18.2.1. Using HPC Platform Services to Solve Linked Analyses

Although HPC Platform Services (HPS) enables you to solve any Mechanical linked analyses, for the analysis combination listed below, HPS solves without having to download the results of the upstream systems. If your simulation includes linked systems, and all the systems are solved on the same HPS web server, the output files of the upstream system are stored on the HPS server but are not downloaded before the start of the downstream analysis. HPS enables referencing of the required files on the server between the upstream and the downstream analyses. This file referencing can save a significant amount of solution processing time.

Without needing to download the results of the upstream system, HPS currently supports the following linked analyses:

  • Mode Superposition analyses: Mode Superposition Harmonic Response, Transient, Random Vibration, and Response Spectrum (including Prestress)

  • Prestress Modal

  • Prestress Full Harmonic Response

  • Prestress Eigenvalue Buckling

  • Prestress Coupled Field Modal and Coupled Field Harmonic

  • Static Acoustics and Modal Acoustics

  • Static Acoustics and Harmonic Acoustics

Synchronous Submissions

When you initiate a solve on a downstream system or at the Model level of a system, the application submits all the jobs for the linked systems synchronously, even if the upstream system has not completed its solution. All jobs in the HPS queue process in order. Because the application does not wait to submit all jobs for linked systems, you can close the application once all jobs have been submitted to conserve your license for other purposes.

Furthermore, the application automatically determines whether it needs to wait for upstream systems to complete. This eliminates the need for you to monitor the process.

Limitations of Synchronous Submissions

The synchronous submission process is not supported if an analysis includes any of the following:

  • Spot Welds

  • Bolt Pretension

  • Weak Springs

  • EM Transducer loading condition

  • Command (APDL) objects

  • Contact Splitting

These features and capabilities may require the application to create additional elements or nodes during the solution process. As a result, Mechanical would need to wait for upstream jobs to complete in order to receive the necessary data for the downstream jobs.

Downloading Upstream Results

HPS also supports the following types of linked analyses for which the upstream results are required to be downloaded. In such cases, the upstream results are automatically downloaded before submitting the downstream analysis to HPS.

  • Analyses involving imported loads from the upstream system such as Steady-State Thermal and Static Structural systems and Electric Conduction and Steady-State Thermal systems.

  • Steady-State Thermal and Transient Thermal systems.


Note:
  • If you are performing the upstream and downstream analyses on different HPS servers, make sure to download the results of the upstream system before submitting the downstream system. However, we recommend submitting the linked systems to the same server to take advantage of the file referencing capabilities of HPS.

  • When you initiate a solve on a downstream system or at the Model level of a system, and you abort the job or the job fails, all jobs currently running or that are pending stop automatically.



Recommendation:  As stated above, you can close the application after all systems have been submitted. However, if your simulation includes systems that must wait for upstream processes to complete, and/or the results to be downloaded, it may take some time for the last system to be submitted. In this instance, you may want to submit the jobs individually if the application needs to be closed during the solution process.