Abaqus/Python course in the winter term 2022/23

Scripts and ressources for the Abaqus/Python seminar. The script of the course exists in pdf and html form. We will go through the crucial steps for automating Abaqus CAE models using Python. Each of the participants will then apply those skills to an example, that she/he presents in the final unit.

Unit 1, 2022-10-06

• Motivation of scripting the Abaqus CAE interface
• Introduction round: AMB, PCCL, Mech/MCL, PCCL, PCCL
• Running scripts in Abaqus
• Record Abaqus CAE commands: .rpy, .jnl, or macro-files.
• Some general statements and header for Abaqus Python script (import, Mdb(), etc.)

Unit 2, 2022-10-13

• Recap of unit 1
• Exercise: Create sketch with wavy surface (sin-function in a spline using NumPy functions.
• Introduction to handling vertices, edges, faces, and cells using Python. How to make sets or surfaces out of them.

Unit 3, 2022-10-20

• We looked into how to select entities in Abaqus and create sets out of that.
• findAt, getByBoundingBox, properties of entity (size, etc.)

Unit 4, 2022-10-27

• You guys can start thinking about what example to use (it should be simple, easy to test, and have nothing to do with your research field)
• MP brought a working indenter model without evaluation functions
• We looked into how to load the odb and write the history output into a dat file.
• Scripts that run the model and wait for completion crash if run in an interactive way (i.e., when started using "Run Script" or script=... in the command line)

Unit 5, 2022-11-10

• We revisited the evaluation of the history output from the last unit
• We looked into how to automatically generate images out of Abaqus models (png, svg). There was an error in my code because I deleted from caeModules import * because the viewer module is a cae module.

Unit 6, 2022-11-17

• Short look into printing images from last unit
• Discussion of modeling and how to select a problem and work on your projects (first image in <www.martinpletz.com/fe-scripting-2>)
  • Possible problems: Pasta that deforms during cooking, Tipping of things in the supermarket conveyor, Spokes of a bicycle wheel, Transmitting forces with the hair of a toothbrush, Biting on a nut: Plastic deformation first, then fracture, Opening a shampoo bottle: M(phi): Why?, Bicycle crank stress depending on angle and geometry.
• Start with scripting on a simple model: Geometry, Sections, ... (Aim: Finish it by the end of next week)

Simple FEM model to script

A cantilever beam that is loaded by its own weight (plane stress) with linear elastic material law. The width $b$ is 120 mm and the height $h$ is 40 mm. Write the vertical displacement of the top right point into a history output, because we want to play with that, later.

To check if the splines are ok to build a valid 2D geometry, print an image of the skecth once it is created. This will hel with debugging a lot! The gravity load can be created with the Create Predefined Field button.

Unit 7, 2022-11-24

• Continue to work on the cantilever beam that is loaded by its own weight
• The splines for the geometry can also be created using an Android App (documented here in German). If you there save the geoemtry that you recognized from a drawing as a .json-file, you can use the function and code lines from the script get_cantilever_splines.py in the folder 'unit-7'.

Unit 8, 2022-12-01

• Looked into the section about tidying up the code. There, we saw how to run Abaqus models in subfolders with specific names and delete unwanted calcultation files.
• Continued working on example from unit 6: The deadline to finish isthat until christmas (please send it per e-mail to Martin).
• Discussed your ideas for the project examples (you should also decide that until christmas):
  • Wolfgang: Gummibears (maximum size until plastic deformation under its own weight) & plasticity, paraview
  • Martin K.: Barbell falling on ground (or being lifted): Fracture or plastic deformation?
  • Benjamin: Steel plate stove
  • Julia: Inner pressure: Failure of soda can or PET bottle
  • Martin T.: Morphing pasta (soaking and corresponding deformation of pasta)
  • Philip: Pressing a filled soda can until failure (including tests)
  • Chongnan: Pulling noodle dough until it fails

Unit 9, 2022-12-15

• Repeated stuff on tidying the code
• Question by Martin K.: how to run Abaqus/Python file from Python? This can be done with the command subprocess.call('abaqus cae',shell=True) which for example opens a cmd window.
• Continued working on the example from unit #6. The output shoul contain an image of the deformed cantilever (possibly with a deformation scale factor > 1 to better see the deformation) and a text file for each calculation containing the end point displacement.
• Plan for the January units #10 and #11: Open Lab for working on code and performing experiments. Martin P. will bring spring scales, recording equipment, and other stuff for the experiments.

Unit 10, 2023-01-12

• Free unit for working on projects
• I recommend working like that: Draw model sketch: does it make sense? yes --> CAE Model, manually built: does it work and give meaningful results? yes --> Script the model

Unit 11, 2023-01-19

• Another free unit for working on your projects

Unit 12, 2023-01-26

• The last unit before the presentations
• Martin K. found the Python Package pyabaqus 2022 that can help you write Abaqus/Python code in your editor (code completion, docstrings, telling you if some commands are not defined).