ANSYS Mechanical for Structural Analysis

Engineering Task

Setting up a structural analysis in ANSYS Mechanical that produces credible, checkable results.

Workbench vs APDL

ANSYS Workbench provides a graphical environment that automates setup and is preferred for routine analysis. Mechanical APDL (MAPDL) offers full programmatic control and is required for complex parametric models or custom element formulations. Many engineers use Workbench for setup and insert APDL command snippets for solver-level control.

Analysis Systems

Key Settings

• Large Deflection: turn ON if displacements exceed t/2 — off by default in newer versions
• Solver Type: Direct (sparse) for smaller models, Iterative (PCG) for large linear models
• Auto Time Stepping: set to On for nonlinear analysis with minimum and maximum substeps
• Newton-Raphson residuals: request output to diagnose convergence difficulties

Result Extraction

• Use Probes to extract reaction forces, bolt forces and directional deformation at specific points
• Use User Defined Result to extract specific stress components or quantities
• Use Path Operation to extract stress along a defined path for linearisation
• Check Force Reaction probe at supports — must balance applied loads

Common Mistakes

• Leaving Large Deflection off when displacements are significant — underestimates stress
• Not checking reaction force balance — hidden constraint errors
• Using default contact stiffness without checking penetration
• Not reviewing the Solution Information node for warnings

Related Knowledge

• FEA Best Practices: Defining the Engineering Question
• Linear Static FEA Review Checklist