Visualizing Displacements

Translational Displacement vector images are used to visualize displacement field patterns, which represent a vector field quantity equal to the variation of position vectors of material particles of the system as a result of environmental action (loading). Translational Displacement vector Image objects can belong to Static Case Solution objects sets or to Frequency Case Solution objects sets.

The displacement resulting from part loading is important for a correct understanding of the way in which the part behaves.

This task shows how to generate Disp images on parts.

You can use the sample23.CATAnalysis document.

Before You Begin:
Compute the solution: for this, click the Compute icon .

1. Click the Displacement icon

.
The Translational Displacement vector image is displayed and a Translational displacement vector Image object appears in the specification tree under the active Static Case Solution objects set.

The Translational displacement vector distribution on the part is visualized in arrow symbol mode, along with a color palette.

2. When the mouse cursor is passing over vector arrow symbols, their components with respect to the global reference frame are visualized.

3. Click on an arrow to obtain a steady display.

4. Double-click the Translational displacement vectorImage object in the specification tree to edit the image.
The Image Edition dialog box is displayed.

Display on Deformed Mesh option,

The following tabs are available:

	`Visu` tab (how): provides a list with visu types (Average-Iso, Symbol, Text). As you change the Visu option type, the name of the `Translational displacement vector`Image object in the specification tree is modified (magnitude, vector, text). Both the option type and visualization are appended to the name.
	`Criteria` tab (what mathematical object type): provides a list with criteria (`VECTOR`)
	`Filters` tab (what): provides different filters. You can choose to generate images on nodes, elements, nodes of elements, center of elements or Gauss points of elements.
	`Selections` tab: either all or, in the case of CATProducts, pre-defined groups of elements belonging to given mesh parts can be multi-selected. In other words, given elements associated to a mesh part are automatically grouped and you can multi-select these groups (only available if you installed the ELFINI Structural Analysis product).

The following Edition switch buttons are available:

Symbol: press this button to open the Symbol Editor dialog box (only available if you installed the ELFINI Structural Analysis product).

Axis System: press this button to display the Image Axis System dialog box (only available if you installed the ELFINI Structural Analysis product).
You can use the Cartesian, Cylindrical or Spherical coordinate system.
If you activate the Global axis type, the default axis is used.

If you activate the Manual type option, you will be able to define manually the axis origin and coordinate definition.

You can also use the User type option. You will then put the part into the Show mode (right mouse button on Link Manager in the specification tree), display and if needed edit the definition of the axis you can now select on the part.

5. Click OK to quit the dialog box.

You can use the right mouse click (key 3) on a Translational displacement vector feature in the specification tree and select the option called Activate / Deactivate to turn the corresponding image on or off.

Products Available in Analysis Workbench

The ELFINI Structural Analysis product offers the following additional features with a right mouse click (key 3) on a Translational displacement vector feature in the specification tree:

Report: this icon generates a report in .html and .txt formats.