Can you run a basic stress test on a plastic part in SolidWorks?
Short Answer
Yes — you can run a basic stress test on a plastic part in SolidWorks using Static Study in solidworks simulation. The most common professional method is a linear static analysis with the correct plastic material assigned, fixtures applied, and loads defined before meshing and solving. It will not predict all nonlinear plastic behavior by default.
What You Need to Know Before
Warning: Plastic parts often fail in simulation because the material is left as a generic default or the study uses unrealistic fixtures. Thin walls, snap-fits, and large deflections can make a basic linear stress test look acceptable when the real part will creep, yield, or crack.
How to Run a Basic Stress Test on a Plastic Part in SolidWorks
Command: Static Study
Shortcut: None by default
Quick Steps:
- In the SolidWorks Ribbon, go to Tools > Add-Ins and enable SolidWorks Simulation, then open the Simulation tab and click New Study > Static.
- Right-click the part material in the Simulation study tree, choose Apply/Edit Material, and assign the actual plastic grade; then add Fixtures and External Loads from the Simulation toolbar.
- Right-click Mesh, choose Create Mesh, set a practical global element size, keep Include mesh control if needed as required, then click Run to solve and review Von Mises Stress and Displacement plots.
Variables & Settings
Key Setting: Large Displacement in the study properties
Expert Setting: Turn this on when the plastic part bends significantly under load, because small-displacement assumptions can underpredict stress and deflection. For many rigid plastic housings under light load, leave it off for a faster basic check.
Why it Fails
- Cause 1 (Geometry): Small fillets, thin ribs, knit gaps, or sharp corners create bad mesh quality or artificial stress concentrations.
- Cause 2 (layers/Locks): Simulation add-in not enabled, material not assigned, or bodies excluded from the study prevents valid results.
- Cause 3 (Command/Logic): Using a linear static study for a part that needs nonlinear material, contact, or large-deflection behavior gives misleading stress results.
Quick Fix & Best Practice
- Quick Fix: Reassign the exact plastic material, refine the mesh at fillets/ribs with Mesh Control, and enable Large Displacement if deflection is clearly significant.
- Manager’s Verdict: Use a basic static study for early design screening and load-path checks, but do not approve production plastic parts from this alone if creep, snap-fit deflection, impact, or yielding matters.
FAQ
Can SolidWorks Simulation handle plastic materials?
Yes, if you assign a real plastic material, but basic studies are usually still linear unless you set up nonlinear analysis.
Is Von Mises stress enough for plastic parts?
No, it is useful for screening, but strain, deflection, and real material limits are also important.
Do I need nonlinear analysis for every plastic part?
No, but you often do for snap-fits, large deflection parts, or parts near yield.
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