Export FE Model to ANSYS APDL

This option creates an ANSYS command file in APDL format. The APDL file can be processed in ANSYS Mechanical APDL (ANSYS Classic) where the geometry or nodes and elements, element properties and materials are created for further meshing and analysis.

Figure 6:34. Create ANSYS Input File

Using the default settings will export the element types SHELL181, BEAM188 and LINK180. When element types with midnodes are chosen, SHELL281, BEAM189 and LINK180 are exported. It is possible to use different types for the planar and the curved parts of the model but the user should be aware that this will effect the order in which the parts of the model have to be meshed in ANSYS (see ANSYS help for detailed information).

Using the old ANSYS element types will export SHELL63, BEAM44 and LINK8. This is not recommended because these elements are no longer documented by ANSYS.