NX Advanced FEM

Siemens PLM SoftwareNX Advanced FEMIntegrating geometry and FE modeling to streamline the productdevelopment processBenefits Speed simulation processesby up to 70 percent Increase product quality byrapidly simulating designtradeoff studies Lower overall productdevelopment costs byreducing costly, late designchange orders Efficiently manage large,complex analysis models Capture and automate bestpractices and commonlyused processes Pre- and postprocessanalysis models for themost popular finite elementsolversSummaryNX Advanced FEM software is a modern,multidiscipline computer-aided engineering(CAE) environment for advanced analysts,workgroups and designers that need todeliver high-quality performance insights ina timely fashion to drive product decisions.NX Advanced FEM includes a full suite ofdirect geometry modeling and editingtools, and forms the analysis modelingfoundation on which you can pre- and postprocess analysis models for structural,thermal, flow, engineering optimizationand multiphysics analyses. NX AdvancedFEM speeds CAE processes with a bi-directional analysis model to design geometryassociation that enables users to rapidlyupdate an analysis model when the basedesign changes. Multi-CAE environmentsenable analysts to build and export analysismodels for industry standard solvers suchas Abaqus, ANSYS, LS-DYNA, MSC Nastranas well as NX Nastran software and theLMS Samcef Solver Suite. Analysts can alsoimport results from these external solversfor postprocessing.Providing finite element modeling forexperienced CAE analystsUsing NX Advanced FEM drastically reducesthe time you spend preparing simulationmodels. NX delivers all the advanced meshing, boundary conditions and solverinterfaces that experienced analysts expectand need to perform high-end analysis.However, what makes NX Advanced FEMunique from all other finite element (FE)preprocessors is its superior geometry foundation that enables intuitive geometryediting and analysis model associativity tomulti-computer-aided design (CAD) data.The tight integration of a powerful geometry engine with robust analysis modelingcommands is the key to reducing modelingtime by up to 70 percent compared to traditional FE modeling tools.Enabling fast, intuitive geometry editingNX Advanced FEM is built on the sameleading geometry foundation that powersNX. By using NX Advanced FEM, you canrapidly clean up and prepare geometryfrom any CAD source through directwww.siemens.com/nx

NXNX Advanced FEMmodeling. Geometry edits and the complete analysis model remain associated tothe base design, which means you can easily update your analysis model each timethe design changes. As a result, the NX CAEgeometry editor accelerates your designanalysis iterations and improves youroverall productivity.Shown is an initial analysis model.Use synchronous technology andselect geometry to moveinteractively.Direct geometry editing with synchronous technology: NX Advanced FEMincludes direct geometry editing capabilities powered by synchronous technology,combining the flexibility of direct modelingwith the best of dimension- and constraintdriven techniques to provide you with themost control. Analysts can quickly editgeometry in intuitive ways that are not possible in traditional CAE preprocessors orfeature-based CAD systems. Direct editingwill work on geometry from any source,and analysts can use it to rapidly defeatureor modify geometry prior to meshing,create design alternatives for what-ifevaluations, or rapidly generate fluiddomain volume geometry.Rapid design-analysis iterations throughassociativity: user-defined geometry edits,FE mesh and boundary conditions are allassociated to the base design. When thedesign topology changes, NX rapidlyupdates the existing analysis geometry,mesh, loads and boundary conditions asrequired, avoiding the need for the analystto manually recreate the analysis model.This approach greatly reduces downstreammodeling time, which is compoundedacross a project’s many design-analysisiterations.Multi-CAD support: NX Advanced FEMsupports CAD geometry in a number of formats, and all NX Advanced FEM directediting and idealization capabilities can beused on geometry from all of theseformats: Direct geometry translators (CATIA V4,CATIA V5 and Pro/Engineer) Neutral geometry transfer (IGES, STEP,JT data format and Parasolid software)In addition to synchronous technology, NXAdvanced FEM delivers a wide range ofgeometry editing capabilities that areneeded to de-feature, abstract and idealizegeometry for CAE purposes, such as: Geometry healing and repair for gaps andother data inaccuracies Mid-surfacing to create surfaces for thinwalled componentsSimply drag geometry to a newposition. Defeaturing tools (geometry repair,feature suppression, stitch surface,remove hole/fillet and partitioning) Non-manifold topology generation forvolumes Ability to create a surface from an orphanmesh Split body and partitioning methods fordividing solid geometry into moremanageable sections prior to hexmeshingNew design ready to be analyzed.In a matter of seconds you can have associatedmesh updates that are ready for immediateanalysis.

