Path Plots and

Automated Post Automated Post

Processing in
MADPL and MADPL and
Workbench
6/20/2012
CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. Proprietary
2012 CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. Proprietary
2012 CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. All rights reserved.
Engineering Advantage
CAE Associates are the leading simulation engineers in the North East CAE Associates are the leading simulation engineers in the North East
region. With global reach and local focus, we have been assisting, best in
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CAE integrates simulation and analysis solutions into their client's projects
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3
How CAEA Works with your Company
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Engineering Advantage
CAE Associates brings unmatched simulation expertise froma teamthat CAE Associates brings unmatched simulation expertise from a team that
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6
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7
Training Center In Middlebury, CT
8
Training Classes
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10
Path Plots
CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. Proprietary
2012 CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. All rights reserved.
Path Operations in MAPDL
One useful way to reviewresults is via path operations which allowyou to: One useful way to review results is via path operations, which allow you to:
Map results data onto an arbitrary path through the model.
Perform mathematical operations along the path, including integration and
differentiation differentiation.
Display a path plot see how a result item varies along the path.
Available only for models containing 2D or 3D solid elements or shell
elements elements.
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Path Operations
Three steps to produce a path plot: Three steps to produce a path plot:
1. Define a path.
2. Map data onto the path.
3 Plot the data 3. Plot the data.
1. Define a path:
Requires the following information:
Points defining the path (2 to 1000). You can use existing nodes, locations on the
working plane or locations in the global cartesian system.
Path curvature determined by the active coordinate system(CSYS) Path curvature, determined by the active coordinate system (CSYS).
A name for the path.
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Path Operations
Activate the desired coordinate system(CSYS) Activate the desired coordinate system (CSYS).
Define path via:
General Postproc > Path Operations > Define Path > By Nodes or On Working
Plane
Pick the nodes or WP locations that form the desired path, and press OK.
Choose a path name.
The nSets field refers to how many different items might be mapped onto this path (30 is
more thanenoughin almost all cases) more than enough in almost all cases)
nDiv field refers to the number of divisions between each specified point. For 2 points it
may be beneficial to increase the number of divisions.
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Path Operations
2 Map data onto path: 2. Map data onto path:
Choose the desired quantity, such as S1, and enter a label to be used on plots
and listings:
General Postproc > Path Operations > Map onto Path (or PDEF command) General Postproc Path Operations Map onto Path (or PDEF command)
You can now display the path if needed.
General Postproc > Path Operations > Plot Paths
(or issue /PBC,PATH,1 followed by NPLOT or EPLOT)
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Path Operations
By default there are 3 data items defined for each path By default there are 3 data items defined for each path.
XG, YG, ZG: Global coordinates of each path point
S: Distance along the path.
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Path Operations
Plot the data: Plot the data:
You can plot path items either on a graph:
PLPATH or General Postproc > Path Operations > Plot Path Item > On Graph
The data is always plotted vs S (distance along path) The data is always plotted vs. S (distance along path).
Or along path geometry:
PLPAGM or General Postproc > Path Operations > Plot Path Item > On
Geometry
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Path Operations
ANSYS allows you to define multiple paths, each with
a unique name that you assign. Only one path can
be active at a time.
To change the active path use
Recall Path
Besides plots and listings, there are many other path
biliti i l di capabilities, including:
Stress linearization used in the pressure vessel
industry to decompose stress along a path into its
membrane and bending components membrane and bending components.
Calculus functions used in fracture mechanics to
calculate J -integrals and stress concentration factors.
Also useful in thermal analyses to calculate the heat y
lost or gained across a path.
Dot products and cross products used widely in
electromagnetics analyses to operate on vector
titi
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quantities.
Stress Linearization
When doing stress linearization the path MUST be defined by 2 nodes When doing stress linearization, the path MUST be defined by 2 nodes.
If you try to do a stress linearization on a path defined by coordinates, you will
get an error:
The path must also be completely contained in the model. I.e. it cannot
pass through a hole or gap pass through a hole, or gap.
If there are gaps in the path you will get an error:
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Stress Linearization
For stress linearization the section path is defined by the two end nodes For stress linearization, the section path is defined by the two end nodes,
and by 47 intermediate points that are automatically determined by linear
interpolation in the active display coordinate system.
The number and location of the intermediate points are not affected by the The number and location of the intermediate points are not affected by the
number of divisions set by PATH,,,,nDiv.
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Stress Linearization
Linearized stress in MAPDL Linearized stress in MAPDL.
