Running simulation and interpreting results in Solidworks - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Running simulation and interpreting results

Goal

Understand how to run a simulation in SolidWorks and interpret the results to make better design decisions.

Sample Data

Simulation ID	Material	Force Applied (N)	Max Stress (MPa)	Max Displacement (mm)	Safety Factor
Sim001	Aluminum	500	120	0.5	2.5
Sim002	Steel	500	200	0.3	3.0
Sim003	Titanium	500	150	0.4	2.8
Sim004	Aluminum	1000	240	1.0	1.2
Sim005	Steel	1000	400	0.6	1.5
Sim006	Titanium	1000	300	0.8	1.8

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card: Average Max Stress
  Formula: Average of Max Stress column
  Result: (120+200+150+240+400+300)/6 = 235 MPa
• KPI Card: Average Safety Factor
  Formula: Average of Safety Factor column
  Result: (2.5+3.0+2.8+1.2+1.5+1.8)/6 ≈ 2.13
• Bar Chart: Max Stress by Material and Force Applied
  X-axis: Material
  Legend: Force Applied (500N, 1000N)
  Y-axis: Max Stress (MPa)
  Shows how stress changes with material and force
• Line Chart: Max Displacement vs Force Applied by Material
  X-axis: Force Applied (500N, 1000N)
  Y-axis: Max Displacement (mm)
  Lines: One per Material (Aluminum, Steel, Titanium)
  Shows displacement increase with force
• Table: Detailed Simulation Results
  Shows all columns from sample data for detailed review

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+----------------------+
|  KPI: Avg Max Stress  | KPI: Avg Safety Factor|
+----------------------+----------------------+
|                                              |
|      Bar Chart: Max Stress by Material        |
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+
|                                              |
| Line Chart: Max Displacement vs Force Applied|
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+
|                                              |
|        Table: Detailed Simulation Results     |
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+

Interactivity

Filter by Material: Selecting a material updates all charts, KPIs, and table to show only that material's data.

Filter by Force Applied: Selecting 500N or 1000N updates charts and KPIs to reflect only simulations with that force.

Hover over bars or lines to see exact values for Max Stress or Max Displacement.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Material = Steel, which components update?

• Average Max Stress KPI updates to average stress for Steel only.
• Average Safety Factor KPI updates for Steel only.
• Bar Chart shows Max Stress bars only for Steel at 500N and 1000N.
• Line Chart shows Max Displacement line only for Steel.
• Table filters to show only Steel simulation rows.

Key Result

Dashboard shows simulation results for different materials and forces, highlighting stress, displacement, and safety factors.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of running a simulation in SolidWorks before building a physical part?

easy

A. To test the design virtually and find potential problems early

B. To create a 3D model faster

C. To print the part automatically

D. To change the color of the design

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand simulation purpose

   Simulations help check how a design behaves under conditions without making a physical part.

2. Step 2: Identify benefits of early testing

   Finding problems early saves time and money by avoiding costly physical errors.

3. Final Answer:

   To test the design virtually and find potential problems early -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Simulation = early problem detection [OK]

Hint: Simulations find design issues before building [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking simulation creates physical parts
• Confusing simulation with 3D modeling speed
• Believing simulation changes design colors

2. Which of the following is the correct step to start a static simulation study in SolidWorks?

easy

A. Go to Simulation tab, click 'New Study', select 'Static', then click OK

B. Go to File menu, select 'Export', then choose 'Static Simulation'

C. Right-click the part and select 'Run Simulation' directly

D. Open the part and press Ctrl+S to start simulation

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate Simulation tab

   Simulation studies start from the Simulation tab in SolidWorks interface.

2. Step 2: Create new static study

   Select 'New Study', then choose 'Static' to analyze forces and stresses under steady loads.

3. Final Answer:

   Go to Simulation tab, click 'New Study', select 'Static', then click OK -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Simulation tab + New Study = start static study [OK]

Hint: Use Simulation tab > New Study > Static to start [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to export instead of creating study
• Right-click menu does not start simulation
• Saving file does not run simulation

3. After running a simulation, you see a color map showing red areas on your part. What does the red color usually indicate?

medium

A. Areas with the lowest stress

B. Areas that are not part of the simulation

C. Areas with no stress

D. Areas with the highest stress

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand color map meaning

   Simulation results use colors to show stress levels; red usually means high stress.

2. Step 2: Interpret red color

   Red areas are critical points where the part experiences maximum stress and risk of failure.

3. Final Answer:

   Areas with the highest stress -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Red color = high stress [OK]

Hint: Red means highest stress on the part [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing red with low stress
• Thinking red means no stress
• Ignoring color legend in results

4. You ran a simulation but the results show zero stress everywhere, which seems incorrect. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The part is too small to simulate

B. You forgot to apply loads or fixtures to the model

C. The simulation ran too long

D. You used the wrong color scheme

Solution

1. Step 1: Check simulation setup

   Stress results depend on applied loads and constraints; missing these causes zero stress.

2. Step 2: Identify missing inputs

   Without loads or fixtures, the part is free and unstressed, so results show zero everywhere.

3. Final Answer:

   You forgot to apply loads or fixtures to the model -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   No loads = zero stress [OK]

Hint: Always apply loads and fixtures before running simulation [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming part size affects stress values directly
• Thinking simulation time affects stress results
• Blaming color scheme for zero stress

5. You want to improve a design after simulation shows high stress in a small area. Which approach is best to reduce stress based on simulation results?

hard

A. Remove all fixtures to let the part move freely

B. Change the material color to blue

C. Add fillets or rounds to smooth sharp corners in the high-stress area

D. Ignore the results and build the part as is

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze high-stress area cause

   Sharp corners cause stress concentration; smoothing them reduces stress.

2. Step 2: Apply design improvement

   Adding fillets or rounds distributes stress more evenly and lowers peak stress.

3. Final Answer:

   Add fillets or rounds to smooth sharp corners in the high-stress area -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Smoothing corners reduces stress [OK]

Hint: Smooth sharp corners to lower stress [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Changing color does not affect stress
• Removing fixtures causes unrealistic results
• Ignoring simulation feedback wastes improvement chance