Detecting Surface Fastener Locations and Applying Surface Fasteners
You can search the model or a subset of the geometry for potential surface fastener
locations. You can define the fastener properties to apply at locations chosen from the search
results.
Important:
You cannot detect fastener locations for polyhedral geometry.
From the Connections section of the action bar, click
Surface Fastener Detection
.
Choose the Search domain using one of the following
methods:
From the 3D area or the
tree, select the entities directly.
From the context menu, select one of the following options:
Option
Description:
All 3D part bodies
Includes the main PartBody in the search domain, including all 3D
geometry. This is the default search domain.
Meshed supports
Includes only the parts that are already meshed in the search domain.
Note:
After you use this option, you can select additional features from the
model; these features are appended to the list.
All geometries
Includes 2D and 3D features from ordered geometrical sets in the search
domain, in addition to the regular 3D geometry.
Tip:
You can use the context menu to review and edit the list of features included in the search domain.
Select one or more surfaces to define the Fastener placement.
The selected surfaces must be in reasonable proximity of the fastener location—along or between the bodies being connected by the fastener.
Warning:
There are no restrictions on the surfaces that you can select to create the fastener. However, selection of an inappropriate surface will likely cause the connection to fail during or before simulation.
Indicate a Search tolerance.
Appropriate supports must exist within the tolerance to generate a list when you search.
Enter a Prefix to add to the names of the created fasteners.
Click Edit properties to review or edit
the fastener properties applied at the locations you choose.
From the Creation location options, select one of the
following:
Option
Description
One for all connection properties
Creates a single engineering connection for all detected fasteners.
One per connected parts
Creates or selects engineering connections based on which parts are
connected.
One per connection property
Creates an engineering connection for each different connection
property.
In current finite element model
Creates connection definitions in the current finite element model for any
detected fasteners.
Optional: Select Create Automated Specification to
save the detection tool options so that you can easily regenerate the connections after a
model change. For more information, see About Automated Specifications for Connections.
This option is available only if you do both of the following:
Set the Search domain option to Meshed
supports.
Set the engineering connection Creation location to
In current finite element model.
Click Find supports.
A list of possible support locations appears in the dialog box.
From the table of search results, choose the locations where the fasteners are to be created by removing unwanted locations.
You can also use the context menu to edit the fastener definition for each location.
Click OK.
Fasteners are created at all the locations you chose.