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Listing Paths
The path data can be listed using: The path data can be listed using:
General Postproc > Path Operations > Plot Path Item > List Path Items
Or
PRPATH command PRPATH command.
The listing will appear on screen in interactive mode or in the output file in
batch mode. batch mode.
The screen listing can be saved to a file with the File menu of that window.
By default the listing has the headers repeated every 56 lines By default the listing has the headers repeated every 56 lines
This can be modified with the /PAGE command
/PAGE,9999,,9999
Write 9999 lines before newheaders Write 9999 lines before new headers
Makes it easier to read data into other programs.
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Path Automation
CAE Associates has developed a macro that will automatically define a CAE Associates has developed a macro that will automatically define a
path through the model in the maximum principal stress direction (starting
at a specified node or the node with the max S1 stress).
Procedure:
Find node with max S1 stress (if no node specified).
Ali WP ith i i l di ti t d Align WP with principal directions at node
*VFUN,,DIRCOS will give direction cosines of principal stress directions
Use these to align WP
Create a path starting at WP origin and proceed 1 unit (or maxthk specified as Create a path starting at WP origin, and proceed 1 unit (or maxthk specified as
ARG2) in the WP X direction (First principal).
Map data onto this path, then loop through points of path and find point where
data = 0, assume this is the point where path exits model. p p
Define second path from starting node, to node nearest point where first path
exited model.
Map S1 stress onto new path.
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Paths in WB
Similarly paths can be defined in the Workbench Mechanical interface Similarly paths can be defined in the Workbench Mechanical interface.
In Mechanical, paths are considered construction geometry.
To create a path, first insert the Construction Geometry Item to the tree.
Then under construction geometry insert a path Then under construction geometry insert a path
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In Mechanical paths can be defined by:
Paths in WB
In Mechanical paths can be defined by:
Two points
Edge geometry
X Axis intersection X-Axis intersection
To define by Edge, simply choose an edge in the model that you want the
th t f ll I t thi ill i f t l i i th path to follow. In most cases this will require up front planning in the
geometry creation.
To define by X-Axis intersection, first create a coordinate system whose x-
axis represents the desired path direction. Then choose this system as
the Path Coordinate System.
25
To define by two points the user must select the beginning and ending
Paths in WB
To define by two points, the user must select the beginning and ending
point for the path by clicking on items in the model, or typing in coordinates
in the specified coordinate system.
Clickingon a geometry itemwill center the point at the centroid of that Clicking on a geometry item will center the point at the centroid of that
geometry.
Selecting this surface
centers the path point
h CG f h at the CG of the
cylindrical surface
Selecting this edge
l t th th locates the path
point at the arc
center.
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Paths in WB
To define a path at a more arbitrary location it is necessary to switch to To define a path at a more arbitrary location it is necessary to switch to
coordinate picking mode.
Then any arbitrary location in the model can be chosen.
Locations must be on the model geometry.
The path end points can be forced to use an actual node in the model by right
click and choose snap to mesh nodes.
It may also help to display the mesh
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Paths in WB
Warning when defining the path using two points only the coordinates of Warning, when defining the path using two points, only the coordinates of
the points are saved.
If the geometry is updated, the paths are not updated to move with the
geometry even if a vertex line or surface was selected to define the end geometry, even if a vertex, line or surface was selected to define the end
points.
If you want a path to move with geometry updates, create coordinate you a t a pat to o e t geo et y updates, c eate coo d ate
systems associated with geometry and define the path using these
coordinate systems.
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Paths in WB
To use a path in Mechanical you must scope a result itemto the path To use a path in Mechanical, you must scope a result item to the path.
By default result items are scoped to All Bodies.
After inserting the desired item (i.e. Max Principal Stress), change the Scoping
Method to Path Method to Path
Then choose the path form the drop down list.
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Paths in WB
When adding a Linearized Stress itemthe scoping method is automatically When adding a Linearized Stress item the scoping method is automatically
set to Path.
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Paths in WB
To viewthe path results first right click and choose Evaluate All Results To view the path results, first right click and choose Evaluate All Results.
The results are shown as color contours along the line of the path in the
main window.
And as a graph of result vs. distance in the graph window.
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Paths in WB
To compare results of two different paths the chart tool can be used: To compare results of two different paths, the chart tool can be used:
Once the chart is added, you can select multiple items in the tree to
compare;
32
Saving Images
CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. Proprietary
2012 CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. All rights reserved.
Saving Plots as Image Files
In both MAPDL and Workbench plots can be saved as image files In both MAPDL and Workbench plots can be saved as image files.
