by Mai Vang, Marketing Director | Jul 19, 2023
This course is geared toward engineers who are designing and analyzing layered composites. The training will cover the correct and efficient use of this technology for the purpose of overcoming some of the inherent challenges in composite modeling such as capturing fiber orientation, model inspection, failure analysis, and parameterization. This training will teach attendees how to make high fidelity layered shell and layered solid models, save time at the post-processing stage, and more.
Prerequisites for this course are DRD’s Introduction to Ansys Mechanical course or equivalent practical experience using Ansys Mechanical. This is a challenging course for proficient users. Please do not register for this course if you do not have the prerequisites. Please contact DRD if you have questions or would like to discuss this with us at support@drd.com.
Course Requirements:
Ansys Version used to create course content: 2020 R1
Ansys Version DRD instructor will use for the course: 2022 R1
Ansys Version(s) students may use for the course: 2021 R1, 2021 R2, 2022 R1
Registration for all classes will close 5 business days in advance of the class date.
Learn more: Agenda + Course Description
Workshop 1 - Basic Sandwich Panel
In this workshop the user will learn how to define new composite materials for analysis and start ACP from within Workbench. The user will then learn how to define fabrics, rosettes, oriented selection sets, and modeling plies to create a simple composite sandwich panel.
Workshop 2 - T-Joint
This workshop gives the user some experience with using multiple rosettes, multiple oriented selection sets, and tapering of core materials to define complex composite layups.
Workshop 3 - Class 40 - Selection Rules
In this workshop users will learn how to use selection rules to modify the composite layup of a class 40 boat in order to increase its reserve against failure.
Workshop 4 - Advanced Sandwich Panel
This workshop continues Workshop 1 – Basic Sandwich Panel. The layup is modified and reinforced in order to increase the panel’s strength, and the mesh is refined in order to obtain more accurate results. Selection rules and tapers are employed in order to create a desired layup.
Workshop 5.1 - Solid Modeling
In this workshop, users will generate and evaluate a composite model of a doubly-curved tensile test specimen. This model will use solid elements instead of shell elements in order to accurately capture stress distributions in thick geometry where plane stress assumptions do not apply.
Workshop 5.2 - Solid Modeling with Cut-Off Rule
This workshop demonstrates the use of cut-off rules for ply tapering. It also goes through the procedure of applying a resin material to wedge elements that represent the tapered section where a ply starts or ends in a solid composite model.
Workshop 6.1 – Kiteboard
This workshop will take users through the complete process of modeling, solving, and post-processing a composite model. Solid geometry will be used to generate a variable core thickness in a complex pattern.
Workshop 6.2 – Post-Processing
The boat model from Workshop 3 will be used to practice with a variety of post-processing tools, including sampling points to obtain through-thickness results.
Workshop 7 – Parameters in ACP
This workshop will use Workbench parameters to modify the laminate of a composite part. Multiple designs will be evaluated in order to identify which design has the best performance in terms of several composite failure modes.
Course Enrollment and Schedule
Ansys Composite PrepPost
by Mai Vang, Marketing Director | Jul 19, 2023
This 1-day course is designed for engineers who are analyzing the curing process of layered composites. The training will cover the correct and efficient use of this technology for the purpose of simulating the composite curing process to determine degree of cure and process-induced distortions and stresses. Attendees will also learn how to compensate for these distortions in the tool surface so that the final composite structure meets the desired specifications.
Prerequisites for this course are DRD’s Introduction to Ansys Mechanical course and DRD’s Ansys Composite PrepPost course or equivalent practical experience using Ansys Mechanical and ACP. This is a challenging course for proficient users. Please do not register for this course if you do not have the prerequisites. Please contact DRD if you have questions or would like to discuss this with us at support@drd.com.
Workshop 1 - C-Shape Profile Full Cure Simulation
In this workshop attendees will learn how to use ACCS to model the curing of a C-shape composite profile made from carbon fiber prepreg. Completing a thermal simulation of the process yields results such as material state, degree of cure, glass transition temperature, and heat of reaction. From there, a structural analysis of the curing process allows for the prediction of process induced distortions and stresses.
Workshop 2 - C-Shape Profile Fast Cure Simulation
This workshop is nearly identical to the previous workshop with the difference being that the fast solution method is used instead of the full method. This method assumes a uniform temperature distribution and applies to relatively thin (less than 5 mm) composite structures.
Workshop 3 - Tool Compensation
In this workshop users will build on what they learned in the previous workshops to not only predict the composite curing process induced distortions but also compensate for them in the tooling geometry to produce a composite structure that meets the original design specifications. Attendees will also learn how to simulate post-cure trimming operations.
