The present application claims priority from Japanese application JP2004-57573 filed on Mar. 2, 2004, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
The present invention relates to a CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) system for making a simulation upon physical phenomena, numerically, through numerical analysis with applying a computer therein, and in particular, it relates to an analysis model producing apparatus for producing an analysis model of an assembly model.
Within the numerical analysis, such as, a finite-element method, representatively, for example, there is applied a method, generally, for modeling an object or a substance to be analyzed, by using an aggregation of elements (i.e., an analyzing mesh) of a hexahedron and/or a tetrahedron. For example, within designing of a car, it is common to make the numerical analysis, through producing such the analyzing mesh, by a unit of a part or a sub-assembly, such as, an engine, a suspension, a body, a bumper, etc., for example. In a certain stage of the designing, a collision analysis or the like is also conducted, while producing such the analyzing mesh for the entire of the car, combining with the engine, the suspension, the body, etc., so as to produce an analysis model of modeling the connecting portion between those parts.
Also, a conventional art for producing such the analysis model of an assembly model is described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-265836 (2001), for example. In this method, a neutral plane or surface (i.e., an analyzing shell model) is produced from CAD data (i.e., an assembly model) as a target of analysis, and then the analysis model is produced, by taking such the connecting portion between the parts into the consideration thereof.
The method for producing the analysis model for the assembly model, according to the conventional art, including the Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-265836 (2001), has the following problems: First, it is always necessary to re-produce the analyzing mesh for the assembly model, again, even when that analyzing mesh was already produced for each of parts or assembly. Since the analyzing mesh by a unit of the part has no such information, indicating a position where it should be disposed within the assembly model, it is necessary re-produce the analyzing mesh, again, at the time when analyzing the assembly model, irrespective of existence of the analyzing mesh of a unit of part, which was utilized in the numerical analysis by a unit of part; i.e., bringing about works or labors duplicated. Also, the analyzing mesh of a unit of part is the data having an actual result, such as, in an aspect of an accuracy of analyzing; however, this cannot be taken into the consideration when analyzing the assembly model.
Second, since the data about the connecting portions are registered and/or produced for the analysis model, therefore it is necessary to look up the connecting portions, again, when changing the disposed position and/or sizes of the part, etc.; thereby bringing about works or labors duplicated. Also, since being limited only to the analysis shell model, therefore it is not applicable onto a solid model, which is most commonly used.
The present invention, being accomplished by taking such the problems of the conventional art as was mentioned above into the consideration, and an object thereof is to provide an analysis model producing apparatus, in which modeling information of the connecting portion between parts can follow the design changes which are made through a CAD system, such as, changes of disposed position or sizes of the part, etc., for example, by re-using the existing analyzing mesh by a unit of part as an analyzing mesh for the assembling model.
According to the present invention, for accomplishing the object mentioned above, there is provided an analysis model producing apparatus, for producing assembly analyzing model data about an assembly having plural numbers of parts thereof, comprising: a CAD database, which stores CAD data for each of the plural numbers of parts, wherein said CAD database comprises connect-portion modeling data of modeling and normalizing a connecting condition between those parts.
And, according to the present invention, in the analysis model producing apparatus as described in the above, preferably, said connect-portion modeling data comprises data indicative of a modeling kind and a modeling method, as well as, a target part of connection, and further preferably, said modeling kinds includes a simple contact and a complete fixing, and said modeling method includes production of a contact boundary element and a definition of bonding connection.
Also, according to the present invention, in the analysis model producing apparatus as described in the above, it is desired, said CAD database comprises disposition position data for each of the parts, and is further provided a means for producing assembly mesh data upon basis of said disposition position data, and also preferably, said assembly mesh data producing means makes alignment upon the analyzing mesh data for each of the parts, upon basis of the analyzing mesh data and the disposed position data, which are produced for each of the parts, thereby producing the assembly mesh data. And further, it is desirable that the analysis model producing apparatus as described in the above, further comprises a connect-portion modeling means for determining a connect-portion model fitting to an actual connect-portion, which said assembly mesh data has, by using said connect-portion modeling data.
Also, according to the present invention, also for accomplishing the object mentioned above, there is provided an analysis model producing apparatus, for producing an analysis model with using CAD data, which is produced in a CAD, and analyzing mesh data, which is produced upon basis of that CAD data, wherein said CAD data comprises parts CAD data for each of parts of an assembly and disposed position data, as information for position alignment for each of the parts, and mesh data for the assembly is obtained through position alignment of said analyzing mesh data, upon basis of said analyzing mesh data for a unit of each part of the assembly and said disposed position data stored in said CAD data.
