A narrow Mechanical delivery protocol

The protocol is intentionally narrow. Each stage names the evidence expected before the workflow advances, and the final gate remains an evaluated Mechanical result rather than file existence alone.

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Use this as a strict operating checklist when Codex drives Ansys Workbench Mechanical.

Step 1: Create Geometry

Goal: create the physical body to solve.

Required action: create or import geometry in Discovery or SpaceClaim using simple, inspectable dimensions.

Do not do: claim a simulation result from geometry color, viewport deformation, or a .dsco file.

Success signal: geometry opens and the body dimensions are visible or otherwise inspectable.

Failure recovery: if only a visual file exists, export or attach the geometry to Workbench before any solver claim.

Step 2: Save Workbench Project

Goal: create a persistent Workbench container for Mechanical.

Required action: save a .wbpj and keep its matching _files folder beside it.

Do not do: move or send the .wbpj without _files.

Success signal: both project.wbpj and project_files/ exist.

Failure recovery: reopen Workbench, save the project again, and verify the _files folder appears.

Step 3: Enter Mechanical

Goal: move from project container to solver setup.

Required action: open the Model cell of a Static Structural system.

Do not do: stop at Workbench schematic or geometry editor if the task asks for Mechanical results.

Success signal: Mechanical Outline shows Model, Geometry, Mesh, Static Structural, and Solution branches.

Failure recovery: if Mechanical did not open, reattach geometry to the Static Structural system and open Model.

Step 4: Assign Material

Goal: define solver material properties.

Required action: assign material with Young's modulus and Poisson ratio to the body.

Do not do: rely on unnamed defaults when the benchmark specifies material constants.

Success signal: material assignment is visible in Mechanical and solver input contains material data such as MP,EX.

Failure recovery: add or edit Engineering Data, update the model, and confirm the material is assigned to all bodies.

Step 5: Generate Mesh

Goal: create finite elements for the body.

Required action: apply mesh controls if needed and run Generate Mesh.

Do not do: treat a mesh object in the tree as a generated mesh.

Success signal: mesh is visible and Mechanical reports nodes/elements or solver input contains element counts.

Failure recovery: regenerate mesh after geometry, material, or sizing changes.

Step 6: Apply Fixed Support And Force

Goal: define boundary condition and load for a solvable structural model.

Required action: apply fixed support to the intended fixed face and force to the intended load face or remote point.

Do not do: leave the model underconstrained or apply load to an unintended edge/body selection.

Success signal: Mechanical tree contains support/load objects and solver input contains constraint and force commands.

Failure recovery: review scoping by face/body selection, then regenerate solver input or solve again.

Step 7: Solve

Goal: run the backend solver.

Required action: click Solve on Solution or run the equivalent Mechanical solve command.

Do not do: stop after generating ds.dat if Mechanical has not completed solve.

Success signal: Mechanical Solution branch has a solved state and solver logs show a completed solve.

Failure recovery: open Solution Information, read the solver error, fix mesh/material/BC/load, and solve again.

Step 8: Evaluate Result

Goal: populate result objects with numerical data.

Required action: insert expected result objects and run Evaluate All Results.

Do not do: assume inserted result objects are already evaluated.

Success signal: selected results show numeric Minimum and Maximum values.

Failure recovery: select Solution, run Evaluate All Results, and wait for result status icons to clear.

Step 9: Verify Contour, Legend, And Min/Max

Goal: prove that the result is viewable and evaluated in Mechanical.

Required action: select each required result and inspect the viewport and Details panel.

Do not do: accept a gray body, blank red result rows, or missing legend.

Success signal: colored contour, legend, Min/Max markers, and non-empty Minimum/Maximum values are visible.

Failure recovery: solve and evaluate again. If still blank, check result scoping, unit system, suppressed objects, and failed solver state.

Step 10: Export Evidence And Save Project

Goal: preserve a repeatable delivery state.

Required action: save the .wbpj, preserve _files, and export screenshots or result views as evidence.

Do not do: export evidence before solving/evaluating unless it is clearly labeled as a failure state.

Success signal: saved project reopens and evidence matches the evaluated Mechanical viewport.

Failure recovery: reopen the project, select result objects, verify contours again, re-export evidence, and rerun the delivery checker.