How to do parallel processing in Abaqus (required computer)

To perform parallel processing in Abaqus, you can use the Multi-Processing or Parallel Processing capability. This allows you to perform heavy calculations using multiple processor cores and significantly reduce simulation time. Below are the general steps for performing parallel processing in Abaqus:

1. System Check and Initial Setup Ensure that your system supports multi-core processing and has the necessary resources (such as RAM and CPU).
2. Setting the Number of Cores Used in Abaqus To set the number of cores you want to use, you can use the abaqus command with the cpus parameter. This is usually done in the command line. Example: Suppose you want to use 4 cores: Bashabaqus job=YourJobName cpus=4
3. Using the Environment File for Parallel Processing Setup You can change the default settings in the abaqus_v6.env file. This file is usually located in the Abaqus installation directory or your working directory. Example: Add or modify the following lines in the abaqus_v6.env file: mp_mode=THREADS mp_num_threads=4 mp_mode=THREADS specifies that multi-threaded processing should be used. mp_num_threads=4 determines the number of cores you want to use.
4. Settings in the Abaqus GUI If you are using the Abaqus Graphical User Interface (GUI), you can specify the number of cores through the Job settings in the Abaqus CAE environment. Steps:
   • Create or open a Job in Abaqus CAE.
   • In the Job menu, click on Create or edit an existing Job.
   • In the General tab, find the Parallelization option.
   • Enter the desired number of cores in the Number of processors field.
5. Performance Evaluation After setting up parallel processing, you may need to evaluate the performance to ensure that the settings are optimal and your system is effectively using parallel processing. Notes:
   • Always check that your system has enough processor cores and sufficient RAM for parallel simulations.
   • Sometimes, using too many cores can lead to reduced performance due to processing overhead. Therefore, you may need to optimize the number of cores.

By following these steps, you can benefit from the parallel processing capabilities in Abaqus and reduce your computation time.