Distributed-memory parallel processing does not support all analysis types, elements, solution options, etc. that SMP processing supports. As a result, the program may:
Stop an analysis to avoid performing an unsupported action, requiring you to launch an SMP analysis to perform the simulation.
Disable the distributed-memory parallel processing capability and perform the operation using shared-memory parallelism.
The disabling of the distributed-memory parallel processing can occur at various levels in the program. For more information, see DMP Solution Behavior.
This section lists analysis capabilities that support DMP processing. This is not a comprehensive list, but represents major features and capabilities found in the Ansys program.
Most element types are valid in an analysis that uses distributed-memory parallel processing (including but not limited to the elements mentioned below). For those element types that do not support DMP processing, a restriction is included in the element description (see the Element Reference). Check the assumptions/restrictions list for the element types you are using.
Supported Analysis Types
The following analysis types are supported and use distributed-memory parallelism throughout the solution. (That is, the solution runs in pure DMP mode.)
Linear static and nonlinear static analyses for single-field structural problems (DOFs: UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ, WARP) and single-field thermal problems (DOF: TEMP).
Buckling analyses using the Subspace or Block Lanczos eigensolver (BUCOPT,SUBSP; LANB).
Modal analyses using the Subspace, PCG Lanczos, Block Lanczos, Unsymmetric, Damped, or QR damped eigensolver (MODOPT,SUBSP; LANPCG; LANB; UNSYM; DAMP; or QRDAMP).
Harmonic analyses.
Transient dynamic analyses.
Substructuring analyses, including component mode synthesis (CMS) analyses.
Spectrum analyses.
Radiation analyses using the radiosity method. Note that view factors are calculated in parallel only for 3D analyses when they are initiated by a SOLVE command in the /SOLU processor. For more details on view factors, see Other View Factor Options and Considerations in the Thermal Analysis Guide.
Low-frequency electromagnetic analyses.
Coupled-field analyses.
Superelements in the use pass of a substructuring analysis.
Cyclic symmetry analyses (except mode-superposition harmonic).
The following analysis types are supported and use distributed-memory parallelism throughout the solution, except for the equation solver which uses shared-memory parallelism. (In these cases, the solution runs in mixed mode.)
Static and full transient analyses (linear or nonlinear) that use the JCG or ICCG equation solvers. Note that when the JCG equation solver is used in these analysis types, the JCG solver will actually run using distributed-memory parallelism (that is, pure DMP mode) if the matrix is symmetric.
Modal analyses using the Supernode eigensolver (MODOPT,SNODE).
Full harmonic analyses using the JCG, ICCG, or QMR equation solvers.
This section list features that support DMP processing and features that are blocked. These are not comprehensive lists, but represent major features and capabilities found in the program.
Supported Features:
The following features are supported and use distributed-memory parallelism throughout the solution. (That is, the solution runs in pure DMP mode.)
Large deformations (NLGEOM,ON).
Line search (LNSRCH,ON).
Auto time stepping (AUTOTS,ON).
Initial conditions (IC).
Initial state (INISTATE).
Nonlinear material properties specified by the TB command.
Gasket elements and pre-tension elements.
Lagrange multiplier based mixed u-P elements and TARGE169 - CONTA178.
User programmable features, including the user-defined element (USER300).
Multi-frame restarts.
Arc-length method (ARCLEN).
Prestress effects (PSTRES).
Inertia relief (IRLF,1), including the mass summary option (IRLF,-1).
Multiple load steps and enforced motion in modal analyses (MODCONT).
Residual vectors calculations (RESVEC).
The following feature is supported and uses distributed-memory parallelism throughout the solution, except for the remeshing procedure. (In this case, the solution runs in mixed mode.)
The following analysis type is supported and uses distributed-memory parallelism throughout the solution, except for the 3D model-creation procedure:
The following features are supported, but do not use distributed-memory parallelism within a DMP run. (The solution runs in pure SMP mode.)
Mode-superposition harmonic cyclic symmetry analysis.
VCCT Crack Growth Simulation when fracture parameters in addition to CINT,VCCT are calculated on the same geometric crack front. See VCCT Crack-Growth Simulation Assumptions in the Fracture Analysis Guide for more information.
Blocked Features:
The following feature does not support distributed-memory parallelism:
Element morphing.