Chapter 15: Alternative Analysis Options and Solution Methods

This chapter describes the loading options and alternative solution methods available in Mechanical APDL for electromagnetic, electric field, electrostatic field, and electric current analysis. For all of these analysis types, you can apply, delete, list, or operate on boundary conditions and loads using Mechanical APDL commands instead of GUI menu paths; this chapter tells you which commands to issue. This chapter also explains the load step options available for each type of analysis. Load step options are options controlling how loads are applied; they include the following:

  • Time and time stepping

  • The number of substeps

  • Stepping or ramping of loads

  • Convergence tolerances (for nonlinear analyses)

  • Output controls.

In addition, for 2D and 3D static magnetic analyses (scalar, edge or vector potential), you have an alternative solution option. That is, you can step manually through the solution sequence instead of solving the analysis automatically (via either the MAGSOLV command or Main Menu> Solution> Solve> Electromagnet> Static Analysis> Opt and Solv). This chapter describes the menu paths or commands required for the alternative solution method.

Information in this chapter is organized by analysis type. For example, information on all loading and solution options for 2D static magnetic analysis appears first, followed by information on all loading and solution options for 3D scalar magnetic analyses, and so on.