4
ANSYS Chapter Basics
Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
A. Overview
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Later in this course you will be using geometrical entities such as volumes, areas, lines and keypoints as well as FEA entities such as nodes and elements. This chapter introduces the following techniques used to display and manipulate those entities within the GUI:
Plotting Picking Coordinate Systems Select Logic Components and Assemblies
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B. Plotting
It is often advantageous to plot only certain entities in the model. Within the Utility Menu > Plot, you will see that geometric, finite element and other entities can be plotted. With Multi-Plots, a combination of entities can be plotted.
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/replot kplot lplot aplot vplot nplot eplot gplot
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Plotting
The PlotCtrls menu is used to control how the plot is displayed:
plot orientation zoom colors symbols annotation animation etc.
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Among these, changing the plot orientation (/VIEW) and zooming are the most commonly used functions.
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Plotting
The default view for a model is the front view: looking down the +Z axis of the model. There are several methods to change the model view. Use dynamic mode a way to orient the plot dynamically using the Control key and mouse buttons.
Ctrl + Left mouse button pans the model. Ctrl + Middle mouse button:
c zooms the model
spins the model (about screen Z)
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Ctrl + Right mouse button rotates the model:
c about screen X
about screen Y Ctrl
PZR
Note, the Shift-Right button on a two-button mouse is equivalent to the Middle mouse button on a three-button mouse.
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Plotting
Use the Model Control Toolbar Icons to change the view. The Model Control Toolbar also includes a dynamic rotate option.
Model Control Toolbar
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Dynamic Model Mode Icon performs same function as CTRL key.
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Plotting
A Dynamic Mode setting is also available using Pan-Zoom-Rotate .
The same mouse button assignments apply. On 3-D graphics devices, you can also dynamically orient the light source. Useful for different light source shading effects.
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When using 3-D driver
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Plotting
Other functions in the PanZoom-Rotate dialog box:
Preset views Zoom-in on specific regions of the model Pan, zoom, or rotate in discrete increments (as specified by the Rate slider) Rotation is about the screen X, Y, Z coordinates. Fit the plot to the window Reset everything to default
Zoom Box Zoom Win Zoom Front Back Top Bot Right Left Iso Obliq WP
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+Z view, from (0,0,1) -Z view (0,0,-1) +Y view (0,1,0) -Y view (0,-1,0) +X view (1,0,0) -X view (-1,0,0) Isometric (1,1,1) Oblique (1,2,3) Working plane view
The majority of these options are available in the Model Control Toolbar.
Back Up
By picking center of a square By picking two corners of a box Same as Box Zoom, but box is proportional to window. Unzoom to previous zoom.
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Plotting
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Many of the plotting features are also available by right mouse clicking on the graphics window.
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C. Picking
Picking Picking allows you to identify model entities or locations by clicking in the Graphics Window. A picking operation typically involves the use of the mouse and a picker menu. It is indicated by a + sign on the menu. For example, you can create keypoints by picking locations in the Graphics Window and then pressing OK in the picker.
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Picking
Two types of picking: Retrieval picking
Picking existing entities for a subsequent operation. Allows you to enter entity numbers in the Picker Window. Use the Pick All button to indicate all entities.
Example of Retrieval Picker
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Example of Locational Picker
Locational picking
Locating coordinates of a point, such as a keypoint or node. Allows you to enter coordinates in the Picker Window.
Note, you must hit the <Enter> key after entering information in the Picker Window, then hit [OK] or [Apply].
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Picking
Mouse button assignments for picking: Left mouse button picks (or unpicks) the entity or location closest to the mouse pointer. Pressing and dragging allows you to preview the item being picked (or unpicked). Middle mouse button does an Apply. Saves the time required to move the mouse over to the Picker and press the Apply button. Use ShiftRight button on a two-button mouse. Right mouse button toggles between pick and unpick mode.
Note, the Shift-Right button on a two-button mouse is equivalent to the Middle mouse button on a three-button mouse.
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Apply Pick Toggle Pick / Unpick
Cursor display: Pick Unpick
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Picking
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Cannot use the Command Input area to enter the values
Type input followed by Enter, then [OK]
Prompt area indicates expected items
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Picking
Hotspot locations for picking: Areas and Volumes have one hotspot near the centroid of the solid model entity.
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Lines have three hotspots - one in the middle and one near each end. Why this is important: When you are required to pick an entity, you must pick on the hotspot.
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Picking
Demo:
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Show locational picking by creating a few keypoints. Also show the use of middle and right mouse buttons. Show retrieval picking by creating a few lines Show Loop by creating an AL area Show Pick All by deleting area only Do KPLOT, LPLOT, etc. with and without numbering. Type in a few of these commands. Show the use of pan-zoom-rotate
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D. Coordinate Systems
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The ANSYS program has several types of coordinate systems, each used for a different reason: Global and local coordinate systems are used to locate geometry items (nodes, keypoints, etc.) in space. The display coordinate system determines the system in which geometry items are listed or displayed. The nodal coordinate system defines the degree of freedom directions at each node and the orientation of nodal results data. (discussed in Chapter 9) The element coordinate system determines the orientation of material properties and element results data. The results coordinate system is used to transform nodal or element results data to a particular coordinate system for listings, displays, or general postprocessing operations. (discussed in Chapter 13)
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...Coordinate Systems
Global Coordinate System The global reference system for the model. May be Cartesian (system 0), cylindrical (1), or spherical (2).
