Primary Tutorial

Bolt Preload Analysis

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ZWSim Bolt Preload Analysis

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 Foreword
In this tutorial, we provide various case studies, which are from easy to difficult and combine theory with
practice. We hope to improve users’ CAE skills and techniques with ZWSim.

The tutorial bases on our technical engineers’ years of experience in the industry and ZWSim, which is the
fruit of a lot of efforts and wisdom. We sincerely hope that the tutorial will do help to you, and your precious
advice on it is highly welcomed.

This tutorial is for users who have little or no prior CAE experience. If you are green hands of CAE software,
or if you are a new user of ZWSim, we recommend that you get started with this tutorial. Here you can learn
the basic knowledge and concepts of ZWSim, rapidly master the simple operations and workflows of ZWSim,
and practice simple cases.

Thanks for being our user!

The ZWSim Team

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 Contents
1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1

2 Modelling ..................................................................................................................................................... 1

3 Unit setting................................................................................................................................................... 1

4 Simulation Task ............................................................................................................................................ 2

5 Add Geometry .............................................................................................................................................. 2

6 Property ....................................................................................................................................................... 3

7 Material ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

8 Connection ................................................................................................................................................... 5

9 Constraint..................................................................................................................................................... 6

10 Load .............................................................................................................................................................. 6

11 Mesh ............................................................................................................................................................ 7

12 Calculation ................................................................................................................................................... 8

13 Oost-processing ........................................................................................................................................... 8

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 Bolt Preload Analysis

1 Introduction
In the model is shown as below, the upper iron part and the lower aluminum block part are connected by
bolts. Radii of the bolt head and the gasket are both 10mm, and the internal preload of the bolt is 2000N.
When performing simulation analysis, the processing method shown as below can be adopted. Using a beam
element and connection elements to replace the bolt structure, we can simplify the model and accelerate
the calculation.

(a) (b)
Figure 1 Geometry model

2 Modelling
Help -> More -> Structural -> model
STEP 01 Open the dialog box [Select PDF file];
STEP 02 Select [All Files (*,*)] in [Files of type];
STEP 03 Select the model file [Bolt_connect.stp] in [\Structural\model] and then click [Open] to complete.

Figure 2 Import model

3 Unit setting
Simulation -> Pre-Processing -> Unit Manager

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 Bolt Preload Analysis
STEP 01 Open the dialog box [Unit Manager];
STEP 02 Select [MMKS] in [Unit System] and then click [OK] to complete.

Figure 3 Unit manager

4 Simulation Task
Simulation -> Simulation Task -> New Structure
STEP 01 Open the dialog box [New Structure];
STEP 02 Select [Linear Statics] in [Structural Static] and then click [√] to complete.

Figure 4 New structure

5 Add Geometry
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Part -> Geometry Part
STEP 01 Right-click [Geometry Part] on the tree and then click [Add Geometry] to open the dialog box [Add
Geometry];
STEP 02 Pick the two lines by mouse in the view area, as shown below;
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete.

Figure 5 Add geometry

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6 Property
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Part -> Geometry Part -> L
STEP 01 Select two lines at the same time on the tree by holding “Ctrl” and then right-click. Click [Beam
Element Property] to open the dialog box [Beam Element Property];
STEP 02 Set the options as shown below;
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete.

Figure 6 Beam element property

7 Material
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Part -> Geometry Part -> S1(Solid)
STEP 01 Right-click [S1(Solid)] on the tree and then click [Edit Material] to open the dialog box [Material
Library];
STEP 02 Right-click [Local] and then click [Create Material] to open the dialog box [Create Material];
STEP 03 Set the material properties as shown below and name it as “top”;
STEP 04 Click [OK] in dialog box [Create Material] and then click [OK] in dialog box [Material Library] to
complete.

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 Bolt Preload Analysis

Figure 7 Create material “top”

Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Part -> Geometry Part -> S2(Solid)
STEP 01 Right-click [S2(Solid)] on the tree and then click [Edit Material] to open the dialog box [Material
Library];
STEP 02 Right-click [Local] and then click [Create Material] to open the dialog box [Create Material];
STEP 03 Set the material properties as shown below and name it as “bottom”;
STEP 04 Click [OK] in dialog box [Create Material] and then click [OK] in dialog box [Material Library] to
complete.

Figure 8 Create material “bottom”

Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Part -> Geometry Part -> L
STEP 01 Right-click two lines on the tree and then click [Edit Material] to open the dialog box [Material
Library];
STEP 02 Right-click [Local] and then click [Create Material] to open the dialog box [Create Material];
STEP 03 Set the material properties as shown below and name it as “beam”;

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 Bolt Preload Analysis
STEP 04 Click [OK] in dialog box [Create Material] and then click [OK] in dialog box [Material Library] to
complete.

Figure 9 Create material “beam”

8 Connection
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Connection
STEP 01 Right-click [Connection] on the tree and then click [Kinematic Rigid Element Connection] to open
the dialog box [Kinematic Rigid Element Connection];
STEP 02 Select the beam element end point in [Independent point] and then select the bolt head or gasket
contact surface with the part in [Dependent entities], as shown below;
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete;
STEP 04 Repeat to set other three kinematic rigid element connections.

Figure 10 Kinematic rigid element connection

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 Bolt Preload Analysis

Figure 11 Connections setting

9 Constraint
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Constraint
STEP 01 Right-click [Constraint] on the tree and then click [Fixed Geometry] to open the dialog box [Fixed
Geometry];
STEP 02 Select the inner surface of the upper cylinder in [Entities];
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete.

Figure 12 Fixed geometry

Figure 13 Constraint setting

10 Load
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Mechanical Load
STEP 01 Right-click [Mechanical Load] on the tree and then click [Force Load] to open the dialog box [Force
Load];

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 Bolt Preload Analysis
STEP 02 Apply an axial compressive force of 2000N on one end of the beam, as shown below;
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete;
STEP 04 Repeat to apply other three axial compressive forces.

Figure 14 Force load

Figure 15 Loads setting

11 Mesh
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Mesh
STEP 01 Right-click [Mesh] on the tree and then click [Create Mesh] to open the dialog box [Create Mesh];
STEP 02 Set the options as shown below;
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete.

Figure 16 Create mesh

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 Bolt Preload Analysis

12 Calculation
Simulation Tree -> Linear Static1 -> Result
STEP 01 Right-click [Result] on the tree and then click [Calculate] to analyze current simulation task.

Figure 17 Calculation

13 Post-processing
The result of total displacement can be viewed on the tree after calculation, as shown below.

Figure 18 Result

To view more results, you can use [New Result Display].

STEP 01 Right-click [Result] on the tree and then click [New Result Display] to open the dialog box [New
Result Display];
STEP 02 Set the options as shown below;
STEP 03 Click [√] to complete.

Figure 19 Results display

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Figure 20 View more results

To view the result data in specific location, you can use [Probe Result].
STEP 01 Right-click a result on the tree and then click [Probe Result] to open the dialog box [Probe Result];
STEP 02 Select [Nodes] in [Probe type] and then pick some interested nodes in view area by mouse;
STEP 03 Click [Update picked meshes data] to show the results.

Figure 21 Probe result

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 Bolt Preload Analysis

Figure 22 Result table

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