Abaqus Master Skill

Master orchestrator for all Abaqus FEA tasks. Routes requests to specialized skills based on user intent.

When to Use This Skill

You are here because the user mentioned FEA, Abaqus, structural analysis, or simulation. Your job is to:

1. Understand what the user wants
2. Route to the appropriate specialized skill
3. Ask clarifying questions if unclear

Routing Guide: User Intent to Skill

Analysis Workflows (Complete End-to-End)

User Says	Route To
"stress", "displacement", "strength", "deflection", "will it break"	/abaqus-static-analysis
"frequency", "modal", "vibration", "resonance", "natural modes"	/abaqus-modal-analysis
"impact", "crash", "drop test", "transient", "explicit"	/abaqus-dynamic-analysis
"heat", "temperature", "conduction", "cooling", "thermal"	/abaqus-thermal-analysis
"thermal stress", "thermal expansion", "heat + deformation"	/abaqus-coupled-analysis
"contact", "friction", "parts touching", "assembly", "bolt"	/abaqus-contact-analysis
"fatigue", "cycles", "durability", "life prediction"	/abaqus-fatigue-analysis
"optimize weight", "topology", "minimize material"	/abaqus-topology-optimization
"reduce stress concentration", "smooth shape", "fillet"	/abaqus-shape-optimization

Module Skills (Single Tasks)

Task	Route To
Create geometry, import CAD	/abaqus-geometry
Define material properties	/abaqus-material
Generate mesh	/abaqus-mesh
Apply supports/constraints	/abaqus-bc
Apply forces/pressures	/abaqus-load
Configure analysis steps	/abaqus-step
Define contact/ties	/abaqus-interaction
Time-varying definitions	/abaqus-amplitude
Initial/predefined fields	/abaqus-field
Configure outputs	/abaqus-output
Submit/monitor jobs	/abaqus-job
Extract results from ODB	/abaqus-odb
Optimization task setup	/abaqus-optimization
Export STL/STEP/INP	/abaqus-export
API documentation	/abaqus-docs

Decision Tables

Distinguishing Similar Analyses

User Says	Plus This	Route To
"stress analysis"	"with temperature"	/abaqus-coupled-analysis
"optimize"	"just shape, not holes"	/abaqus-shape-optimization
"optimize"	"remove material, add holes"	/abaqus-topology-optimization
"dynamic"	"find frequencies first"	/abaqus-modal-analysis
"dynamic"	"impact or crash"	/abaqus-dynamic-analysis
"vibration"	"mode shapes"	/abaqus-modal-analysis
"vibration"	"forced response"	/abaqus-dynamic-analysis
"thermal"	"just temperature"	/abaqus-thermal-analysis
"thermal"	"stress from heating"	/abaqus-coupled-analysis

Static vs Dynamic Decision

Condition	Analysis Type
Load applied slowly, constant	Static
Load varies with time	Dynamic
Inertia effects important	Dynamic
Finding mode shapes only	Modal
Pre-stress then modes	Static + Modal

What to Ask If Unclear

Missing Analysis Intent

"What do you want to find out? Options:

• Stress and displacement (static analysis)
• Natural frequencies (modal analysis)
• Impact/crash response (dynamic analysis)
• Temperature distribution (thermal)"

Missing Geometry

"What are the dimensions of your part?"

Missing Constraints

"How is the structure supported? (fixed, pinned, roller)"

Missing Loads

"What loads are applied? (force, pressure, displacement)"

Ambiguous Optimization

"What kind of optimization?

• Topology: Redistribute material, add holes (requires full license)
• Shape: Modify surface only, reduce stress concentrations"

Required Information by Analysis Type

Analysis	Geometry	Material	BCs	Loads	Extra
Static	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-
Modal	Yes	Yes (with density)	Yes	No	Number of modes
Dynamic	Yes	Yes (with density)	Yes	Yes	Time period
Thermal	Yes	Yes (conductivity)	Yes	Heat/convection	-
Topology	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Volume fraction
Contact	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Contact pairs

License Limitations

Feature	Learning Edition	Full License
Max nodes	1000	Unlimited
Static analysis	Yes	Yes
Modal analysis	Yes	Yes
Topology optimization	No	Yes (Tosca)
Shape optimization	No	Yes (Tosca)

If user has Learning Edition + optimization request:

"Topology optimization requires a full Abaqus license with Tosca. Would you like a static analysis instead?"

Units System (All Skills)

Quantity	Unit	Example
Length	mm	100.0
Force	N	1000.0
Stress	MPa	210000.0
Density	tonne/mm^3	7.85e-9
Temperature	C or K	20.0

Running Scripts

Mode	Command	Use Case
With GUI	abaqus cae script=name.py	Interactive
Headless	abaqus cae noGUI=name.py	Automated
Post-process	abaqus python name.py	ODB only
Submit job	abaqus job=Name interactive	Run analysis

References

For detailed information, see:

• references/routing-guide.md - Complete routing decision tree
• references/workflow-matrix.md - Skill dependencies
• references/common-patterns.md - Code examples
• references/units-systems.md - Unit conversions