nTop 5.11 is here! This release features our new Spring block, a new FE Connector that creates a spring element between two Points. As with every release, nTop's dedicated support team is ready to answer your questions. Please visit support.ntop.com to gain access to helpful tutorials and support articles.
Spring [BETA]
- The Spring block creates a spring element between two Points.
- The spring force is calculated using the formula F = K*(u2-u1), where K is a stiffness tensor constructed from the stiffness inputs Kx, Ky, Kz, Kxx, Kyy, and Kzz. Vector u represents the displacement at a point, which includes both translational and rotational components.
- Workflows where you could use this block:
- To simulate a "Bushing/Bolt" in simulation, one would use Rigid/Flexible connectors to connect boundaries to points and a spring element between the points with the proper stiffness values.
- When using the option to ground one of the points, you simulate a connection to a Rigid body outside the simulation. This is equivalent to using a spring element between two points and then applying a displacement restraint on the grounded point.
- Location: Beta > Simulation
- Point 1: Location of FE Component (point).
- Point 2: Location of FE Component (point).
- Ground Point 2: Bool Option to Ground Point 2. This option will apply a Displacement Restraint in all degrees of freedom to the point.
- Kx: Stiffness value in x direction.
- Ky: Stiffness value in y direction.
- Kz: Stiffness value in z direction.
- Kxx: Stiffness value rotating around the x-axis.
- Kyy: Stiffness value rotating around the y-axis.
- Kzz: Stiffness value rotating around the z-axis.
- Frame: The reference frame for the components of the spring coefficients. The components are in the global coordinate system if a frame is not specified.
- Output: FE Connector
Block Updates
- We have moved the Field Optimization block and all the related Parametric FE Component blocks— Parametric Lattice Component, Parametric Voronoi Component, Parametric Shell Component, Parametric Shell-Infill Component, and Parametric FE Model—out of beta and to production. Read more about the effects of the changes here.
| nTop 5.10 | nTop 5.11 | |
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Parametric Voronoi Component and subsequent Field Optimization |
 
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| Parametric Shell-Infill Component |  |
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