Displacement Plot

The Displacement Plot PropertyManager allows you to plot displacement and reaction force results for static, nonlinear, dynamic, drop test studies, or mode shapes for bucking and frequency studies.

Displacement results are available for nodes only.

Display

• Component . Select a displacement or reaction force component to plot. Directions are based on the selected reference geometry.

• Units . Select a unit for the displacement plot.

NOTE: You can control the display of the fringe plot using the Settings PropertyManager. Available for all displacement components.

Advanced Options

• Plane, Axis, or Coordinate System . Select a reference plane or a reference axis to plot displacement.

• Show PSD value. (Available for random vibration studies only.) When checked, the PSD values are shown for a particular solution step. Otherwise, the RMS values across the whole frequency range are shown.

• Show as vector plot. Generates a vector plot where a vector is plotted at each node to show the magnitude and direction of the selected displacement or reaction force component. You can control the size and density of the vectors in a vector plot using the Vector Plot Options PropertyManager.

• Render beam profile. (Available for studies with beams only). Displays the displacement plot on actual beam geometry as opposed to cylinders.

Plot Step

Available only for nonlinear, dynamic and drop test studies.

• Plot for single step .

• Time . Displays the time corresponding to the selected plot step.

• Displays the frequency corresponding to the selected plot step. Available for harmonic and random vibration studies

• • Plot Step . Sets the step number at which the selected result is to be plotted.

• Plot Bounds across All Steps .

• • Maximum. Displays the maximum algebraic values (envelope plot) across all solution steps.

  • Minimum. Displays the minimum algebraic values (envelope plot) across all solution steps.

  • Absolute maximum. Displays the absolute maximum values (envelope plot ) across all solution steps.Available only for frequency and buckling studies.

• Mode Shape . Sets the mode shape number for which the displacement is to be plotted.

• • Frequency . Displays the frequency corresponding to the specified mode shape.

  • Load Factor . Displays the buckling load factor.

Deformed Shape

If checked, the selected displacement component is plotted on the deformed shape of the model.

• Automatic. Displays the default Scale Factor that the program uses to scale the largest deformation to 10% of the largest dimension of the smallest box that surrounds the model.

• True scale. Displays the actual deformed shape of the model (Scale Factor is 1.0).

• Defined. Allows you to enter your own Scale Factor .  In most cases, a larger scale factor helps to appreciate the deflection.

Property

• Include title text. If checked, type a custom title for the plot.

• Associate plot with name view orientation. Allows you to associate a predefined view orientation with the active plot.

• Associate with current view . Allows you to associate the current view with the active plot.

To plot a displacement component in a selected reference geometry: