PolyUMod Installation for ANSYS

In this tutorial you will learn to:

PolyUMod is a licensed set of advanced user-material models delivered as a shared library (usermat) for ANSYS. Running an ANSYS FE model using a PolyUMod material model therefore requires both a PolyUMod license and the PolyUMod-ANSYS shared library file. This is normally configured as part of the PolymerFEM software installation. This document demonstrates how to verify that configuration.

1. Check that the License Server is Running

Confirm that the PolyUMod license server is running by opening the license server web interface (e.g. https://10.0.0.123:5054 if the license is served on a computer with the IP address 10.0.0.123, or https://localhost:5054 if served locally).

For more info also check the the license server user’s manual.

2. Check the License Environment Variable

Confirm that the RLM_LICENSE environment variable points to the license server. The variable should have a value like: 5053@localhost, where you need to replace localhost with the host name of the license server.

3. Check the Location of the PolyUMod Library

The environment variable ANS_USER_PATH should contain the name of the directory that contains the UserMatLib.dll file (for Windows) or libansuser.so file (for Linux). The environment variable is usually set when PolyUMod is installed. For a Windows computer this environment variable typically has the value: C:\Program Files\PolymerFEM\PolyUMod\PolyUMod_ANSYS. For a Linux computer the environment variable typically has the value /opt/PolymerFEM/PolyUMod/PolyUMod_ANSYS.

Note that when running the ANSYS installer this environment variable is often reset to a default value, and not the value needed by PolyUMod. You should always check this environment variable after updating ANSYS.

Also note that if the ANS_USER_PATH variable is not set then ANSYS will often still run simulation files that contain PolyUMod material model definitions (without any warning or error!). The reason these simulation still run is that ANSYS has a built-in default user-material library that will be used.