Course Enrollment and Schedule
Ansys Composite Cure Simulation
by Mai Vang, Marketing Director | Jun 27, 2023
This 1-day course provides an introduction to modeling motors using Ansys RMxprt and Ansys Maxwell.
During the course, students will build hands-on skills by setting up and solving a variety of simulation models during the workshop sections.
Prerequisites for this course are DRD’s Introduction to Maxwell course and practice gaining proficiency with Maxwell. DRD recommends that students who do not have those prerequisites delay attending this course until they attain them. This course does not assume any experience with RMxprt.
Section 1: Geometry Generation
Workshop 2 – Motor Losses
This workshop explores an example induction motor to understand power loss prediction in Maxwell. It will show how to obtain these quantities during postprocessing, how to validate them through checking the power balance, and how to improve simulation accuracy on these results. RMxprt will be used to both analyze the motor and to generate Maxwell 2D and 3D models of the design.
Section 2: Cogging Torque
Workshop 1 – Cogging Torque Calculation
This workshop will discuss how to use ANSYS Maxwell to calculate the cogging torque in an example 3-phase permanent magnet machine. Both a parametric static and pseudo-static transient methodology will be explored.
Section 3: Mesh Operations for Rotating Machines
Workshop 3 – Demagnetization Due to Short Circuit
This workshop will discuss how to use Ansys Maxwell to study the variation of Permanent Magnet Rotating Machine performances due to short circuit and related high value external fields and permanent magnets demagnetization.
Section 4: Motor Power Balance
Workshop 4 – Using the Machine Toolkit on a PMSM Model 
This workshop starts with an existing 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous machine model that’s set up to solve one operating point. The user will then use the Machine Toolkit extension to define the Design of Experiments runs which will populate the full operating space. Output maps such as efficiency, losses from different sources, torque vs. speed, and voltage/current in the d-q frame can be obtained for this design after running the DOE that the toolkit automatically creates.
Section 5: OptiSlang Coupling
Section 6: ECE Equivalent Circuit Extraction
Section 7: Demagnetization
Section 8: Machine Toolkit
Section 9: Inductor Machine Speedup
Course Enrollment and Schedule
Ansys Maxwell Motor Modeling
by Mai Vang, Marketing Director | Jun 27, 2023
This course provides workshops demonstrating the Shooting Bouncing Ray (SBR+) solver and antenna placement, using the ANSYS HFSS environment of the ANSYS Electronics Desktop (AEDT) Suite. This tool is included in the ANSYS HFSS Premium and ANSYS Electronics Enterprise licenses.
The course focuses on utilizing the SBR+ solution design type and performing antenna placement analysis. Within this course, one will analyze the electrical behavior of an antenna near a large 3D component (such as the body of a car) and understand how SBR+ utilizes less computational resources for more efficient simulations. In addition, predicting the coupling between two or more antennas while employing the SBR+ solver and large 3D components is demonstrated.
Most workshops begin with projects where CAD geometry has already been prepared or is drawn in the tool as part of the exercise. DRD encourages students to bring ACIS files with them to the training (preferably from their workplace) if they desire to test their own antenna geometry.
This link will direct you to the course documents containing all associated training content and resources.
Module 1: Introduction & 3D Component
Workshop 1.1 — PIFA Antenna 3D Component 
This workshop demonstrates how HFSS can be used to design and analyze an 800 MHz PIFA (planar inverted-F antenna) element, including the chassis that makes up this entire antenna module.
Module 2: Antenna Placement
Workshop 2.1 — SBR+ Platform Integration 
This workshop uses HFSS and SBR+ (Shooting Bouncing Ray) to analyze and predict the performance of an antenna integrated on to an electrically large platform, a car body.
Workshop 2.2 — Side Mirror Near Field Link 
This workshop uses HFSS and SBR+ solution type design to analyze and predict the performance of an antenna linked to a car body.
Module 3: Antenna Coupling
Workshop 3.1 — Far Field Antenna to Antenna Coupling
This workshop demonstrates how an SBR+ design type can be used in HFSS to simulate the coupling between two different antennas.
Module 4: Car Garage Visual Ray Tracing (VRT)
Workshop 4.1 — Vehicle to Home Communication with SBR+
This workshop analyzes coupling between a vehicle mounted antenna and a home Wi-Fi antenna.
Course Enrollment and Schedule
HFSS SBR+ Antenna Placement Design
by Mai Vang, Marketing Director | Jun 23, 2023
This course provides workshops, emphasizing on antennas, using the ANSYS HFSS environment of the ANSYS Electronics Desktop (AEDT) Suite. The general problem addressed is that of the high frequency electromagnetic field and antenna analysis.
