Version 13 Beta

Victor

Mecway 13 beta is now available here. I appreciate any feedback either on this thread or by email.

https://mecway.com/download/mecway130beta.msi
https://mecway.com/download/mecway130beta2.msi
https://mecway.com/download/mecway130rc.msi
https://mecway.com/download/mecway130.msi

As usual, it's a free update for all existing license holders.

EDIT: Spanish manuals thanks to Germán Bresciano:
https://mecway.com/manual13.0spanish.pdf
https://mecway.com/tutorials13.0spanish.pdf

Changes

General
API and built-in Python interpreter for scripting some basic functions
Both sides of STEP geometry surfaces can be selected
Faster file opening for models with big solutions that were saved in this version.
Force can be applied to elements as well as nodes and faces
Pinned support which can be distributed over a surface
Center of mass tool
Principal strain component output for solid elements
User-defined library tools such as Import from library and Save to library for materials.
Writing solution/matrices/loads/dof ordering to file are more flexible and moved to the Analysis context menu
Localized format option for writing matrices/loads/dof ordering to files
Refine custom allows formulas, the 40 subdivision limit is lifted, and it doesn’t apply automatically whenever a value is changed
Power density for line2 elements with conductivity in DC current flow
Transfer displacements from solution has an override option for mismatched node count
Fit contour plot to selection respects the maximum value for factor of safety (default 15)
Nonzero displacement constraints work with dynamic response mode superposition with the CCX solver. But they must be aligned with the global axes.
More accurate volume calculation for volume of irregular shaped axisymmetric elements.
Requires .NET Framework 4.5

User Interface
3Dconnexion SpaceMouse support for navigation.
Faster navigation for large models by simplifying the display
Center of rotation moves automatically and can be set using the middle mouse button
Alt+left/right rotate about the center of rotation instead of the center of the screen
Named selections are shown in the node info popup box
Icons for loads and constraints
Beam section properties are shown in the material window
New loads and constraints are suppressed in all other configurations by default.
Suppress/Unsuppress in all configurations.
Components branch in the solution retains its expanded/collapsed state
Contour plot range adjusts to fit visible components when some components are set to hidden
Ctrl+click can be used on on a named selection in the outline tree to invert the selection of its items
Actual number of modes for modal vibration with cyclic symmetry is shown in analysis settings window
Deformation scale factor can be locked against being automatically set

CalculiX
Keep solution every n time steps to replace decimation number of time steps. This is the FREQUENCY parameter in CCX
Node-surface coupling (*RIGID BODY, *KINEMATIC, *DISTRIBUTING)
Cancelling CCX solver asks for confirmation
Rotational DOFs are allowed for constraint equations with the CCX solver but they do not apply to beam or shell elements
CCX 2.16 included
The first mode from CCX linear buckling, which is the static solution, is omitted

Bug fixes
Bugs 25, 26, 27
Several bugs with Load partial solution causing crashes or corruption
Time line graph axes didn’t appear when opening a file with time steps
Some tri6 elements disconnected when meshing a STEP file with all of Surface mesh, Quad dominant, Quadratic elements, and not Fit midside nodes to geometry.
Others

prop_design

Congrats. That looks like a lot of work. I can't wait to try it out.

mmartin

Congratulations. Let's download it!!!

disla

Thank you very much Victor.
Looks amazing.

Sergio

Congrat, I'm testing mostly the improvements in display performance for big models, and looks very well.

One thing, while I was solving a problem, have tried to test the center of mass tool, it open the window but as it doesn't have defined densities, it shows an error message, and after closing this window, the model window get frizzed (cannot move/rotate the model), even the running info area has changed the color and cannot acces to the details window. The model still is running (this zone is updating), and I can even use the main menu.

cmmcnamara

Did some minor testing last night with it and I am really liking the addition of the Spacemouse navigation option. Sensitivity seems fairly low, even when the mouse's settings itself are maxed but I may have just missed a sensitivity setting in MECWAY.

Victor

@cmmcnamara, there are no speed settings for the SpaceMouse in Mecway.

Could you please measure roughly the time taken to do a 360 degree rotation and to pan across the whole screen with the controller at its limit? And also the speeds you prefer.

Are all 6 DOFs of motion similarly slow or do you find some are inconsistent with others?

@Sergio, I can't reproduce that bug but I'll have a look. The information you've provided might be enough.

mmartin

Bug reporting:
When you query the results of the calculation and show only one component. the color ruler fits its range of the new values(max/min values of the component shown).

When you show another component at the result tab the color ruler is not updated until you press ,for example, the VM stress option again.

cmmcnamara

@Victor I suppose it's not super slow when the setting on the device is maxed out. I used Quick Cube as a baseline and it takes about 3.5-4 seconds for full rotation and about 2 seconds for a full screen pass. I could just be picky, my normal work flow usually has these settings quite sensitive in CAD and other 3D manipulation software. The 6DOF's are all fine, nothing is faster or slower than the other.

This is only semi-related but now that the 3D mouse is included, I have to ask. Is there any way to set a hotkey for the Isometric view? In all of my other 3D work, my Spacemouse buttons are used to reset my view to Isometric w/Zoom Extents and the other to view normal to a selected face. May not be possible currently but this is a great new functionality I was curious about.

Victor

@cmmcnamara - the speed you described is about what I get for the default settings. But with all 7 speed sliders (attached picture) set to maximum, it does several revolutions per second and panning hard just makes it vanish off the screen instantly. Does your 3Dconnexion app have similar speed settings and is it still too slow with them all maxed out?

The "fit" and "ISO1" preset view commands/buttons should work. There's a bug that doesn't immediately refresh the screen with preset views though. No normal to selected face command or combined commands in one button though.

