Manually add contact conditions

When necessary, you can manually specify the contact types and components participating in the contact. You can specify the separation tolerance, but cannot change the 15 degree limit.

For example, use a Separation contact type in a weldment where:

• The components form a T shape.
• The vertical component contact face does not bond ideally.

All contacts are listed under the contact node in the browser. The type and participating components display next to the browser node name. Contacts are also listed in the browser as children of the components participating in the contact.

Note: To learn more about contacts, review the Stress Analysis Contacts tutorial.

Add contact conditions manually between component faces:

1. First activate the Automatic Contacts command to gather all inferred contacts.
2. Activate the Manual Contact command.
   Note: You can activate Manual Contact from the ribbon, or right-click the Contacts node in the browser and select Manual Contact from the context menu.
3. Select the first component or component face where contact occurs.
   Note: To enhance selection capability, check the filter reference check box. Select the component first, and then specify the contact face.
4. Select the second component or component face where contact occurs. The selected components or faces are colored differently to distinguish the selection order.
5. Specify the contact type. You can specify the contact type before you select the inputs.

Contact type lists applicable contacts for the particular simulation type. Static analysis lists all contact types. Modal analysis lists only Bonded and Spring contact types.

Normal and Tangential Stiffness are values reserved and enabled only for spring contacts.