Ask the Expert – Modeling Threaded Connections using ANSYS Mechanical 13.0
The need to perform FE simulations of threads can be tied up with different engineering objectives: 1. Thread form design/selection 2. Evaluating tightening torque for a proposed design of threads 3. Stress analysis under different loading conditions 4. Study the changes in thread characteristics upon repeated tightening - loosening. Successful thread simulations require to be computationally inexpensive so that the engineers can perform adequate number of design iterations. However, the thread simulation convergence and results are known to be sensitive to contact settings and may require some extra computational time to resolve the contacts well.