@mmartin - I can't reproduce that. The color scale updates whenever I show or hide a component. Do you mind sending a file that it happens with and perhaps saying what you click on step-by-step? If you manually adjust the sliders, then the automatic updating is disabled though, until you do something that resets them to their automatic range like changing to a different variable or turning on Automatic in the max/min box.

@Sergio - I still can't reproduce that or find out why it might have happened. If you ever see it again, I hope you can let me know any more details.

prop_design

the new center of mass feature is very useful. i like the lines marking the location. here is an example, where the new feature helps explain the deformation results.

JohnM

I'm hopeless with Python but one of the guys wrote a quick example that takes the centroid of selected nodes and writes to a file. Works great. As soon as we do something useful we'll share, looking forward to everyone else's use of the Python API!
(Between Mecway13 and COVID19 I might actually find the time to learn Python)

Victor

Updated to Beta 2 with these changes:

• Extra E3 parameter for laminates. Elastic modulus in the 3 direction.
  
• No longer sets OMP_NUM_THREADS environment variable for CCX.
  
• Bugfixes: At high DPI settings, there were misplaced controls and too-thick model edges.
  
• Bugfix: Slow and flickery title bar and no graphics context menu when timeline was visible.
  
• Bugfix: SpaceMouse view commands (ISO1, etc.) didn't update the display immediately.
  

Thanks everyone for finding bugs. I'm still not sure about some of them which aren't on the list.

prop_design

Thanks a lot for the updated Beta version. The E3 feature is great for laminates. Also, the transfer displacements to mesh override works for laminates now. I compared laminate to shell model and got the same result. The fix for OMP_NUM_THREADS works. Beta2 now respects the number of cores I want to use, like Mecway 12 does.

JohnM

I can right-click select now, no flicker on top, looks good.

JohnM

Python API test -
save this as modY.py
select nodes, execute macro, input new Y value (m). It works!

def mod_node(nodes, value):
for point in nodes:
mw.set_node_y(point, value)

active_nodes = mw.selected_nodes() # Get selected nodes
if len(active_nodes) > 0:
value = mw.input("Input node y value: ")
mod_node(active_nodes, float(value))
else:
mw.message("No nodes selected.")

prop_design

so i've been kicking the tires on the v13 beta. lots of improvements. i was limited to around 90,000 nodes on this laptop. now i can go over 600,000 nodes. i ran one model close to one million, but that starts too get too slow on this computer. very high praise. that's one heck of a change. i can do a lot with laminates now too. before that e3 issue was blocking me.

prop_design

interesting result. for solid models the node limit is around 160,000 compared to 90,000. the 600,000 and one million node limit was for laminates. apparently there is a big difference in what type of element you are using. but it's still an improvement. i'm using the intel mkl pardiso solver via ccx.

Victor

Beta updated to release candidate with no further changes except removal of the expiration date. Link in the first post of this thread. If no more bugs appear, that will become the final release of v13. Thanks everyone who helped guide the development and found bugs.

RICYTEACH

Love the ctl+click to deselect and named collection.

Hengre

It would be nice to have some extra functionallity for "Add surface to named selection"

it would be nice if a window in which one could immediately enter a name of named selection would pop up when selecting several partial areas for a named selection. The suggested value could be Mecway's Surfacexxx () or an entered alternative name of the user.

Victor

Thanks for the suggestion Hengre. I understand the value of easily renaming something when it's created, but there's a trade-off with adding an extra thing to click if you don't want to rename it. Since others haven't asked for that, I probably won't do it. You can rename by selecting it and pressing F2. Not as convenient as on creation but maybe better than using the context menu.

Are you also asking for a new feature for adding a geometry surface to an existing named selection?

tk1537

Victor, which version of ccx is standard in Mecway13, the std ccx or pardiso?

Victor

SPOOLES, not PARDISO.

Hengre

"Are you also asking for a new feature for adding a geometry surface to an existing named selection? "

I did not ask for it, but it will be a nice option.

DavidK

Feature Request:

Make Named-Selections durable through a remeshing. Now they seem to get deleted, and any forces or constraints get unlinked. It would be better if the Named-Selections simply unlinked from the expired mesh surfaces, the outline entries went red, and the context menu gained an option to reapply the Named-Selection to geometric surfaces or mesh surfaces.

I am thinking of behavior similar to the load item behavior in 13 when the mesh gets replaced, in that each outline entry goes red, and the 'edit' context menu option allows it to be assigned to preselected faces or nodes.

The use case is that models get new geometry iteratively, enhanced in CAD programs and reimported as STEP files, and a long list of loads has to be reapplied to surfaces each time. A Named-Selection could be used as a way to label each load (by labeling geometric faces with Named-Selections, and then applying the loads to Named-Selections), to make correct application of each easier.

Thank you.

You produce an awesome product.

Victor

Hello DavidK

It already sort of does what you're asking -

Named selections and loads and constraints that are created from geometry surfaces (right click a surface in the geometry view) persist through remeshing. These are indicated by <linked> in the outline tree. It's only ones that are created directly from mesh faces that are lost when the mesh is regenerated.

Named selections that aren't linked to the geometry just become empty and don't get deleted on remeshing.

If you assign loads and constraints directly to faces instead of using named selections, then their Edit option allows you to link them to any geometry surfaces that are currently selected. Face selections don't have this option though.

The intended way to use loads and constraints with STEP files is to assign them directly to surfaces in the geometry view and not to use named selections.

It sounds like you might be removing and re-importing STEP files to remesh them. You shouldn't need to do that but if you're creating new files for each revision, perhaps you could copy them over the same file each time so that Mecway sees them as just an update instead of a whole new unrelated file?