Hi,

I'm just having a little difficulty simulating a sheet metal bracket I have designed in solid works (See image attached).

As can be seen the bracket has been fixed at the washers it is to be held against with the load being translated through the washer around the hole on it's own. At first I attempted to run the FEA as a sheet metal part but after meshing I found that only shell mesh was possible with this part type (Unless I have missed something). Shell mesh may have sufficed, however this didn't seem to make sense with respect to the joint I intended to be welded (As marked in the image attached) also craeting surface splits may not be possible in a shell mesh? To treat the part as a solid I converted the part as a copy to a step file and meshed as a solid in that file, however I am struggling to figure out how to crate a weld joint for the FEA, any suggestions?

Cheers.