Treating a Body as a Remote Mass

You can treat a body as a remote mass in Static, Frequency, Linear Dynamic, and Buckling studies.

To treat a body as a remote mass:

  1. In the Simulation study tree, right-click a solid body in an assembly component or multi-body part, and select Treat as Remote Mass.
  2. In the PropertyManager, for Faces, edges, or vertices for Remote Mass PM_faces_edges_vertices.gif, select the faces, edges, and vertices that connect the body to the rest of the model. These entities can only deform as a rigid body.
    The selected entities should represent the actual interface with other bodies. Using additional surface areas, edges, or vertices results in over-stiffening the structure. You may need to use the Split tab, or Split Line tool to define faces that represent the actual contact areas.
  3. Select Apply Force/Moment at CG to apply forces and moments at the CG (Center of Gravity) of the selected body.
  4. Click PM_OK.gif.
    You cannot connect a remote mass to a body that was previously treated as a remote mass.
    For linear dynamic studies, you can plot response graphs at the center of gravity of a body that is treated as a remote mass, or at a point where you apply a remote mass. You can plot response graphs of acceleration, velocity, or displacement components as a function of frequency (harmonic and random vibration studies), or as a function of time (modal time history studies).

    After you run the study, in the Response Graph PropertyManager, select At remote locations.