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Viewing and Extracting Results

How do I plot results along a line (Path Plot)?

A path is a sequence of nodes connected along a line in your model. You can use it to plot displacement, stress, or other quantities as a function of position — for example, tip deflection along the wing span.

Steps:

  1. Identify the node numbers along your line of interest: go to Tools > Query, select Node, and click each node to read its number from the command line
  2. In the Visualization Module, go to Tools > Path > Create
  3. Name your path and enter your node labels using one of these formats:
  4. Single node: 5
  5. Range: 5:10
  6. Range with interval: 5:10:2
  7. Select the correct part instance from the dropdown, then click OK — your path will appear in the viewport
  8. Click Create XY Data, select Path, then click Continue
  9. Select your path and choose the output variable and options, then click Plot

How do I get section forces (Nx, Ny, Nxy)?

Section forces are obtained by integrating stress through the thickness of a shell element.

Steps:

  1. In the Step Module, open the Field Output Manager
  2. Select your load step and click Edit
  3. Expand Forces/Reactions and tick SF — Section forces and moments, then click OK
  4. Run the job and open results in the Visualization Module
  5. Select SF from the field output list and choose the specific component (SF1, SF2, etc.)

How do I find the maximum and minimum locations in my model?

  1. In the Visualization Module, click Contour Options
  2. Go to the Limits tab
  3. Tick Show location, then click OK

The max and min values will now be labeled with their locations in the viewport.

How do I display results ply by ply for a composite layup?

  1. In the Visualization Module, click Results > Section Points
  2. Set the selection method to Plies
  3. Select the ply you want to view and the position (top, middle, or bottom of ply)
  4. Click OK

!!! note You need at least 3 integration points (Simpson's rule) assigned to your shell section for ply-by-ply results to be available.

How do I use a view cut to see inside my model?

  1. In the Visualization Module, click View Cut Manager
  2. Select the plane for the cut (X, Y, or Z)
  3. Slide the bar to move the cutting plane to the position you want

This is useful for seeing stress distributions inside solid parts or within enclosed shell structures.

How do I get the total reaction force at a support?

  1. While creating your boundary condition, create a node set for the supported nodes (check the "Create set" box in the BC dialog and name the set)
  2. In the Step Module, create a History Output: name it, select the load step, and set the Domain to your node set
  3. Under Forces/Reactions, select RF, then click OK
  4. After running the job, go to Visualization > Create XY Data > ODB History Output
  5. Select all RF1 (or RF2/RF3) entries for your set and click Plot — you will see one curve per node
  6. To get the total: click Create XY Data > Operate on XY Data, type sum(, select all the individual curves, click Add to Expression, close the parenthesis ), then click Plot Expression
  7. To read the final value: Tools > Query > Probe Values, hover over the end of the curve and click

How do I adjust the color scale of the contour plot?

  1. In the Visualization Module, click Options > Contour
  2. Under Color & Style > Spectrum, you can set custom colors for values above/below your limits
  3. Under the Limits tab, click Specify and enter the range you want displayed (e.g., set the upper limit to your allowable stress)