To define contacts, we must do two things. First, we must have the software automatically detect contacts that meet the default criteria found in the Stress Analysis Settings. Second, we must manually define additional contacts.
Manual contacts, consisting of pairs of faces, are used for cases in which the initial default contact tolerance is too small.
The default contact type is bonded; however, you can also assign various contact types such as Separation, Sliding/no Separation, and so on.
In this example, we add a manual bonded contact to model the relative displacement of the fork elements.
- In the Contacts panel, click Manual Contacts.
Since you have not already run an automatic detection of contacts, you will receive a message that automatic detection will be run before manual contacts can be added.
- Click OK.
Automatic contacts detect contacts within the default tolerance. Qualified contacts populate the Contacts folder. Once automatic contacts have been established, the Manual Contacts dialog box displays.
To see the automatically created contacts, expand the Contacts folder in the browser.
- When the Manual Contacts dialog box appears, select the outer surface of Fork-Tube.ipt and the main interior surface of the Fork-Slider.ipt components. The contact type should be Bonded. Click Apply.
- Check to see if a contact was made between the Fork-Tube_MIR.ipt and the main interior surface of the Fork-Slider_MIR.ipt components. The contact type should be Bonded. If not, create the contact with these components using the method from step 3.
- One more manual contact must be added to represent the component to which the Fork-Sliders are bolted. Select the two opposing faces of the Fork-Slider as shown in the following image. View navigation commands are available to orient the view.
- Ensure the contact type is Bonded.
- Click OK. A bonded contact is assigned between the two faces as seen in the image.
Next, we specify the meshing options.