The course focuses on the set-up and analysis of antenna simulations via the HFSS user interface. This tool is included in the ANSYS HFSS Premium and ANSYS Electronics Enterprise licenses. Within this interface, one can create CAD geometry of Antennas to analyze the near/far fields, surface currents, impedance, and S-parameters. One can also use the Antenna Design Toolkit (ATK) wizard to create common antenna geometry for ease of simulation design.
Most workshops begin with projects where CAD geometry has already been prepared or is drawn in the tool as part of the exercise. DRD encourages students to bring ACIS files with them to the training (preferably from their workplace) if they desire to test their own antenna geometry.
This link will direct you to the course documents containing all associated training content and resources.
Module 1: Far and Near Fields
Workshop 1.1 — Conical Spiral Antenna with HFSS Antenna Toolkit
This workshop synthesizes a design for a conical spiral antenna using the ACT Extension HFSS Antenna Toolkit and generates the simulation reports and plots.
Workshop 1.2 — Dipole Antenna Far Fields
This workshop starts with a new HFSS project and HFSS design. A dipole antenna is chosen from the Component Library as a starting point for the geometry and the excitation.
Workshop 1.3 — Horn Antenna Far Field Components
This workshop starts with an HFSS horn design and an incomplete setup. The initial orientation of the horn, relative to the coordinates, has the X-axis at boresight.
Workshop 1.4 — Crossed Dipole Antenna Near Fields
This workshop starts with two crossed dipole antennas. After initial simulation, and viewing the results, several near field quantities are plotted and exported.
Module 2: Sources and Field Quantities
Workshop 2.1 — Crossed Dipole Antenna Sources
This workshop starts with two crossed dipole antennas and demonstrates how to plot far field using a far field infinite sphere setup.
Workshop 2.2 — Circularly Polarized Patch Antenna
This workshop focuses on Antenna post-processing such as radiation patterns and plotting 2D & 3D fields on Antenna geometry.
Workshop 2.3 — Circular Polarization Patch Advanced Field Quantities
This advanced workshop evaluates patch antenna S-parameters data, plotted solved fields, and pattern data.
Module 3: Boundaries
Workshop 3.1 — Patch Antenna Open Region Boundaries
This workshop demonstrates two approaches to creating open boundaries and gain insight about both approaches by seeing them applied to the same structure.
Workshop 3.2 — PIFA Boundaries: ABC PML FE-BI
This workshop demonstrates creating boundaries, such as Absorbing Boundary Condition (ABC), Perfectly Match Layer (PML), and Finite Element – Boundary Integral (FE-BI) for a Planar Inverted – F Antenna.
Module 4: Dynamic Link
Workshop 4.1 — Dynamic Link
This workshop demonstrates how to dynamically link an HFSS design into a circuit simulation, use the Smith Tool in circuit design to match the antenna using lumped components, and push excitations from the circuit design to the HFSS design.
Module 5: Optimization
Workshop 5.1 — Antenna Optimetrics
This workshop demonstrates how to set up a parametric study, optimize, and simulate the Analytic Derivatives of a probe-fed patch antenna.
Workshop 5.2 — OptiSLang Derivatives Optimization of PIFA
This workshop demonstrates the derivative-based optimizer to optimize a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) design.
Module 6: HFSS Integral Equation (IE)
Workshop 6.1 — HFSS IE Blade Antenna
This workshop demonstrates how to set up, simulate, and analyze an airplane-mounted plane (blade) antenna using the Integral Equation (IE) solver.
Module 7: Formulations
Workshop 7.1 — FE-BI Blade Antenna
This workshop sets up, simulates, and compares simulations of the airplane-wing mounted blade antenna. The large, flat geometry, representing an airplane fuselage, is simulated with both IE (Integral Equation) and SBR+ (Shooting Bouncing Rays).
Module 8: Hybrid Regions
Workshop 8.1 — Data Linked Simulation of a Reflector Antenna
This workshop will demonstrate near field simulation results from a horn antenna and will feed a reflector antenna through a data link while also comparing the result of the Integral Equation (IE) and Physical Optics (PO) solvers.
Workshop 8.2 — Hybrid FEM-FEBI Simulation of a Reflector Antenna
Workshop 8.3 — Hybrid FEM-FEBI Antenna Placement Study
This workshop will demonstrate radiation field results when using a Finite Element-Boundary Integral (FE-BI) region on the horn antenna and use a Integral Equation (IE) solver on the reflector.
Course Enrollment and Schedule
Ansys HFSS Antenna Design
In this workshop the user will learn how to define new composite materials for analysis and start ACP from within Workbench. The user will then learn how to define fabrics, rosettes, oriented selection sets, and modeling plies to create a simple composite sandwich panel.
This workshop demonstrates how to set up a parametric study, optimize, and simulate the Analytic Derivatives of a probe-fed patch antenna.
