Creating and Managing a Preloaded FEM

You can create a preloaded FEM to use the FEM state from the results of another simulation as the starting point of a new simulation. You can refresh the FEM data in the new simulation from the original, upstream simulation.

In most cases, you can use the preloaded FEM as the basis for any new simulation. However, there are two cases in which the downstream analysis must use an explicit dynamic procedure:

  • Assemblies that include multiple preloaded FEMs.
  • Assemblies that include one or more preloaded FEMs whose source components are joined using connector elements.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: The original (upstream) simulation must be solved, and it must include continuation data.
Important: You cannot use an upstream analysis that was solved using the cloud compute infrastructure to generate a preloaded FEM. Similarly, you cannot run a downstream analysis on the cloud if it contains a preloaded FEM.
See Also
About Preloaded FEMs

Create a Preloaded FEM

You can create a preloaded FEM to use the FEM state from the results of another simulation as the starting point of a new simulation.

  1. From the Automated FEM section of the action bar, click Automated FEM , and then select Preloaded FEM.
  2. Use Search to select the original simulation.

    The simulation that you select generates the FEM for the new simulation.

    The Analysis Case and Step fields are populated.
  3. Select an Analysis Case.
  4. Select a Step.
  5. From the increment options, choose:
    OptionDescription
    Last Increment Generates the preloaded FEM from the last increment of the selected step.
    Specified Increment Specifies the increment number within the step from which to generate the preloaded FEM.
  6. Optional: Select Include Constraints to copy constraints (such as ties, couplings, connectors, and rigid bodies) from the original model along with the FEM.

    By default, constraints are not included. However, you can manually connect or constrain imported mesh parts and constraints within your preloaded FEM.

  7. Click OK.

The app creates the following:

  • The preloaded FEM
  • The meshes, groups, and mesh numbering associated with the FEM
  • A Preloaded State feature, which links to the original, upstream, analysis

Regenerating a Preloaded FEM

You can refresh a preloaded FEM to account for changes in the original simulation.

  1. From the tree, select the Preloaded State feature.
  2. Right-click to open the context menu, and select Update Generative Feature.

The preloaded FEM is regenerated with any changes in the selected results increment from the original simulation.