To properly create and save a company database template, see Create and Manage Database Templates. Be sure to save it in a common location, such as a shared server.
We recommend including the following database-level entities and settings in your company database:
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Material Systems - Including the latest-and-greatest data values
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Note that this could also include specifically defined Laminate Families
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Acceptable concepts and designs, saved as Design Properties
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Standard Load Processing techniques, saved as Load Properties
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The company margin policy for each type of structure, saved as Analysis Properties
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Select the Company Database as the Database Template - this will ensure that all entities and settings from the company database carry through to the group database.
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Create the Master Project
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Create Structures for all parts of the GFEM that are to be sized or analyzed
If the FEM contains meaningful groups, such as INCLUDE files or ELSETS, HyperX can automatically create structures according to those groups.
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The Enterprise Database Manager can be opened from the database tab of the ribbon:
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Fill in the top of the resulting Group Database Manager form with (1) the location of the company database and (2) the folder location in which to place the engineer databases that will be generated:
Notice that there is also an option to password protect the database level data and settings. That password is set here.
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Automatically generate a single database for each structure by selecting the 'Add Database per Structure' option:
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Manually create the structure combinations for each database:
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Select 'Add Database'
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Name the Database. Then click 'Add Structures' to manually select all structures that belong in the database.
Notice that any of the structures that are added can be set to Read Only - meaning they will be in the database for context, but they cannot be altered by sizing or analysis.
Once all databases are defined, export the corresponding .hdb3 files into the defined directory by selecting 'Export.'
If the zones in each database were set up for sizing in the previous step, databases can be run in parallel by selecting 'Run Databases' instead.
Disperse the individual databases created in Step #4 to each responsible engineer to perform all sizing and analysis operations. See Sizing Checklist for reference.
A few things to keep in mind:
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All engineer databases were created with the same template data and settings (from the Company Database). This allows engineers to work independently from one another, but provides confidence that they all have the same data and guardrails in place.
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At this stage, local FEA iterations (see HyperFEA) can be performed in order to capture the load re-distribution within the part. HyperX will only alter the iteration FEM size-able structures in the engineer's database. All other parts of the GFEM will remain untouched.
Once all of the Engineer Databases have been sufficiently sized, they should be placed back into the Engineer Database Directory (defined in Step #3). Then, all sizing results can be imported back into the group database by selecting 'Import Databases' from the Enterprise Database Manager.
During the import process, HyperX will detect any changes made to each database. At this point, the user can select to 'accept' (and therefore import) or 'reject' those changes for an additional level of control.
After Step #6, all of the latest-and-greatest sizing results will be housed in the Group Database. Therefore, a total GFEM update-and-iterate process can be initiated. Either:
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Export Updated Global FEM and manually run it through the FEA solver
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Automate the iteration process within HyperX using HyperFEA