Plates AND Beams from Inventor to Simulation

[JohnBeach]

I have a surface model in inventor that I have been analysing using plate elements in Simulation. I want to add beam elements. It seems the only way to do this is within Simulation which is a pain because every surface model update and associated re-mesh changes node locations. Is there a way to bring in beam elements from inventor with the surface?

I tried bring in a surface and nominating the element type as beam hoping the edges would exist as beams. This did not work.

Help appreciated as always.

John

[andrewdroth]

I don't think there is a way. It's too bad, it would be a really handy feature.

What I usually do is plit the surfaces where the beam attaches, this forces a node to be created there when meshing. Then I use workpoints in IV to indicate the endpoints of the beams. Then when it's pushed to SIM I use the construction vertices created from the workpoints to draw the beams.