything about ICEM...

Originally Posted by mvoss

3# don´t know about your task but i would guess building a parametric geometry is easier in DM than in MAPDL

If I have to built up the model entirely every time I have to change a dimension/Parameter (because I am not able to fix these overconstraint problems http://www.cfd-online.com/Forums/ans...onstraint.html) it will be very stressful and annoying...

Originally Posted by mvoss

4# you can also script the DM (via JScript i guess)

Thats exactly what I am trying to do at the moment, since the other two options above are no real options for me... But since I am not very experienced in Java, I still have to understand the language. This:
http://orange.engr.ucdavis.edu/Docum...121/wb2_js.pdf
will hopefully help me (and anyone who has the same problem)

I wrote a small script based on a sketch of my entire model that I wrote out with the "write script" function. I only wonder why ANSYS doesn't give the names/numbers I gave...
Thats my script:

//DesignModeler JScript, version: ANSYS DesignModeler 14.0 (Oct 25 2011, 15:03:59; 14,2011,297,1) SV4
//Created via: "Write Script: Sketch(es) of Active Plane"
// Written to: E:\...\Sketch1.js
//         On: 07/22/13, 13:01:53
//Using:
//  agb ... pointer to batch interface


//Note:
// You may be able to re-use below JScript function via cut-and-paste;
// however, you may have to re-name the function identifier.
//

function planeSketchesOnly (p)
{

//Plane
p.Plane  = agb.GetActivePlane();
p.Origin = p.Plane.GetOrigin();
p.XAxis  = p.Plane.GetXAxis();
p.YAxis  = p.Plane.GetYAxis();

//Sketch
p.Sk1 = p.Plane.NewSketch();
p.Sk1.Name = "Sketch1";

//Edges
with (p.Sk1)
{
  p.Pt1 = ConstructionPoint(0.00000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Pt2 = ConstructionPoint(2.50000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Pt3 = ConstructionPoint(15.00000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Pt4 = ConstructionPoint(13.00000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Pt5 = ConstructionPoint(0.00000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Pt6 = ConstructionPoint(2.50000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Pt7 = ConstructionPoint(13.00000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Pt8 = ConstructionPoint(15.00000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Ln1 = Line(0.00000000, 3.00000000, 0.00000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Ln2 = Line(0.00000000, 0.00000000, 2.50000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Ln3 = Line(2.50000000, 0.00000000, 13.00000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Ln4 = Line(13.00000000, 0.00000000, 15.00000000, 0.00000000);
  p.Ln5 = Line(15.00000000, 0.00000000, 15.00000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Ln6 = Line(15.00000000, 3.00000000, 13.00000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Ln7 = Line(13.00000000, 3.00000000, 2.50000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Ln8 = Line(2.50000000, 3.00000000, 0.00000000, 3.00000000);
  p.Ln9 = Line(0.00000000, 3.00000000, 0.00000000, 0.00000000);
}






p.Plane.EvalDimCons(); //Final evaluate of all dimensions and constraints in plane

return p;
} //End Plane JScript function: planeSketchesOnly

//Call Plane JScript function
var ps1 = planeSketchesOnly (new Object());

//Finish
agb.Regen(); //To insure model validity
//End DM JScript

And that's what I get:
model.jpg

ANSYS always begins with line No 7 and point No 16, nevermind what numbers I give to the points and numbers...