Boundary Conditions
Define how your component is supported — fixed, displaced, or symmetric.
If you only have 2 minutes
Define how your component is supported and which surfaces are constrained. Every model needs at least one boundary condition to prevent rigid body movement.
Boundary condition types
| Type | When to use | | --- | --- | | Fixed support | All degrees of freedom locked — bolted or welded face | | Prescribed displacement | Defined movement in one direction — press-fit, pretension | | Symmetry | Half or quarter model — loads and geometry are symmetric | | Cyclic symmetry | Repeating geometry — fans, turbine blades, flanges |
Workflow
Select a surface or edge in the 3D viewer, then assign the appropriate boundary condition type. The platform shows immediate visual feedback with colour coding.
Over-constraining distorts results. Fix only the faces that are genuinely attached to structure — not every face you can click on. Too many fixed supports make the part artificially stiff and underestimate stress.
Checking your setup
After assigning boundary conditions, verify visually that:
- The correct faces are highlighted
- The part cannot move as a rigid body in any direction
- No surfaces are over-constrained beyond what the physical situation requires