(Alternative) Also, according to the present invention, also for accomplishing the object mentioned above, there is provided an analysis model producing apparatus, for producing an analysis model with using CAD data, which is produced in a CAD, and analyzing mesh data, which is produced upon basis of that CAD data, comprising: means for storing said CAD data comprising parts CAD data for each of parts of an assembly and disposed position data, as information for position aligning for each of the parts; and means for producing mesh data for the assembly through position alignment of said analyzing mesh data, upon basis of said analyzing mesh data for a unit of each part of the assembly and said disposed position data stored in said CAD data.
Further, according to the present invention, for accomplishing the object mentioned above, there is also provided an analysis model producing apparatus, for producing an analysis model with using CAD data, which is produced in a CAD, and analysis mesh data, which is produced upon basis of that CAD data, wherein said CAD data comprises parts CAD data for each of parts of an assembly, disposed position data, as information for position aligning for each of the parts, and in addition thereto, a modeling kind indicative of a connection kind of modeling on a connect-portion between the parts and connect-portion modeling data for presenting a modeling method indicative of a connection processing method for the modeling, and mesh data for the assembly is obtained through position alignment of said analyzing mesh data, upon basis of said analyzing mesh data for a unit of each part of the assembly and said disposed position data stored in said CAD data, whereby analysis model data for the assembly is obtained through modeling the connect-portion between said parts, by applying said connect-portion modeling data stored within said CAD data onto that assembly mesh data obtained.
(Alternative) Further, according to the present invention, for accomplishing the object mentioned above, there is also provided an analysis model producing apparatus, for producing an analysis model with using CAD data, which is produced in a CAD, and analyzing mesh data, which is produced upon basis of that CAD data, comprising: means for storing said CAD data comprising parts CAD data for each of parts of an assembly and disposed position data, as information for position aligning for each of the parts, and in addition thereto, a modeling kind indicative of a connection kind of modeling on a connect-portion between the parts and connect-portion modeling data for presenting a modeling method indicative of a connection processing method for the modeling; means for producing mesh data for the assembly through position alignment of said analyzing mesh data, upon basis of said analyzing mesh data for a unit of each part of the assembly and said disposed position data stored in said CAD data; and means for producing analysis model data for the assembly through modeling the connect-portion between said parts, by applying said connect-portion modeling data stored within said CAD data onto that assembly mesh data obtained.
Also, according to the present invention, in the analysis model producing apparatus as described in the above, preferably, said modeling kind on the connect-portion between the parts and said modeling method are stored within a connect-portion modeling database, and the modeling kind and the modeling method stored within said connect-portion database are selected, appropriately, while designating a part to be a target of connect-portion modeling, thereby to be said connect-portion modeling data within said CAD data.
Those and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be fully explained by referring to the attached drawings.
The analysis model producing apparatus shown in
The analysis model producing apparatus further comprises a connect-portion modeling data registering unit 110, a connect-portion modeling unit 112, and a connect-portion modeling database register unit 116. The connect-portion modeling data register unit 110 designates a part to be connected, while picking up a modeling kind of the connection portion (connect-portion) of parts from a connect-portion modeling database 115, and thereby registers the part to be connected and the modeling kind thereof, as a connect-part modeling data 109 within the CAD data 102. Herein, the modeling kind is a distinction between complete fixing and simple contact, in the connect-portion, for example, though the details of which will be mentioned later. The connect-portion modeling portion 112 obtains a modeling method corresponding to the connect-portion modeling data 109 from the connect-portion modeling database 115, while modeling the connect-portion of the parts to be connected from the assembly mesh data 107, upon the basis of this modeling method, and thereby registering it as an assembly analysis model data 111. Herein, the modeling method means a processing method to be treated for connection in that connect-portion; i.e., conducting a connection process so that elemental joints on the analyzing meshes are coincident with each other between the connection parts A and B, or conducting a bond connection. The connect-portion modeling database register unit 116 registers the connect-portion modeling kind and the modeling method into the connect-portion modeling portion 112, as well as, the connect-portion modeling database 115.
Next, explanation will be made in details, about an example of the steps of processing, which is conducted within the analysis model producing apparatus shown in
“Step for Inputting CAD Data”
The CAD data 113 is produced for a unit of parts, and position alignment or fitting is conducted upon each of those CAD data 113 by a unit of part (hereinafter, “part-unit CAD data”) and then they are registered in the form of the CAD data 102. Thus, within this CAD data 102 are registered the part-unit CAD data 113 and the disposed position data 114 for each part.