For example, location (0,10,0) in global Cartesian is the same as (10,90,0) in global Cylindrical.
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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
...Coordinate Systems
Local Coordinate System A user-defined system at a desired location, with ID number 11 or greater. The location may be:
At WP origin [CSWP] At specified coordinates [LOCAL] At existing keypoints [CSKP] or nodes [CS]
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May be Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical. May be rotated about X, Y, Z axes.
Y
Y12
X12 Y11 X11
X
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...Coordinate Systems
Display Coordinate System
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Can be changed to show and list entities in multiple coordinate systems Default is Global Cartesian Used mostly for listing and plotting models in non-Cartesian systems. Is useful in only a few cases:
If a cylinder is displayed in its cylindrical coordinate system (with a 1,0,0 view), it will be unrolled (developed) into a flat plane (with theta along the Y direction). DSYS,1 - List nodal coordinates in r,theta,z
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...Coordinate Systems
Active Coordinate System Defaults to global Cartesian. Use CSYS command (or Utility Menu > WorkPlane > Change Active CS to) to change it to
global Cartesian [csys,0] global cylindrical [csys,1] global spherical [csys,2] working plane [csys,4] [csys,5] cylindrical coordinate system with Y as the axis (X is in the global +X direction, local Y is in the global -Z direction, and local Z (the cylindrical axis) is in the global +Y direction) or a user-defined local coordinate system [csys, n]
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Used for geometry input and generation and Select Logic (discussed next)
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E. Select Logic
Suppose you wanted to do the following:
Plot all areas located in the second quadrant Delete all arcs of radius 0.2 to 0.3 units Apply a convection load on all exterior lines Write out all nodes at Z=3.5 to a file View results only in elements made of steel
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The common theme in these tasks is that they all operate on a subset of the model. Select Logic allows you to select a subset of entities and operate only on those entities.
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Select Logic
Three steps:
Select a subset Perform operations on the subset Reactivate the full set
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Select subset Operate on subset Reactivate full set
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Select Logic
Selecting Subsets Most selecting tools are available in the Select Entities dialog box: Utility Menu > Select > Entities... Or you can use the xSEL family of commands: KSEL, LSEL, ASEL, VSEL, NSEL, ESEL
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Entity to select
Criterion by which to select
Type of selection
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Select Logic
Criterion by which to select:
By Num/Pick: to select based on entity numbers or by picking Attached to: to select based on attached entities. For example, select all lines attached to the current subset of areas. By Location: to select based on X,Y,Z location. For example, select all nodes at X=2.5. X,Y,Z are interpreted in the active coordinate system. By Attributes: to select based on material number, real constant set number, etc. Different attributes are available for different entities. Exterior: to select entities lying on the exterior. By Results: to select entities by results data, e.g, nodal displacements.
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Chapter 4 - ANSYS Basics
Select Logic
Type of selection
From Full: selects a subset from the full set of entities. Reselect: selects (again) a subset from the current subset. Also Select: adds another subset to the current subset. Unselect: deactivates a portion of the current subset. Invert: toggles the active and inactive subsets. Select None: deactivates the full set of entities. Select All: reactivates the full set of entities.
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From Full Reselect Also Select Unselect Invert Select None Select All
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Select Logic
Operations on the Subset Typical operations are applying loads, listing results for the subset, or simply plotting the selected entities.
The advantage of having a subset selected is that you can use the [Pick All] button when the picker prompts you pick desired entities. Or you can use the ALL label when using commands. Note that most operations in ANSYS, including the SOLVE command, act on the currently selected subset.
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Another operation is to assign a name to the selected subset by creating a component (discussed in the next section).
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Select Logic
Reactivating the Full Set
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After all desired operations are done on the selected subset, you should reactivate the full set of entities.
If all nodes and all elements are not active for solution, the solver will issue a warning to that effect.
The easiest way to reactivate the full set is to select everything:
Utility Menu > Select > Everything Or issue the command ALLSEL
You can also use the [Sele All] button in the Select Entities dialog box to reactivate each entity set separately. (Or issue KSEL,ALL; LSEL,ALL; etc.)
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F. Components
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Components are user-named subsets of entities. The name can then be used in dialog boxes or commands in place of entity numbers or the label ALL. A group of nodes, or elements, or keypoints, or lines, or areas, or volumes can be defined as a component. Only one entity type is associated with a component. Components can be selected or unselected. When you select a component, you are actually selecting all of the entities in that component. Component Manager is used to Create, Display, List and Select Components and Assemblies.
Utility Menu > Select > Component Manager...
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Components
Creating a component
Utility Menu > Select > Component Manager Click on the Create Component Icon
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All of the currently selected entities will be included in the component, or you can select (pick) the desired entities at this step. Enter a name Up to 32 characters - letters, numbers, and _ (underscore) - are allowed Beginning a component with _ (underscore) will make it a hidden component and it cannot be picked from the list. This is NOT recommended. Suggestion: Use the first letter of the name to indicate the entity type. For example, use N_HOLES for a node component.
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Components
Creating an assembly
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Highlight the components for the assembly Click on the Create Assembly Icon and enter a name Checking the box next to a component under the assembly number will also put a component in an assembly
In the Component Manager above, N_OUTER and N_INNER are in the ASSM_NODES (ASM1) assembly. ASSM_NODES is in the ASSM_2 (ASM2) assembly.
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G. Workshop
Refer to your Workshop Supplement for instructions on:
WS4 ANSYS Basics
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