Defining Rigid Connections

You can apply a rigid connection to join two supports using a virtual rigid beam.

See Also
About Engineering Connections in Simulations
In Other Guides
Support Selection
Feature Manager
  1. From the Connections section of the action bar, click Rigid .
  2. Optional: Enter a descriptive Name.
  3. Choose an engineering connection method and connection.
    OptionDescription
    Default Automatically creates a free engineering connection or selects an existing engineering connection if only one exists.
    Select existing Select an existing engineering connection from a list.

    Note: If you select an existing connection, your support selections are limited to the part instances used when the engineering connection was created.

  4. Optional: Change the supports.

    The following supports are valid for rigid connections:

    • Support 1: one or more faces or edges, or a single point; or mesh groups containing faces or edges, or a node.
    • Support 2: one or more faces or edges, or a single point; or mesh groups containing faces or edges, or a node.

      This support is not required if you are defining a rigid connection to ground.

    Tip: You can right-click a support field and select Create Support to create a new point or to create a proximity, spatial, or manual mesh group containing the support objects.

    You can use the context menu in the Connection Manager to reuse supports from an existing connection. However, supports can be reused only if they meet the requirements of the current connection type.

  5. Choose Global or Local for the Axis system definition to orient the connection at Support 1.
  6. Optional: Toggle off Set second axis system same as first axis system to specify a different orientation axis system at Support 2.
  7. Choose the Coupling type:

    Option Description
    Kinematic Directly couples edge or face supports to the motion of a reference point.
    Continuum distributing Couples the displacement and rotation of the fastening points to the average displacement of the nodes.
    Structural distributing Couples the displacement and rotation of the fastening points to the average displacement and rotation of the nodes.

    Note: This option is not available if both geometry supports are points (nodes).

  8. Optional: Click Update Mesh to see the mesh created for the rigid connection.
  9. Click OK.