Importing directly from NX to Ansys Workbench

When you import an NX part geometry to a simulation project by launching Ansys Workbench from NX, the Granta MI assignments on the part model can be transferred as ‘CAD Connected’ materials. This preserves the associations with the part geometry.

Prerequisites: To transfer Granta MI assignments directly from NX to Ansys Workbench, you must have:
  • Ansys Workbench 2023 R1 or later
  • Ansys Mechanical 2023 R1 or later
  • The Ansys Geometry Interface component of Ansys Workbench must be installed, with the NX Geometry Interface (Workbench Associative Interface) enabled.

To ensure that the Granta MI materials on the part geometry can be accessed and updated in Ansys Workbench, you must carry out some steps in Ansys Workbench and Ansys Mechanical after importing the part geometry.
Note: If the CAD part model has alternate material assignments, only the primary assignments will be transferred to Ansys Workbench.
  1. In NX, with the part model open, launch Ansys Workbench from the NX ribbon.
    This opens a new project in Ansys Workbench that contains the NX part geometry as a stand-alone Geometry system.
  2. In Ansys Workbench, add an analysis system that includes a Geometry component (for example, a Mechanical Model), and share the NX part model’s Geometry component with it.
  3. View the properties of the Geometry component, and in Basic Geometry Options, ensure that Material Properties is enabled.
    Tip: To set this property globally in Ansys Workbench, go to Tools > Options > Geometry Import, and in Basic options, select Material Properties.
  4. Add a Granta MI system to the workbench, and then share its Engineering Data component with the analysis system.


  5. In the analysis system, double-click the Model component to open it in Ansys Mechanical.
    Opening the model in Ansys Mechanical identifies the Granta materials assigned to the part geometry and makes them available in the shared Engineering Data component, preserving the associations with the part geometry. You do not need to do anything in Ansys Mechanical, and you can close it again at any time.
  6. In Ansys Workbench, launch the MI Materials Gateway window by double-clicking MI Materials Gateway in the Granta MI component system.
    This automatically creates the Granta MI material cards in the Engineering Data component.
The CAD assignments are visible in the Imported material cards list in MI Materials Gateway.
Note: The icon 'CAD data only' indicates that this is a 'CAD Connected' material card that must be updated with data for simulation.

You can now import the additional data required for your simulation project. See Updating the material cards with data for simulation.