C.8 Creating surfaces to use in contact interactions

Now you will define contact between regions of the model. The first step is to create the surfaces that you will include later in interactions.

It is not always necessary to create your surfaces in advance; if the model is simple or the surfaces easy to select, you can indicate the master and slave surfaces directly in the viewport as you create the interactions. However, in this tutorial it is easier to define the surfaces separately and then refer to the names of those surfaces when you create the interactions. You will define the following surfaces:

  • A surface named Pin that includes the outside surface of the pin.

  • Two surfaces named Flange-h and Flange-s that include the two flange faces that contact each other.

  • Two surfaces named Inside-h and Inside-s that include the inside surfaces of the flanges that contact the pin.


C.8.1 Defining a surface on the pin

In this section you will define the outside surface of the pin. You will find it helpful to display only one part at a time while you select the surfaces to be defined.

To display only a single part instance in the assembly:

  1. From the main menu bar, select ViewAssembly Display Options.

    The Assembly Display Options dialog box appears.

  2. Click the Instance tab.

    The part instances that you have created are listed with check marks in the Visible column. All the part instances are visible by default.

  3. Click in the Visible column next to Hinge-hole-1 and Hinge-solid-1, and click Apply.

    The hinge pieces disappear from the view.

To define a surface on the pin:

  1. In the Model Tree, expand the Assembly container and double-click the Surfaces item.

    The Create Surface dialog box appears.

  2. In the dialog box, name the surface Pin and click Continue.

  3. In the viewport, select the pin.

  4. Click mouse button 2 in the viewport to indicate that you have finished selecting regions for the surface.

    Each side of the hollow cylinder representing the pin has a different color associated with it (either brown or purple), as shown in Figure C–37.

    Figure C–37 Select the region to be defined as the surface Pin.

    The brown color indicates the outer surface of the pin, and the purple color indicates the inner surface of the pin. The outer surface (brown) contacts the two hinges and is the desired choice.

  5. From the buttons in the prompt area, click Brown to choose the outer surface.

    ABAQUS/CAE creates the desired surface called Pin and displays it underneath the Surfaces container in the Model Tree.


C.8.2 Defining the surfaces on the hinge pieces

In this section you will define the surfaces on the hinge pieces needed to define contact between the two hinge pieces and between the hinge pieces and the pin.

To define the surfaces on the hinge pieces:

  1. From the Assembly Display Options dialog box, change the visibility settings so that only Hinge-hole-1 is visible.

    ABAQUS/CAE displays only the hinge piece with the lubrication hole in the viewport.

  2. In the Model Tree, double-click Surfaces underneath the Assembly container.

    The Create Surface dialog box appears.

  3. In the dialog box, name the surface Flange-h and click Continue.

  4. On the instance with the lubrication hole, select the face of the flange that contacts the other flange, as shown by the gridded face in Figure C–38. (You may need to rotate the view to see this face clearly.)

    Figure C–38 Select the region to be defined as the surface Flange-h.

  5. When you have selected the desired face, click mouse button 2 to confirm your selection.

    ABAQUS/CAE creates the desired surface called Flange-h and displays it underneath the Surfaces container in the Model Tree.

  6. Create a surface called Inside-h that includes the cylindrical inner surface of the hinge piece with the lubrication hole, as shown in Figure C–39. (You may need to zoom in on the view to select this face.)

    Figure C–39 Select the region to be defined as the surface Inside-h.

  7. Change the visibility settings so that only Hinge-solid-1 is visible.

  8. Use similar techniques to create a surface called Flange-s that contains the corresponding face of the solid hinge piece's flange.

  9. Finally, create a surface called Inside-s that includes the cylindrical inner surface of the solid hinge piece.

  10. Close the Assembly Display Options dialog box.