Default Options - Units

Unit system

• Sets the desired system of units. The choices are SI (MKS), English (IPS), and Metric (G).

Units

• Length/Displacement. Sets the preferred unit of length to be used when specifying a quantity with length dimensions like prescribed nonzero displacements. This preference is used as the basic unit of length only. It is not used for velocity, acceleration, and other physical quantities with units derived from length. The input unit is always displayed, for convenience, in the corresponding PropertyManager.

• Temperature. Sets the preferred unit of temperature to be used when specifying temperatures. This preference is used as the basic temperature unit only. It is not used for coefficient of expansion or other physical quantities with units derived from temperature. The units of such quantities are based on the selected system of units. The input unit is always displayed, for convenience, in the corresponding dialog box to eliminate confusion.

• Angular velocity. Sets the unit of angular velocity to be used for specifying centrifugal loading. The unit of preference is used for angular velocities only. It is not used for any other quantity. The input unit is always displayed, for convenience, in the corresponding dialog box to eliminate confusion.

• Pressure/Stress. Sets the units of stress to be used when displaying stress plots. The input unit is always displayed, for convenience, in the corresponding dialog box or PropertyManager, and can be changed locally.

To set Units Options:

1. Click Simulation, Options, Default Options, Units.

2. Under Unit system, select SI (International System of Units), English (U.S. Customary Unit System), or Metric (gravitational system of units).

3. Under Units, select the desired units for Length/Displacement, Temperature, Angular velocity, and Pressure/Stress.

4. Click OK.

Setting the preferred system of units does not restrict you from entering data in other units. The dialog boxes of loads and boundary conditions let you override the default preferred units. The preferred units will be used by default to display the results, but you can choose to display the results in other units. For example, you can choose the SI system as your default unit system, but still can apply pressure in psi and displacements in millimeters.

The length, temperature, angular velocity, and stress units are given special status so that you can choose to use your favorite units regardless of the preferred system of units. For example, you can select MKS, which uses meters as the unit of length, as your preferred system of units, but choose inches and Fahrenheit as the length and temperature units, respectively. In this case, inches will appear as the default unit in the Fixtures PropertyManager, and Fahrenheit will appear as the default unit for temperature input.