We’ve written a lot about PTC Creo Simulate lately because it’s a great tool for conducting structural, thermal, and vibration analysis of your 3D CAD models. As an extension of PTC Creo Parametric, it provides a comprehensive set of finite element analysis capabilities. However, it’s not the only simulation or analysis extension available for PTC Creo users.
In fact, there are seven more options that can help you understand how your model will perform under various conditions. Will your plastic part stand up to injection molding? Are your electromechanical components safe in real-world conditions? What happens when a human tries to work next to this conveyor? There’s a lot you may need to know to craft a great product design.
If you’re ready to go beyond PTC Creo Simulate, browse the list below to see what else you could be using to get the best from your 3D models.
PTC Creo Parametric Extensions
The following extensions complement PTC Creo Parametric:
PTC Creo Advanced Simulation Extension
Use this extension to see how advanced, nonlinear effects influence the performance of your products and more. With PTC Creo Advanced Simulation Extension, you can:
- Solve nonlinear large displacement, pre-stress, dynamic and transient thermal analyses
- Simulate advanced materials behaviors such as hyperelasticity, anisotropic, orthotropic, and composite laminates
- Review advanced modeling entities such as mass/spring idealizations, pre-loaded bolts, and friction on assembly contact points
PTC Creo Mold Analysis Extension
For anyone who designs plastic parts, this extension provides insights into the manufacturability of your models. By optimizing parts for injection molding during the design phase, you prevent mold rework, excess material use, and mold debugging trials. Best of all, PTC Creo Mold Analysis Extension requires no translation between CAD, CAM, and CAE systems–it all works within PTC Creo. Use this extension to:
- Draw from a comprehensive database of common plastic materials
- Analyze moldability, melt front time, air trap, weld line, sink mark, and fill pressure
- Identify optimal injection locations
PTC Creo Tolerance Analysis Extension
PTC Creo Tolerance Analysis Extension lets you quickly analyze and document geometric tolerances (GTOL) directly on 3D CAD models, so your products fit together correctly on the shop floor. Use this extension to:
- Analyze models for their true statistical variation and sigma quality, as well as their individual dimension contributions and sensitivities
- Incorporate GTOL and dimensional tolerances directly in the CAD model, with the 1-D tolerance loops managed in an assembly-level saved Tolerance Analysis
PTC Creo Behavioral Modeling Extension
With PTC Creo Behavioral Modeling Extension, engineers embed real-world design requirements, even for multiple objectives, within the digital model. That ensures criteria remain satisfied throughout development. Use this extension to:
- Embed design requirements within models to solve optimization problems involving multiple design goals and perpetually satisfy performance criteria
- Assess model sensitivity so you can understand the effects of any model change on your design objectives
- Integrate results with external applications
PTC Creo Manikin Analysis Extension
Add a digital manikin into your 3D CAD model using the PTC Creo Manikin Extension, and start analyzing human-product interaction scenarios. Test your designs against a number of quantitative human factors, as well as workplace standards and guidelines. Use this extension to:
- Simulate, communicate, and optimize manual handling tasks such as lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying
- Ensure conformance with health and safety guidelines and ergonomic standards
PTC Creo Mechanism Dynamics Option
PTC Creo Mechanism Dynamics Option (MDO) can virtually simulate real-world forces and analyze how your product will react to them. Use this tool to:
- Optimize the mechanism’s performance over a range of input variables
- Size motors, springs, and dampers
- Design and evaluate cam and slot profiles for peak performance
- Create accurate motion envelopes for use in interference and space claim studies
- Create high-quality animations directly from dynamic simulations
Bear in mind, a number of mechanism design features are available right within PTC Creo Parametric too:
PTC Creo Simulate Extensions
These extensions complement PTC Creo Simulate:
PTC Creo Clearance and Creepage Extension
As more and more products incorporate electromechanical components, PTC Creo Clearance and Creepage Extension (CCX), formerly known as Creo Spark Analysis Extension (SAX), automates the process of clearance and creepage analysis for safety precautions. Use this extension to:
- Analyze and verify that clearance and creepage distances comply with requirements for components, surfaces, and nets
- Optimize the design faster and easier for various space, materials, and cost constraints
- Ensure product safety
PTC Creo Fatigue Advisor Extension
Using PTC Creo Fatigue Advisor Extension, you can predict the life of metal structures that are prone to fatigue failure under cyclic loading and investigate the impact that design changes have on their endurance. Use this extension to:
- Conduct fatigue analysis, evaluating performance measures such as life, damage and factor of safety
- Use durability characteristics in design studies to optimize product life
- Better understand product durability in real-world settings by specifying repeated standard loads
By optimizing your designs with PTC Creo simulation and analysis tools, you can save time and money as you prevent errors, rework, and production delays. See a demo of how easy it is to streamline design with simulation tools in this short video:
This post was originally published by our friend Aaron Shaw at PTC. You can find the original article Beyond PTC Creo Simulate.
