How to connect beam and solid elements in ANSYS WB 11

[Ogi75]

How to connect beam and solid elements in ANSYS WB 11?
I will try to describe what I have done up to this point and what is happening in the end.
Aim is to perform modal analysis. As many of the frequency modes of less important parts can occur, it would be better to mesh with fewer elements. I have decided to mesh pipes of no interest with the beam elements. This would represent the structure well, and hopefully lower the solution time.
1. Main rail is modelled in Solidworks as a solid body, on top of it 3D sketch of pipe lines was add to the main rail. Two different STEP file were saved. One with suppressed 3D sketch, and one with suppressed solid body rail.
2. These STEP files were inserted into the ANSYS Design Space. And Pipe profile was assigned to the 3D sketch.
3. When imported into the ANSYS Simulation and meshed it produced combined mesh of solid (rail) and beam (pipes) elements.
Here is the problem. Solid and beam elements are not connected together.
How can I resolve this problem?
Many thanks

[Benn]

Never actually faced the issue before, but can't you just use connections to assemble the whole thing? Ansys has multipoint constraints which i'm pretty sure supports beam-solid connections.


*edit* I had a quick look in ansys, you can use spot weld and connect nodes on a solid to nodes on a line body, wasn't able to connect directly from solid to linebody. Not sure how valid the solution would be, you would probably want to do a quick analytical check. Would probably be okay for modal analysis i guess

[Ogi75]

Hello Benn,
I'd like to know if you are talking about ANSYS Classic or ANSYS Workbench. I am not very familiar with Classic and I think I would need to use APDL within Workbench to set parameters for MPC contact.
MPC exist in Workbench, but I havent been able to connect beams and solids. I will look a bit more into it.
Is there any good source for studing APDL?
Many thanks

[Benn]

I was using Workbench. I just spot welded a node on a beam to a node on the geometry of the solid.

As far as sources for learning APDL, talk to your ANSYS distributor, I'm sure they would be happy to help. Google works too.

[SHAIPATEL224]

Hi Benn and Ogi75,

I am using WB too and doing a similar project. I am modelling turbine blades that are on SolidWorks and need to connect the tip of the blades together. This will act as tie rods between the blades supposedly reducing blade vibrations (these blades are in a steam turbine)
So, would I be able to create a beam element in between these 3D solid element blades and 'weld' them together on WB?

Many Thanks