Flange gap in FEA setup

[CPEProjE]

In ADSM,

Is there a global or default setting for part to part contact? If so, does it affect results if two different part flanges are surfaced flushed (touching) to one another?  In other words, will I end up with a pseudo one part versus two interfacing parts?

Being new to ADSM, Solidworks 2012 SP1.0 specifies to employ a gap between flange pairs to avoid a global bonded condition.

What is the prevailing wisdom in ADSM?

Thank you,

CPEProje

[ilyas_drawbridge · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes, there is a default contact setting within Sim Mech. This applies the contact type to all contacting surfaces between parts. However, individual contact types may still be applied to arbitrary contacting surfaces. This will overwrite the default contact type.

Whether or not your model behaves as one pseudo part or two parts will depend on the contact type selected (and the material properties of course). For example, bonded contact makes sure that the two contacting surfaces will stick to each other whereas surface contact allows two contacting surfaces to separate yet unable to penetrate each other. If the materials for two parts are the same and the contact type between them is bonded, then they will behave as if they were a unified part, as should be.

Regards

Ilyas