Spotweld Panel

Use the Spotweld panel to create 1D elements to connect different parts.

Location: 1D page

Spotwelds can be created one at a time or in groups using the Using Geom, Using Nodes, or Using Elems subpanels.

Using Geom Subpanel

Use the Using Geom subpanel to create spotwelds with surface geometry obtained from CAD data.
Option Action
surfs-surfs / lines-surfs
surfs-surfs
If more than two surfaces are within the search radius, spotweld elements are not created. To create welds in this situation, select a pair of surfaces at a time.
The local coordinate systems are oriented with the y axis located along the direction between the selected nodes.
Welds are placed in the current component.
lines-surfs
all surfs/elems
Attempt to weld together all surfs/elems found within the given search radius. If more than two surfs/elems are found, Engineering Solutions attempts to weld all of the layers together. This option is present to allow for 2t and 3t welds.
ind surfs/elems
Find the first surf/elem (within tolerance) in each collector via a database lookup.
Note: This may not be the closest surf/elem; it is simply the first one that is found. Placing too many elems/surfs in each collector may lead to unexpected results.
The local coordinate systems are oriented with the y axis located along the direction between the selected nodes.
all surfs / ind surfs
all surfs
Select all surfaces simultaneously.
ind surfs
Select surfaces that define the independent and dependent regions individually
surfs selector Select the independent surfaces.

When using all surf, select two (or more) surfaces between which to create the element(s).

element config Select type of element to create.
weld location Select the nodes or points where you want to create spotwelds.
lines
Each line is treated independently, resulting in welds being located at the beginning and end of each line with the remainder of the welds being spaced evenly along the length of each individual line.
line list
All of the selected lines are combined head-to-tail in the order they were selected, and then treated as a single line. This results in only the beginning of the first line and the end of the last line having weld points, with the rest of the welds being spaced evenly along the length of the combined line.
property Assign properties to the spotweld element(s).
search tolerance Specify the tolerance value to use to identify relevant surfaces between which to create the elements at the specified locations.
without systems / build systems
build systems
Build the local coordinate system at each end of the spotweld element.
without systems
Do not build systems.
spacing / density
density
Specify the number of spotweld elements to create along the line.
spacing
Specify a set distance between the spotweld elements create along the line.
Note: Available when line-surfs is selected.
offset options You can either explicitly state the offset distance from each end on the line, or you can use the 1/2 spacing option. The 1/2 spacing option determines the distance between two welds and sets the explicit offset to 1/2 of this distance.

Using Nodes Subpanel

Use the Using Nodes subpanel to create spotwelds using finite element model data.


Figure 1. Weld Created using Build Systems


Figure 2. Weld Created using Without Systems

The local coordinate systems are oriented with the y axis located along the direction between the selected nodes.

The dependent node can be moved to create weld elements that are perpendicular to the surface formed by the elements attached to the independent node. This relocation can occur either with or without pre-existing geometrical surfaces defining the dependent surface.
Option Action
indep node selector Select the independent node.
dep node selector Select the dependent node.

Engineering Solutions builds the element after you select the dependent node.

element config Select the type of element to create.
move dep node Move the dependent node along the surface in which it lies and create a spotweld normal to the independent surface. If the quality of the resulting mesh due to the movement of the dependent node is not acceptable, click reject and select remesh dep region to remesh the dependent region.
Note: This option remeshes only the dependent region affected by the movement of the dependent node.
property Assign properties to the spotweld element(s).
without systems / build systems
build systems
Build the local coordinate system at each end of the spotweld element.
without systems
Do not build systems.

Using Elems Subpanel

Use the Using Elems subpanel to create spotwelds and internally remesh the surrounding elements.

If more than two elements are within the search radius, spotweld elements are not created. To create welds in this situation, select a pair of elements at a time.

The local coordinate systems are oriented with the y axis located along the direction between the selected nodes.

Welds are placed in the current component
Option Action
all elems / ind elems
all elems
Select all elements simultaneously.
ind elems
Select the elements that define the independent and dependent regions individually.
elems selector Select elements.
element config Select the type of element to create.
weld location Select the nodes or points where you want to create spotwelds.
property Select the property collector to be assigned to the element.
search tolerance Specify the tolerance value to use to identify relevant surfaces between which to create the elements at the specified locations.
without systems / build systems
build systems
Build the local coordinate system at each end of the spotweld element.
without systems
Do not build systems.
attach to shell elems Create 1D connection elements and attach them to neighboring shell elements by internally remeshing the surrounding elements.

Switch Nodes Subpanel

Option Action
elems selector Select the weld elements whose dependent and independent nodes you want to switch.

Command Buttons

Option Action
create Create the spotweld element.
reject Revert the most recent changes.
review Display the selected spotweld elements.
switch Switch the selected elements.
return Exit the panel.