ANSYS Mechanical APDL is a finite element program for solving static and dynamic, linear and nonlinear strength problems, 2D flow problems and other field problems. ANSYS has its own integrated pre- and post-processors.

The product has no node and element number limitations.

The software is installed on the bwUniCluster 2.0 (uc2). An installation on institute computers is possible at any time.

The ANSYS products are available on the bwUniCluster 2.0 (uc2).

The software can be installed on any institute machine.

Startup on the HPC-Cluster

In order to ensure a trouble-free operation of the computers, there are nodes on which interactive work can be done and which can be accessed e.g. through

ssh <username>@uc2.scc.kit.edu

logging in.

A module concept has been introduced on the HPC clusters. Therefore, before you can work with a product, you must load the corresponding module. You can get all available software modules from ANSYS by selecting

module avail cae/ansys

into the program. The module is called

2021R2: cae/ansys/2021R2
2022R2: cae/ansys/2022R2
2023R2: cae/ansys/2023R2

Load the module with

module load cae/ansys/2021R2
module load cae/ansys/2022R2
module load cae/ansys/2023R2

If possible, please always work with the latest versions.

However, a large computational run should always run on the nodes that are intended for it. This is regulated by special calls that request the resources for the job, such as CPU time, number of processors, size of main memory, etc.. These requests are handled by a job management system. Jobs can be submitted with the msub command. A detailed parameter list can be obtained by running

sbatch --help

is entered.

In addition to this command, there are other commands available which are described here.

Detailed information can be found on the web pages:
UC2: bwUniCluster 2.0 User Guide (Wiki)

Important: For batch jobs the first line of the input file must be /BATCH.

Parallel jobs on the bwUniCluster 2.0 uc2

There are now a total of 640 parallel tasks available.

First you have to create a small shell script:

Version 2023R2:

Intel MPI:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2023R2
export LD_PRELOAD=/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2023R2/ansys_inc/scc/strtok_proxy/strtok_proxy.so
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2023R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys232 -dis -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

OpenMPI:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2023R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2023R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys232 -dis -mpi openmpi -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

Version 2022R2:

Intel MPI:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2022R2
export LD_PRELOAD=/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2022R2/ansys_inc/scc/strtok_proxy/strtok_proxy.so
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2022R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys222 -dis -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

Version 2021R2:

Intel MPI:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2021R2
export LD_PRELOAD=/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2021R2/ansys_inc/scc/strtok_proxy/strtok_proxy.so
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2021R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys212 -dis -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

OpenMPI:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2021R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2021R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys212 -dis -mpi openmpi -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

The working directory can start with $HOME, for example.

The default uc2 nodes have 40 cores.

If you want to use more than one node:

UC2:
sbatch -p multiple -N 2 -t 10:00 --ntasks-per-node=40 Shell-Script.txt

The ANSYS job will now be started with a time request of 10 minutes across the two nodes in Distributed Memory Mode and within one node in Shared Memory Mode. Please adjust the appropriate parameters to your problem size.

If one node is enough for you:

UC2:

Here you have to change the shell script a little bit:

Version 2023R2:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2023R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
ansys232 -b -smp -np 40 -j lal < input_commands.txt

and start the shell script with

sbatch -p single  -t 10:00 --ntasks-per-node=40 -N 1  -t 10:00 --mem=4gb Shell-Script.txt

Version 2022R2:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2022R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
ansys222 -b -smp -np 40 -j lal < input_commands.txt

and start the shell script with

sbatch -p single  -t 10:00 --ntasks-per-node=40 -N 1  -t 10:00 --mem=4gb Shell-Script.txt

Version 2021R2:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2021R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
ansys212 -b -smp -np 40 -j lal < input_commands.txt

and start the shell script with

sbatch -p single  -t 10:00 --ntasks-per-node=40 -N 1  -t 10:00 --mem=4gb Shell-Script.txt

The ANSYS job is now started with a time request of 10 minutes and on the uc2 with a memory request of 4 GB on a node with 40 CPU cores in shared memory mode. Please adjust the appropriate parameters to your problem size.

If you want to use a GPU on the uc2:

Here you have to add one line to the shell script:

Version 2023R2:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2023R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export KMP_AFFINITY=disabled
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2023R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys232 -smp -acc nvidia -na 1 -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

Version 2022R2:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2022R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export KMP_AFFINITY=disabled
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2022R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys222 -smp -acc nvidia -na 1 -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

Version 2021R2:

#!/bin/bash
module load cae/ansys/2021R2
cd Arbeitsverzeichnis/Workspace
export KMP_AFFINITY=disabled
export MACHINES=`/opt/bwhpc/kit/cae/ansys/2021R2/ansys_inc/scc/machines.pl`
ansys212 -smp -acc nvidia -na 1 -b -j lal -machines \$MACHINES < input_commands.txt

Ansys is started with the request for a GPU (-acc nvidia -na 1). You then start the job with e.g.

sbatch -p gpu_4 --gres=gpu:1 -t 60:00 --ntasks-per-node=40 -N 1 --mem=200gb shell-Script.txt

start. If you want to use multiple GPUs, you must adjust the -na parameter in the shell script and the --gres sbatch command accordingly. As a rule, you should already achieve a good speedup with one GPU.

