![](../icons_C2/common/areference.gif) |
Distributed Masses are used to
model purely inertial (non-structural) system characteristics such as
additional equipment. They represent scalar point mass fields
equivalent to a total mass concentrated at a given point, distributed on a virtual
part or on a geometric selection.
The user specifies the total mass. This quantity remains constant
independently of the geometry selection. The point where the total mass is
concentrated is automatically defined as follows:
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | For extended geometries, this point is the centroid of the geometry. |
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | For virtual parts, this point is the handler of the virtual part. |
The given concentrated-mass system is processed by the program as follows:
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | In the case of extended geometries, it is transformed into an
equivalent lumped masses system distributed over the selected support. |
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | In the case of virtual parts connected to deformable bodies, it is
transmitted as a lumped masses system collectively to the entire
connected geometry. |
Units are mass units (typically kg in SI).
Mass sets can be included in static cases: in this case,
they are used for loadings based inertia effects.
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Distributed Mass can be applied to the following types of Supports:
![](../icons_C2/common/iconblck.gif)
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This task shows you how to
create a Distributed Mass applied to a virtual part or to a geometry
selection.
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You can use the sample16.CATAnalysis
document from the samples directory for this task: a Finite Element Model containing a
Static or Frequency Analysis Case.
Before You Begin:
Go to View -> Render Style -> Customize View and make
sure the Shading, Outlines and Materials options are active in the Custom View Modes
dialog box.
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1. Click the Distributed Mass
icon
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The Distributed Mass dialog box is displayed.
![](images/aPanelNSMassVolumeMass.gif)
2. You can change the identifier of the Distributed Mass by editing the
Name field.
3. Enter the value of the total Mass to define the
mass magnitude.4. Select the support
(a vertex, an edge, a face or a
virtual part) on which the concentrated mass is
applied at the pre-defined point. Any selectable geometry is
highlighted when you pass the cursor over it. You can select several supports in
sequence, to apply the Distributed Mass to all supports
simultaneously.
Symbols representing the total mass equivalent to the Distributed Mass are
displayed at the application point of the support to visualize the input
lumped mass system.
5. Click OK to
create the Distributed Mass.
A Distributed Mass.1 object appears in the features tree under the active
Masses objects set.
![](images/6treemassdistrib.gif)
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![ainfo.gif (980 bytes)](../icons_C2/common/ainfo.gif)
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![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | You can either select the
support and then set the Distributed Mass specifications, or set the
Distributed Mass specifications and then select the
support. |
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | If you select several geometric supports,
you can create as many Distributed Masses as desired with the
same dialog box. A series of Distributed Masses can therefore be
created quickly. The point where the total mass is initially concentrated
is automatically assumed to be the centroid of the
system of individual supports centroids. |
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | Non-Structural Masses are not required for
either Stress
Analysis or Modal computations. |
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | If several Analysis Cases have been defined in
the Finite Element Model, you must activate a Masses objects set in the features
tree before creating a Distributed Mass object (only available if you have ELFINI Structural Analysis product
installed). |
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) | Distributed Mass objects can be edited by a double click on the
corresponding object or icon in the features tree. |
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![ainfo.gif (980 bytes)](../icons_C2/common/awarning.gif) |
Make sure the computation is finished before
starting any of the following operations. |
![ainfo.gif (980 bytes)](../icons_C2/common/tips.gif)
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Products
Available in
Analysis Workbench
![](_themes/v5r5/ul1.gif) |
The ELFINI Structural Analysis
product offers the following additional features with a right mouse click
(key 3) on a Distributed Mass object:
![](_themes/v5r5/ul2.gif) | Distributed mass visualization on mesh: the translation of your
Distributed Mass object specifications into solver specifications can
be visualized symbolically at the impacted mesh entities, provided the
mesh has been previously generated via a Compute action. |
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