User's Guide

In-depth program help documentation for Autodesk® Simulation Mechanical and for the Simulation Mechanical 360 cloud-based product.

The Simulation Mechanical User's Guide provides you with background information on finite element analysis as well as documentation on using the software. The guide outlines all of the different types of analyses available in the software and how to go about setting up a model.

Important: The term Autodesk Simulation is used throughout the Help. Within the context of this user's guide, all references are to the Simulation Mechanical product unless otherwise indicated. Other packages of Autodesk Simulation (such as Simulation CFD and Simulation Moldflow) have different capabilities. If you cannot find a particular feature or capability (such as fluid flow analysis), please contact Autodesk about upgrading or obtaining additional Autodesk Simulation software.

Supported Analysis Types:

Linear:

• Static Stress with Linear Material Models
• Natural Frequency (Modal)
• Natural Frequency (Modal) with Load Stiffening
• Response Spectrum
• Random Vibration
• Frequency Response
• Transient Stress (Direct Integration)
• Transient Stress (Modal Superposition)
• Critical Buckling
• Dynamic Design Analysis Method (DDAM)

Nonlinear:

• MES with Nonlinear Material Models
• Static Stress with Nonlinear Material Models
• Natural Frequency (Modal) with Nonlinear Material Models
• MES Riks Analysis

Thermal:

• Steady-State Heat Transfer
• Transient Heat Transfer

Electrostatic:

• Electrostatic Current and Voltage
• Electrostatic Field Strength and Voltage

Autodesk Simulation Mechanical 360

Autodesk Simulation Mechanical 360 provides enhanced capacity through the use of a cloud computing platform. The cloud computing platform provides a scalable, powerful set of computing nodes for your analyses, freeing you from restrictions associated with solution processing on your local machine.

Simulation Mechanical 360 is provided as part of the Simulation Flex software bundle. Visit the Simulation Mechanical 360 Notes page for more information about this product and the differences between it and the desktop version of Simulation Mechanical.

Tutorials

To perform the online Simulation Mechanical tutorials, click Start & Learn Learn Tutorials within the program. The tutorials are divided into two sets:

• Meshing and Modeling Tutorials
• Analyzing and Evaluating Results Tutorials

There are also a couple of Quick Start Tutorials within the New User Quick Start section of the help. These tutorials provide additional guidance and are specifically designed for the new user. However, they are applicable to more experienced users as well.

You can download the tutorial model files from our online Data & Downloads page.

If you prefer to access tutorials and other help content locally, rather than online, you can download the optional User Guide Installer from our online Documentation page. This feature is useful for customers that lack an Internet connection at their simulation workstations.