If you ever want to quickly start a job on a node and a core:

In addition, we have provided a small program that allows you to quickly start a job on a node:

usage: ans232job [-p PATH] [-c INPUT-FILE] [-T TIME] [-M MEM] [-j xxxx]
usage: ans222job [-p PATH] [-c INPUT-FILE] [-T TIME] [-M MEM] [-j xxxx]
usage: ans212job [-p PATH] [-c INPUT-FILE] [-T TIME] [-M MEM] [-j xxxx]
       -p    Name des Pfads in dem das Input-File steht. (notwendig)
             Wenn ihre Dateien unter Ihrem HOME-Verzeichnis liegen,
             muessen sie \$HOME voranstellen.
       -c    Name des Input-File. (notwendig)
       -T n  Laufzeit in CPU-Sekunden (notwendig
       -M n  Memorybedarf in MB. (notwendig)
       -j    Option um filenn.dat in xxxxnn.dat zu aendern (max. 4 Zeichen).
Example: ans232job -p \$HOME/ansysprojekt -c loch_k.txt -T 600 -M 4000 -j pr01
Example: ans222job -p \$HOME/ansysprojekt -c loch_k.txt -T 600 -M 4000 -j pr01
Example: ans212job -p \$HOME/ansysprojekt -c loch_k.txt -T 600 -M 4000 -j pr01

Info shell scripts:

Please note that shell scripts can only be executed if they have a so-called execute bit

-rwxr--r--. 1 xx4711 xxx 273 Apr  7 13:05 Shell-Script.txt

and have e.g. #!/bin/bash or #!/bin/sh in the first line.

You can achieve this by

chmod u+x <Shell-Script>

in the command line.

Start on own machines

ansys222 <parameter list>
ansys232 <parameter list>
ansys222 <parameter list>
ansys212 <parameter list>

will be done.

Documentation

The documentation is online

File Handling

The ANSYS default file names are of the form.

<jobname>.<ext>

For jobname, file defaults to file. The ext name extension is a file type specific addition with a maximum of 4 characters. Files are created in the current directory by default. Changing the default file name

The four-character default file name can be replaced with any other maximum eight-character string using the -j option. To assign a new file name ver1, ANSYS must be called in the following form:

ansys232 -j ver1
ansys222 -j ver1
ansys212 -j ver1

The new file names will then be ver1.<ext>.

ANSYS startup file

To create individual settings you can create a file with the name start.ans. This should basically be located in the current directory or in their login(root) directory. This is executed after the input of the first ANSYS command and acts as if they had entered /INPUT,start,ans. ANSYS looks for this file first in the current directory, then in the root directory of the current user, and only then in the installation directory. If the file is not found, ANSYS expects its next input. In this file all valid ANSYS commands can be used.

The documentation is available online. For access (also to the Customer Portal), you must create an account with Ansys. Please ask for the Customer Number beforehand. A local installation(WINX64 / LINX64) is also possible.

Version 2023R1:

On the ftp server https://ftp.scc.kit.edu/pub/campus/ANSYS/ANSYS2023R1/Documentation/ you will find the following files:

• ansysproductpdfdocv212.zip manuals and installation guides ( list )
• ansysreleasedoc.7z version documentation
• ANSYS_Inc._Installation_Guides.pdf
• Info about the individual installation packages.

Version 2022R2:

On the ftp server https://ftp.scc.kit.edu/pub/campus/ANSYS/ANSYS2022R2/Documentation/ you will find the following files:

• ansysproductpdfdocv222.zip manuals and installation guides ( list )
• ansysreleasedoc.7z version documentation
• ANSYS_Inc._Installation_Guides.pdf
• Info about the individual installation packages.

From the campus network you can also update directly via
CIFS: \\sccfs.scc.kit.edu\Service\SCC\sccfs-ftp\pub\campus\ANSYS resp.
NFS: sccfs.scc.kit.edu:/Service/SCC/sccfs-ftp/pub/campus/ANSYS.

Links to ANSYS data sources

• The official ANSYS WWW server from USA.
• The CAD-FEM GmbH
• The Customer Portal. Please ask the product manager for the ANSYS Customer Number.

