Need some guidance for Shaft assembly

[ChristianAndersenIsmyname]

Hello,

I hope some of you are able to help me with a quick guidance to correctly set up my assembly for a FEA.

Context: I have a shaft and clutch with key connection. I want to add Torque to the shaft end, and add resistance to the clutch (of fix it, zero rotation). Reason for this is to look at the stress on the shaft near the key.

Troubles:

• Adding torque. I seem to only find Moment as the closest load, but this is off-centered, so I assume this won't be the correct load.
• Constraints: Is assembly contraints enough if I add zero rotation to the clutch?

I have never used Nastran before, but have some experience with FEA from school.

Normally I would do this by hand, but this specific scenario would be pretty complexed I think.

Thanks for any help!

[John_Holtz · Accepted solution]

Hi @ChristianAndersenIsmyname 

• Torque and moments are the same thing. The symbol that is shown on the model is just that: a symbol. The location that is shown is generally not important. If the geometry selected is correct for what you want, it should be okay. If you have any doubts, the alternative is to apply a "Connectors > Rigid" so that the connectors generates a point on the centerline, and then apply the moment to the center of the rigid body connector.
• Assembly constraints that you define in the modeling environment have no effect on the Nastran simulation. You need to add constraints to the Nastran analysis. At the very least, fix the two translation directions so that the clutch cannot rotate.

Edit: Did you define contact between the parts? You need to do that since the Inventor assembly constraints have no effect on the Nastran analysis.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

[ChristianAndersenIsmyname]

Hi John, thanks for the reply.

I havent been able to test this, but I assume this is the solution.