CCX output file/Solver issue

lilchief

Hi!

I have spent 1,5 work days trying to find an answer to this solution and I fear that I'm just useless (both at finding the solution and for Mecway FEM analysis). I've previously done FEM in Solidworks.

I used VEM's tutorial "Mecway FEA Contact Text CCX 01-23-16" and copied it almost 100%. I had to match the axis on the video with mine since they were drawn with different axis in Inventor 2016. And I used "mm" and "kN" instead of inches and "kpi".

When I execute the anlysis with CalculiX, the analysis box says: "Solver did not produce an output file".
If I use "solve with Mecway", I get this message: "contact (CCX) requires CCX Solver".

Any help is appreciated.....

Here's a link to a video showing the inputs I have chosen:



- Ron

Victor

Great soundtrack

You will need to use "Solve with CCX", not "Solve with Mecway" because Mecway's internal solver can't do contact.

Since there's no output from CCX, not even the copyright message, it looks like a problem starting CCX. There have been problems with a version of 2.10 from bConverged if you used ccx.exe instead of the ccx.bat provided with it. So perhaps change that to the .bat file.

Failing that, can you tell me which CCX version it is, where you got it from and copy and paste the path from Tools->Options->CalculiX->Solver ?

The model looks like it's set up OK. You might have trouble later on with such a small value for friction stick slope, but you'll see error messages in the output window if that happens.

lilchief

Hehe, I just had a list on spotify with various stuff on it

I tried changing it to ccx.bat eventhough when browsing it askes for .exe files... well...that didn't work at all

I also have the v2.10. Ampted up the friction to 10.000...same result. When I started, the stick slope friction was 0.

VMH

lilchief, same as Victor comment, which CCX version are you using and where did you get it from.

Seems like you have Windows 10.

If you have 64-bit operation system, try CCX version 2.10:

1. Complied by Kwip (I tried "ccx_2.10_MT.exe") at https://github.com/ddfem/ccx_mingw64

2. Complied by GE (I tried "ccx.exe") at https://github.com/GeneralElectric/CalculiX/blob/master/releases/CalculiX-GE-OSS-2.10-win-x64.zip.

VMH

can you share us your files?

Victor

That red box error message means the ccx.bat file probably doesn't exist. It may be installed in the \bin folder, not \ccx:

C:\Program Files (x86)\bConverged\CalculiX\bin\ccx.bat

I think changing this will get it working.

Beware that using a .bat file means that if you press the Cancel button or close Mecway while it's solving, the solver may continue running in the background until it's finished. A more long term solution is to globally set the environment variables that the .bat file is setting each time it runs.

lilchief

Hi guys!

Yep..W10.1 64-bit. I got it from this website after buying the full version...or maybe I got the trial first and then bought the full version.

I both copied and moved the ccx.bat file to the CCX folder. No joy.. =/

Attached is the Mecway file I've been using. It was created in Inventor 2016. Not sure if that should affect the result. I use both Rhino5 and Inventor 2016.

I can only attach one file, so if you want the step file, I'll upload them in two comments

Thnk you for helping me out

Victor

You shouldn't need to move any files. Just select the .bat file from Tools->Options->CalculiX. Now I guess it's probably starting the .bat file and that may be failing to run CCX but hopefully shows some output. Click the CCX output button after trying to solve and see if it reveals any messages from the .bat file.

A quicker solution may be VMH's option 1 above which is a standalone .exe with none of the complications of bConverged's.

lilchief

...woho!

That did the trick. I just needed to change it from the .exe to .bat file. I returned the .bat file to it location after testing out the different options

Thanks for the help!

Victor

Great