Hull fatigue analysis-Autodesk Inventor FEA

[CWTeebs]

Hi all,

Does anybody have experience or resources regarding using Autodesk Inventor FEA for doing a fatigue analysis on a hull?

I'm getting wave loadings using ANSYS-AQWA (AQWA-LINE with LDOP option and AQWA-FLOW to get pressures on points on the hull).

Thank you.

[CWTeebs]

So, I've become more familiar with Inventor FEA and can narrow down the problem. What I'm struggling with is how to import the non-uniform distributed pressure load. This seems it should be easy, and probably is, can anybody help? I'm hunting the documentation and other forums, to no avail.

Thanks.

[Ad Hoc]

Originally Posted by CWTeebs

So, I've become more familiar with Inventor FEA and can narrow down the problem....

You have not defined what is your problem, other than a software translation issue.

If you started with ANSYS, why are you not performing your fatigue analysis in that software?

Inventor FEA is just basic stuff. ANSYS is full-on belt and braces for real analysis.

[CWTeebs]

The problem is: how do you import a non-uniform distributed pressure load into Inventor FEA? Could you walk me through the steps? I'm having a hard time finding a solution to this via their tutorials and knowledgebase.

Thanks a bunch.

[Ad Hoc]

Originally Posted by CWTeebs

The problem is: how do you import a non-uniform distributed pressure load into Inventor FEA?...

I don't understand translators etc, i'm not a computer programmer.

As i noted in my post, Inventor FEA is basic, it is not a sophisticated analysis tool. I suspect that Inventor FEA is not able to "understand" such data.

So, first question to ask yourself is this. In the Inventor manual, can you see a menu/listing that shows non-uniform pressure application, within the software itself?

[CWTeebs]

I do appreciate the reply, especially from a Naval Architect (I work for one), I'll report on my findings as to whether Inventor FEA is a suitable tool for this analysis.

[Ad Hoc]

Originally Posted by CWTeebs

...I'll report on my findings as to whether Inventor FEA is a suitable tool for this analysis.

The answer is no, it is not.

Firstly, if it is fatigue analysis that you are performing, then you need to understand what fatigue is, that is the most important aspect. Secondly, once you understand that, how to use FEA to obtain meaningful results.

Any "proper" full-on FEA can provide this. I use Cosmos for my analysis, which is now built into Solidworks, no longer a stand alone package. But ANSYS et al, are suitable.

BUT, and here is the crux, the software will not give you correct results if you do not understand what fatigue is, nor, how to model the FEM and its boundary conditions and limitations on element size etc. This is all well documented. You cannot just plug in data/numbers and expect a result. It requires care.

Fatigue is very complex and is not a simple, press button here is the answer. Whether you're using FEA or not.

[CWTeebs]

Sir with all due respect I narrowed down the problem from full blown fatigue analysis to merely importing the pressure loadings, as state above. Do you know how to do this in Inventor FEA?