“Step for Producing Analyzing Mesh in a Unit of Parts”
For the part-unit CAD data 113, the analyzing mesh is produced for each unit of parts, and is registered, as the analyzing mesh data 104 for each part. In that instance, a reference data between the part-unit CAD data 113, as being the producer thereof, is registered together with the mesh data, as the analyzing mesh producing CAD reference data 105. Herein, the reference data is that, being indicative of a relationship of a pair between the part-unit analyzing mesh data and the part-unit CAD data 113, or it may be a part CAD file name in the place thereof. In general, the part-unit analyzing mesh data 104 is produced, such as, in a designing department in charge thereof or a maker of the part, and each of those is produced for the purpose of the numerical analysis by a unit of part.
“Step for Aligning Position of Analyzing Mesh Data by a Unit of Part”
An example of steps, for aligning or fitting the position on the analyzing mesh data for each unit of part, will be explained by referring to an example of an operation screen shown in
In
“Step for Registering Modeling Information about the Connect-portion”
An example of steps, for registering the modeling information of the connect-portion, will be explained by referring to the operation screen shown in
Candidates are picked up from the connect-portions. In this instance, recognition is made also upon the modeling kind of the connect-portion, at the same time. With the present embodiment, as the modeling kind for the connect-portion, there are treated two (2) kinds thereof, such as, a contact-type connection and a screw-type connection, for example. Thus, the contact-type connection means a connection obtained through a method, such as, welding, deposition, caulking, etc. The screw-type connection means a connection obtained through a method of using a bolt or a rivet therein.
Then, the operation screen shown in
Into a connect-portion modeling designating field 403 is designated the modeling kind. The connect-portion modeling kinds, which can be designated therein, are restricted to the data, being coincident with the modeling kind of the connect-portion between the two (2) selected connecting portions, among the data registered within the connect-portion modeling database 115. Lastly, when an execution button 404 is pushed down, the connect-target parts 401 and 402 and the modeling kinds 403 are registered, as to be connect-portion modeling data 109.
“Step for Modeling the Connect-Portion of Assembly Mesh Data”
Explanation will be given about the steps for modeling the connect-portion of the assembly mesh data, by referring to the operation screen shown in
“Step for Registering Modeling Method into Connect-Portion Modeling Database”
The modeling method is installed in the form, such as, a program source-code file, a DLL (Dynamic Link Library) format, or an execution module file format, etc., for example.
By referring to the operation screen shown in
Hereinafter, a method for producing the analysis model will be mentioned in the details thereof, by referring to the analysis model producing apparatus shown in
The assembly CAD data has, as shown in
Into the connect-portion modeling database are already registered two (2) pieces of databases A and B, which will be described hereinafter. The database A has the modeling kind A and the modeling method A. The modeling kind A is the “simple contact”, and the modeling method A produces a contacting boundary element on the connecting portions. Namely, on the part analyzing mesh being in contact with a thick line 907 shown in
“Step 1 for Producing Analyzing Mesh by a Unit of Part”
The analyzing meshes are produced for the parts CAD data 701 to 703. Then, the part-unit analyzing mesh data 801 to 803 are also produced.
“Step 2 for Aligning Positions on Analyzing Data by a Unit of Part”
On the operation screen shown in
“Step 3 for Modeling the Connect-Portion on Assembly Mesh Data”
On the operation screen shown in
Through execution of the modeling, the connect-portion 906 between the part 601 and the part 602 is turned into the “complete fixing”, and then the condition of the “bond connection” is set up for the target portion. While, the connect-portion 907 between the part 601 and the part 603 is turned into the “simple contact”, and then the contacting boundary element is produced thereon. The result of this is displayed within the analysis model display field 904.
As was mentioned in the above, the CAD data has the CAD data for each part, the disposed position data, as being the coordinate conversion data of each part, and the connect-portion modeling data. Herein, the coordinate conversion means the position aligning or fitting. Also, the disposed position data are the data, which are inputted from the CAD data input portion. As is shown in
Upon basis of the parts CAD data, the part-unit analyzing mesh data shown in
Further, when applying the modeling kind and the modeling method, which are stored within the CAD data, the modeling is executed upon the connect-portion of the parts, thereby producing the assembly analysis model. This assembly analysis model is produced when pushing down the connect-part modeling button 903 shown in
According to the present invention, it is possible to produce the analyzing mesh for the assembly model with using the analyzing mesh for each unit of parts. Also, the modeling information about the connect-portion between the parts can be registered into the CAD data; therefore, the modeling information can follow the changes of the disposed positions on the CAD system. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the operation for producing the analysis model for the assembly model, greatly.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential feature or characteristics thereof. The present embodiment(s) is/are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the forgoing description and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraces therein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004-057573 | Mar 2004 | JP | national |