Limitations
1. You must manually edit the simulation command data in each of the models. The final simulation time in all models must be consistent or longer in the Marc models. In Adams, a standard simulation script *.acf must be written and used to run the Adams simulations. Each Marc data set file must be edited to set the final simulation time.
When running static simulations in Adams, extra simulation "increments" shall be added to the Marc load cases because Marc will take a very short "increment" (simulation step) per each statics
iteration in Adams. More details are provided in section
Running quasi-static and static co-simulations.
2. All of the output generated by the co-simulating codes is not collected by a single MSC post processing application. You can only browse the results and animation of a single code at a time using the GUI post-processing tools of each code independently.
3. The complete map of supported ACSI versions and Marc releases is the following:
Marc/EDEM version | ACSI supported version |
|---|
Marc 2013.0 | ACSI 2014.0, 2014.0.1 |
Marc 2013.1 | ACSI 2014.0, 2014.0.1 |
Marc 2014.0 | No support for ACSI |
Marc 2014.1 | No support for ACSI |
Marc 2014.2* | ACSI 2015-2015.1, ACSI 2016*-2018* |
Marc 2015* | ACSI 2015-2015.1, ACSI 2016*-2018* |
Marc 2016 | ACSI 2015-2018 |
EDEM 2.7.1 | ACSI 2016-2018 |
(*)The ACSI 2016, ACSI 2017, ACSI 2018 versions require a workaround for the case of Adams models co-simulating with Marc versions 2014.2 and 2015. Marc 2016 does not require this workaround. For details see the section
Special requirements to run Marc.
4. The current implementation uses a basic type of interaction where Adams runs first using extrapolated force and/or stiffness information provided by other codes. Adams then imposes computed displacements on the other codes which run after Adams using interpolated prescribed displacements. Since version 2015, there is an important enhancement in that Adams also uses a tangent stiffness of the Marc models when taking a simulation step.
5. Unlike FMI for Co-Simulation [5], the tool does not support hierarchal co-simulations. Only one “primary” code (the Glue code) runs all "secondary" codes (one Adams model and one or more Marc models and one optional EDEM model).
6. Although you can use different reference frames for all co-simulating models, you need to make sure that applied forces are consistent. For example, you need to make sure that gravity acts in the same direction (relative to the ensemble coordinate frame) in all models.
7. This release is limited to static, quasi-static and dynamic simulations in Adams. There are no limitations in the type of Adams model. Marc models may run static and dynamics stress analysis. Thermal-structural coupled solutions in Marc are supported. Other limitations in the Marc model while running in co-simulation with Adams are:
a. Global re-meshing is not supported.
b. Importing a pre-stressed model in Marc should be done based on the PRE STATE option only.
c. DDM is supported with Pardiso and Mumps solvers only.
d. All fixed boundary conditions must be interactions. If there is a fixed boundary condition not connected to Adams, then the user needs to create a dummy interaction to a fixed PART in Adams.
8. Forces interacting between Adams bodies and Marc bodies are not supported.
9. This version only supports one EDEM process interacting with the Adams model.
10. Given the complex communication between the co-simulating codes, the implemented algorithm may close the TCP/IP connections abruptly generating error messages. If that is the case, you should check for simulation error messages instead. The abrupt closing of TCP/IP connections does not affect the quality of the resulting co-simulation.
11. All interactions between Adams and other co-simulating processes are implemented as FIXED JOINT in Adams. In other words, the motion of the I MARKER corresponding to the GFORCE located at an interaction point is prescribed on a node in Marc or on a geometry in EDEM. However, if another type of connection is desired between Adams and the co-simulating models, say a REVOLUTE JOINT between Marc and Adams, then it is possible to create the desired JOINT by using a zero-mass PART (or small mass PART) connected to the Adams model and locate the interaction point on the zero-mass PART.