General Error [new] — Ansys
Direct solvers (like the default "Direct Sparse Solver") use massive amounts of RAM. Switch to Iterative (PCG) or Distributed Sparse Solver . These use disk space instead of RAM, which avoids memory allocation errors.
If you have spent any time in the world of Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), specifically using Ansys Mechanical, Fluent, or CFX, you have likely encountered a popup that can ruin your afternoon. It appears without warning, offers little explanation, and terminates your simulation instantly. ansys general error
and try switching the "Graphics Device" to a different setting (e.g., from DirectX to OpenGL). Firewall/Antivirus Interference Direct solvers (like the default "Direct Sparse Solver")
At its core, the General Error is rarely a problem with ANSYS itself, but rather a symptom of a mismatch between the user’s model and the laws of physics. The most common cause is corrupted or poor-quality mesh. Finite element analysis relies on mathematically perfect elements; a single highly skewed or degenerate element can produce infinite stiffness values, causing the matrix solver to crash. Similarly, contact definitions that create abrupt changes in stiffness or boundary conditions that over-constrain a model can lead to numerical instability, manifesting as a "General Error" halfway through a simulation. If you have spent any time in the
: Update your GPU drivers (NVIDIA/AMD) to the latest version. In Workbench, go to Tools > Options > Graphics Window