In MAPDL use:
PlotCtrls > Redirect Plots > To J PEG File
Or any of the other image file options Or any of the other image file options.
Recommended to set:
Q lit 100 Quality = 100
Force White BG and Black FG = On
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Saving Plots as Image Files
The set of APDL commands executed by this menu pick is: The set of APDL commands executed by this menu pick is:
Open J PEG file
Set J PEG options
/SHOW,JPEG,,0
JPEG,QUAL,100,
JPEG ORIENT HORIZ
Set J PEG options
JPEG,ORIENT,HORIZ
JPEG,COLOR,2
JPEG,TMOD,1
/GFILE,800,
!*
Save current colors
Switch black and white
Replot current plot
!
/CMAP,_TEMPCMAP_,CMP,,SAVE
/RGB,INDEX,100,100,100,0
/RGB,INDEX,0,0,0,15
/REPLOT
Replot current plot
Restore colors
/REPLOT
/CMAP,_TEMPCMAP_,CMP
/DELETE,_TEMPCMAP_,CMP
/SHOW,CLOSE
Each image will be saved in the current working directory as:
jobnameXXX.jpg
Wh XXX i b t ti ith 000 d i ti b f h
35
Where XXX is a number starting with 000 and incrementing by one for each new
image.
Saving Plots as Image Files
The set of commands can easily be turned into a macro to automatically The set of commands can easily be turned into a macro to automatically
generate a series of plots:
/SHOW,JPEG,,0
JPEG,QUAL,100,
JPEG ORIENT HORIZ JPEG,ORIENT,HORIZ
JPEG,COLOR,2
JPEG,TMOD,1
/GFILE,800,
!* !
/CMAP,_TEMPCMAP_,CMP,,SAVE
/RGB,INDEX,100,100,100,0
/RGB,INDEX,0,0,0,15
Each of these commands
will generate a separate
J PEG file
PLNS,S,1
PLNS,S,3
PLNS,S,EQV
PLNS U SUM
J PEG file
PLNS,U,SUM
/CMAP,_TEMPCMAP_,CMP
/DELETE,_TEMPCMAP_,CMP
/SHOW,CLOSE
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/SHOW,CLOSE
Saving Plots as Image Files
It may be convenient to rename the plot files something more descriptive It may be convenient to rename the plot files something more descriptive
than just jobname000.jpg.
The problem is that you cannot be sure what number plot you are up to.
To address this there is a command to t rn OFF a tomatic n mbering To address this there is a command to turn OFF automatic numbering.
/DEV,PSFN,NINC
With this option set the plot is always sent to jobname.jpg
So it is easy to rename
/
So it is easy to rename
/DEV,PSFN,NINC
/SHOW,JPEG,,0

/inquire,jnam,JOBNAME
1 PLNS,S,1
/rename,,jpg,,%jnam(1)%_S1,jpg
PLNS,S,3
/rename,,jpg,,%jnam(1)%_S3,jpg
S S Q PLNS,S,EQV
/rename,,jpg,,%jnam(1)%_SEQV,jpg
PLNS,U,SUM
/rename,,jpg,,%jnam(1)%_USUM,jpg
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/SHOW,CLOSE
Plots to File in WB
In Workbench the current viewcan be saved to an image file by clicking: In Workbench, the current view can be saved to an image file by clicking:
Which will bring up a dialog box for saving the file.
However Workbench has built-in procedures for generating a report and However, Workbench has built in procedures for generating a report and
saving it to MS Word or PPT.
This report will automatically contain any Figures or Images added to the
tree.
Image: A static image of the current view, cannot be modified.
Figure: A separate view of the current tree item.
Figures can be rotated, zoomed, etc, just like the main view.
Ch i th f Fi d I ill k th t ti
38
Changing the name of Figures and Images will make the report captions more
meaningful.
WB Report Generation
Comments can also be entered for any itemin the tree These comment Comments can also be entered for any item in the tree. These comment
will appear in the report.
Once you have added all the desired figure, images, and comments, the
report can be viewed by clicking on the Report Preview tab.
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WB Report Generation
The report will contain a summary of all model information: The report will contain a summary of all model information:
40
WB Report Generation
Path results are automatically included as plots and tabular data: Path results are automatically included as plots and tabular data:
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WB Report Generation
Once the previewis satisfactory the report can be sent to MS Word or Once the preview is satisfactory, the report can be sent to MS Word or
PowerPoint, or published to the web.
