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BLOCK PRE-PROCESSING
1.1. Creating a New Problem 1.2. Setting Simulation Controls 1.3. Loading Object Data 1.4. Display Manipulation 1.5. Point Selection 1.6. Other DISPLAY Window Buttons 1.7. Saving the Problem 1.8. Exiting DEFORM-3D

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BLOCK Pre-Processing

1.1. Creating a New Problem

On a UNIX machine, type DEFORM3 to open DEFORM-3D. On a Windows machine, go to the button and select DEFORM-3D from the menu. The DEFORM-3D MAIN window will appear, as shown below. (See Figure 1.1)

Figure 1.1: DEFORM-3D main window

Create a new problem by either selecting File New Problem or by clicking the New Problem icon. The PROBLEM SETUP window will appear. Accept the default setting of opening a new problem using the DEFORM-3D pre-processor (and not one of the wizards) by clicking
(See Figure 1.2)

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Figure1.2: Problem type selection window.

Click
(See Figure 1.3)

to define the location of the new problem 'Under problem home directory'.

Figure1.3: Problem location definition window.

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In the field for Problem Name, call the problem Block and click
Figure1.4)

. (See

Figure1.4: Assigning problem name.

The DEFORM-3D Pre-processor will open (See Figure1.5). The Pre-processor is divided into several distinct sections - namely the DISPLAY window, the Object Tree and Object Data. There is also a row of icons along the top of the screen. These icons will be described as they are encountered in the labs. The most important of the icons are the ones located at the top right. Due to their importance, a brief description is given of each:
Icon Function Simulation Control Description All simulation controls and stopping criteria are defined Within this menu.

Material Object Positioning Inter-Object Database Generation

Material properties are defined in this menu. Objects are positioned using these controls. Relationships among the objects are defined here. Once all pre-processing is complete, this menu
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Generates the database that is required for solving.

Exit This button exits the Pre-Processor and returns the user to the MAIN window.

Figure1.5: Pre-processor window

1.2. Setting Simulation Controls

Click on the icon to open the SIMULATION CONTROL window. Change the Simulation Title to Block. Make sure that the Units are set to English and that Deformation is activated (has a checkmark next to it). Click the when finished. (See Figure1.6) button

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Figure 1.6: Simulation control window

1.3. Loading Object Data

If there isnt an object currently defined in the Object Tree, add an object to the problem by clicking the Insert object Object Name to Block and click Plastic. button at the bottom of the Object Tree. Change the . Make sure that the Object Type is set to

Within DEFORM, the surface definition of an object is referred to as its geometry. Click and then the button to import the object's geometry.

The most common type of file for importing geometry into DEFORM-3D is the stereo lithography (.STL) file. The geometry for the Block is located in the file Block_Billet.STL in the DEFORM3D\V6_1\Labs directory. Once you have found and selected this file, click the button to import the geometry into DEFORM. The geometry of a rectangular block should now be visible in the DISPLAY window. Now that a surface geometry has been defined for the Block, a finite element mesh can be generated for the object. Click on the Click on the default mesh settings. button to bring up the Meshing Controls.

button to see what the surface mesh looks like when using the The surface mesh that is created looks good, so click the
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button to finish the meshing process. When the meshing is complete, the object should have 6262 elements (which can be seen either in the Object Tree or in the Summary section of the Meshing Controls).

Figure 1.7: Before and After meshing.

1.4. Display Manipulation

Functions that manipulate the DISPLAY window (such as Pan, Zoom, Magnify, and Rotate) can be activated using icons at the top of the Pre-processor window. These functions also have easy keyboard/mouse combination hotkeys that allow the user to quickly perform these functions without any excessive button clicking. Once you have read about these functions, feel free to use them to manipulate the view of the Block in the DISPLAY window.
Display Icons

Icon

Function Pan

Description The objects in the DISPLAY window can be dynamically panned up, down, left, or right by moving
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the mouse while holding the left mouse button. (Shortcut: Shift + Left Mouse Button)

Zoom

The DISPLAY window can be dynamically zoomed in or out by holding the left mouse button and Moving the mouse up or down. (Shortcut: Alt + Left Mouse Button)

Magnify

A portion of the DISPLAY window can to be by clicking and holding the left mouse button at one corner of the zoom box and dragging the cursor to create a window encompassing the zoom area. (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + Left Mouse Button)

Rotate (unconstrained) The objects in the DISPLAY window can undergo an unconstrained rotation by holding the left mouse button. (Shortcut: Ctrl + Left Mouse Button)

Rotation about X-axis This icon allows the objects to be rotated about the X-axis in either the Object or Screen coordinate system.

Rotation about Y-axis This icon allows the objects to be rotated about the Y-axis in either the Object or Screen coordinate system.

Rotation about Z-axis

This icon allows the objects to be rotated about the Z-axis in either the Object or Screen coordinate system.

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Objects can be rotated using either the Screen or the Object coordinate system. The default setting is to use Object coordinates, where rotation about an axis ( , or ) is in relation to the isometric XYZ axis triad in the bottom right corner of the DISPLAY window. Sometimes, however, it is useful to rotate objects using the Screen coordinate system, where X is to the right, Y is defined up, and Z is defined out of the screen. To activate rotation using Screen coordinates, right click in the DISPLAY window and turn off the Use object co-ord for rotation option.

Screen co-ordinate system

View Orientation Icons

Isometric View YZ Plane View X-axis either pointing out of the screen (+) or into the screen (-) Y-axis either pointing out of the screen (+) or into the screen (-) Z-axis either pointing out of the screen (+) or into the screen (-)

XZ Plane View

XY Plane View

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1.5. Point Selection

Any point on an object in the DISPLAY window can be selected to obtain the corresponding data for that point. Also, distances can be measured either between two points on one object or between two points on different objects.

Point Selection Icons Icon Function

Measure

Description Distances between any two points can be measured by clicking the first point and then clicking the second point. The measuring line will remain on the screen until the Refresh button is clicked.

Note: The dimensions can be measured in CAD fashion, to do this right click once you activate dimensioning and select CAD style. Once you select the CAD style you can select the direction (X,Y,Z & XYZ) in which you want to see dimensions. (See Figure1.8)

Figure 1.8: Dimensions

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Select

This is the default display mode and is used to select and get information about nodes and element faces. This is also the mode used when measuring.

1.6. Other DISPLAY Window Icons

The following icons are also used when viewing objects in the DISPLAY window: Icon Function View shaded objects Description All objects are shown shaded without a mesh.

View mesh only

All objects are shown un-shaded with a mesh .

View shaded mesh

All objects are shown shaded with a mesh.

View surface patch View surface patch+ Refresh

Only the feature lines of the objects are shown To view others along with feature lines of the objects Refreshes the DISPLAY window and clears the screen of any previous measuring lines

View Fit

Fits all objects into the DISPLAY window

View Back

Reverts back to the last view used

Capture Image Capture Image to

Clipboard

Captures the DISPLAY window and saves it to a file Captures the DISPLAY window to cilpboard Captures the DISPLAY window and sends it to the printer

Print

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1.7. Saving the Problem

This is a good point to save your data. To save the data to a keyword file, either select File Save or click the Save Block. KEY. icon. The information will be saved in a file called

1.8. Exiting DEFORM-3DE

If you are continuing on to Lab 2, it is not necessary to exit DEFORM-3D. If you are not continuing on to Lab 2, click the Exit click . icon. If asked whether you want to quit,

Once you are back in the MAIN window, you can exit DEFORM-3D by selecting File Quit or by clicking . If asked whether you want to quit, click .

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