Abaqus/CAE User's Manual  


59.1 Creating a CAD connection

You can use the CAD Connection toolset to create a connection from Abaqus/CAE to a third-party CAD system running an associative interface plug-in. You can use the connection to export the model from the CAD system to the Assembly module in Abaqus/CAE. You can also use the connection to export certain geometry modifications from an imported model in Abaqus/CAE back to the CAD system (see “Updating geometry parameters in an imported model,” Section 59.2). Associative interface plug-ins are available for the following CAD systems:

Figure 59–1 shows concurrent CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE sessions and illustrates the communication between the applications.

Figure 59–1 Associative import using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface.

Using a CAD connection to transfer a model from a CAD system running an associative interface plug-in to Abaqus/CAE is called associative import. Refer to the SIMULIA Online Support System for further information about the individual associative interface plug-ins, including the following:The SIMULIA Online Support System is accessible through the My Support page at www.simulia.com.

To create a CAD connection:

  1. From the main menu bar in the Assembly module, select ToolsCAD InterfacesCAD System. CAD System is the name of the CAD system to which you are connecting; you can establish connections with CATIA V5, SolidWorks, and Pro/ENGINEER.

  2. From the dialog box that appears, do one of the following:

    Auto-assign port

    Choose Auto-assign port, and click Enable to open a port from Abaqus/CAE.

    Abaqus/CAE displays the port number that it assigned in the message area. When you export a model from the CAD system, the data are transferred through this connection port number.

    Specify port

    Choose Specify port, and enter a port number to specify a port. The number must be between 1025 and 65535. If you are reopening a connection, you can use the port number displayed by Abaqus/CAE when it first assigned the port.

    Disable port

    If a connection has already been enabled, you can click Disable from the dialog box to disable the connection.

  3. After you have used the CAD Connection toolset to create a connection from Abaqus/CAE to a third-party CAD system running an associative interface plug-in, you can do the following to export the assembly to the Abaqus/CAE session:

    CATIA V5

    Select AbaqusExport to Abaqus/CAE from the CATIA V5 main menu bar. In the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box that appears, select Open Abaqus/CAE, and click OK. For more detailed instructions, refer to the CATIA V5 Associative Interface User's Guide, which is available from the SIMULIA Online Support System.

    SolidWorks

    Select AbaqusExport to Abaqus/CAE from the SolidWorks main menu bar. In the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box that appears, toggle on Open in Abaqus/CAE, and click the green check mark. For more detailed instructions, refer to the SolidWorks Associative Interface User's Guide, which is available from the SIMULIA Online Support System.

    Pro/ENGINEER

    Select AbaqusOpen in CAE from the Pro/ENGINEER main menu bar. For more detailed instructions, refer to the Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface User's Guide, which is available from the SIMULIA Online Support System.

    NX

    Select AbaqusOpen in CAE from the NX main menu bar. For more detailed instructions, refer to the NX Associative Interface User's Guide, which is available from the SIMULIA Online Support System.

    For more information on associative import, see “What can I do with the associative interfaces?,” Section 10.1.2.