ANSYS tutorials:

• ansys.net
  http://ansys.net/ansys/
• Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta (Canada)
  http://www.mece.ualberta.ca/tutorials/ansys/index.html
• Carnegie Mellon
  http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/24-ansys/index.html
• Ozen Engineering (Workbench Tutorial)
  http://www.ozeninc.com/default.asp?ii=8

Academic Usage

For Program(s) which contain the terms Academic, Associate, Research, EduPack or Teaching in the Program Name (hereinafter, “Academic Program(s)”), the following terms shall apply:

1. The analysis work performed with the Academic Program(s) must be non-proprietary work.
2. Licensee and its Contract Users must be or be affiliated with an academic facility. In addition to its employees and Contract Users, Licensee may permit individuals who are students at such academic facility to access and use the Academic Program(s). Such students will be considered Contract Users of Licensee.
3. The Academic Program(s) may not be used for competitive analysis (such as benchmarking) or for any commercial activity, including consulting.
4. Notwithstanding any terms of the Agreement to the contrary, Academic Program(s) may be accessed and used by Licensee at the Designated Site or any other location within a 50 mile/80 kilometer radius of the Designated Site. Academic Program(s) with Ansys Academic Multiphysics Campus Solutions and/or Academic Extended LAN in place (as may be identified in the License Form or Quotation) may be accessed and used by Licensee at the Designated Site or any other location within the same country as the Designated Site; provided, however, that (i) such access and use is and shall remain subject to Export Laws, (ii) Licensee is expressly prohibited from accessing or using the Academic Program(s) at or within any U.S. embargoed country or area; and (iii) access and use of the Academic Program(s) shall be limited to Licensee’s employees and Contract Users (including students) who are based and/or registered to attend classes at the Designated Site. Such limitations apply to any access and/or use of the Academic Program(s), including, but not limited to, access via a VPN connection or through license borrowing.
5. TECS for the Academic Program(s) will be provided at the sole discretion of Licensor and/or its Affiliates and/or Channel Partners. In the event TECS is provided, all Customer Support requests must be initiated via the Ansys Learning Forum at www.ansys.com/forum, and Section 9 TECS of the Agreement shall apply.

Academic Program(s) which contain the term "Associate" in the Program Name may only be used for non-proprietary industry related research, degree and/or non-degree related research, student instruction, student projects, and student demonstrations.

Academic Program(s) which contain the term "Research" in the Program Name may only be used for non-proprietary degree and/or non-degree related research, student instruction, student projects, and student demonstrations.

Academic Program(s) which contain the term "Teaching" or “EduPack” in the Program Name as well as any free student downloads may only be used for student instruction, student projects, and student demonstrations.

Academic Program(s) which contain the term “Academic” or “Tools” but do not contain the terms "Associate", "Research", “EduPack” or "Teaching" in the Program Name assume the terms of use of the Academic Program(s) it is used with. When used as a standalone program, or if the Program(s) are not associated with any other Academic Program(s), the Program may only be used for degree and/or non-degree related research, student instruction, student projects, and student demonstrations.

Academic Program(s) which contain the term "Campus Solution" in the Program name contain combinations of Academic Research and Academic Teaching Products, and as such each of these component products must be used in accordance with the Academic Research & Academic Teaching terms of use described above. 

Where Licensee is using the Academic Program(s) for research projects, Licensee will, if requested by Licensor, submit a Case Study prior to the end of the License Term.  The Case Study will be in English, contain a title and an abstract, and include: (1) the purpose of the study; (2) the approach used to conduct the study; (3) the results obtained; (4) the conclusion as to the results obtained versus the objective of the study; (5) how the Academic Program(s) contributed to the study; (6) three color graphics of the model and meshes; and (7) the Academic Program(s) input files or session log file.

KIT members can download the software and the installation manual directly from our ftp server
https://ftp.scc.kit.edu/pub/campus/ANSYS/.

From the campus network you can also download directly via
CIFS: \\sccfs.scc.kit.edu\Service\SCC\sccfs-ftp\pub\campus resp.
NFS: sccfs.scc.kit.edu:/Service/SCC/sccfs-ftp/pub/campus.

The following directories contain the corresponding installation files in ISO, TAR, or ZIP format:

LINX64 ................... Linux, 64 Bit
WIN64 .................... Windows, 64 bit

A 32 bit version is no longer available.

In the Documentation directory you will find, among other things, the installation manual and the release notes (in ZIP format):

Some tutorials can be found in the Tutorials directory.

Proceed as follows:

1. Download the ISO, TAR or ZIP files from the appropriate directory.
2. Unpack or mount each of the packages in a separate folder. Under Windows you can mount IOS files e.g. with the program Virtual Clone Drive.
3. Then start the setup.exe file under Windows. In the installation window that opens, first install the "Required Prerequisites", and then the ANSYS products.
   Under Linux enter INSTALL -noroot. Do not install a local license manager.
4. After the installation, a window appears where you have to specify the license server. Here you enter
   at SERVER : 10550@scclic4.scc.kit.edu
   for ANSLI_SERVERS : 2325@scclic4.scc.kit.edu
5. You can also add the two lines afterwards in the shared-files/licensing or shared-files/licensing subdirectory in the ansyslmd.ini file:
   SERVER=10550@scclic4.scc.kit.edu
   ANSYSLI_SERVERS=2325@scclic4.scc.kit.edu