How can you simplify a large assembly in a Static Study?

Simplifying a large assembly in a Static Study can be effectively achieved by making components rigid and fixing them in place. When parts of an assembly are defined as rigid, it means they will not deform under load, which is a valuable simplification in conditions where the detailed deformation of these parts is not critical to the analysis. This allows for a more manageable computational model, reducing the complexity and computational requirements of the simulation.

By fixing the rigid components, you essentially establish boundary conditions that reflect how the assembly is constrained in real life—a necessary aspect in many static analyses. This approach focuses on the main interactions and load paths within the system without the need to account for the finer details of each individual part's response to stress and strain. Thus, the simulation can run more quickly and yield results that provide insight into the overall performance of the assembly.

The other choices, while related to simulation, do not directly address the primary technique of simplifying assemblies in the context of static studies. For instance, simplifying the mesh is more about optimizing the finite element model rather than modifying the structural characteristics of the assembly itself. Shell and solid elements pertain to element type selection rather than assembly simplification. Finally, making an element rigid while loading may imply a different approach that doesn’t