Engineers and designers first focus on aesthetics and dimensions while constructing a part. However, as the design cycle progresses to the manufacturing phase, it becomes increasingly vital for that part to work as anticipated and withstand real-world circumstances. Simulations may help verify that details are ready for manufacturing and built to last. You need to know what is Solidworks Xpress. Most Solidworks users have access to SimulationXpress, which is a simulation tool. SimulationXpress is a simple structural analysis tool that comes included with every Solidworks license. It can estimate deflection, stress, and factor of safety for a given loading situation using linear static analysis on single-body components.

What is Solidworks Xpress?

Simulation is an essential aspect of Solidworks, and SimulationXpress is a necessary tool for performing simulations. SolidWorks can create nearly any product, one of its most enticing features. However, it’s not always apparent if a product’s legitimacy will be preserved after it’s made public. Computer-based design validation tools like SolidWorks Xpress have made it easy to test how your product performs in real-world situations.

SimulationXpress is an essential first-pass stress analysis tool that may be helpful to SolidWorks users. By evaluating your ideas on a computer rather than conducting costly and time-consuming experiments, SimulationXpress can help you save money and time. For example, you could wish to investigate the consequences of applying force to the faucet. SimulationXpress is software that replicates the design process while also producing stress results. It also shows important locations and degrees of safety in various faucet zones. Based on these findings, you can strengthen susceptible areas while deleting material from overdesigned places.

SimulationXpress is a simplified version of SolidWorks Simulation. Learning what is Solidworks Xpress and how to use it is an excellent approach to undertaking a comparison study to check if the strength of your design has improved or not and to make modifications to enhance it.

After finishing your design in SolidWorks, you may have questions such as: will the product be based on the design part break? Is it likely to wrinkle? Another thing to think about is using fewer materials without sacrificing performance. We can only address these issues through costly and time-consuming product development cycles without simulation technologies. However, SimulationXpress can help you save money by allowing you to test your model on a computer rather than in the field. Using Solidworks SimulationXpress can help you cut down on the number of product development cycles you go through and reduce your time to market. Finally, SimulationXpress may help you enhance your ideas by simulating concepts and scenarios before making final decisions.

How to use SolidworksXpress

The SimulationXpress wizard will guide you through defining fixtures, loads, and material parameters and evaluating and visualizing the model’s findings. When you complete a step, the data is automatically saved, appears in the SimulationXpress study tree, and is available even if SimulationXpress is closed and restarted without the component document being closed. You must save the component document to keep the simulation data. Follow the steps to learn how to use Solidworks SimulationXpress.

Step 1: To start SimulationXpress, go to Tools > XpressProduct and select SimulationXpress from the dropdown menu. You may also begin SimulationXpress by going to the Command Manager’s Evaluate tab and selecting the SimulationXpress Analysis Wizard.

Step 2: If you are opening SimulationXpress for the first time on your computer, a pop-up will appear asking for a product code. To acquire an activation code, click here to establish an account or log in to Solidworks Xpress. This is only for the first launch of SimulationXpress. The icon will open the tool after completion, and SimulationXpress will appear in the task window.

Step 3: The SimulationXpress wizard is easy to use and will guide you through each stage of the operation. Using the Options command, choose your preferred default system of units and a location for saving analysis results. Click on the next instruction to begin the analysis. Underneath the FeatureManager design tree and graphics area, you’ll find the SimulationXpress study tree and SimulationXpress study tab. You may start your investigation when you’ve set up your SimulationXpress tool. 

Step 4: Fixtures enable you to establish constraints that remain in place at all times. There are several faces to each limitation. You must fix one face of the component to avoid analysis failure due to stiff body motion. Click Add a fixture to apply fixtures—once the fixture property manager appears, pick which faces to fix in the graphics area. This adds the fixture to the SimulationXpress study tree, and a checkbox appears next to Fixtures in the SimulationXpress wizard. 

By clicking on “Add a fixture” or “Update an existing one,” you may create a new one or edit an existing one. Right-click a fixture and select Delete to remove it from the research tree. 

You can also change the fixture’s name by right-clicking it in the research tree and typing in a new name. 

Right-clicking a fixture in the SimulationXpress study tree and choosing it may edit a change definition. To continue, click the Next option when this procedure is completed.

Step 5: You may use loads to provide force and pressure to model faces. In SimulationXpress, loads may be expressed as “force” or “pressure.” Go to the Force PropertyManager and click Add a force to apply a force. In the graphics area, choose the needed faces. Then choose Normal to use the force in the normal direction on each chosen face. You can pick a direction and apply the given force value to each face in its usual direction. Then, before inputting the force value, specify a reference plane and force units in the FeatureManager design tree. This applies the set force value to each face. When you wish to apply pressure, use the same steps.

Step 6: How a component responds is determined by the material assigned to it. You can select one from a material library to allocate material to the element. SolidWorks materials have two properties: visual and physical (mechanical). SimulationXpress uses the physical attributes of the materials in the SOLIDWORKS Material Collection. Materials can be isotropic, orthotropic, or anisotropic. SimulationXpress supports only isotropic materials.

You can allocate and update a part’s material. To do so, go to the Material tab of the SimulationXpress wizard and select Choose Material. Expand the class of materials in the Material dialog rectangle box and select material. After that, click “Apply” and “Close”. The material has a checkbox next to it in the SimulationXpress wizard. The material is also displayed next to the part’s name in the SimulationXpress research tree. You may assign a material by right-clicking a segment in the SimulationXpress study tree and selecting Apply/Edit Material.

Step 7: Before computing displacements, strains, and stresses, SimulationXpress cleans up the model. You can utilize the default mesh settings or change them when analyzing the part.

Step 8: When you’ve finished the simulation, you’ll be able to see the results. The current geometry, material, fixtures, and load findings are stored in the SimulationXpress study tree’s Results folder. SimulationXpress calculates stresses, displacements, deformations, and strains. It saves their values in the Results folder.

Step 9: You may use optimization analysis after completing a stress analysis to find the optimal value for one model dimension while still satisfying the requirements. For example, you can establish the optimal length of a component so that the von Mises stresses do not exceed a specific limit. Include an optimization analysis in the design study in SolidWorks Simulation. You may do an optimization study by selecting Optimize in the SimulationXpress wizard. Then choose “Yes” and go to the next stage.

You’ll find the DesignXpress research under the graphics area. Choose a model dimension (design variable) to optimize the graphical area. Click OK when the model dimension is displayed in the Add Parameters dialog box. Enter the Min: value for the dimension’s minimum allowable value and the Max: value for the dimension’s maximum permitted value under Variables in the DesignXpress study.

Please make sure these variables don’t clash with any of the model’s other relationships when giving them. You may then select the Factor of Safety, Max Displacement, and Max Stress criteria under the Constraints list. Then, under Factor of Safety, Max Displacement, or Max Stress, enter the lowest or maximum value. SimulationXpress’s goal is to keep the mass as low as feasible. The findings will appear in the Results View once you click Run, and the software will update the model to reflect the best value. The method of optimizing your component is optional.

Conclusion

If you’re not already utilizing SimulationXpress, you might be losing out on a cost-effective option to enhance your designs with minimal work. Learn what is Solidworks Xpress and how to use it. You should follow the steps explained above, and you will be able to get started using Solidworks SimulationXpress right away!