Five ANSYS SpaceClaim Ways That Can Double Your CAE Preprocessing Efficiency

SpaceClaim can conveniently perform preliminary processing and repair of geometric models. Here I share several methods that are frequently used. This case uses ANSYS 2024R1 version.

01. Batch Delete Features

For example, in this model, there are many hole features. If you want to delete them, you can select them one by one and then delete them. This manual deletion method has relatively low efficiency and can be used when the number of holes is relatively small. If there are a large number of small holes that need to be deleted in complex models, you need to use the batch delete function.

First, you can use the left mouse button to select a hole surface. At this time, in the Selection tab of the left directory tree, relevant information about this hole will appear.

Here, if you select this Hole=3.5mm, then all holes with a diameter of 3.5mm will be automatically highlighted.

Then directly press delete on the keyboard, and all holes will be deleted. Of course, we can also use other methods to filter, such as less than 3.5mm, greater than 3.5mm, or same area, etc. All of these can filter similar features in the model for deletion and other operations, which is very convenient.

02. Modify Model Coordinate System

If after importing the geometric model into SpaceClaim, you find that the model’s global coordinate system does not meet our needs, you can modify the coordinate system position. In SpaceClaim, essentially, you move the geometric model rather than moving the coordinate system, that is, keeping the global coordinate system unchanged and moving the model to the appropriate position and direction.

For example, the current coordinate system position of the model is at the left center position, and you want to move the coordinate system to another position.

First, you can use the left mouse button to triple-click the model (triple-click, not double-click), and then the entire body of the model will be selected and highlighted.

Select the Move function in Design, which is the move function.

After activating this move function, a draggable coordinate system will appear on the model, and at the same time, a series of move control methods will appear on the left side of the model.

Use the mouse to manually drag this draggable coordinate system to the position we want, such as the center position of the upper surface of the model, where we want to place the global coordinate system.

Then select ① on the left, the up to function, and then select ②, which is the original coordinate system.

At this time, you will find that the model’s global coordinate system position has been modified.

03. Delete Extra Edges

Extra Edges is a geometry cleanup tool in the Repair option of SpaceClaim, mainly used to detect and remove extra edges in the model and merge adjacent faces.

These edges are usually generated when importing external CAD models (such as STP and other intermediate formats). Using the Extra Edges function can automatically identify and highlight edges that can be removed. After deleting edges, adjacent faces will be automatically merged, re-merging faces that were incorrectly split in areas that should be a complete face. For example: a smooth cylindrical surface is divided into two half-cylindrical surfaces, and by removing the middle edge, it is restored to a complete cylindrical surface.

For example, using the Extra Edges function can automatically highlight these edges in the model.

Then you can delete them, which plays an important role in simplifying geometry and improving mesh quality in the later stage.

04. Interference Check

Use the Interference function in Prepare-Remove.

Highlight the interference parts in the model. If you check the box to repair, the interference part will be deleted from the body with the largest volume. Of course, you can also check ‘Remove interference from smaller body’.

05. Import External New Parts

In SpaceClaim, there is an Assembly function, which actually has simple assembly alignment and coaxial functions. In File, you can also import external geometric models on the basis of the current geometric model.

Imported models include the following formats, and you can directly import SolidWorks model files.

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