The Tube setup page is illustrated in Figure 8.5.6. The user may define Part, Material, Thickness, Property and contact.

Figure 8.5.6  Define tube

Geometry

Part

If the tube mesh has been created in the new setup, it will be automatically defined to the tube part. Otherwise, click Define geometry button to display a dialog box illustrated in Figure 8.5.7.

Figure 8.5.7  Define geometry

Add part: select a part from the Part list to define tube

Remove part: remove the selected part from the Part list

Copy element: copy a new element from the existing one.

Split part: split blank into multiple parts of tubes and define different material and property for each tube

User define: user define the tube

Display: only display all the current parts that defined in the Part list

Exit: exit the Define geometry dialog box

The user may also define the tube mesh according to requirements. Click User define button to display the Define Geometry dialog box illustrated Figure 8.5.8.

Figure 8.5.8  Define geometry

Outer Diameter: outer diameter of tube

Full length: full length of tube

Initial feed: initial feed of tube

Element size: the amount of the mesh segments along tube axis direction

Location: define the location of starting point for tube bending and the point is also at the tube axis

Direction: define the tube axis direction

Reverse: define the reverse direction as the bending direction after the generation of mesh

Flip: define the reverse direction as the bending direction before the generation of mesh

Apply: after clicking this button, the program will generate mesh according to the parameters

Undo: cancel the operations for mesh generation

Close: exit the current dialog box

Material

The program will automatically define a default #36 material for each tube part. The user may click the BLANKMAT button to enter into the Material definition interface to modify or create a material.

Thickness

If the user has created the tube mesh, the default tube thickness is the thickness defined during the creation of tube mesh. Otherwise, the default thickness is 1mm.

Property

Property contains the selection of element formulation, number of integration points in tube thickness direction and shear correction factor. Generally, the user does not need to modify Property.

CONTACT

The user may define the contact types and contact parameters of single surface, and between tube parts.

Refer to Section 8.3.4.2 for a detailed description about this page.