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There are two ways to launch ANSYS.
- Using the ANSYS Product Launcher is the elegant way to start ANSYS. One specifies the working folder, job name etc. in the Product Launcher. We will use this approach below.
- One can alternatively start the ANSYS graphical user interface (GUI) directly and then set the jobname etc. within the GUI. This can be messy with the beginner often not sure where the files from the session are being stored. This is not the recommended way to start ANSYS.
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In the window that comes up, enter the location of the folder you just created as your Working Directory by browsing to it. If you specify, say, C:\ansys as your working directory, all files generated during the ANSYS run will be stored in this folder.
Specify truss as your Job Name. The job name is the prefix used for all files generated during the ANSYS run. For example, when you perform a save operation in ANSYS, it'll store your work in a file called truss.db in your working directory.
Click on Run. This brings up the ANSYS interface. To make the best use of screen real estate, move the windows around and resize them so that you approximate this screen arrangement. This way you can read instructions in the browser window and implement them in ANSYS. Note that this tutorial has been formatted to fit in a skinny browser window. If your monitor screen is small, you can use Alt+Tab keys to conveniently switch between the ANSYS and browser windows (this trick works in Microsoft Windows).
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We'll more or less work our way down the Main Menu as we go through the solution steps.
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This is the window where the geometry, mesh, applied boundary conditions, and results such as stress values are displayed.
- ANSYS Toolbar:
ANSYS Toolbar contains shortcuts to often used commands such as save and can be customized by the user for convenience.
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We'll more or less work our way down the Main Menu.
Main Menu > Preferences
In the Preferences for GUI Filtering dialog box, click on the box next to Structural so that a tick mark appears in the box.
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The effect of selecting the structural preference is that only menu options applicable to structural mechanics are shown in the graphical user interface; options related to other disciplines such as thermal, fluid and electromagnetics are grayed out. This helps a little while navigating the vast menu options within ANSYS. |
Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.
Go to Step 2: Specify element type and constants
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