Sending to MS Word will contain the complete report with all data.
Sending to PowerPoint will contain only the images and figures from the
report.
The report generator from WB is a good way to meet certain design
practice requirements for documentation. p actce equ e e ts o docu e tato
42
Automated Stress
E t ti Extraction
CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. Proprietary
2012 CAE Associates Inc. and ANSYS Inc. All rights reserved.
Stress Extraction
There are a number of ways to determine and store the maximumstress There are a number of ways to determine and store the maximum stress
for a particular load case:
*GET,,PLNSOL Get the maximum value from the last plot
NSORT; *GET SORT Get the maximumvalue fromthe last sort NSORT; GET,,SORT Get the maximum value from the last sort
*VGET,,NODE,S,1 ; *VSCFUN,,MAX Store stress data for all nodes in an
array and find the maximum from that array.
Using these methods in a *DO loop that loops over all load cases, one can
find the maximum stress value of all load cases.
44
Stress Extraction
Stress extraction sample macro: Stress extraction sample macro:
*get,nsets,ACTIVE,,SET,NSET
s1max=0
Determine how many sets on RST file
s1max=0
*do,iset,1,nsets
set,,,,,,,iset
nsort,s,1
*get s1maxi sort max
Loop through and read in each set
Sort nodes based on S1 stress
get,s1maxi,sort,,max
*get,s1maxni,sort,,imax
*if,s1maxi,gt,s1max,then
s1max=s1maxi
s1maxnode=s1maxni
Get the maximum value from the last sort.
Get the node number where the max occurred.
If greater than previous max save the value
s1maxnode=s1maxni
s1maxlc=iset
*endif
*enddo
If greater than previous max save the value
Write out data to output file
*vwrite,s1max,s1maxnode,s1maxlc
The maximum S1 stress of %G, occurs at node %i, in set number %i
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Stress Extraction
The *VWRITE command is useful for writing data to files in a specified The VWRITE command is useful for writing data to files in a specified
format. Lets modify the macro slightly to write the max S1 stress for each
results set.
*get,nsets,ACTIVE,,SET,NSET
*dim,slist,array,nsets,2
*do,iset,1,nsets
Define an array nsetsX2
Loop through and read in each set
set,,,,,,,iset
nsort,s,1
*get,slist(iset,1),sort,,max
*get,slist(iset,2),sort,,imax
Loop through and read in each set
Store the maximum value in first column of
array.
Store the node number in the second
*enddo
*cfopen,s1out,csv
*vwrite
1
Store the node number in the second
column.
Open a new file for writing to.
Load Case, Max S1, Node
*vwrite,SEQU,slist(1,1),slist(1,2)
%I, %G, %I
* f l
Write out headers to file
Write array data to file
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*cfclose
Stress Extraction
This will create a CSV file tha tcna be read directly into Excel: This will create a CSV file tha tcna be read directly into Excel:
Load Case Max S1 Node LoadCase MaxS1 Node
1 14823.21 17428
2 29648.53 17428
3 44475.96 17428
4 40390.54 17428
5 36634.85 17429
6 32984.73 17429
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Maximum Stress in WB
In WB the maximum(and minimum) values for each result itemare In WB the maximum (and minimum) values for each result item are
automatically stored for each results set.
The graph tab will show a plot of maximum value vs. time for each quantity
plotted plotted.
To display the results for the time point of interest, simply right click on the
graph at the location of interest, and choose Retrieve This Result
48
Macro Library and Toolbar
One of the major issues with postprocessing is consistency across the One of the major issues with postprocessing is consistency across the
company.
We have seen how the WB report generator can be used to create a
comprehensive report with consistent types of information for all users comprehensive report with consistent types of information for all users.
Another way to help with consistency is to make the same macros
available to all users.
This can be done by storing these macros in a macro library This can be done by storing these macros in a macro library.
A macro library is a company wide accessible network directory that is
identified by a system environment variable: ANSYS_MACROLIB
If this environment variable is defined ANSYS will search in the directory If this environment variable is defined ANSYS will search in the directory
specified for macros.
49
Macro Library and Toolbar
Once the directory with the macros has be established users can be Once the directory with the macros has be established, users can be
made aware of these macros by adding them to the default toolbar via the
start140.ans file.
%ANSYS140 DIR%\apdl\start140 ans %ANSYS140_DIR%\apdl\start140.ans
Adding abbreviations to this file will cause them to appear on the tool bar
in ANSYS MAPDL.
50