Submitting a Job

Define and run an analyis using the Run Analysis tool.

The model setup should be completed before submitting job for analysis. Save the model in a new folder with the desired project name. Analysis will be performed in this folder based on user preference under Run Options.

  1. Click on the Analysis tool in the Run group.
  2. In the Analysis Parameters dialog, define parameters accordingly.
  3. Click Run to submit the job.
    The status of the run is displayed.
  4. Click Export to complete the pre-processing.
    The process stops after the data decks for the solver are generated.

Analysis Parameters Settings

Project Name
The data deck is written with "name" as a prefix. It is written in the same folder where the model is saved. Avoid using special characters as files will be created using this name.
Ram Speed
Ram velocity. The speed of the punch (also referred to as ram or dummy block).
Billet Preheat
Used as the initial condition for the analysis for transient runs, and as initial guess for steady state analysis.
Die Temperature
Used to specify the heat transfer condition at the workpiece and die interface.
Container Temperature
Used to specify the heat transfer condition at the container and billet interface.
Alloy
Alloy used for extrusion. The workpiece material and billet are made with this material.
Bearing Optimization
Check this box to include bearing optimization in the simulation. Specify Max Optimization Iterations and Optimization Tolerance to control speed and accuracy.

Details of the optimization can be found in OptBearingStatistics.csv in the bearing-optimization-files folder within the run folder, as well as in the Bearing Correction section of the .out file.

Use Bearing Reference Surfaces
Check this box to include bearing reference surfaces. Specify Max Choke Angle to set the bound for the maximum choke angle determined from the reference surface.
Mesh Size
Medium is the preferred option. If the model has many fine features, selecting fine is recommended. If it is a simple model, coarse option can be used. To start from existing mesh, click on Existing and select the mesh file. To specify mesh size by part, click on User-defined, then click the Mesh size tab and adjust default mesh sizes.
Extrusion Type
Direct. Dummy block moves at the ram speed.
Indirect. Both dummy block and container move at ram speed.
Analysis Type
Steady State. Default selection.
Transient. Automatically selected when the billet is created with skin. A typical transient analysis take around five times the computational time of steady state analysis. Some of the uses are for analysis of charge weld, back end defects, tapered heating, starter billets, full cycle, and multi cycle analysis.
Coupled Analysis
No Select no to opt of running Coupled Analysis.
Solver Select OptiStruct solver.
Tool Analysis Select Elastic or Elasto-Plastic.
Note: If you select Elasto-Plastic, Inspire Extrude automatically performs a two-step tool deflection analysis. When the pressure in the extrusion simulation reaches the specified convergence tolerance, the solver writes the loads on the contact surfaces between the workpiece and the tool. These loads are used by OptiStruct to perform the tool stress analysis and compute tool deformation. The modulus of the tool varies significantly with temperature. To consider this, the coupled solution has been enhanced to perform a heat transfer step subcase before performing the stress analysis. To enable this, the solver writes temperature on the tool contact surfaces in addition to pressure. This increases the accuracy of the stress analysis solution
Advanced Parameters
For a fast and reasonably accurate analysis, nonlinear iteration tolerance can be increased to 0.005 or even 0.01. For steady state analysis, default values yield more accurate results.
Other advanced parameters can be updated using the file AdditionalParameters.txt. Place this file in your project folder. The format to follow is:

AppendTcl <parameter_name> value

Sample AdditionalParameter.txt



MaxNonlinearIters. Maximum iterations per time step. Nonlinear iteration loops stop when the convergence criterion set by Nonlinear Iteration Tolerance is met. If the solution is not convergent, the loop will stop when it reaches this maximum value. The default value is 25.
NonlinIterTolerance. Tolerance for nonlinear iterations. The default value is 0.001. This value defines the convergence criteria for nonlinear iterations.
MaxOptimizationIterations. Max number of iterations for Bearing Optimization analysis.
Optimization Tolerance. Bearing optimization tolerance.

Start from Existing Mesh

  1. Click Existing under Mesh Size options.
  2. Enter the path to the mesh file or browse to it.
    Note:

    Supported data formats:

    *.grf, *.bdf, and *.fem

    Specifications:

    1. The length unit of mesh must be the same as the user unit.
    2. The meshed part name should be the same as the solid part name, with optional suffix "3D". For example, if the solid part name is DiePlate, then choices for meshed part names would be DiePlate3D or DiePlate.
    3. In the case of Portholes or WeldChamber, the meshed part names have additional choices:
      Solid Part Name Meshed Part Name
      Portholes Portholes3D, Portholes_WC3D
      WeldChamber WeldChamber3D, WC3D, WeldChamber, WC
    4. In the case of a hollow die, if both Portholes and WeldChamber exist, then mesh must be in separate components.

  3. Click Run to start the job.