Fasteners simulate bolt or screw connections joining two assembly components. You can use fasteners, to simulate the load path within the assembly and to simulate the amount of load carried by each bolt or screw.

If you plan to add fasteners to your model, the model must meet certain basic conditions. In most cases, Creo Simulate issues a warning if your model does not meet these conditions as you are creating the fastener. However, certain problems do not become apparent until you mesh or analyze the model.

For Creo Simulate version 2.0 and higher, fasteners are modeled using a Timoshenko beam idealization that uses a 12x12 stiffness matrix to provide better accuracy. This type of modeling takes into account the axial forces as well as shear and bending forces in the fastener.

While defining the fastener you can define the separation between the components that are being joined by the fastener. Select the Fix Separation check box to enforce separation between the two components. The interface is modeled as a stiff distributed spring. In this case the entire shear force is carried by the interface provided the Frictionless Interface check box is also cleared. However if theFrictionless Interface check box is selected, or if the Fix Separation check box is cleared, then the entire shear force is carried by the fastener.

When it meshes a model that includes fasteners, Creo Simulate tailors the mesh to improve results near the fastener.

You can only create fasteners using isotropic materials.

Fasteners are not available in FEM mode or in Thermal mode.

Return to About Connections.