NXDelivering comprehensive meshingNX Advanced FEM includes extensive modeling functions for automatic and manualmesh generation of 0D, 1D, 2D and 3D elements, and also numerous techniques forthe application of loads and boundary conditions. The NX Advanced FEM integratedenvironment is unique because it associatesthe analysis model to its geometry. Userdefined geometry edits, mesh and boundaryconditions are all associated to the basedesign. When the design geometry changes,NX Advanced FEM maintains the existinganalysis geometry, mesh, loads and boundary conditions, and rapidly updates them asrequired, thereby avoiding the need for youto recreate the analysis model. This approachgreatly reduces downstream modeling time,which results in huge time savings across aproject’s many design-analysis iterations.0D and 1D meshing: you can create 1Delements, such as welds, bolts, rigids andbeams, and other elements with ease. NXAdvanced FEM also leverages CAD information to help you quickly create beamsection properties and facilitate the creation of FE weld connections based on datacontained in the CAD assembly.Extensive meshing tools areavailable for thin-walled parts.2D shell meshing: NX Advanced FEM provides a number of tools to help you createaccurate FE meshes needed for thin-walledcomponents. These tools can be used inconjunction with mid-surface, and thetypes of 2D meshing methods include: Mapped meshing to control thedistribution of elements across a surface Free (unstructured) meshing for surfaceswith more than four sidesQuickly mesh complex geometrywith automatic best-in-classtetrahedral meshing. Pyramid elements needed to smoothlytransition from a hex mesh to atetrahedral meshMesh control and editing: in addition tocreating meshes, NX Advanced FEM helpsyou fine tune and edit meshes to achievequality criteria and more accurate results.Capabilities include: Mesh morphing to modify existing meshesto match new geometry dimensions 2D and 3D mesh controls for fillets andcylinders Extensive mesh quality checks andreporting Local element control for precise meshgeneration Batch meshing with mesh controls foruse in automated processesFlexibly apply loads andboundary conditionsThe geometry engine at the core of NXAdvanced FEM provides you with the flexibility to apply loads and boundaryconditions either to geometry features ordirectly to the FE mesh, depending on yourneeds. Load and boundary conditions canbe applied in the following manner: On geometry (face, edge or curve) tomaintain associativity when designgeometry changes On FE entities (nodes, elements, elementfaces and element edges), which isuseful when working with importedmeshes with no underlying geometry To local coordinate system Dependent meshes to ensure meshesmatch in contact or symmetric regions To groups for easier management3D solid meshing: thick, chunky components are often modeled using tetrahedralor hexahedral elements. NX Advanced FEMoffers the necessary tools to quickly createsolid elements, including: As loads automatically obtained frommotion analysis in NX Motion Automatic best-in-class tetrahedralmeshing Swept hexahedral meshing As axisymmetric boundary conditions forsimplifying the study of revolved systems As time-varying condition sequences forsimulating mission profiles As defined by expression, array or tableinput

NXEasily build, connect and managelarge FE assembly models.Facilitating efficient FEassembly managementNX Advanced FEM is unique in the way itcreates FE assembly models. Unlike traditional CAE preprocessors that weredeveloped for component analysis andrequire you to build monolithic analysismodels, the NX Advanced FEM assembly FEmodel (AFEM) management tool createslarge FE assembly models by instancing andconnecting FE component models together,similar to a CAD assembly. When an FEcomponent is updated later in development, NX Advanced FEM updates allinstances of that component within the FEassembly, eliminating the need to rebuildand connect a new FE assembly.Preprocesswith multi-CAEenvironmentsNX AdvancedFEM can beused as the primary pre- andpostprocessorfor SiemensPLM Solvers, NXNastran andLMS Samcef, orfor a number ofthird party solvers, such asAbaqus, ANSYS,LS-DYNA, andMSC Nastran.This is accomPreprocess analysis modelsplished through for external solvers.immersive userenvironments that use the selected solver’sterminology, which enables analysts to easily prepare solver-specific analysis modelswithout the need to learn new terminologyPostprocess results and creating reportsFor analysis to drive decisions, results mustbe presented in an understandable form.NX Advanced FEM provides extensivegraphics and manipulation capabilities thatfocus on critical data and present it forreview and action. Additionally, the multiCAE environments of Nastran, Abaqus,ANSYS and LS-DYNA can be used to importresult files created by these solvers for easier postprocessing and reporting.NX Advanced FEM can be used as the primary preand postprocessor for a variety of popular solvers.Results displays: NX Advanced FEMincludes various ways you can control thedisplay of simulation results, such as deformation, contour plots, iso-surfaces,streamlines, animation and textannotations.